Changes?

[chiefbkt]

With the season fast approaching, we're down to crunch time for stand set ups, putting in the last of the winter food plots, archery gear acquisitions, etc. So my question is, what changes have you made this year to ensure you have a successful archery season? Did you acquire new property? Plant some food plots? New bow? New tactics? You get the point.

Personally, I've made some alterations to my property, added a few new stands in new areas, got a new bow, and some new hunting apparel. The most drastic change was my property though. Converted a field that is typically alfalfa to corn. This added an additional 15 acres of corn and is allowing me to put stands in spots I typically wouldn't, which will hopefully improve my sightings. We also have a petroleum pipeline that passes through our property and this past winter they came through and decimated every living tree, shrub, and plant form that existed in their ROW. Basically this is now a 30 yard wide, several hundred yard long shooting lane that the deer have become comfortable traveling. I haven't had a lot of buck action but a vast majority of the does seem to be staying on my property now. I'm hoping the does along with the corn, draw the bucks in for the hunting season.

[Core]

Other than the public land, I now have access to a very modest 8 acres less than 20 minutes away. Not sure how good it is yet (homeowner said it had lots of deer all last year, but they've not seen any this year--though they are not going back into the woods, just their back yard). I think it's not bad, but I'm heading out this morning to put up some cams in fact.

I also have a better spot in the public land than I did last year, after much footwork to find out how to get to it, and finally if I do gun season this year (burned out after archery last year!), I'll have a rifle I've been practicing a lot with vs a shotgun with a piece of garbage red dot that didn't work properly (never again with cheap optics for me).

[Gencountyzeek]

I've moved 2 stands added 2 more stands giving me 7 I believe to choose from and there's always the climber if they don't seem to b in quite the right spot. I still have to walk the Darien state land to get a feel for where to go if it's slow here.

[DirtTime]

Scouted some ( new to me ) public land close by, bought a new bow, just washed the hunting clothes and getting ready for a good Sawyers treatment.

The g/f goes for her Hunter Ed. class this weekend, so will be spending time getting the basics down with her. Getting antsy. 

[growalot]

Hinged more trees,opened more lanes,got a bit more info from neighbors.

[Jeremy K]

We finally figured out that when we walk to our stands in the morning that we are kicking deer the other way , our plan this year is to have my buddy drop us off at the stands with his 3 wheeler ,they don't run away from him when he's out riding his dirtbike or 3 wheeler but they haul butt when we walk up the hill.

[genesee_mohican]

No new equipment or land news, just a lot of time in the woods scouting since January. I scouted new state land last winter and spring and am looking forward to a few new stand locations this year. I've had 4 trail cameras out in this area since mid July and am encouraged to see some nice looking deer. Had the local bow shop put new cables and strings on my 13 year old Parker bow, and it's shooting real well.

[grampy]

After post season scouting, we decided to make some small changes. So on the lake property i did three new natural ground blinds and on the farm property two new blinds. And since I'll have my grandson actually hunting this year, made them all comfortable and large enough for two. More so than any deer I've killed myself, I look forward to being with him when he gets his first!

[Adkhunter1590]

My house and the property behind it are all new to me for this hunting season. I've been running cameras since we moved in late November last year. Cleared some overgrown fields and trails on the property and planted quite a bit of food plots but most got destroyed from the drought. Mostly just my clover plots are doing alright. But that's alright we at least got fields opened up this year with a additional 6 acre field I still have to fill up for next spring.

We've blazed a couple new trails around the property to give better access to stand sites and for atv riding fun. Me and my buddy have 6 stands up right now. Will be adding more in the future once we get a better handle on what works and what doesn't on this property. But our hopes are high!


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[Core]

On 9/5/2016 at 7:28 PM, ....rob said:

Scouted some ( new to me ) public land close by, bought a new bow, just washed the hunting clothes and getting ready for a good Sawyers treatment.

The g/f goes for her Hunter Ed. class this weekend, so will be spending time getting the basics down with her. Getting antsy. 

I bought some of that last year. Seems like awesome stuff. Will be cleaning my clothes very soon with scent free then letting them sit outside and definitely hosing that stuff down on them.

[Fantail]

Swapped out one of the clover / chicory plots with plot spike - forage feast.

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[Lawdwaz]

New arrows and new broadheads.  Didn't really need either but only had a half dozen shafts left and wanted to make a broadhead change.......that's about all I can think of.

[Rockspek]

Bought a bow and have been shooting it for a few months.  Took a bow safety course and now just hoping dec gets me my tags before the 1st.

[BowmanMike]

well,last year was my first bowhunting,so I am changing a lot.Going to try to be out less in the middle and end of october and a lot in early november. Set up more stands and will use more stands at different times. I am thinking more about approaches to stands and scent control or camouflage.

I also got a few cameras out for scouting and I think I am getting a better handle on deer movement on the properties I get to hunt. Food sources are different here this year,less apples and a lot more acorns. Have to see where the deer hang out this time...

[NYBowhunter]

New trail that i had graded so that i can access the entire other half / higher elevation of my property , 2 new food plots, planted 2 more apple trees, cut and split about 30 trees of all sizes, opened up some new fields and lanes, moved one ladder stand. Serviced all my machines and toys etc...all done as a weekend warrior with the help of family.

[518BowSlayer]

bought a climber, gonna try public land for the first time this year. plus I can set up in different places on the private land I hunt. practiced with it a bunch so I'm pretty confident I can climb up quietly in the dark. safety was my first concern but after some practice with it i feel completely safe. way more comfy than my ladder stands too.

[Buckmaster7600]

Haven't changed much as far as gear but my goal this year has changed. I'm not going to bow hunt my 400acres I am going to try and harvest a buck in the Adirondacks from the ground with my bow. I have only shot 1 nice buck with my bow in the Adirondacks and it was from a stand. I want to do it still hunting. The other goal I have for this season is to shoot a mature buck with my pistol in the Adirondacks from the ground still hunting.

Both of these are going to be tough but this is what I do to continue the saga. If I can get one with the bow this year next year I will try to repeat with the recurve.


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[ATbuckhunter]

Got new broad heads and replaced the blades on old broadheads, but that's about it from what i can remember. I have a treestand I never put together so maybe ill assemble it and put it in the woods. 

[Rebel Darling]

I read a few more books on bow hunting strategies during the "off-season," and cleared a small area to plant some clover in the spring.  The does and their fawns are regulars, and I'm hoping the bucks will follow. 

A couple of weeks back, I raked over that area, and planted a mix of Whitetail Institute's "No Plow" and "Bowstand."  It's a small area, with only a few hours of spotty sunlight.  It's taking hold, though, and I hope the does don't decimate the growth too soon.  I set up a stand on a maple about 15 yards off the area, tucked between two hemlocks, with two choice shooting lanes trimmed out in late July.  This is a good stand for the prevailing wind.

I also found a scrape, which is now active, paired up with a licking branch.  Over the past month or so, I go out on occasion to spill out buck urine, and leave a bit of my own.  I haven't checked the camera card, but someone's a little P'O'd with the strange scent, and kicking up a fuss.  I set up a stand about 25 yards away, but will have to reserve this stand for uncommon winds.

I think I found a buck bed right in the middle of a few downed trees, collected boulders, and in a bed of ferns.  I have yet to figure out how I'm going to hunt this one, and will be patient to learn if he's changed his patterns in the past couple of weeks.  It's a quick line from the bed to the bog and the neighbor's property line, with a need for uncommon winds.

I also have a few public spots I like to visit in 4J (hoping for two early season does), and 4H, and those will be a combination of still hunts, and climbing sticks.

It's my second bow season, and I'm excited by how much I think I've learned, and can't wait to learn more about just how clueless I really am...