Strange hunting stuff you have done that actually worked

[John Y Cannuck]

Tagged out in 1st week of the rifle hunt this year. Sad part of that, is that I can no longer hunt. I usually manage to get the 2nd deer during the late bow hunt.

Anyway, back to the thread. I got the sound like a deer trick to work again for me this year.

I have a tall tree stand that is on a short ridge, putting me way up in the air, nearly 30feet above the forest floot. The approach however means crossing the deer trail. I do this in rubber boots, to contain my scent, and usually I have that path blown clear of leaves with my leaf blower before the hunt, so it's quiet. This year however, the leaves did me a nasty because of the drought, and they fell a tad late. so, I tried to sound like a deer.

Crunch crunch..... Crunch crunch... all the way to the stand, or at least the last 150yards or so. Hard for me to do it longer than that. As I crested the ridge, there's a doe, head down munching away, 25 yards. I have no tag, so this is play time. Play time is when you learn stuff about deer.

I continued walking the same way until I reached the base of the ladder. 20 yards away. I stopped. She casually lifted her head and looked at me. I swear her eyes widened. She did one of those leaning blast offs and vanished tail up. She was apparently too surprised to even snort at me. (some of you call this a whistle).

 

[John Y Cannuck]

I don't really believe in the whole scent thing. That's not to say you should wear cologne, but taking a piss, smoking or the laundry detergent you use hasn't shown to me to have any effect on deterring deer. The forest has all kinds of different smells and Deer are curious animals, I have found.

Just this year I rode my ATV right to my blind, took my helmet off and a Deer was standing there watching me not 25 yards away. Damn thing let me get off, get out my ML and shoot. Then while I am cleaning it, probably 30 mins later, a doe and her yearling walks 35 years from me and starting eating my apples in plain view of me, didn't give two poops.

In all my years hunting I have found only one thing that works. Being in the woods. Some preseason scouting wouldn't hurt either

I had a similar experience with a whitetail when moose hunting. Rode along the trail, spotted the deer standing, stopped, got off, got my camera out of my pack and took her pic. maybe 15 yards? She didn't spook until I stepped clear of the machine. Some folks would take that as an indication that ATV's don't spook deer. I think ATV's don't spook SOME deer.

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

Got stuck in a cut line hiding behind a little pine tree that looked like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree while a herd of elk was trotting past. A couple stopped to have a look - got lucky and lined up a bull at 40 yds. Spent the summer and fall doing load development with 129gr Nosler LRABs in my 6.5x55 when I could have used a bow

You remind me of all the trouble I had getting a scope to stay on zero, the warranty return, the load development, the sighting in, etc, and then snap shooting a single round at a worthwhile buck on opening morning. He dropped. I remember turning the rifle on its side in both hands and saying, 'Huh, that was a lot of work for one shot'.

 

[Big Bad]

I don't really believe in the whole scent thing. That's not to say you should wear cologne, but taking a piss, smoking or the laundry detergent you use hasn't shown to me to have any effect on deterring deer. The forest has all kinds of different smells and Deer are curious animals, I have found.

Just this year I rode my ATV right to my blind, took my helmet off and a Deer was standing there watching me not 25 yards away. Damn thing let me get off, get out my ML and shoot. Then while I am cleaning it, probably 30 mins later, a doe and her yearling walks 35 years from me and starting eating my apples in plain view of me, didn't give two poops.

In all my years hunting I have found only one thing that works. Being in the woods. Some preseason scouting wouldn't hurt either

I don't think we humans can understand much about scent at all, simply because compared to most any other mammal we are what's known as nose blind. I once came across a little antiquarian book titled "The Mysteries Of Scent" which turned out to be written by foxhunting master of hounds, one of the redcoated English folks that used to chase dogs on horseback in pursuit of a fox before that practice was banned there. He was able to outline some ideal conditions for his dogs to use scent in, but there were always examples of exceptions he couldn't explain, also apparent bad scent days that turned out to be very good, I thought because like all of us he was trying to see things without any eyes. I did learn a lot from the book though and watching a dog that we had who had a particularly good nose (she could find me out in the woods a couple of hours after I'd set out for instance), I noticed a lot of things he talked about.

 

[Decker9]

Hunting with a camera this day.

Last fall I was headed up to swap sd cards in my mountain goat cameras. I found a Billy bedded and wanted to get some photos. I snuck in to about 30 yards while sleeping and sat for a hour waiting for him to stand up for a picture or two.

Time was wearing on, wind was blowing right at him, so I figured I’d light a cigar in hopes he’d stand up. That didn’t work, he didn’t seem to care one bit.

So, I lit a joint ( for the record, no hunting season here, strictly pleasure), that smell got him pretty interested, within a minute or two he was coming to investigate.

I got my photo too!!

 

[BlackRam]

in 2008, my old hunting partner and I were out driving into a new area to check it out for the afternoon hunt.
we spotted a whitetail buck grazing on the pipeline beside the back road down in the valley.
I slowly idled the truck down into the valley to within 34 yards of the buck. He didn't spook, or run, and barely paid any attention to us, including when I talked to him out the open window of my side (drivers) of the the truck. And he eventually returned to grazing on the green vegetation on the pipeline ROW. He wasn't a big buck, but a respectable 4x4.
I had my bow with me that day, on the back seat...with the release strapped to the bow's grip.
I thought "what the heck, I'll try it anyway" the worst that could happen would be him running off!

I slowly got out of the driver's seat, opened the back door of the truck, put on my release, got my bow out, knocked and arrow, and slowly turned towards the buck. He completely ignored me the whole time. I slowly drew and sot that buck!

He ran across the road and into the brush of the grown logging block. I gave him a short time, and taking my rifle, trailed him into the bush and put a finishing shot him when he stood up out of his bed. As he had bled a lot from the lung shot, if I had given him just a little longer, he would have expired right there.
Never had a whitetail buck so complacent before!

 

[Grain]

I don't think we humans can understand much about scent at all, simply because compared to most any other mammal we are what's known as nose blind. I once came across a little antiquarian book titled "The Mysteries Of Scent" which turned out to be written by foxhunting master of hounds, one of the redcoated English folks that used to chase dogs on horseback in pursuit of a fox before that practice was banned there. He was able to outline some ideal conditions for his dogs to use scent in, but there were always examples of exceptions he couldn't explain, also apparent bad scent days that turned out to be very good, I thought because like all of us he was trying to see things without any eyes. I did learn a lot from the book though and watching a dog that we had who had a particularly good nose (she could find me out in the woods a couple of hours after I'd set out for instance), I noticed a lot of things he talked about.

My uncle was president of a fox hunting club in Yorkshire right until it was made illegal, and a while after. They weren't a posh riding club, rather fell walkers. I was able to go on a hunt before the ban, was an amazing experience.

 

[Grain]

Back when pronghorns were plentiful and tags were over the counter, opening day we would sit in a rock pile near a herd with an empty five gallon pail and a stick. Give the pail a rap around once a minute or so, and the curious goats would come walking in to see what was making the noise. Would only work opening day or until they were shot at once, then the herd was skittish for the fall, but it did work.

 

[trevj]

I tagged a nice White Tail buck near Cold Lake, while I was recovering from a spinal fusion surgery. Well, post recovery, but still, tender...

Was a nice sunny day, did a slow walk around the area I was checking out, no joy. Was about out of steam, time was maybe 1;30 PM, so settled in on the slope leading down to the river flats, maybe thirty yards from my truck, and without really caring, I blew on my deer call like it was a New Years party horn. Really. Just a long blast as I drained my lungs.

About 4 or 5 minutes later, this WT buck comes up from the flats to check out the noise. If I had waited a few more seconds, I could have rolled him in to my truck... As it was, took about thirty feet of rope to winch him up the slope.

I don't think I ever appreciated a deer more than that one. Nor have I ever been as baffled as to exactly how that scene played out...

 

[John Y Cannuck]

One evening, back when we could actually get moose tags occasionally, I had pushed bush for the guys, and when i came out it was still early. I had maybe an hour and a half of light left. So, I walked back to camp, did a quick change, and walked out our trail into another area.

About 50 yards down that trail, I came across steaming fresh (not kidding) moose crap. Seeing as it was a cow and calf by the track, I could hunt that calf.
They went directly into a tag alder thicket. Too wet and noisy for me to follow them. So, I crossed their trail, and went over the little ridge to the next gully. I walked down that maybe half a mile, and then set up high where I could see the ridge and the gully opposite.

Time passed, and I was thinking they must have already gone through, when I saw something black moving on the ridge. It was the cow, she was nibbling at the soft maple, getting a grip on the bark, and then tearing off a strip by jerking her head upwards.

Fine thinks I but it's getting late and where the hell is the calf?

I determined to try and get closer. Every time she looked down I moved. I got to within I think 50 yards. Then she saw me, and took off. I scrambled up the ridge in time to see her vanish over the top of the next ridge.
In a moment, the calf appeared from the opposite ridge, trotted out and up the ridge after mom. I had time for one quick shot, and the calf slid back down the ridge. The 88 Win had killed again (308).

I had got well into gutting when I heard a noise and looked up to see the cow glaring down at me. Uh Oh.
Thankfully, spreading arms and legs and yelling as loud as I could spooked her and she didn't return.

The stars were out when I finished, and I had no light. That was in my pack I'd dropped at camp damn it.

Fired a bunch of call shots, tried the radio, nothing. The guys were back at camp, radios off. FFS!

So, under star light I walked out. I was very familiar with the area and this was easier than it sounds.

About half way to camp I met one of the guys who had come out to see where I was. I had to show him my bloody hands to convince him to get the guys out for the drag. Made a new trail that night, and hung the calf.

 

[the spank]

Used a goose call to call in cranes, crows and coyotes.

 

[jjohnwm]

A few years back I was forced to shoot left-handed/left-eyed due to bad cataracts in my right (dominant) eye. Even with a summer of practice, I was still pretty slow when "assuming the position". After screwing up an opportunity on a nice buck by taking too long to get set up, I was crouching more or less ready to shoot and observing a number of does in the field in front of me when that same buck reappeared, power-walking through the open field straight at the does.

I bleated...bleated louder...bleated realllllly loud...but he never flinched or faltered. I just couldn't compare to the actual does that he saw right in front of him. Finally I just yelled "Hey, Stupid!" and he stopped and looked my way. Bang!

Verbal abuse can be helpful!

 

[colin455]

I’ve used a couple things for many years I’d heard when younger.
Natives used to stalk with a ball-of-foot then heel walk as it’s quieter. It is- spreads out your weight before the thump of your weight on your heel.
Second was for when hunting grouse. Sometimes when walking they’ll just freeze and you walk past them. They’ll take off behind you. Scare the hell out of me every time. Natives would walk 3-5 steps and stop for 3-5 seconds. The grouse panic when you stop and move/run. Got a few that way when the bush gets a bit thick to hunt visually.
My favourite is a quote supposedly from Fred Bear -“ The best camouflage is sit still and shut up. Your grandpa used to hunt in a red flannel coat and he did fine.”

 

[John Y Cannuck]

Just in case anyone tells you that moose don't come to salt blocks. Obviously this was well after moose season.

 

[Shovel]

Back when pronghorns were plentiful and tags were over the counter, opening day we would sit in a rock pile near a herd with an empty five gallon pail and a stick. Give the pail a rap around once a minute or so, and the curious goats would come walking in to see what was making the noise. Would only work opening day or until they were shot at once, then the herd was skittish for the fall, but it did work.

Heard something similar. Shake some grain in a sack to call turkeys. Never tried it.. too many turkeys anyways. Also heard chainsaws brought deer in. Dont doubt it. We clear cut a pasture and made an a frame to store stuff. We had a stove in there and fried up some potatoes and were bsing. Went out to empty the tank. Couple of deer looked up. And went back to feeding. Another time fell asleep in a ground blind. Woke up looking at a buck sideways. I'd probably been snoring. Thought about it for a while while looking at him. Said hello and he was gone lol

 

[mark2015]

A few years ago I read a book written by some guy in Montana about Mule Deer hunting. It has been my experience that it is always good to get as much information as possible from as broad a range of sources as practical and then filter later. Anyway this fellow said just to freeze if you were walking up on a deer and he looked up at you. I thought, really, I'm a human, he will run.

So I tried it.

This was my experience. Anytime the deer looked up I froze, then when he put his head down to eat I would QUIETLY continue the approach. On younger animals and does I found I can literally walk up with in 5 or 6 feet of them. On bigger bucks - no - does not work, well very rarely it may work.

 

[stuckon308]

I've

A few years ago I read a book written by some guy in Montana about Mule Deer hunting. It has been my experience that it is always good to get as much information as possible from as broad a range of sources as practical and then filter later. Anyway this fellow said just to freeze if you were walking up on a deer and he looked up at you. I thought, really, I'm a human, he will run.

So I tried it.

This was my experience. Anytime the deer looked up I froze, then when he put his head down to eat I would QUIETLY continue the approach. On younger animals and does I found I can literally walk up with in 5 or 6 feet of them. On bigger bucks - no - does not work, well very rarely it may work.

Done this a handful of times. I've gone from 300 yards down to 30ish. Sometimes with multiple deer in a field. I'm pretty sure most guys think I'm lying when I tell them. I just go extremely slow. Every movement is slow. I shot a fairly nice buck one year with this method.

 

[Beeron]

My ex father in law was showing me the ropes.
Maybe 20 years ago we are driving through some decent mulie habitat and he spotted a nice buck that I hadn’t.
Instead of yelling “DEER!!” like i might have expected, he turns toward me and says “Don’t stop, just slow down!”
And before I can say “What!?”, he opens the door and bails out, Literally into some kind of commando roll (he was in his late 60’s at the time).
My instinct was to slam on the brakes but i remembered him saying not to stop so i kept rolling slowly, trying to find him in my mirrors.
He rolls a couple times and comes to his feet while simultaneously chambering a round he must have fed in the process (we are both religious about never having ammo anywhere near a firearm while in the vehicle).

I come to a stop and in my rearview he’s standing on the edge of the logging road, gun up. And then blammo.

The whole thing was so fluid it hardly seemed like any time had passed at all.

Buck down!

66 year old Navy Seals sh*t!!

Crazy old bugger.

 

[iron cat]

My ex father in law was showing me the ropes.
Maybe 20 years ago we are driving through some decent mulie habitat and he spotted a nice buck that I hadn’t.
Instead of yelling “DEER!!” like i might have expected, he turns toward me and says “Don’t stop, just slow down!”
And before I can say “What!?”, he opens the door and bails out, Literally into some kind of commando roll (he was in his late 60’s at the time).
My instinct was to slam on the brakes but i remembered him saying not to stop so i kept rolling slowly, trying to find him in my mirrors.
He rolls a couple times and comes to his feet while simultaneously chambering a round he must have fed in the process (we are both religious about never having ammo anywhere near a firearm while in the vehicle).

I come to a stop and in my rearview he’s standing on the edge of the logging road, gun up. And then blammo.

The whole thing was so fluid it hardly seemed like any time had passed at all.

Buck down!

66 year old Navy Seals sh*t!!

Crazy old bugger.

We did the same thing one year when we were headed into a field to set goose dekes.
A flock of Speckle bellies was already in the field near where we were coming in.
My partner slowed down as we passed some round bales just enough for me to tuck and roll out of the passenger side back door with my 20 gauge O/U, .
I hit the ground running and dropping in two #4 Federals as they were looking at his pick up drive by, and was able to kill two as they took off!
The fella with us riding shotgun in the front was a non hunter and was amazed! LOL
Cat

 

[jethunter]

I was walking back to camp at night after field dressing a moose. Flashlight battery was dead but the moon was out and there was snow so I could see the ground enough to stay on the trail. I walked right into a group of several elk who were as oblivious of me as I was of them until one of them snorted and then there were animals crashing and moving all around and within feet of me. It was all over in seconds, but I nearly had a heart attack.