I've hunted as hard as my schedule would allow for deer, but so far I have been shut out. Some of it is my own fault; some of it is out of my control. However, after a very fruitful 2009, 2010 is turning into the year of the shutout. Maybe more correctly, I should say it's the year of the near miss. Or, to be even more severe, the year of blowing it!
I blew it during spring turkey; calling in a bird for over an hour, then losing my patience and taking a shot before it was in range. I have not hunted pheasants as much as in past years, but I have not even had a chance at a flushed bird this year. However, I did have a cock walk right past my car door as I was finishing my coffee before heading out to the field. I could not find a shell fast enough to pursue him.
When it comes to deer, so far I've been shut out in two states.
I blew it in New Hampshire. I had an 8-pointer trot past me in pursuit of 2 does. Problem was, he was moving so fast I could not even get him in my scope. I took a desperation show through some trees just before he ducked away for good, but missed. Some have suggested that I should have grunted or made some noise to freeze him. In hindsight I guess that may have worked. I wanted to track him in the scope before freezing him, but it never happened. The whole episode only lasted less than 10 seconds. There was not a lot of time for fumbling around. It's likely that nothing was going to stop that buck since he was right on the tail of the does. I remained in that spot for the entire day, and I saw 5 deer in total, but only that one buck.
In Connecticut I only have access to public land. Public land hunting requires a little different strategy from private land. Not only do you have to find the heavily pressured deer, but you have to avoid the other people. I was not overly familiar with the land I was on, so the first few days I had less than ideal spots. I finally found some good spots on the last day of the season. I spotted 3 deer, but they were too far away for a realistic shot.
My last chance at redemption in 2010 is muzzleloader season which starts December 8 in Connecticut.
So, although I did not make any kills in 2010, I still had an interesting season in which I saw a lot of game. Hopefully I can learn from my mistakes and come back with a vengeance in 2011.
2010 Lessons Learned (so far)
1. This year was the first year I sat in one spot for an entire day. I was proud of myself to get it done. Sitting in one spot for an entire day is not an easy task, but it is possible if you come prepared. First off, you have to have confidence in your spot. There is no sense in siting in a bad spot all day. Besides, if you do not have confidence in your spot, there is no way you will be able to sit there all day anyway. Your mind will drive you crazy and force you to move. To have confidence in your spot you need to have a few things. First, you need to have good vision. You need to be able to see in a few directions. Being up in a tree helps, but I'm not a fan of tree hunting unless it's for archery. Secondly, you need to see deer sign. Preferably through your scouting you've seen deer in the spot in the past. Third, you need some comfort. A stump or a rock or some kind of chair is useful. You will not be able to sit in one spot for an entire day if you are not comfortable. Another key to being able to sit all day is being prepared, both mentally and with your gear. You need to dress warm! Even on relatively warm days, you will get cold sitting still. Dress warmer than you think you need to, and you will likely be ok. You should be dressed so warm that you over heat when walking. You may prefer to pack some layers in a backpack and put them on after you get to your spot so you don't start sweating while walking in. You also should pack some food. You will get hungry while sitting. Even if you don't, eating a lunch gives you something to do to keep your mind sharp. I usually pack a sandwich, granola bar, a piece of fruit, and something to drink. That's typically enough to keep me happy for a full day. Lastly, you might consider something to keep your mind sharp. Maybe a book or magazine is required to keep you from going stir crazy. This may be blasphemy to some hard core hunters, but whatever it takes to keep you on stand, awake, and sharp is a good tool. If you have a good spot, being able to sit all day will certainly pay off, especially during the chase phase of the rut.
2. I've mentioned this before, but a thin pair of glove liners makes a huge difference in warmth. Cabela's sells a thin silk glove liner for less than $10. The silk is so smooth and thin that you hardly can tell you have them on, but the extra warmth they provide is substantial.
3. Scouting is key on public land. Try to know the land you are hunting. This was my first year in this spot, so I did not know the land as well as I would have liked. Therefore, my parking spot was unnecessarily far from my hunting spot. I was not able to get in early enough. I should have been sitting at first light. Instead, I was still walking, and spooked the deer before getting a chance at a good shot. Additionally, I spend the first several days of the season in poor deer spots. Now that I have more knowledge of this area, I'll be a more effective hunter next year.
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