Tag Page deerHunting

paulcarol

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why hunters lose deer they should have found

After you shoot, pick a specific landmark where you last saw the deer - "that pine with the broken branch" not just "over there." Everything looks different from ground level and you'll be way off track otherwise. Then wait 1-2 hours before tracking. I've watched too many hunters rush down and push wounded deer for miles. Patience saves more deer than anything else. What's your worst tracking story? #hunting #deerhunting #huntingtips #outdoors

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Eric Ford

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Almost had my first public land buck!

Year 2 of self-taught public land hunting in Ohio and I'm still learning the hard way! Spent most of last season sitting 1.5+ miles from the car, sunrise to noon routine. Saw deer 3 times but never close enough for a shot. Then at 10am while just scouting near a pond, a shooter buck comes GALLOPING past me at 10 yards! I'm fumbling with shells, following his trail around the pond... and end up scaring off a rabbit and some doves instead 😅 3 more hours of walking = nothing. Public land will humble you every time! #hunting #deerhunting #Outdoors

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Eric Ford

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camo vs solids—does it really matter in hunting? 🤔

My uncle’s been hunting for decades, and he still says the biggest buck of his life came down to camo. He was sitting on the ground with his back to a tree, crossbow in hand. That buck came in behind him—10 yards close. He told me, “I could’ve grabbed his antlers.” What made the difference? Total stillness, scent control, and a digital camo pattern that blended perfectly. He’s convinced solid colors would’ve blown the whole thing. Got me thinking—how much does camo pattern really matter for close-range encounters? Or is movement control the real MVP? #hunting #deerhunting #crossbow #groundhunting #camouflage

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bushjill

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Scent control products are a waste of money

Watched those YouTube tests with retired police dogs - even with every spray and ozone machine, they still smelled the hunters every time. Animals don't care about your $50 bottles. Stick to basics: unscented soap, air-dry clothes outside, skip deodorant, and obsess over wind direction. That's it. Saved myself hundreds on gimmicky sprays and focused on what actually matters - playing the wind perfectly. Products don't make you a better hunter, fundamentals do. #hunting #scentcontrol #deerhunting #outdoors

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Manuel Bright

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You're visiting your hunting spot too much

Guilty of finding every excuse to visit my hunting property - checking cameras, scouting, "just looking around." Took me years to realize I was pressuring the deer way too much, especially the mature bucks I was actually trying to target. Now I batch all my property work into single trips and stay away unless it's absolutely necessary. Get in, handle trail cams and any land management, then get out. The less human scent and disturbance, the better your chances come hunting season. How often do you visit your spots during the off-season? #hunting #deerhunting #huntingpressure #huntingtips #Outdoors

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tyler79

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scent control products are a total scam!

Unpopular opinion: the hunting industry convinced us we need $300 worth of scent eliminators when wind direction and basic hygiene work just fine. Grandpa never used any of this stuff and still outshot us all. Change my mind. #hunting #deerhunting #scentcontrol #huntinggear

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Manuel Bright

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Don’t Buy Your Dream Deer Hunting Farm Too Soon

Almost bought my "dream farm" right out of the gate - 160 acres of prime whitetail country. Thank God the deal fell through. Here's the brutal truth about hunting land: Don't start with your dream property. Start with the stepping stones. I learned to look for value others miss: 🏞️ Rundown pastures with good soil that can become food plots 🌲 Undervalued timber the seller doesn't recognize 📍 Good hunting areas with fixable problems (old cabins, no food plots) The snowball method works: Buy undervalued → improve → sell → roll profits into bigger property → repeat After 4-5 transactions over several years, I finally had enough equity to consider that dream farm. The key? Being willing to sell each property to fund the next step up. That 20-acre starter tract taught me more about land value than any book ever could. Sometimes the best lessons come from what you almost bought wrong. Anyone else learn this lesson the hard way? #Hunting #HuntingLand #LandInvestment #DeerHunting

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paulcarol

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That 10-gauge just humbled my rifled 20

I’ve been hunting with the same single-shot, rifled-barrel 20 gauge for over 25 years. It’s not flashy, but it’s precise—almost like carrying a small centerfire rifle. Years back, my buddy and I were setting up before dawn on a horse farm when another truck pulled in. One guy pulled out a massive 10 gauge, casually loading buckshot and swearing it was deadly to 100 yards. Sure enough, later that morning, we heard two booming shots and found out he’d dropped two deer at nearly that exact distance. I respect the effectiveness, but for me, it’s always been about precision over power. My 20 gauge may take more patience, but it’s never let me down. What’s been your longest, most memorable shot? #Hunting #ShotgunHunting #DeerHunting #Buckshot #Outdoors

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paulcarol

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Every deer is a trophy to me

Shot a small 6-pointer yesterday morning. Buddy laughed, said I should've waited for something bigger. But honestly? After sitting in that cold stand for 12 hours over three days, watching that buck work through the thicket felt like winning the lottery. What makes a successful hunt for you? #hunting #DeerHunting #SmallBuck #HuntingMoments #Outdoors

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bushjill

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Is Hunting Becoming a Luxury Sport?

Hunting isn’t cheap anymore. Between tags, ammo, gas, and processing, you’ll likely spend more than if you just bought meat at the store. Sure, venison is delicious, but most deer only yield 30–40 pounds of meat. Add in the outdoor industry pushing pricey “must-have” gear, and it feels like a rich man’s game. But here's the thing—I wasn't really hunting for cheap protein. I was hunting for sunrise views, quiet moments in the woods, and memories with my kid that'll last forever. The meat's just a bonus. Still, I can cut costs—used gear, thrift store camo, and online deals help a lot. What's the real reason you hunt—meat or something else? #Hunting #HuntingCosts #DeerHunting #Venison #Outdoors

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