Hunting tricks I have learned.

[dryhumor]

I carry pretty much the same thing in a pack every one day or part day outing. Usually less than 20 lbs.

Butt pad to sit on
Butt wipe
50’ 3/8 or 1/2 inch nylon rope
Three sharp knives
Tags and license
Lens cleaner wipes
Nitrile gloves
Bottle of wash water
Bottle of drink water
Ziplock with snack
One good flashlight fully charged
One pair dry socks in ziplock
Bug repellent
Thermal beanie
Floppy hat
Mesh gloves
Warm gloves
Rangefinder
Armageddon bag
Couple extra cartridges
Couple of black tie wraps
Bandaid or two

I dress for the worst I expect. I gave up hunting in rain a long time ago, I don’t mind snow though…

 

[pdugas]

I have learned that deer are tricky and can appear from out of the ground.

 

[MG&L]

Leave your wife at home.

 

[snert]

When the grouse woods are quiet take that opportunity to straddle a barb wire fence, unzip, get tangled in the wire and start to pee. The woods will come alive with grouse.

 

[209jones]

I've learned that camo is mostly irrelevent, covering the face is very relevent. Movement is a fickle creature, being obvious isn't always a bust as long as movement is slow enough. Stopping for a smoke, or lunch, or a quick snooze, will usually make something appear in front of you, because gun or bow is not in hand. I see as much big game in early afternoon as I do in AM, therefore, being out 1st light may not be all that critical. Whoever is left behind in camp will often see more than you do. Specklebelly geese are most often waaaay smarter than humans, snows use them as scouts.

 

[Klong]

I have learned that at dawn and dusk every bush and big rock looks like a deer.

 

[GotRDid]

I carry pretty much the same thing in a pack every one day or part day outing. Usually less than 20 lbs.

Butt pad to sit on
Butt wipe
50’ 3/8 or 1/2 inch nylon rope
Three sharp knives
Tags and license
Lens cleaner wipes
Nitrile gloves
Bottle of wash water
Bottle of drink water
Ziplock with snack
One good flashlight fully charged
One pair dry socks in ziplock
Bug repellent
Thermal beanie
Floppy hat
Mesh gloves
Warm gloves
Rangefinder
Armageddon bag
Couple extra cartridges
Couple of black tie wraps
Bandaid or two

I dress for the worst I expect. I gave up hunting in rain a long time ago, I don’t mind snow though…

I also pack a bundle of the disposable hand/feet warmers. I have snacks, but also an MRE at all times. A couple of the small emergency ponchos that Walmart sells in the Camping section; super small, but one as a ground cover and the other for covering me and my gear if I’m stranded for any reason.
A small strobe light with extra batteries is also in a pocket or the pack.

 

[timeout]

I have learned that at dawn and dusk every bush and big rock looks like a deer.

Absolutely true. You sir, win the prize.

 

[dvraa]

The biggest factor I see is wind, use it to your advantage. I don't use fancy scent killers or camo gear, I just make sure to try and have the wind not blowing my scent towards the prey. I hunt on the ground, a lot of the time sitting against a tree or tall grass. I've had deer, coyotes, fox, and all sorts of critters walk within feet of me and never know I'm there.

 

[AWS]

Back in the day I would pack or canoe into a big block of forested land the day before the opener, find a pinch point and sleep out. The next morning when the masses headed into the woods it was pick the buck you want, all were sneaking back into the remote thick stuff. Sit up against a tree overlooking the escape routes sitting there in my sleeping bag and a thermos of coffee I made the night before