Hunt breakdown: Killing a big buck right off the road - THP

ncstatehunter

Twelve Pointer
If you have good woodsmanship and experience, mapping can help you figure out a piece of property so quick or at the very least lessen the learning curve. I can pretty much look at an aerial and pick out spots I can go in blind and see a deer at and most likely have a chance to kill one damn near 75 of the time or more. My out of state hunts have been comical how fast I’ve had luck on what I consider to the a public land shooter buck, I must have a horseshoe lodged firmly up where the sun don’t shine. And that’s mainly due to pouring over maps before the trip, hitting key spots to scout when I’m there (either before season opens or while I’m hunting) and then narrowing down where to focus from there. Nothing different from them, I just don’t get to scout nor hunt as much as them, though just like them I learn a place and then don’t have to go back in there other than to check it during season or right before and see if I need to be hunting there.
 

timekiller13

Old Mossy Horns
If you have good woodsmanship and experience, mapping can help you figure out a piece of property so quick or at the very least lessen the learning curve. I can pretty much look at an aerial and pick out spots I can go in blind and see a deer at and most likely have a chance to kill one damn near 75 of the time or more. My out of state hunts have been comical how fast I’ve had luck on what I consider to the a public land shooter buck, I must have a horseshoe lodged firmly up where the sun don’t shine. And that’s mainly due to pouring over maps before the trip, hitting key spots to scout when I’m there (either before season opens or while I’m hunting) and then narrowing down where to focus from there. Nothing different from them, I just don’t get to scout nor hunt as much as them, though just like them I learn a place and then don’t have to go back in there other than to check it during season or right before and see if I need to be hunting there.
Yep, if you have any map reading skills and understand deer movment, then it's not difficult to locate spots to hunt, especially if you just want to kill any deer. When I am scouting, I am mostly just trying to confirm what I learned from looking at topo maps an aerial photos, and also seeing if there are signs of others using the area.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
If you are hunting a quality piece of public land sure.

I bet the guys in these videos avoid the “bad” places
 

buckman4c

Spike
I hunted at least 2 of their spots before THP was a twinkle in Warbs eye. I also know exactly where another 3 or 4 are without even trying all that hard.

Public hunting’s rep has been cyclical. Good hunting lead to overcrowding. Overcrowding lead to bad hunting. Bad hunting lead to less hunting. Less hunting lead to good hunting.

But in the information overload age, I don’t know that that cycle isn’t broken for good.

Spot On!!!
I'm from Pa and have a particular piece of public land I've been hunting for 30 years on the first day of rifle season. Like you said, it's cyclical. This area receives heavy hunting pressure of the first day of rifle season but it's never evenly distributed.
When the hunting is good (year of really good mast), hunters who hunted that year flock the next year and drag their buddy's along. They may hunt there another year or two. But, after a couple "bad" years for them, they move on to other places. And the cycle repeats.

It's interesting to watch the regulars. They (we) hunt there year in and year out, try different stand locations and no matter if its a good or bad year find a way to kill deer. The one thing that keeps us hunting there no matter the pressure is, the access is all uphill which keeps the majority of hunters low. We get away from that. Even "information overload age" can't change terrain difficulty.
 
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ABBD

Ten Pointer
Contributor
8 out of 10 hunters I know don’t hunt the way they do. THP’s overall woodsmanship is at a high level which contributes to their success. There is walking through the woods quietly and walking through the woods undetected. Big difference...

It’s human nature for a body to get down on themselves in challenging hunting situations. I feel like this is where they and other like minded folks excel.
 
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bingo,,,,

when folks ask me "how much do you hunt" - I tell them "depends on how you define "hunt",,,,I am in the woods from 30 minutes to 12 hrs almost every day
spent as much time as possible in the woods after school and work. Went with wife and mother in-law to look at a house they were inside i was in the woods. found old apple orchid.went back in and told them this place is perfect.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Most hunters want it easy
Truer words will never be spoken.
Deer hunting is all about money.
You can buy any size deer or experience you want.
The tv shows feature easy comfortable climate controlled hunts.
Well now we can imitate them with a little coin. easy peasy.

public hunting used to be the norm now it's unique and trendy.
but it will not be a destination for the tower crowd.
 

wncdeerhunter

Old Mossy Horns
I generally like their show - but just watched one episode where they made a questionable bow shot - let it lay before tracking but found it alive. Then they stood around for what they said were 30 mins waiting for it to die because they couldn’t “legally” do anything.

I’ll be damned if I’m going to watch one suffer - there’s legal and then there’s right. Cut the camera off and put it down.
 

Tipmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
I generally like their show - but just watched one episode where they made a questionable bow shot - let it lay before tracking but found it alive. Then they stood around for what they said were 30 mins waiting for it to die because they couldn’t “legally” do anything.

I’ll be damned if I’m going to watch one suffer - there’s legal and then there’s right. Cut the camera off and put it down.

If they get busted doing that their careers are over. I completely understand why they made that decision.
 

Tipmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Here's the schedule for this season's deer tour:


Sept
ND
Neb
Mo or WI

Oct
MI (PL challenge opening week)
IO

Oct/Nov
KS
OK
NY/PA(tentative)

Dec
WI gun
IO gun

Jan
AZ (coues/mule)
No MS - Flooding Maybe AL/GA
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Did you mean to put one of these ;) in that post? Surely no one would ask that question with a straight face.
 
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nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Yeah, with and without dogs. The ones with dogs you have to be familiar with the area to recognize them. I don't think the videos are listed as such.
 
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