If we were in deer season right now, what things would you look at to decide if you were going hunting this weekend? I know that most will say I am going to hunt when I can, but what are some factors that would persuade you to go or dissuade you from going?

Jeremy

Temperature and wind.

Thanks for the reply.

Also, if you don't mind telling me, do you hunt private or public land?

Jeremy

Weather, moon

Kids activities, stress at work, anything my wife has planned for us, temperature, stage of the rut, wind, moon phase....

basically the stars have to align just right for me to go hunting these days.

I look at the weather and see if it will be better to deer or duck hunt unless it's the rut

Gas in my truck.

The key here is you said weekend. It would have to be just the right time for me to go because it IS the weekend.

Like actually hunt this weekend or like this weekend is mid January. If your just saying would I hunt deer this weekend if I legally could, heck no. But really I look at weather conditions when deciding to hunt.

Whether or not I had to work.

Weather and if it is the rut or not....

This is the correct answer. The only other factor would be whether or not there was a 100% chance of rain or not but even then that might only determine whether I hunt from a tree or the ground.

You can't kill a deer from the couch.

You also can't kill them when they're not moving due to abnormally warm weather. I will not ruin the stands that I put so much effort into hanging by hunting a warm spell. Admittedly, this practice has resulted in very little bow hunting during the last few seasons but I'd rather wait until my odds are better before sitting a stand for the first time.

but if you hunt the right wind and are cautious about your scent how can you ruin a spot if deer aren't moving?

The deer smell your scent coming from that stand location long after you've left. It's a popular old saying. The most successful hunt hunt from a stand will be the first time it's sat. It's true.

Sorry, I was not clear the way I worded it. I meant if it were during the normal hunting season (Oct-Feb), what factors do you look at to decide if you will go hunting, regardless of weekend or weekday? Are there any factors that really get you excited about getting out into the woods compared to other times? If so, what are some of them.

Thanks,
Jeremy

Jeremy

I like to see a good temperature drop between midnight and daynreak and moon phase also.

Correct. Deer move every day. Are some days better than other, sure they are, but not a single one of us know when a nice buck might slip up and end up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Work schedule for me too. If I'm off work, I hunt. Lightening storms about the only thing that's stopped me. Oh, 1 ice storm in Auburn area drove us out once too.

Weather, work schedule and how I feel physically.

Bingo, we have a winner. It's about quality sits, not quantity. Guys hunt 50-60 times on a property and burn out every stand, because he thinks you have to go hunting when your off. During Jan., i don't pay as much attention to the weather. The bucks are going to be searching for does, no matter what. I killed a damn fine buck during a thunderstorm on Jan 2nd at 1:30 pm hunting from a blind on a powerline.

Do you want to know how I killed the biggest buck killed on my lease this year? It's not because I am the greatest hunter or did the most scouting. It's because I got in a stand one day when everyone else was home because it was hot and windy and we had very little grass growing due to the drought when a buck got stupid and decided he wanted a mouth full of grass from a crappy greenfield. That's it, right place right time, pure luck and the ability to put in some time when it's available.

I have hunted less in the last three years than in my whole life. I now refuse to hunt unless the conditions are right in my opinion for killing deer and not just sitting in the woods. With this new hunting procedure I have killed the biggest buck on my club three years in a row. Now I know some of you city slickers need to go sit in the woods but heck I live in the woods everyday and have all my life so I do understand y'all's need to get out there lol.

Listen, your odds of winning the lottery are very low, but some jackass still wins it every few weeks despite the fact that he had very low odds to do so. Yes, a hunter can get lucky every now and then. Does that mean it's the best strategy?

Early season I ONLY hunt when the cameras show the deer I'm after showing up in the daylight or close. I won't go in before daylight if deer is in the area I'm wanting to hunt and risk bumping him. I mainly hunt afternoons. I won't go period if the wind is marginal.

During the rut/gun I still play the wind 100% of the time but I go every chance I get

X2, been the same for me the last 3 years. Had a daughter and realized there are more important things than deer. Due to this I've only hunted when conditions are perfect and have actually killed better bucks doing so.

With that being said I have property across from my house that I hunt on days "when I want to be in the woods".

While I agree with you to a certain extent. Like I said.....you can't kill one unless your in the woods. Deer move, even in hot weather, bad weather, really windy days etc etc etc. You just have to change your tactics to where you are hunting and the conditions at the time.

some people enjoy hunting, as a pastime.

If I wake up breathing or not.

I get excited about a good cold front coming through then hunting the calm cold high pressure a day or 2 after the front. Kinda the same but I like to be in the woods as the rain stops also. But like MS hunter and bigt said I started a family last year and hunted less than I ever have and only go when I think it's going to be really good. I went from hunting this prop 3/4 times per week to one at the most. killed the biggest buck of my hunting career this year out there. I think the lack of pressure and only hunting when it was perfect out did the trick.

Had a 9 point come on a camera 4-5 times all season, Got in the stand at 1:45, killed him that afternoon a little after 2. Never seen him during the afternoon only during morning. But the rut was on.... Lucky stand pick I decided that was for that afternoon.

There's a big difference between going hunting and hunting for mature bucks. The people who act like there's hardly deer, probably hunt 50-60 times a year and burn out their stands before the rut even gets here. From hunting the same piece of property since the early 90's, i know the odds of seeing a mature buck during daylight hours on our club is very small, so i save my best stands for the rut. I might hunt them early on, but then i don't go back in there until the rut. I love to hunt, just like everybody else, but the goal is to kill deer, if not, then your just bird watching which can be done anywhere.

Temperature matters very little to me. Wind direction/consistency is my biggest decision point.

Temps play a role in my decision or not to hunt but the biggest factor is whether or not I can devote the entire day to it or not. I hate going hunting when I know I go to rush back and be somewhere else at a certain time. If I cant go and just hunt without worrying about other obligations I just don't go.

I hunt a W.M.A. Jan & Feb. is when I learn a lot others have come & gone ,so as hunters move around so do the deer, with that in mind with the weather, I can sit in a spot and see if a pattern holds. Its fun to see them move around each other, its the hunting dance.

You can from my couch. Ok, maybe not the couch. You may have to walk over to the window.

Being off work. Dont care about anything else, im going!