What tips/tricks did you maybe learn or remember in '09 ?

[Musky Buck]

I learned this again, when hunting in a deer's bedroom.....during a wet season and I'm talking this year muzzleloader, I have to remind myself to lift my feet meaning my boots from walking through water were frozen to my ladder stand and it didn't make a great sound when I broke them free and they wanted to keep refreezing, could've been a bad deal with a touchy mature alert buck nearby. I nearly missed the buck because I'm used to a short trigger pull on my rifle, my muzzleloader has a longer pull before it discharges and I forgot to tell myself that before I fired, went from a heart shot to a spine shot, not what I was hoping for. How about you guys ? We get lots of stand time to think and overthink things, so please add to it and I can learn some other little strategies that can increase my % edges. Thanks !

[BeezeHound]

The one thing I will always remember from now on is to have a rain jacket packed along. One of the last mornings of gun season there was no rain mentioned in the forecast, but it started coming down just a few minutes before shooting time anyway. I sat it out for a couple hours until I was soaked to the bone and the wind finally got through my soaking wet layers and had me in a shivering frenzy so I had to get down. Normally I will stay on stand until around noon so I was a little bummed out, but I just couldn't take it anymore. I didn't get 10 yards from my stand and I looked down the trail only to lock eyes with the big 10 I had been chasing with my bow since Sept. It took him about a quarter second to realize he shouldn't be anywhere near me and disappeared.

If I had been wearing some rain gear I would probably be one happy hunter right now, but instead I'm left empty handed for now. Hopefully with this recent snow fall I can pick up on his track again and watch him disappear in a big cloud of smoke.

[Musky Buck]

Right on Hound, I took a bath also, but managed to bring an umbrella the 2nd time and it fit perfectly after cutting out 1 section so it would wrap around the tree, I was sitting a ladder stand. Buddies texted me aren't u soaked ? I was able to say not this time, umbrella trick worked. Another tip was forgot cover scent, I took a pine branch, actually balsam fir but I shredded the thing and sure my gloves got a little stinky but all I could smell was pine all morning, the next morning I used some more of the same branch and broke it up as quietly below my stand as possible and brought a bunch up with and it still was ripe, not sure but no deer snorted this season at me, maybe there wasn't any around who knows.

[sparkydm]

I forgot to empty the diaper pail before I left for Wisconsin opener like I was told to. Still paying for that one. I'll remember next time. Maybe.

[eyehead]

The one thing I learned this season was to never assume the noise's your hearing are from squirrels.........cost me a shot at a dandy (150"+). Still sick to my stomach about that one.....So, always assume the noise your hearing is from a deer and not the 9 million squirrels running around in the woods.

[jltimm]

I learned a tough lesson this year. ALWAYS put a finishing shot in a deer as soon as you get ANY type of chance to do so. I lost a dandy buck this year as I dropped him in his tracks only to have him get up and run about 20 minutes after when I was sneaking up on him to try to get another bullet into him. Still bugs me every day!

[Arctic]

I'm going to use a scent blocking spray on my boots next year. Several HOURS after walking into my stand wearing RUBBER BOOTS, a couple of does walked into view. One sniffed my tracks intensely for a few seconds. Both deer turned around and retreated in the direction they came from. I wasn't going to shoot them anyway, but it was an important lesson for the future.

[skolfoppa]

Always remember your release! After a silent 2 hr stalk to the stand tree, the climb and set up, then to find my release was not where it was supposed to be really made me happy.

[fsh4trout]

Be ready to aim and shoot as soon as you step into the woods. This year opening morning I walked up the trail looked to my right there stands a does at 15 yards. A few seconds later she bolts with at least an 8 point buck in tow. I might not have had a shot anyways, but I surely did not have a shot with my gun in my right hand.

Scout,Scout,Scout This year I may have been too complacent. I felt I knew the area and did not need to scout much. Two times I had a spot in mind walked ther to find another hunter standing where I wanted to be. Now what? I did not have a solid plan B, C, D which is necessary if you're on public land. Did not see very many deer as a consequence. If I had more than 4 spots it could have been different. This winter I'm planning on cutting some shooting lanes at some new spots for next season, only 11 monthes away!!!!

If you'd shoot on a doe on the last day maybe you should shoot a doe the first day. Had two does come in but I wanted that buck. Didn't see a deer the rest of the season. Maybe I shoulda shot.

So there was many mishaps that can be learned from this season.

P.S. I hunt Fall Turkey and some squirrels in the same area that I deer hunt. Saw tons of deer prior to the season in October and Early November. Two Bucks too, one out in Broad daylight. Busted out 4 deer one was a nice 8 or 10 point. Saw more bucks before the season than I have ever seen during the season.

[Joe15]

I'm 17 and no one in my family hunts at all so I have to teach myself for the past three years. I have learned alot this year like where to hang a stand and what deer will do stuff like that but the most important thing was to have multiple shooting lanes...i got lucky my buck walked into my only one!

[96trigger]

I learned that your scent stays on your trail much longer when their is moisture in the air and on the ground. I had a ton of problems with deer busting my trail during October when it was constantly wet and rainy. When November hit and it dried out, I had almost no problems. I will be much more careful getting to my stand when the ground is wet. It was amazing, the deer would be down wind of me and not smell me, but as soon as they crossed my path, they were on high alert, often turning and going back. Even with rubber boots that had never seen the inside of anyting but a rubber tote were giving me trouble.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

My big lesson I learned.. or should I say I knew this already, but it was reaffirmed on 3 occasions was, no matter how bad you think you messed up your spot for a sit... STAY PUT!

On my first sit of the year bowhunting, I was all antsy, wandered around the whole finger of woods I was hunting in looking for a "better" tree to set up in and finally wound up back in the original tree I used last year; which I saw deer from, but that day, to me, it didn't "feel right". Well I climbed up, and being it was my first time in the climber for the year I didn't have the confidence to climb very high, so I only made it up about 10-12 ft. (I'm afraid of heights, but get better the more trees I climb as the year progresses). So I was there, sun beating on me, sweating like crazy but decided I might as well sit it out and dust the rust off for next time. Well, an hour later I had a 5ptr come in and hang out for a while and allowed me a chance to practice my draw on him... I let him walk since I bow hunt in a lotto area and didn't want to end my season so soon.

On Oct 24th I was very confident in my spot since I got there so early and saw some deer there a few days prior. But some duck hunters showed up and set up in the pond about 400yds away and had some early action. Lots of shots fired and the pond was in the direction I expect the deer to come from. By 8am, I was done! Freezing cold and convinced my hunt was a bust, I was getting ready to climb down but decided to give it another half hour. Sure enough here comes a different 5ptr. I took him and got my first buck, first bow kill and first deer kill in 3 yrs!

Last day of rifle season, I had a doe come in right before I climbed down after planning on getting down much earlier. I passed on her since I didn't want to deal with all that comes with a dead deer when Igot hours of road ahead and work the next day.

All 3 of those deer showed up when I figured I was wasting my time adn "forced" myself to sit it out a little longer!

[Wanderer]

If its raining while you're hunting close to a bedding area and you're not seeing anything, get out of the stand and creep down wind of the bedding area.

Take your time and keep looking, you might be surprised at what you find - or don't.

Oh, and during the rut, just because you don't see a buck with that doe, doesn't mean he's not there.

You're never good enough to ignore the ABC's of deer hunting.

[96trigger]

Joe, its tough going on your own, I am the only real bowhunter in my family. Another has finally joiined, but its only his second year. By a good pole pruner. Sometimes you will go up and down your stand a dozen times to get all the good lanes trimmed out, but you will never know which lane they will come in. Get your stands up early, I have them up by the middle of August. If you have a friend that will go with you, sit in your stand while they trim or vice versa. It will go much faster and be much easier on you. I do all of it myself and I put up over a half dozen stands. After a couple of years, you start putting stands up in the same place and you only need to trim your shooting lanes. I have about 10 good spots for 6 stands, if I need to move one, I can usually do so and trim very minimally because a stand was there once before. It does take a couple of years though.

Brule, another good tip is to have a set time that you are going to sit until. Don't move until you have reached that time. Many days I have been ready to leave early but forced myself to stay until that time and been rewarded for doing so.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Ooops, double posted!

[MrCrappie]

I've learned that you miss 100% of the deer you don't take a shot at. Next year, no more should've, could've, or would've.

[HNTNBUX]

The two big lessons I learned are, this year is not last year and even something you have done a thousand times can be dangerous. Things change, crops, trails, land access, etc., nothing can replace real time scouting on the ground. The most important, be careful anything can end your season or career if you get careless.

[rcook72]

pick up your bow before you grunt!!! Wasn't ready to see a monster 10pt come under my tree stand and lost all my wits!! kick, kick, kick, kick.... I will try for him again the rest of this month.

[sticknstring]

After the shot, really focus and pick out a landmark where you last saw the deer run. Maybe even take a picture. I lost some meat on a deer I hit perfectly due to searching the wrong area this fall.

[NoWiser]

1. When you are hunting in the middle of nowhere out of a pup tent with no way to dry your clothes at the end of the day and the forecast calls for 24 hours of straight rain with rapidly dropping temperatures to follow.....bring an umbrella.

2. Scent trails can, and do work.

[CodyDawg]

96,

Funny you mention the concept of setting the time you will sit to. In 2004 I said I was going to sit until noon. Shot my buck at 11:54. This year, I said I was going to sit until 11:30. Shot my buck at 11:27. Hadnt seen a deer that whole morning and in about 10 seconds it was all over.

[lungdeflator]

Get in early for morning hunts. My first year hunting in REAL ag country ND this year and when the weather is warm the only time they will move is the early morning. Get in early to avoid spooking them.

Also if you have any doubts about the wind direction or doubts about your scent stay out of the woods. One more time in the woods getting busted and ruining your spot isnt worth it.

[Musky Buck]

Wow, I've learned a ton already, trying to probe your minds for those things that we likely actually know, it's just they often don't come up each season. Another one I was thinking about is make sure your scope is clear of moisture or whatever. That really rainy morning if I would've had to take a shot it wouldn't have happened, scope kept fogging up and it's tough to have anything dry enough to clear it. Another one is clean every piece of metal on that gun, I was surprised to find plenty of rust on my sling connections, I really broke it down and cleaned and oiled thoroughly after that wet rifle season. I hear ya on deer busting boot tracks, almost a 1/2 mile of water wearing hip boots and 2 hours into the morning I had a yearling buck hit my tracks and he went on full alert and ran back the way he came. Wish I could parachute into the stand. Last one is those calm, no way into your stand quietly days, the last couple hundred yards or so I use my grunt call every so often so if a deer is listening, it might hang around and not be so jumpy. In the PM's I try to get there yet while we have some wind and I can see so I can go slowly and avoid excessive noise, I also don't climb it for about 10 minutes because I've been halfway up my ladder too many times and the deer from being alerted by me see me climbing it sometimes, so my hope is they've given up on my sound(s) by waiting it out a bit.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

On rainy days, use a cheap shower cap to cover your scope to keep the water out. They're cheap and easy to get on and off!

[njpierz]

Don't forget the TP in the truck a mile back at the road. I'm short a wool sock after i made that mistake. It also works great for cleaning the scope on those wet foggy mornings. Along the same lines, I learned this from an old timer and now my whole hunting party does it: Go out to your area before season and dig a couple 3-4 foot holes. [PoorWordUsage] in these and bury it!