Hunting tricks I have learned.

[Lee Whitsel]

1) never go into a gas station on your way hunting and stop and fill up your rig with gas. Why you ask. Gas is spilled all over the ground in any gas station all year long and you just put it on your hands and a lot more on the souls of your shoes and when you head out in the woods do you think those elk, deer, coyotes, are not going to smell that. It also applies to fishing and trapping. Fish smell and they can smell that gas on your hands from hooking up those gas cans to the motor and you will wonder why the fish are not biting! 2) carry old fishing line when hunting especially when calling elk and deer during the rut. tie the line that the elk will not see to some brush a distance say 50 yards right or left of you position and as the bull is coming into our call give a few light tugs on the bush's or brush laying on the ground to draw the bulls attention from looking right at you and he just might walk broadside right in front of you to go over and see that is going on over there with that bush. Works great for spring gobblers as well. 3) when you tie that fishing line to the bush or brush or both your should have a chocolate brown hooded sweatshirt with fleece lining to also hang over some of the bush with the brown and fleece both showing for the bull to see. He can't figure it out so he walks past you to go over and check out the shaky bush and shadow like an elk he is seeing. 4) a sling shot is nice to carry along. As quiet as possible pulling lightly on the rubber band launch a few small rocks over the elk and say down over the hill side. that just may make him Leary about going that way can't figure out what's rattling the bush's over there think I'll go this way and he walks into you hopefully he's looking back and not your way.

 

[timeout]

First hunting "trick" that I ever learned was probably when I was about 11 years old. When squirrel hunting and Mr. bushy tail would hide on the opposite side of the tree from me, I would take off my cap and throw it around the back side of the tree. Didn't always work, but sometimes the squirrel would scurry around to where I could make the shot.

 

[vonb]

Never head out into the field without toilet paper.

 

[AWS]

When hunting wabbits, "Be very very quiet".

 

[dryhumor]

I hunt around my home a lot, my scent is common, I wear the same pair shoes anytime I’m outside walking around. The deer are used to the scent. It makes a difference, as Lee has said.

Eye contact is something else to be aware of. I’ve hunted unmolested herds and found that eye contact doesn’t matter quite as much, even as close as 10’. Herds that are pressured, once you make eye contact, they seem to bolt. But if you amble along, disinterested, they will tend to watch you.

I used to leave all my climbing stands on trees through the season (too many thieves around for that anymore), I’d never use the same stand more than once a week. The only time I might use it two days in a row, was if rain was coming. There were times I’d have a tree picked out I’d never used, and I’d hit it cold. I found the first time on a new tree was the time you’ll see the most deer, having the best opportunity. Clearing the trail to your stand to bare dirt, removes any noise makers you might step on.

Climbing stands that aren’t comfortable enough to sit or nap in for several hours are a waste of money. Just say no.

 

[ebb]

Always carry and extra 30 gallons of aviation fuel when hunting from an airboat. Even if pump gas is available it doesn't run the same, knocks way too much.

 

[FNSafari]

Never head out into the field without toilet paper.

Not white in color!!!!

 

[dryhumor]

Another thing I learned one morning. A friend of mine let me use one of his climbers already on a tree. I asked how high he’d been going, he just said to climb until I saw the climber marks end….

Daylight came and I saw I was about 35-36’ up a pine on a ridge edge, overlooking a bottom about 60’ deep. Having done line work, I wasn’t concerned at the height, but it was a little higher than I expected to be. Particularly when it got light enough to fully appreciate it.

If you are using someone else’s stand, always ask a few questions…

 

[K22]

Never head out into the field without toilet paper.

When I hunted, this was the most important piece of gear.

I learned this the hard way, hunting deer in the big woods of PA (Potter County), one morning when nature called, I relieved myself and had to wipe with fallen leaves. My butt was sore the entire time until I returned to camp. Probably too much information.

 

[Redd]

Never head out into the field without toilet paper.

baby wipes are better!

 

[Jonnyofalltrades]

baby wipes are better!

Just PLEASE, PLEASE bury everything!

 

[JFrank]

Years ago I was slow hunting in the cascade foothills east of Enumclaw, after a couple hours of moving super cautiously without even a glimpse of a deer I decided it was time for a cigarette, just as I lite up a voice from above says “ put that out” I about crapped my pants not having a clue this dude was in a tree a few yards away.

Geez Louise !!!

 

[JFrank]

Fish smell and they can smell that gas on your hands from hooking up those gas cans to the motor and you will wonder why the fish are not biting

I’ve noticed the Salmon are attracted to boats. We’ve had silvers surround the boat with just a flasher tied to a downrigger ball. They really associate boats and food I guess.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

The same deer that run in when I fill the water tank in the summer, run away from me in the fall. Deer are tricky.

 

[alf]

baby wipes are better!

Paper towels for the heavy lifting, baby wipes for the shine....

 

[AWS]

I've had more than a few hunting shirts with one of the tails torn off. When ziplock bags became available what a boon, you could put a wad of bunwad in your pocket and it wasn't soaking wet before you needed it. Now you see wads of TP in the woods, you used to see brown stain pieces of bandana. Whoa be it to the guy that shit in the trail.

 

[Oldbloke]

baby wipes are better!

They are great. But I take them home in a zip lock bag. Into the bin. They are not biodegradable unfortunately.
I bury the poop and paper.

 

[LHSmith]

Be very wary if you approach a ladder stand and find wads of tp near-by. If found, check boots BEFORE climbing.

 

[Redd]

Just PLEASE, PLEASE bury everything!

LOL , I just pictured archeologists 1000 yrs from now digging up millions of baby wipes!!!

 

[Lefty2506]

When squirrel hunting or rabbit hunting with someone else, I learned to have one person stand still and be quiet while the other person moves. With squirrels, 2 of us would essentially leap frog our way through the woods. When your partner walks past you the squirrels assume you left and visa versa.

With rabbits, one guy is in the brush being quiet, the other is working the perimeter trying to flush something. 9 times out of 10 the rabbits will slowly hop past the quiet guy. I stumbled across this trick while hunting with a buddy one afternoon. I happened to have a 22 buckmark with me. I ended up laying my shotgun down and using the buckmark to shoot them in the head. I took 5 rabbits in 30 min. He didn't even see one.

As for deer hunting, you're not going to shoot one if you're not out hunting for them. Similar to above, if you're in the midwest (and maybe the south and east), when everyone else leaves the woods, deer will often move. When the rut comes in, be in the woods well before daylight and don't come out until you have something or it gets dark. Just because you haven't had any activity on trail cams at 2pm before the rut doesn't mean a booner isn't going to walk right under your stand at 2pm during the rut. The hunters on some of the surrounding properties only hunt until 10 or 11 am in the morning. We've seen most of our big bucks moving between 10am and Noon as a result. Also, hunt before, during, and after a rain. The deer didn't leave so neither should you.