What I learned...

[Txfirerescue]

After 5 straight days of bowhunting .

This was my first year to go out during bow season and hunt 5 straight days. I've been practicing with my bow for 2 years now and only went a couple days last year for specifically bowhunting.

1. Scent control Scent control Scent control. I upped my game on scent control this year vas informed my buddy that if he didn't do the same he wouldn't be allowed past my gate. He followed all of my steps in scent control and it paid off. Saw 6 deer in 3 days with 4 of them being in 30yds of us. Only to be spooked off after smelling our walking path. Mind you this was 6 deer more than last year and this is on my property where we don't supplement feed or have feeders. I'm just catching them traveling.

2. Wind direction. In the certain spots I was hunting this early season the wind wasn't my best friend but it was the best I could do with what we had and it wasn't a total bust. Now this is worth noting now. I DID NOT SEE ANY OF MATURE BUCKS THAT I WAS CATCHING ON CAM. Which only tells me one thing. I wasn't playing the wind good enough.

3. Just when you think you've scouted enough...SCOUT some more. I did not scout enough mainly because I was so happy about pictures and tracks of deer that I was gathering I didn't even think about it. What I should have been doing is figuring where the deer were traveling to and not satisfied with just deer traveling in front of my spot. On hindsight I now noticed that although my blind is not near a bedding area...the walking path I was using went right by a possible bedding area and the wind was blowing what little scent we were giving off into said possible bedding area. SO SCOUT and keep SCOUTING.

4. When sitting in your blind or lock ons or whatever it is ...do just that. I learned so much this week by sitting in my lock ons and listening to the woods and watching the woods. Making notes of wind direction and how the deer acted when they entered my sight. It was truly amazing and in all honesty...heart stopping.

I only hope I haven't wrecked these spots with the pressure I put on them this week. I truly believe this area will produce but with it being the southernmost part of my property and northern or north west winds coming up I just hope I can figure it out.

[Mtltx]

Are you wearing rubber boots? Ive learned over the years that you need to really wear them. I also spray my boot bottoms with scent spray. We have cattle on our lease and try to find a fresh pile of dung to step in. If im sitting inside a blind I dont step in the dung. It can make you have a funny look on your face while hunting. Lastly........ Ozonics!! I promise its worth the investment!

[Dejashoot]

Great observation points. A lot of what you are pointing out takes some people years to understand. Mature deer stay alive by avoiding things that are a hint of trouble. Once they have an idea that something isn't right, they may circle down wind and stand nose in the air for 10-30 minutes. Some times sending in a decoy (younger deer) to test the area before they may their way in. Going to one of my stands, I drive an extra 3/4 mile around a pasture to keep deer from knowing I'm on the property and then walk an extra 500 yards.

To answer your question, once a mature deer knows something is up, they may act differently for the rest of season. You may have to move your setup in order to throw them off your track.

[Txfirerescue]

What I learned...

Are you wearing rubber boots? Ive learned over the years that you need to really wear them. I also spray my boot bottoms with scent spray. We have cattle on our lease and try to find a fresh pile of dung to step in. If im sitting inside a blind I dont step in the dung. It can make you have a funny look on your face while hunting. Lastly........ Ozonics!! I promise its worth the investment!

Yep, that was one of the measures I took this year and went with rubber boots and scent cover. That was actually how the deer caught me. They went right to my track I took to the blind and followed it to my blind. Ignored the food I laid out. Then turned and walked off. I don't think they ever winded me as they lingered in the area for awhile. But they were yearlings.

[Txfirerescue]

Great observation points. A lot of what you are pointing out takes some people years to understand. Mature deer stay alive by avoiding things that are a hint of trouble. Once they have an idea that something isn't right, they may circle down wind and stand nose in the air for 10-30 minutes. Some times sending in a decoy (younger deer) to test the area before they may their way in. Going to one of my stands, I drive an extra 3/4 mile around a pasture to keep deer from knowing I'm on the property and then walk an extra 500 yards.

To answer your question, once a mature deer knows something is up, they may act differently for the rest of season. You may have to move your setup in order to throw them off your track.

Well even if it's the case I'm still gonna give it a shot. I have an extra blind that I will put up but trying to save it and my other lock ons for the north part of my property which I believe is a far better and easier part of my property to hunt when the wind shifts out of the north

[Mtltx]

Sweet. Ive found over the years so many of the little things that add up to be a successful hunter. Im always learning new ideas. Thanks for sharing and good luck to you!

[Booner Sooner]

Two additional things to consider are the height you are hunting from and when/how long you are on stand.

It seems that the sits where I am 20' or more up I see more deer. Also, when I get to the stand early and sit for 5 or more hours my experience has been that I see more deer.

Like you I am hunting travel routes exclusively. No corn or other attractants.

Can you give more details on your scent routine?

[Txfirerescue]

This year focused heavily on taking care of my treated clothing.

Clothes, any gear going into field including harness all washed in scent free. Stored all of it in a tote with earth wafers.

I made sure to not open container unless I was putting on the clothes. So this meant taking care of the three S's and eating then getting dressed. Once dressed spraying on scent killer gold and packing up and heading out.

Once out in the field I would spray down with scent killer again including the bottom of my rubber boots and all equipment going into field.

[Txfirerescue]

Forgot also, if course washing in scent soap but I treated my towel the same way I did my clothes and after a days worth of use I sprayed in scent killer gold then hung up outside to dry .

[Txfirerescue]

What I learned...

Oh I almost forgot number. 5

5. Watch the outdoor channel all you want but treat it like a fake reality channel. I honestly don't care what anyone says on this topic. But hunting in real life does not go anywhere near comparing the same as your outdoor channel.

[Ruark]

Oh I almost forgot number. 5

5. Watch the outdoor channel all you want but treat it like a fake reality channel. I honestly don't care what anyone says on this topic. But hunting in real life does not go anywhere near comparing the same as your outdoor channel.

If that isn't the truth. Most of those shows are just glorified commercials.