[bow junkie]

Hey everyone, starting a thread on whitetail tactis. What is your favorite tactic or the one thing you do that seems to pay off. Also this thread is not limited to just during the season. Please share your scouting techniques, food plot preparations,feeding and mineral placement, as well as how you hunt the rut, early season 90 degree bow hunts and so on. This thread should not be a bash, this is hunters helping hunters, new and seasoned professionals. Thanks

 

[indiana redneck]

Early season i have luck around food sources & transition areas. Once the food is gone (crops) i set back up in the woods in pinches, funnels & oak flats. During the rut i also set up in pinches & funnels but hunting close to bedding areas is where i see most of my deer movement during the rut. This might not be how some guys hunt but this is what has worked for me over the last 15+ years.

 

[mdillon]

As the weather starts to turn cold I'll put a deer decoy close to my stand but that isn't easliy seen unless they are close to or already in killing range. I usally make sure decoy is also blocked by partialy by some cover. I have had them start to get spooked see decoy and calm right back down if that doesn't work a little grunt from a call with decoy in sight has done it every time for me. I have shot, missed had them running off(full boar) and after a few grunts or bleats they walked right back in looking at the decoy and started feeding again. I have tried this with and without decoy and this combo works best for me. I had pretty much written off calling unless using it to getting them to stop for a second to take shot until trying this method by accident and it's my all time favorite. I have sealed several deals this way that I don't think would have happened unless I was doing this. One thing I'd warn is be ready with an aggressive buck. I had a buck come in and once he got close he came in pretty fast right up to decoy and once he figured out it wasn't a deer he was moving out. So far the younger bucks and does seem to give the decoy a little space and don't go right up to it to investigate like the buck did.

 

[lineape]

Hunting food sources has paid off really well for me.

 

[DB444]

Multiple tactics based upon the stage of the rut

I use multiple tactics based upon the stage of the rut.

Prerut, I hunt food sources and water if dry ( travel corridors between known buck bedding areas and food sources ).

Scraping phase -Hunt early late near buck bedding areas ( most scrapes are done at night early in the season ) I may also try some light sparring with antlers.

Seeking stage--Scrapes leaf over and bucks are pursuing--hunt doe groups ( funnels between known doe groups ) and agressively rattle and grunt.

Breeding phase--hunt doe groups ( funnels ) and rattle and grunt

Post 1st rut light rattling/grunting and food sources and sanctuarys

2nd trickle rut --roughly 28 days after primary rut---hunt doe groups and food sources since most doe are starting to yard up for the winter.

 

[fishbomb]

All I can say is golf courses!