total newbie

[Elmo]

1 hour ago, Artemis said:

Thanks Elmo! That was super helpful and I laughed out loud at the thought of a bunch of deer doing the 'walk of shame.' If I knew anything about Photoshop, I would be tempted to photoshop some ruined make-up, bed hair and askew clothing on to a photo of a doe. :-D

Regarding scent.... how paranoid do you have to be about yours? I keep my outerlayer clothing in a separate plastic bin to keep it from obtaining smells around my house and picking up my dog's hair. Just picked up some scent wafers to toss in there that are supposed to smell like "fresh earth." I dress in all my under layers and put the outer layers on when I get to the woods.

That said... I wear my Muck boots pretty regularly... and not just for hunting. Is that going to cause an issue?  I haven't invested is a full dedicated (hunting only) set of under layers yet, so if I wear my wool pants for something else and then wear them under 4 layers of other pants- are deer really going to be able to smell that? I put scent-blocker on all the fragrant body spots... but do I really need to put it in my hair if it's under a wool hat and two hoods? I don't use a lot of perfume-y crap like some women do, but if I used some gel in my hair 4 days ago and haven't washed it out since then... is that something they can smell too? 

From what I've read so far on the forum, there is a wide variety of opinions about how far to take this scent thing, but outside of "playing the wind" are there are good, hard rules of thumb when it comes to scents? (other than obvious stuff like, "if you can smell your own funk, deer can smell it too.")

There are two kinds of hunters.  Those who spend tons of money on scent control and they're successful hunters.  And there are those who smoke a cigar in their stands and are successful hunters too.  Both of them swear to you they're right.

Here's my train of thought.  Even if the scent control can block out 99.9% of your odor, a deer can still sniff the 0.1% anyway so even if you use scent control, you still have to rely on the wind.
 

Also, the reason I ask where you're located is because deer adjust to their environment.  People who hunt out west where there's millions of acres, a little sniff of a human and the deer is gone.  Near NYC, a little sniff of a human and the deer has to figure out if you're there or if you're in the car driving by the highway.
 

Personally, I think the biggest reason you're probably not seeing deer is because it's later into the season now.  When I scout in late summer/early fall, I see deer all the time.  Keep in mind, I only hunt public lands.  But as the season gets later and later, the frequency and amount I see become smaller and smaller as the deer starts to adjust to the orange army that tramples through their home.  One of the adjustments is the deer becomes nocturnal.

Note:  I have an untested theory that against popular belief the deer don't actually become nocturnal, nocturnal becomes them.  In other word, the deer who cross the path at 6:45AM.  In September, that's day light.  In November, it's dark.  But the deer was still crossing at 6:45AM.  Again, just a theory of mine that I always wanted to see if it's true.

[Robhuntandfish]

12 minutes ago, Elmo said:

There are two kinds of hunters.  Those who spend tons of money on scent control and they're successful hunters.  And there are those who smoke a cigar in their stands and are successful hunters too.  Both of them swear to you they're right.

Here's my train of thought.  Even if the scent control can block out 99.9% of your odor, a deer can still sniff the 0.1% anyway so even if you use scent control, you still have to rely on the wind.
 

Also, the reason I ask where you're located is because deer adjust to their environment.  People who hunt out west where there's millions of acres, a little sniff of a human and the deer is gone.  Near NYC, a little sniff of a human and the deer has to figure out if you're there or if you're in the car driving by the highway.
 

Personally, I think the biggest reason you're probably not seeing deer is because it's later into the season now.  When I scout in late summer/early fall, I see deer all the time.  Keep in mind, I only hunt public lands.  But as the season gets later and later, the frequency and amount I see become smaller and smaller as the deer starts to adjust to the orange army that tramples through their home.  One of the adjustments is the deer becomes nocturnal.

Note:  I have an untested theory that against popular belief the deer don't actually become nocturnal, nocturnal becomes them.  In other word, the deer who cross the path at 6:45AM.  In September, that's day light.  In November, it's dark.  But the deer was still crossing at 6:45AM.  Again, just a theory of mine that I always wanted to see if it's true.

gotta tell ya its always that way for me. Saw 104 deer in bow season and have seen 3 in gun season. 

[TreeGuy]

And I'll tell you this, if having a few bad years concerns you to the point you would just stop hunting..... Stop now and do yourself a favour. I can promise you as other will attest, you will have some bad years BUT in a matter of minutes that can all change. Lots of ways to increase your odds out there, bit without the right attitude and patience you will not enjoy your time in the woods. Start there !

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[TreeGuy]

To add to that, I have a few good bucks under my belt ( that I put my time in for ) and with this year's gun buck that's my 9th over 120". Reality is..... It's my 22nd year hunting bow and gun. I have a handful of smaller bucks from my early years, but if you do the math I've gone without more than with. I had a few years in a row with zero bones but I also ass on a bunch. Little or big, the opportunity to harvest isn't always there, but the opportunity to learn is around everyday, in the woods, the car, the forums whatever. Soak it up my friend...

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[Robhuntandfish]

  Find where the deer eat and where they go to bed and get between there with the rifle and there ya go!  lol.  If only it were that easy....  But the best part of hunting is trying to figure it out and then when you start seeing deer you know your doing something right.  Deer are like most people they like to eat and sleep. Hunting is just putting yourself in the most likely places they will come through.  Might sit there for 4 days and never see a deer or it might be 15 minutes. Enjoy the whole process and the rewards of getting the deer will come too.  I have a hunting buddy that has only gotten one deer ever and he is already saying how he is not going to know what to do with himself once deer hunting season is over.  He said he heard deer fighting, and saw a few but couldnt get a shot and had a great season. My most memorable thing about this season didnt even involve a deer, it was when I was sitting in the morning waiting for the fog to lift and a bald eagle appeared about 15 feet from me. That was awesome. 

Best tips i can give is def put the wind in your face, find their food source (which will change sometimes during season- acorns, clover field, corn, soybeans, apples), then find where they might tend to bed down and stay out of there til at least the end of season cause thats where they feel secure.  Hunt the edges and the trails between and be mindful of your scent.  Sounds like your doing a good job with that already.  (huntstand is a nice app on phone to determine wind direction and where you scent might go )  

Best of luck and enjoy being out there!   Keep us posted on how you do. 

[OldNewbie]

I'm not one to offer much advice, but I can say I also started later in life and have struggled to come up the learning curve.

I started at the age of 59. We have deer in our neighborhood all the time. How hard can it be, I thought.. Well, the reality is, way harder than I thought!

First year, hunted gun season only, mostly state land, saw 1-2 deer, harvested zero.  Second year, switched to bow/crossbow, changed to private land, did a whole year of trail cam surveys on the new hunt area, and harvested two. Success!  Yet it took about 80 hours of sitting all told. This year, same spot as last year.. seeing far fewer deer, and once again feeling like I'm 'doing it wrong' and don't know what I'm doing. There are so many variables, and you can only control some of them.

The hardest for me is the hours of sitting still 'doing nothing'. I have always enjoyed active sports - hiking, cross country skiing, fly fishing, etc. So remaining motionless for hours at a time has tested my patience. This year I've read four books in the blind, and lately I have been catching up on much needed sleep!  So its productive one way or another.. 

There is a lot to learn, and this site is great place to get some mentoring. 

P.S. One tip I will offer -- when you're going to be sitting out in the cold for a long time, eating something beforehand with a high fat content will help you keep warm. Inuits eat seal blubber.. I prefer cheese or fatty meat, bacon, sausage, etc. Egg McMuffins, for example.

Good luck!

Edited November 28, 2017 by OldNewbie

[TreeGuy]

Does any local stores sell blubber ? I'd give that a try. Barf

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[Artemis]

1 hour ago, OldNewbie said:

I'm not one to offer much advice, but I can say I also started later in life and have struggled to come up the learning curve.

I started at the age of 59. We have deer in our neighborhood all the time. How hard can it be, I thought.. Well, the reality is, way harder than I thought!

First year, hunted gun season only, mostly state land, saw 1-2 deer, harvested zero.  Second year, switched to bow/crossbow, changed to private land, did a whole year of trail cam surveys on the new hunt area, and harvested two. Success!  Yet it took about 80 hours of sitting all told. This year, same spot as last year.. seeing far fewer deer, and once again feeling like I'm 'doing it wrong' and don't know what I'm doing. There are so many variables, and you can only control some of them.

The hardest for me is the hours of sitting still 'doing nothing'. I have always enjoyed active sports - hiking, cross country skiing, fly fishing, etc. So remaining motionless for hours at a time has tested my patience. This year I've read four books in the blind, and lately I have been catching up on much needed sleep!  So its productive one way or another.. 

 

Ah! This is totally where I am coming from too!!! I thought, "I see deer all the time. I've nearly walked up to a few on my morning walks, hunting would be the same thing- just with a weapon in hand." Um, NO!!!! 

The challenge is find all that time to sit and do nothing...Annoyingly, I haven't had time to go back out since last week and I hear the loud "tick, tick, tick" ing away of the hunting season. (I really wish I would have gotten my bow stamp this year. As soon as I can get myself into a course, I'm doing it.) But then I see plenty of guys locally tag out on opening day and then their season is over in 30 minutes. I like the idea of catching up on some reading (or sleep) while I'm out there. That would make it much easier for me to get out there more frequently. I wonder if they make camo book covers? :-D

[OldNewbie]

9 hours ago, Artemis said:

 I like the idea of catching up on some reading (or sleep) while I'm out there. That would make it much easier for me to get out there more frequently. I wonder if they make camo book covers? :-D

Since I suggested it, I better tell you that sleeping in the blind is a double edged sword. Last year I was sitting in an open blind, just a tarp over some logs, fell soundly asleep sitting in the chair behind it, and when I woke up, mama doe was about 5 feet away staring at me and checking me out.

Re books, my permanent blind is so dark inside I can barely read a paper book in the middle of the day inside it. A tablet with a backlit screen (e.g. Kindle Fire, iPad, etc) can be adjusted to low brightness and still be read in darkness. Just be sure to download whatever you want to read in case there is no broadband in the stand. 

[Robhuntandfish]

I see so many more deer during bow season. Def take the class.  Bowhunting is warmer so it's easier to sit and enjoy the day. And there is so much more action. You won't regret it and it's really easy to get hooked on. Once you take the class go to a good bow shop and they will help you get hooked up with a bow and setup .  I suggest letting a shop help out with that , it will save a lot of headaches.  Once your setup just got to put in some shooting practice.  

[Tughill Tamer]

Welcome to the forum

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[Artemis]

2 hours ago, Robhuntandfish said:

I see so many more deer during bow season. Def take the class.  Bowhunting is warmer so it's easier to sit and enjoy the day. And there is so much more action. You won't regret it and it's really easy to get hooked on. Once you take the class go to a good bow shop and they will help you get hooked up with a bow and setup .  I suggest letting a shop help out with that , it will save a lot of headaches.  Once your setup just got to put in some shooting practice.  

 Already on it! I picked up my new bow a fews days ago, had Northern Dutchess Archery set it up and help me sight it. Much better with a bow than a gun, that's for sure! I will definitely be out for archery season next year!!! 

[Robhuntandfish]

7 hours ago, Artemis said:

 Already on it! I picked up my new bow a fews days ago, had Northern Dutchess Archery set it up and help me sight it. Much better with a bow than a gun, that's for sure! I will definitely be out for archery season next year!!! 

good for you!  Your gonna love it.  It quickly becomes an addiction.  I already have my days off planned for next archery season! Plus I am pretty sure most statues of Artemis she has a bow in hand! 

Edited November 29, 2017 by Robhuntandfish

[TreeGuy]

Bow season trumps gun season anyday.

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[Artemis]

5 hours ago, Robhuntandfish said:

good for you!  Your gonna love it.  It quickly becomes an addiction.  I already have my days off planned for next archery season! Plus I am pretty sure most statues of Artemis she has a bow in hand! 

Um, yes! That's why I picked that name. Artemis, in addition to being a straight up badass, is the goddess of the hunt, the moon, wilderness and wild animals. 

I've been shooting a trad bow since March and its a long term goal of mine to harvest an animal with a traditional bow, but seeing as how it will be years before I would be good enough with it to hunt with, I decided to get a compound bow for learning to hunt. I enjoy archery a lot and I'm pretty confident that I'll be lethal with it by next season. If I can find the deer in the first place....

[TreeGuy]

Where abouts is your hunting grounds ?

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[Artemis]

5 minutes ago, TreeGuy said:

Where abouts is your hunting grounds ?

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Ulster County. for now.

[Robhuntandfish]

2 hours ago, Artemis said:

Um, yes! That's why I picked that name. Artemis, in addition to being a straight up badass, is the goddess of the hunt, the moon, wilderness and wild animals. 

I've been shooting a trad bow since March and its a long term goal of mine to harvest an animal with a traditional bow, but seeing as how it will be years before I would be good enough with it to hunt with, I decided to get a compound bow for learning to hunt. I enjoy archery a lot and I'm pretty confident that I'll be lethal with it by next season. If I can find the deer in the first place....

Artemis will find deer!!  lol 

 

[turkeyfeathers]

Hey wait   I just realized you are a female after noticing forum pic and your "goddess of the hunt" comment    Jeesh. no wonder all the guys are being so helpful  

My new to the forum introduction was not responded to for weeks lol   

Just kidding  

You joined a great forum ,good luck in your future endeavors

[philoshop]

21 minutes ago, turkeyfeathers said:

Hey wait   I just realized you are a female after noticing forum pic and your "goddess of the hunt" comment    Jeesh. no wonder all the guys are being so helpful  

My new to the forum introduction was not responded to for weeks lol   

Just kidding  

You joined a great forum ,good luck in your future endeavors

I hadn't noticed that either! Yikes, I'm getting old. ;-]

[Elmo]

I think most people are responding because she's been a bit more specific with her questions and has shown to put in an effort on her own part.  The being specific with her questions, at least for me, is why I'm more willing to answer her questions.  As oppose to some of the other intro's that are like "Hi all...I'm new to hunting.  Show me how, please."  I mean for that, where do you even begin?

[TreeGuy]

I'm somewhat of a Greek goddess myself...

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[Artemis]

1 hour ago, turkeyfeathers said:

Hey wait   I just realized you are a female after noticing forum pic and your "goddess of the hunt" comment    Jeesh. no wonder all the guys are being so helpful  

My new to the forum introduction was not responded to for weeks lol   

Just kidding  

 

See, I'd like to think that by titling my thread "total newbie" y'all are just super excited about helping a new person out. And for that, thank you all who have chimed in with some great advice so far! 

As for not noticing the female part....maybe it's time to get out those binos fellas, so you can tell buck from doe! :-D LOL!

Just kidding, but in all seriousness, it was not my intention to call attention to my gender and play the tired trope of the 'damsel in distress.' I'm not getting into hunting because I'm getting dragged into it by/trying to impress a boyfriend/husband/father. It's 100% a product of my own decision and desire to be more self-sufficient, to know where my foods comes from and provide it myself, and to become more knowledgeable about what is happening in the woods and forests around me. So yes, I want to ask questions and know more for myself.

[moog5050]

4 hours ago, Artemis said:

Um, yes! That's why I picked that name. Artemis, in addition to being a straight up badass, is the goddess of the hunt, the moon, wilderness and wild animals. 

I've been shooting a trad bow since March and its a long term goal of mine to harvest an animal with a traditional bow, but seeing as how it will be years before I would be good enough with it to hunt with, I decided to get a compound bow for learning to hunt. I enjoy archery a lot and I'm pretty confident that I'll be lethal with it by next season. If I can find the deer in the first place....

Practice enough with the trad bow and I bet you will be ready to knock one down with that by next season too.  Welcome to the site and good luck.  Sounds like you are digging in and that makes a big difference regarding likelihood of success.

[TreeGuy]

See, I'd like to think that by titling my thread "total newbie" y'all are just super excited about helping a new person out. And for that, thank you all who have chimed in with some great advice so far! 
As for not noticing the female part....maybe it's time to get out those binos fellas, so you can tell buck from doe! :-D LOL!
Just kidding, but in all seriousness, it was not my intention to call attention to my gender and play the tired trope of the 'damsel in distress.' I'm not getting into hunting because I'm getting dragged into it by/trying to impress a boyfriend/husband/father. It's 100% a product of my own decision and desire to be more self-sufficient, to know where my foods comes from and provide it myself, and to become more knowledgeable about what is happening in the woods and forests around me. So yes, I want to ask questions and know more for myself.

Uh huh... Busting on people already, I like your style. You are gonna fit right in here!

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