Proper planning and a checklist can lead to a big buck like this one.
Good bow hunters leave nothing to chance. They know what their plan will be every day they hunt, and if coincidence or bad luck occurs, savvy hunters switch to Plan B.Granted, we have a good bit of time to wait until the Oct. 1 bow season. That having been said, it's a wise hunter that plans ahead. Now is an excellent time to rearrange stands and other things before it gets too hot.
The majority of good bow hunters have a loose plan in mind, often to eliminate possible problems suffered last fall. They seldom think about it because their plan is basically the same from day to day. All that may change is the weather, wind direction, and how deer move. The important thing is for hunters to have everything that they can control in place before they climb into a ground blind or tree stand.
Develop a loose plan for hunting, and add to or detract from as, as needed.
Smart hunters do most of these things on full automatic. For those new hunters, or bow hunters who haven't hunted long enough to acquire many of these skills, or learn these tricks or ideas, here is a check list for the future. Paste a copy to your back pack, memorize it, or write it down on the palm of your hand like a kid cribbing for a class test.
1. Have a detailed plan with an idea of how and where you will hunt.
2. Have good knowledge of the terrain and where deer come travel. It pays to walk the land during the spring or summer to learn where deer are now moving.
3. Always be downwind of where deer move, and if in doubt, at least be crosswind. Milkweed fibers released into the wind will indicate how scent may be carried. A border of thick trees can affect the wind.
4. Know which deer -- bucks or does -- frequent the area. Some areas are better noted for big bucks than anything else. However. hunting known big-buck habitat is usually reserved for the own. Learn the best spots for the areas you can hunt/
5. Make certain your back pack has everything you need including a spare release, extra spool of Game Tracker string, compass, light, matches, Space Blanket and other necessities. Don't forget the license.
Go over these tips, and decide if all are fine with you.
6. Wear clean hunting clothing and clean rubber boots. Scent eliminating sprays can help, and cover scents and sex scents can help.
7. Wear Scent-Lok clothing if you wish to help eliminate human odor. Being clean is an obvious detail. Keep boots and clothing separated, and never pump gas in your hunting togs.
8. Shoot your bow two or three times at a target before going hunting. Know exactly where your bow is shooting at all times. Perfect practice produces perfect shooting skills.
9. Use a Game Tracker string tracking device. It can eliminate long hours of searching for blood from a wounded deer.
10. Make certain broadheads are razor sharp. Never settle for "that feels pretty good." Make certain the head is keen and sharp.
11. If hunting from a tree stand, wear a safety harness while climbing into, out of, and white seated in the stand. Don't fall asleep. If you take medications that causes drowsiness, hunt from a ground blind.
12. Observe everything about a tree stand and the ladder or steps before and during the climb. Visual inspections can save your life.
13. Always maintain three points of contact when climbing ladder stands or screw-in steps or wood ladders. That means either two feet and one hand or one foot and two hands. Don't take unnecessary risks. Never carry anything up or down the tree that might inhibit a firm grip.
14. Study the terrain within your shooting area. Know where shots can be taken and where they cannot. Know your open shooting spots. Everything seems to chance during the last 30 minutes of shooting time.
15. Know where the primary deer trails are, and learn how to pick holes through heavy cover. A hunter may not be able to shoot through it but they may spot a buck moving through.
16. If you use a grunt call, do so sparingly. Too many hunters toodle on the thing too often. Calls work best when a buck is visible, and then call in moderation.
The best plans only work if a hunter is still, quiet and downwind of deer.
17. Study every deer that comes within range. Know which shots are high percentage opportunities -- broadside or quartering-away -- and forget about every other kind of shot. They are too risky.
18. Once your buck is spotted, keep an eye on him and wait for the deer to offer the shot you want. Don't develop tunnel vision and ignore other deer. More good shots are ruined when the hunter ignores other deer, starts drawing his bow, and is spotted by a non-target animal.
19. Pick a spot. Don't aim for the center of mass, but pick the exact spot to aim at. Do not lift your head at the shot. To do so can cause the arrow to go high. Don't drop your bow hand until the arrow hits.
20 Know where the arrow hits. It can offer good clues to how far the deer may travel before it falls.
21. Know your range, and know how far you can accurately shoot every time, and don't exceed it your skill range.
22. Learn to sit motionless and silent. The two are not the same. Be still and quiet, and draw smoothly without a herky-jerky movement. Deer spot motion well.
23. Learn to read a deer's body language. It can offer clues as to what they are planning to do, if a buck is following behind, and many other things. Each deer is an individual, and that means each animal can and may react differently to various stimuli.
Don’t crowd people into a hunting area. Save crowds for card games or movies.
24. Hunt alone. One hunter can be silent and motionless, but it is very difficult for two people to do so. The only exception is when children must be under your direct control.
25. Once a shot is taken, remain motionless and silent. Keep your eye on the animal that has been shot, and often you can see or hear it fall.
26. Another reason for No. 25 is that it can avoid spooking other deer in that area. The stand can continue to be productive if other deer are unaware of a hunters presence.
27. Ease in and out of a hunting area, and have two or three entrance and exit routes. Vary your routine. Don't become predictable, and don't hunt the same stand two days in a row if it is possible.
28. Don't shoot at deer that stand with their head up. Shoot when their head is down, feeding, looking at other deer or distracted by common sounds in nature, such as cawing crows or scampering squirrels.
29. Be prepared for a shot at any time. Don't be caught with the bow anywhere other than in your hand.
30. Shoot once, shoot straight and don't miss.
Title: Pre-plan bow hunts with a good checklist.
Tags: ((Dave, Richey, Michigan, outdoors, plan, study, remember, when, to, shoot, key, aiming, spots, alert))
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