| Like most hardcore deer hunters, you looked at | | | | surrounded by private property, a small piece of |
| maps, found food sources and located the rubs. | | | | private land surrounded by public property, travel |
| When the time was right, you moved in set up a | | | | corridors along highways, marsh grass areas along |
| stand and waited for the deer to appear in this hot | | | | rivers or just a small dry spot in the middle of a |
| spot. Hour after hour, day after day you sit and no | | | | swamp. All these areas should have one thing in |
| deer ever show up. Many hunters will base most of | | | | common, they are difficult to get to. I hate to say it |
| the hunting season on the sign they find waiting for | | | | but I still think if most hunters have to put on a pair |
| the deer to show up. Sound familiar? What happened | | | | of waders and drag all their gear across two hundred |
| and why no deer? | | | | yards of muck and knee deep water to get to the |
| There are many things that will cause deer to change | | | | dry wood lot on the other side, they will find another |
| their routine but one remains consistent every year, | | | | place to hunt. The same holds true for hunters trying |
| "other hunters". You can do everything right but if | | | | to navigate a thick tangled tag alder thicket. The idea |
| another hunter messes it up for you, it is over | | | | here is, you need to be prepared to put in some |
| before it gets started. | | | | effort to get into these spots. |
| So, what can we do to over come this issue? A few | | | | Is the blood and sweat you put in worth the effort? |
| tactics have been designed over the years to let | | | | A friend of mine told me stories of hunting a small |
| hunting pressure work for you. One such idea is to | | | | public wood lot that was surrounded by swamp on |
| be in your stand while other hunters are moving in | | | | three sides and private property to the north. He |
| and out of the woods. Another is to go deep and | | | | continued to add that while on stand one evening he |
| stay late and there are many more tactics that will | | | | could see six bucks at one time. One day this spring |
| let other hunters work for you. I personally have | | | | he contacts me and says "I was there turkey |
| used a few of these ideas and put a tag on a buck | | | | hunting and birds are every where". The plan was, I |
| doing so. The problem I find is this, these tactics are | | | | would come out with him the next day to film his |
| just not consistent. It is hard enough to judge how | | | | turkey hunt. Walking the swamp in the dark turned |
| the deer will react to hunting pressure, let alone what | | | | out to be harder then I thought. Carrying a blind, a |
| other hunters are going to do. | | | | stool, a video camera and tripod I found myself |
| Another option and one I like better, is to find deer | | | | sitting in knee deep water only fifty yards from the |
| hot spots where the only sign is made by animals. No | | | | truck. I managed to keep the gear dry and drudged |
| boot prints, empty beer cans or spent shell casings | | | | on in the dark with waders full of water. No we didn't |
| (avoid the pressure). Do these areas still exist? I think | | | | get the turkey we were after that morning but in |
| one thing that remains true, deer always find ways | | | | the few hours we spent hunting before heading off |
| to avoid humans. For big bucks, this is even more | | | | to work, we did have 14 deer come through our set |
| true. Cities grow and hunting land is shrinking but deer | | | | up. |
| still find ways to hide themselves in little pockets | | | | The fact is, deer are private creatures and like to be |
| where there is minimal pressure from hunters. Finding | | | | left alone. Pressure them and they will move to |
| these little hot spots means you have to take the | | | | another area. Little secluded pockets with minimal or |
| game one step further then the next guy. | | | | no pressure will concentrate deer. Forget planning |
| Finding these little honey holes is the first step and | | | | around hunting pressure, try to take hunting pressure |
| not as hard as one may think. You probably drive by | | | | out of the equation. Find these little deer hot spots |
| them on your way to work every day. These over | | | | and you might just be in for the hunt of your life. |
| looked areas can be a small piece of public land | | | | |