The Iowa fish and game folks say they need this program to bring the spotlight to the great deer hunting in Iowa. Some claim it's unfair because it give the rich and famous an unfair advantage. Others say that those few tags help bring in tourist dollars to Iowa coffers. Who's right?

But it doesn't stop there. As I understand the program, there's a panel that decides which celebrity will get a permit. The decision is based on who the panel thinks can bring the biggest bang for the buck (no pun intended ) For example, someone like Ted Knugent (or the hoard of celebrity hunters) who has his own hunting show and is always on a TV somewhere stands an excellent chance of getting an Iowa deer tag over the little kid from Family Ties. In fact, I don't know if that kid could be considered a celebrity or not!

It should also be noted that Iowa shares some permits with Conservation and Charity Organizations to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. They then split the proceeds.

This program has been around for a while. Okay, I get it. Back in the day something like this may have been needed to bring the Outdoor world spotlight to Iowa deer hunting to show the world what great deer hunting they have. But nowadays? Really? Who among us has not heard about how great the Iowa deer hunting is, especially in the 20 years or so?

Try as I might, I just can't see why such a program is needed these days in a state like Iowa!  The more media PR they get, the more people want to come there and hunt. But geez Iowa, you already have a lottery where there are so many more people applying for a permit than you have deer permits available, so what's the point? I could understand it if they couldn't sell all 6000 or so non-resident permits, but they have no problem doing that, so why have this tax payer funded program anyway?

When it's all said and done, I just don't see a need for a program like this in a state like Iowa. It would be like Illinois, Ohio, Kansas or Saskatchewan having a similar program. Earth to Iowa DNR, Iowa deer hunting is well known outside of Iowa!! Normally whenever I see a program like this that has outlived its usefulness but those in power still insist of keeping it alive, it's usually because someone other than the Celebrities have something to gain. Not saying this is what's happening in Iowa right now, just sayin' that's been my experience in life.

If the Iowa powers that be really wanted to do some good with a program like this, maybe they should start similar programs for Iowa College football and basketball!! LOL

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Which brings me to the meat of this post/rant. I was taking it easy today and turned on the Outdoor Channel and watched a few hunting shows. I honestly don't watch that many any longer. I have probably 2 or 3 that I make somewhat of an effort to watch. Most are pure rubbish and nothing more than glorified marketing in my opinion.

But anyway, one was about a Husband/Wife team hunting in Illinois on opening day. There she sit in a tree all dolled up talking about how hard she'd been working getting ready for hunting season. I thought "Yeah, like what? What kind of logo you're going to wrap your jacked up 4x4 and equipment trailer in?"

I could go on and on about some of these bozo's who pretend to be hunters. Which is about 99% of them on TV!

I understand the business side of it. As a marketer myself, I understand the game and how it's played. But I sincerely believe many of these so called, self described "Celebrity Hunters" are nothing more than shooters. And when you watch them and some of the stupid things they say/do, it only proves to drive the point home.

Like today when one of these Super Hunters is walking around a Ranch in Texas and comes up on this bush with a stem about the size of his thumb and there's a little rub on it. He then blurts out "Yeah, this was a real nice buck that made this!" I was like "WTH, really Dude?"

I guess my gripe stems from my opinion that hunting is something that is sacred, at least it is with me. I mean, after all you're taking a life and that should mean something. It's not like you're trying to score a goal or hit a ball with a piece of wood, although many manufacturers and Celebrity "Shooters" seem to treat it that way.

I also do not think it's healthy the way many beginners of this sport idolize these Celebrity Shooters. They don't understand that these people's claim to fame is the fact that they have a knack for marketing, not deer hunting. I mean, really folks, how many of use couldn't put an arrow through the boiler room of a nice buck on some intensely managed land if a Guide didn't walk us to a stand and say "Sit here and shoot a good buck for the camera"?

I'd love to pack some of these so called "Hunter" up and drop them off at a local WMA during any deer season of their choice (Archery, Muzzleloader or Rifle" and give them a week to kill a 6 point or better buck, heck, I'll give them the full 16 days of Muzzleloader and Rifle season! I'd imagine that only a few out of the dozens and dozens on TV could actually do this.

I remember years ago someone asked the founder of a deer magazine and club why him and his crew only hunted high fenced ranches or only used high dollar outfitters and his response was " One...We have to hunt these places to shoot big bucks. If we don't no one will watch our TV show. Two...we don't have much time to make these shows, so we have to use Outfitters and Ranches". Well now, at least he was honest about it! For him, it was (and still is I guess) all about the kill. But it made me sad to be a Charter Lifetime member of that Club and their magazine hits the trash as soon as it arrives in the mail these days. I really don't mind that they hunt these places, it's when they start thinking they're a "HUNTER" because a 170 class bucked walked by the stand their Guide had been holding for them all year long.

I've also noticed in the last half dozen years or so that they tend to show the Deer dying more and more. I don't see the point in this as I see it several times first hand myself every year, I don't need to watch it on TV. But the biggest thing is it turns of non-hunters. My Wife actually likes watching a few of the shows until they show the Deer run off and stand there until it tips over and starts kicking. She has asked several times "Why do they have to show that part of Hunting?" I've heard that question asked quite a bit from others as well. In the past, it was something that wasn't shown on hunting shows. Now, it's like the TV program isn't complete if they don't show the actual death of the Deer!

My reply is "Because it sells Deer hunting gear. I guess those newbies and people who've never killed a Deer haven't seen one die before."

I'm betting a few of you remember all the crap Dan Fitzgerald use to get for showing some of the shots he showed in his videos. Now days, people wouldn't even bat an eye at some of the shots he used to capture on film. And by the way, he's one of the few who I think can actually "hunt" instead of just "shoot" deer. It must have been all those Blue Jeans and Red Flannel hunting shirt endorsements that made him successful!

Nothing illustrates the fact that Deer hunting has been turned into a business model better than a couple who bought a farm in Iowa. Not just a few acres, but an actual farm! And if that wasn't enough, they also lease more farms. Their "food plots" are actual fields of Soybean, Corn and whatever seed blend they're being paid to market. They do this with monster tractors pulling full blown farm implements. These aren't your 1 acre food plots! These tractors and implements actually make some real farmers envious!

And this is their business model and it has allowed them to buy farm ground, plant the "food plots" and then shoot big Deer in order to market everything from seed and supplement blends to camo, bows, arrows and whatever else.

Are they Deer hunters or do they simple kill Deer in order to market all these products?

If they didn't kill any Deer, do you think some of the biggest manufacturing names in the industry would pay them to market their products?

Do you think beginners and Average Joe Deer hunters would flock to the retail outlets to buy they latest product they're pushing?

I think not.

As much as I hate to admit it, they're one of my favorite hunting shows, but I watch them because they're entertaining, not because they actually know how to hunt Deer. In fact, I can honestly say that I have not picked up one hunting tip from them in all the time I watch their show.

These type of people have turned Hunting into a business model and I for one don't think it's good for our sport.

Hunters seem to forget that these shows are nothing more than marketing shows. Sure, like I said above, some of the people are actually entertaining. But at the end of the day, they're marketing gear to you and they wouldn't be on TV  if they weren't capable of driving people into Sporting Goods Stores or Online Retailers to buy whatever it is they're pushing. Remember that the next time you start to idolize one of your favorite Celebrity Deer Shooters and start to buy something because So and So on TV killed a big buck using it (or did they just say they were using it to get you to buy it??!

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By the way, my picks for the best treestand locations are in order of my favorite places to hunt because my chance for success will go up greatly if I find them. Sadly, these don't occur in every place that I hunt, but I will go out of my way to find them if they do!

Treestand Location #1. Beaver Dams. Yeah, you read right! Beaver Dams are some of the best deer funnels you can find. But not any old Beaver Dams will work. The ones I have the best bet with are the ones that are on deep creeks with few places for Deer to cross. It also helps if there is a reason Deer want to cross the creek, like going from a bedding area to a feeding area.

I truly believe Deer hate crossing Beaver Dams, but it's either that or get wet. While Deer are excellent swimmers and their hollow hair will keep them warm even when wet, they still will avoid swimming if given the chance. So if you know of a creek with Beaver Dams spaced a ways apart, scout them good and look for Deer crossing!

Treestand Location #2. Saddles in long ridges. When I'm hunting in Mountainous areas like the Ozarks or Quachita's, I look for long ridge lines with a saddle in them. Unfortunately in these two mountain ranges, when you find a saddle, it generally has a freakin' road in it! But there are a few...if you look hard enough.

The saddle doesn't have to be very deep either. There's one place in Northern Arkansas that the elevation change in the ridge is only about 10 feet. But that slight saddle is enough to funnel those Rock Pile deer through it year after year!(at least every year I've hunted there, I can't speak for the years I'm not there...:D)

The best way to find them is by using a topo map and following the ridge lines and taking note of elevation changes. You can also use Google and use the Satellite photo's to find saddles, but the smaller ones are harder to see if the photo's were taking in Spring and Summer.

Treestand location #3. Fence crossings. If you hunt in an area with a lot of fences, then you should be looking for places where Deer cross them. One of my best stand locations is a fence crossing where an old tree fell across the fence and broke it. The landowners on either side have no cows in these pastures so neither are worried about getting the fence fixed. If you want to know the truth, I think both are waiting on the other to fix it. That's okay by me, as my Titan Ladder Stand is 30 yards away and this crossing has supplied me with Deer sightings every year!

If you're not lucky enough to have a tree fall where you want it, there are ways of making a better fence crossing. What I've done in the past is cut brush and put at every crossing where I didn't want the deer to cross. I then found a place for a stand and took some para cord and tied it to the top strand of wire and then to the bottom strand. I then pull the two as tight as I can forming a v at the top wire and an inverted 'V' at the bottom, giving the Deer more than enough room to jump over or crawl under the fence. Obviously this works with a barbed wire fence, a web wire fence is totally different, you may only be able to pull the top down.

Whatever you do, make sure you ask the landowner before doing any of these modifications!

Treestand location #4. Finger ridges. Take your hand and lay it flat on a table or other flat surface in front of you. Now spread your fingers wide and pretend these are finger ridges coming off of a main ridge. The hub, the center of the back of your hand, is where you'll want to scout for a treestand location. This is where most of the Deer will pass through in mountainous areas. Sometimes it may only be 2 or 3 fingers coming together at the Hub, sometimes it's more. If the "Hub" is also a nice Oak flat full of acorns, then you might just be sitting on a honey hole! These are definitely places you want to check out and put a treestand if the sign indicates Deer activity!

Treestand location #5. Strips of brush or trees extending out into fields. These can be Golden! Normally, if you have trees or a line of brush extending out into a farm field, it's because there is a draw there. It could also be because the ground there always stays wet. Whatever the reason, if you can find a place like this, look it over real well! Chances are Deer are using it to enter and exit the field. Bucks will especially like these areas during the Rut.

My favorite place to put a treestand in a situation like this is normally right at the 'base' of the draw or brush where it begins at the field edge. If the wind allows me, this setup will catch any Buck that is scent checking the field or waiting for Does returning from the field and using this strip as a travel path.

Treestand location #6. Treelines. Speaking of treelines, if you can find one connecting two sections of woods or other Deer habitat, you've probably found you a Deer super highway! My buddy lives in the same house he grew up in. About 200 yards across the pasture behind his house is a treeline about 75 yards wide that runs for about 1/4 mile. It connects a huge area of woods on the South side with broken woods and grown up fields on the North side. There are cow pastures on either side of this treeline and the cows do a good job of keeping the grass down.

Where do you think a Deer that wants to go from the South woods to the North section will travel? That's right, the treeline! It's also a good place to intercept a Buck that is traveling through the Countryside looking for a hot Doe. It's not unusual to look out his back window in the early mornings or late afternoons and see Deer walking along the treeline.

Treestand location #7. Edges of grown over clear cuts where they meet hardwoods. Another of my favorite spots to intercept Bucks are at the edges of a clear cut that has been cut over several years back and allowed to grow up. Usually years 2 through 5 after a place has been cut, there will be some nasty briars, bushes and crap a sane Man would never want to go into. I usually don't either! Most times I can find a spot along the edge and set up a treestand there. I particularly like to find trails leading in and out of these clear cuts. When the pressure gets hot and heavy, the Bucks know that these are safe places.

If you have permission and you're willing to do some work, then you can make you a Deer magnet anytime you find a grown up clear cut. What I've done in the past is crawl, yes I mean CRAWL into these jungles for about 50 yards and then started cutting a straight path through this mess. The path is about as wide as I can extend both arms. Why do I crawl into these areas? Because if you start at the edge, someone may find it and you're secret hunting spot will be done for!

I make these paths about 100 yards long if I can. Once I've got one straight, I go back to the halfway point and start cutting another bisecting the first. So when I'm done, I have what would look like a "Plus Sign" if viewed from the air. At each end of the 'plus sign' I look for trees to put up a stand. I also try to have a tree near the intersection of each lane of the 'plus sign'. Deer will use these lanes you cut like you wouldn't believe!

The downside is that it can be hard to get into these place undetected, so you'll have to leave early and take it slow.

Another feature that I added to several was to rake away the leaves and crap once I had the lanes cut and then threw down some quick growing Winter seed like wheat and rye. Imagine having such a secret spot that no one else knew about in a heavily hunted area.

Treestand location #8. Habitat changes. Technically, Location #7 above could be considered a habitat change. As could places where the Woods meet Fields. These are generally all good areas to look for Deer sign. Deer are edge lovers! A few places of habitat change that I've successfully hunted over the years include places where wetlands met hardwood forest, Pine plantings met hardwoods and obviously where crop fields met any kind of brush, whether it was a swamp or forest. The nastier the better!

There's a WMA about 2 hours away from me where I hunt a few times each year. It's hilly, some would say slightly mountainous. But there are several places where the ridges come down and meet bottom land. The White Oak and Black Jacks of the hillside meet the Red Oaks and Ash trees of the bottom. Along this edge I've had numerous treestands over the years and nearly always see Deer there. If used this pattern at other places I hunt and can nearly always find deer. Keep this in mind when you're out there scouting this year!

Treestand location #9. Remote fruit trees. I'll have to admit that I'm not real big on seeking out the best Persimmon trees or hoping to find an old homestead with an ancient Apple tree that draw deer from miles around. When I was younger, I did take some Apple trees that I grew from seeds and plant them on our property. I think they lasted maybe a week before something ate them! That was pretty much my attempt at trying to make my own Deer attracting Apple orchard!

But I know others who routinely kill nice Deer at these locations. If you know of some type of fruit tree such as Apple or Pear, it may pay off for you to check them each year for fruit. Persimmons are popular in our hunting area, but I can't say I've ever killed a Buck from one. I've taken a few Does over the years because they'll visit them during the daylight. In normal years, the Persimmons are gone by Gun season so they only provide fruit for a few weeks. They start ripening and falling shortly after the first good frost.

Treestand location #10. Standing corn. This is my last pick simply because Corn is not a crop that is grown that much in our area. The few chances that I have had to hunt it, I found it very exciting. Standing corn is Deer cover and food all wrapped up in one. There's no need for Deer to ever leave the cover of a standing Corn field, but obvioiusly some do just for the heck of it.

I like to bowhunt standing Corn fields by still hunting across the rows. I generally do this on Windy days so that the noise of the Corn stalks cover any noise I make. It's not uncommon to catch the Deer beded down between the rows. Just remember to start downwind.

I've also put up a ground blind about 30 yards inside the standing Corn and watched the edge. This is especially good if the edge of the Corn is a long ways away from Woods. Deer expect trouble from the woods, but for some reason the don't expect it from inside the Corn itself. I will usually cut the stalks in one row so I have a clean shot from my blind out to the edge. Use the cut stalks to brush in your blind and have fun!

So there you have it, my 10 best treestand locations. Hopefully you'll keep these in mind as you're out and about scouting this year. If you find one of these locations, look it over real good for Deer sign. You might just have stumbled upon a honey hole that produces year after year!

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I can remember when Whitetail Institute started promoting their clover blend. At that time, planting high dollar food plots of clover was unheard of, or at least it was in my neck of the woods. The second year after hearing about this Super Clover Seed Blend that attracted Whitetail Deer from afar, I decided to give it a try. Early September found me pushing and pulling a push mower through the woods to a small opening I had permission to hunt. The tall weeds and grass in that little clearing nearly killed me and the mower before I had it all mowed down.

Next, I raked up all the grass and put it in a pile. Then the next day (I was pretty much whooped after using a push mower for a brush hog!), I pushed and pulled a tiller down to the small clearing. When I say small, I mean it was a place of about 20 feet wide by about 100 feet long. I tilled that ground over several times and it was much more difficult than the mowing was!

The next weekend I took a rake, several bags of lime and a bag of fertilizer through the woods to my "food plot". I worked this all in, which took me about a half a day. Rain was in the forecast so I wanted to wait for it to "wash in" the lime and fertilizer. A few days later after the rain I went back and I raked the soil again preparing the seed bed. Hmmm, this is a lot of work. "Poor men have poor men ways" came to mind as I was reraking this little plot. Once finished, I planted the Whitetail clover with visions of big bucks falling over one another to get to my tiny little plot back in the woods. After the seed was cast, I then reraked the area once again covering the seed up.

Unfortunately no one told the big bucks about my little plot! I did kill a Doe and 7 point buck out of that little meadow, but chances were good they used the place anyway since it had produced for me in the past.

From that little plot to ones I've planted that measured an acre or two, I've learned a few things about planting food plots for deer.

Here are some food plot tips to keep in mind before you start trying out your green thumb.

1. Get a soil test. I can't stress how important this is. A soil test will tell you the condition of the soil, along with what you need to do to improve it for the type of seed you'll be planting. It will also tell you how much lime and fertilizer to use. Lime and fertilizer is very important for a great food plot. It may mean the difference between you pulling deer from your neighbors land or them pulling deer from your land.
2. Match the type of seed to your local area. Some areas grow certain types of plants better than others. I mentioned using Whitetail Institute's clover when it first came out. That was all there was available at the time. It's my opinion that this clover is hard for me to grow in my area. I've had more failures than successes with this type of seed in remote plots. Now there is a whole category of seed that will grow with little soil preparation. From what I've seen, most of these seeds are rye.
3. Prepare the soil properly. This is where I see a lot of people goof up. You'd be surprised at how many people will lay down hard earned cash for a bag of seed and then just go out and throw the seed on the ground and expect it to grow. Rye will grow thrown on top of the ground as will winter wheat and oats. But they both will do better if you can at least rake the soil and turn it up a bit. Clover and Alfalfa need covered to be successful. If you're going to spend the money on good seed, then put forth the effort to get the most out of it.
4. I prefer to plant in long and narrow strips. Deer love to walk while eating. That's why they're called browsers. A nip here, a bite there. You'll seldom see a deer stand in one place very long. Make it comfortable for them to feed at your food plot.
5. Make sure your spot gets at least 50% of sun per day. You may have to hunt out a small opening, but game seeds don't grow well in the shade!
6. Plant a variety of seed to prolong the benefits of your plot. I like to plant seeds that will be beneficial to deer as soon as they come up in the early fall. At the same time, I usually include winter wheat or oats along with brassica (greens) so the plot will be beneficial to the deer and other wildlife up into the Winter. Your plot should be more than just a place to kill deer, it should be a place that helps deer and other Wildlife through the Winter into the Spring. By helping your deer make it through Winter in good shape, the Bucks will have a head start growing their antlers and the Does will give birth to healthier fawns.

Food plots do not have to be massive fields of exotic seeds to benefit Deer and wildlife. We don't all have huge John Deere tractors with all the implements along with seed companies throwing tons of seed at us so we'll advertise them. Even if you're not a so called deer hunting celebrity, you can help the animals in your area by planting your own food plot. These food plot tips should help you get started.

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I don't intend to start another debate about crossbow vs compound vs traditional archery as it pertains to hunting deer. I've been down that road many times. I own all types of bows and intend to continue to use them as I want to.

I just bought a new Excalibur Axiom and I have to say, it's a real pleasure to shoot. I've been shooting bows since 1978 and I'm just as happy to add this weapon to my arsenal as any I have bought before.

At one time in the late 80's and early 90's, I was dead set against crossbows being used in archery seasons. At the time I lived in Arkansas where crossbows were legal to use in the Archery season. I, like a lot of other anti-crossbow people, spewed the same mis information that had been spewed for many years. I called them "crossguns" and all the other nonsense jargon. It wasn't until about 1992, when I finally bought a crossbow, that my views changed. I quickly learned that a crossbow has a lot of the same limitations that any other bow has.

That crossbow was stolen a year later after I had moved back to Oklahoma and I never replaced it, even though I continued to hunt in Arkansas.

I'm glad to see that technology has helped make Crossbows somewhat quieter and with less vibration than my old PSE crossbow had! Still, they can be nosier than most compounds but the speed of the bolt is about that from a compound. That's the primary reason a crossbows effective range is usually around 40 yards. Even though my crossbow is accurate out to 40 plus yards, I limit my shots to no more than 30 yards under most conditions.

So what do I see for the future of archery hunting in Oklahoma? The reason I say that is because some doomsayers predict that Archery season will be abolished in Oklahoma because crossbow hunters will decimate the deer herd. Yeah, sounds silly once you read it doesn't it?

I suppose crossbows will affect Oklahoma deer hunting just as they have in places like Arkansas, Ohio, Alaska, Alabama and other places. Which means there will be little, if any difference in the number of deer taken but more hunters who would not otherwise hunt will be taking to the field, mainly Women, younger hunters and elderly hunters. This can only be a good thing as in most States the numbers of hunters are declining.

And maybe, just maybe they'll actually EXTEND hunting season like they have in some of those other states! I think Oklahoma legalizing crossbows for archery hunting will help our sport, just like allowing inline muzzleloaders and compound bows with sights and releases helped. (although I was against the inline muzzleloaders with scopes at one time also)

What finally made me realize that all these modern forms of hunting are actually good for our sport were the numbers of new hunters that entered our sport. If it wasn't for new technology, just think of how many fewer hunters would be afield if only longbows and recurve bows were legal in archery season and only muzzleloading rifles with size hammers using flintlocks were legal in Primitive weapon season? Simply put, greater number of hunters means more security when it comes to fighting anti hunters trying to reduce or eliminate our hunting seasons.

Besides, once I came down of my high horse, I found shooting inline muzzleloaders with scopes and shooting crossbows were a lot of fun! So yeah, I'm one happy camper that an archer can use crossbows in Oklahoma for deer hunting.

Buy hey, don't take my word for it, see what Uncle Ted thinks about it!

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1. They fail to scout. Now when I say scout, that's exactly what I mean. I don't mean lollygagging around the woods taking potshots with a .22 a few days before season. I mean getting out weeks before the season opens and scouring your hunting area real good. Even if you're familiar with the lay of the land, you'll be surprised from time to time by what you find. Lots of things can change from season to season, that's why it's important to get out and scout!

2. They fail to become proficient with the weapon they're using. The funny thing is, the definition of 'proficient' changes from hunter to hunter. Some may believe it's being able to shoot a 2" group at 100 yards. Others think if they can hit a 12"x12" piece of paper at 50 yards, that is all they need. When I was a kid, my dad use to hang a one gallon paint bucket on a limb at about 50 yards. If he could hit it with his open sighted 30-30 Marlin, then his gun was "sighted in" and he was perfectly happy. And he killed a lot of deer with that gun, few were rarely shot past 50 yards though.

I think most of us would agree that a scoped modern rifle should be able to put at least 3 rounds inside 3 inches at any range up to 100 yards. If the gun can do that, then the shooter should practice proper breath control and trigger sqeeze.

For bow hunters, I believe they should be able to keep all their arrows inside a 5 or even 6 inch group out to 40 yards. Obviously I'd like to see them also keep at least 3 arrows in a 3 inch circle out to 40, but I had trouble doing that at 40 yards with my old compound. Only when I started shooting instinctively did my accuracy improve greatly. I just could never develop the form to shoot accurately with sights out to 40 yards.

3. Lack of Patience. Over the years I've learned that many times I found that a lack of patience was really a lack of confidence in most cases. Funny that you have no trouble sitting in a blind until Noon if you're seeing deer, or if you think you'll be seeing them. But a lot of people have a problem sitting still even an hour or so before they get up and start walking around. Which by the way, is another mistake beginners make!

I can't tell you how many deer I've watched impatient hunters spook because they were out of their blind or treestand by 8 or 9 and started walking around. If you've done your scouting properly, there should be no reason for you to be out plopping around the freakin' woods at 8 or 9 a.m. You're better off going back to camp and making coffee for everyone else who will be filing in in a few hours.

4. They call too much. I think beginners and even some veterans should have their deer calls taken away. I'd bet that the majority of deer hunters have never heard a real deer in the woods. And of those hunters, the majority of them have never listened to a pro on a CD or DVD call deer. They may have seen one of the TV show cowboys do it, but few have taken the time to hear real deer call in the woods.

Even if you're using an excellent grunt call like the MAD Grunt/Snort/Wheez call, you can easily over call and spook deer!

Usually one of two things happen. The Hunters will go out and call long and hard for a few days and when nothing shows up, the proclaim to everyone they meet from here on out that deer calls are jokes and do not work. Or, they use the call a few times and when a big buck doesn't magically show up, the lose interest and leave the call at home or back in camp.

I've been deer hunting for nearly 30 years now and I've hear deer vocalize only a few dozen times over the years. Of course, I probably spend a lot more time scouting and deer hunting than the average Joe as well. Deer make soft subtle sounds, even a buck trailing a hot doe doesn't grunt near as loud as many commercial call sound. Plus, deer don't make continuous sound every step they make!

5. They use too much scent. Like over calling, a lot of deer hunters are relying on that magical deer in a bottle to produce a buck for them. Many deer hunters subscribe to the theory that more is better. That just isn't true!

I dearly loved to watch the late Ben Rogers Lee. I use to have nearly all of his deer hunting videos and I learned a lot from watching them. However I cringed when he would pour a whole bottle of his deer scent on a tarsal gland or rag and say something like "Now you can't get to much of this scent on the ground, use plenty so the Buck can really smell it". I know he was just selling deer scent, but then again the guy didn't have a problem killing deer. He knew them just as well as he knew the habits of Turkey. But beginners thought his 'secret to success' was all that deer scent he was pouring out!

Deer can put Bloodhounds to shame. If you're going to use scent, use only a few drops. I think the majority of deer hunters would do far better without scents than with them. Most don't know how to use them properly or when to use them. I personally don't want a deer to know I'm anywhere around when he comes by my stand. Sure, I've had scents work and I've had them spook deer, especially when using a Doe in Estrous scent during the rut. Many small bucks that have had their butts whipped will spook. So will Does. They know that if a Buck is present, it'll be cold nosing them and pestering them for a long time. So they will avoid another Doe who smells like she is 'in'. That's why most of the time you'll find me using a deer scent like Wildlife Research's Trails End #307. I've used it for many years and it doesn't seem to spook deer in my area during the rut. I've also seen it attract several deer that I know of, including a few bucks.

6. Fail to plan. There's a saying in the business world that goes something like "If you fail to plan, then you're planning to fail". The same could be said about deer hunting. Do you have backup stand locations for different wind directions? What if there are hunters in your area, do you have an alternate plan? Have you ever went hunting and forgot your weapon at camp or home? Have you ever forgot your release or shells?

You should have alternate hunting stand locations mapped out and know which wind directions they are good for. Plus, a simple checklist that you check before heading out will keep you from forgetting an important part of your gear. Over the years I've heard of more than one story about a deer hunter who went ahead and sit in their stand even though they had forgotten their weapon or ammo only to have a Buck walk by within range. I bet you've heard one or two stories about unprepared hunters.

7. The use cheap equipment. When I say 'cheap', I mean poor quality equipment. I can't tell you how many people just want the cheapest piece of equipment they can find. Whether it's the cheapest bow, treestand, game camera or rifle, it seems their only requirement is that they equipment is cheap. How many times have you seen someone ask a question in the forums like "What's the best and cheapest bow?" or "What's the best and cheapest cold weather hunting clothes?"

It's okay to save a buck (no pun intended), but simply being a cheap scape because you're tight is a whole different matter. Poor quality hunting equipment can come back to bite you when you need it the most. Like scopes, rifles, bows, clothes, boots and other deer hunting products, sometimes it's better to save up a little while longer and buy the good stuff.

Don't get me wrong. Although I see beginners make most of these mistakes, making these mistakes doesn't seem to know the difference between a beginning deer hunter and someone who's been hunting for decades. The only thing I can see is that serious deer hunters make fewer of these mistakes than the weekend warriors. I believe it comes down to how serious you are about deer hunting. The more serious you are, the more you're likely to learn from your mistakes and not repeat them.

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First and foremost, I think the decision to shoot a small buck, or any deer for that matter, should be left up to the individual hunter as long as the deer is legal (* with an exception as stated below). Whether you agree with the game laws or not. But if a spike buck with 3 1/2 inches of hard antler above the hairline is legal in your state and you want to put a tag on him and take him home, you should have that right if you purchased a deer tag or hunting license.

*And since I mentioned the law, I think having laws restricting hunters to harvesting deer with a minimum antler count is plain wrong. Arkansas comes to mind with its 3 point rule (or is it 4 points per side?). Whatever it is, I believe it's wrong. A hunter should be able to put their tag on any buck they can see the antler on. These types of laws also rob our young and elderly hunters of chances of enjoying the harvest of a buck deer. Which may be the greatest tragedy of all.

The State and other Hunters should not be the ones making the rules telling me whether or not I can shoot a buck with hard antler above the hairline. There have been years where I went home empty handed and happy because I was chasing a few select Trophy bucks. There have been other years when I killed 4 or 5 deer and everyone was a 6 point or less. I was a happy camper both times.

It's the individual hunters enjoyment that spells success. If that means taking a Spike buck, so be it. If that means putting 20 hours a week in going after a Trophy buck only to go home at the end of the season empty handed, so bit it. It's the Hunters choice and that's the way it should be.

I once knew a fairly famous bowhunter in our State who also owned an Archer shop. They guy was always nice to me even when I was a wet behind the ears teenager in his store only spending a few bucks. He was what I considered your average archery owner. Pics of his trophy's all over the place. Which I'm totally fine with.

But one year he'd went most of the year without killing a deer. Even went through the rut and rifle season without killing a buck. Then toward Christmas he shot a small buck with 2 points on one side and 3 points on the other. Nothing real special as far as the head gear went. But this guy's story was he shot the deer because the side with 3 points was rare and he'd never killed a buck like this.

Personally, I thought a little less of him after that. I didn't get the feeling he was being totally honest with anyone. I did get the feeling he killed it because it was getting near the end of the deer hunting season and he wanted to shoot a buck. Which I've done the same thing and I believe it's certainly within the rights of a deer hunter to do so. But be honest about the reason you put a tag on a deer! Heck, there should be no shame saying the season is coming to an end and you wanted to put a tag on a deer!

Okay, another rant here. You guys who go around saying "you can't eat horns" are correct. But don't spout that crap off then when you get a wall hanger in front of you blast the crap out of him. Then proceed to tell everyone what a trophy he is. There's no shame in saying you're a meat hunter or that you wanted to shoot the first thing that comes by. I know a lot of hunters who wished they could kill a buck, any buck, each and every year like some of you do. Be proud of the fact that you're good enough to kill any deer consistently!

I'd also like to call out the guys who hunt high dollar leases or go on nothing but guided hunts and then look down your nose at people who kill small to average bucks. I've often said, and still stand behind this statement, that anyone who can kill a legal buck on Public Land consistently is a far better deer hunter than someone who only hunts exclusive leases or pays to hire a guide. Just because you have the money to hire a guide our lease up half a county in Illinois does not make you a better hunter!

Finally, no one should have the right to tell me, or you, which buck I can shoot. Study after Study have shown that taking spike bucks does not affect the quality of the deer heard. No one should have to ask if it's wrong to shoot a small buck!

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Advantages To Scouting for Deer in the Summer

There is pretty much two worlds of thought about scouting for deer in the Summer. Some believe that it does no good, believing any bucks you might see will be long gone come October or November.

Others believe scouting for deer in the Summer is helpful because it will show you what quality of bucks you'll have come fall.

In my opinion, both trains of thought are right and wrong. Allow me to voice my opinion.

In years past when I scouted heavily for Deer in the Summer, I knew that most of the Bucks I saw would be gone by early Fall.

Bucks just will not hang out in bachelor groups all year long. Especially the younger ones. They seem to wear out their welcome among the other Deer pretty quick!

So they disband and go their separate ways. Many will not see each other again unless it's in one hunters freezer.

I've found this to be especially true if there are a lot of Does around. It seems the Does know that these little Bucks will be pestering them relentlessly in a few months and they try and run them off.

In areas with few does, I've found that the little Bucks will hang around longer, sometimes right up to the gun Deer season.

Big Bucks are a whole 'nother story.

Simply put, they're unpredictable year round. If you see a large buck in your back yard all Summer long, chances are he'll be gone in Sept. or October.

Other times, I've watched big Bucks in fields and pipeline and power line right-of-ways and those bucks were still hanging around the general area come the rut.

Many hunters who hang out scouting cameras wonder where the big Bucks they see in the Summer have gone when it comes hunting season.

Truth is, they're out partying with the girls! Or trying to find girls to party with.

It seems that the more remote the areas I scout and find big Bucks, the more likely it is they'll be hanging around when Gun season rolls around. But when you're talking big Bucks, nothing is written in stone.

They may get hit by a car or die of natural causes. They may get whipped by a stronger buck and be forced to leave their core area. They may wake up one morning and feel pressured to leave by who knows what and they beeline out of the country. Big Deer have a mind of their own.

I'm always amazed at how cautious the big Bucks are even in the dead of Summer. They're generally the last ones to exit cover and the first ones back in. It's like they never relax entirely. The bigger they are, the more cautious they are. They didn't get those big ole racks by being smart only during hunting season!

Where to Start Looking For Summertime Bucks

You have to remember one thing when looking for Summertime Bucks. They're carrying around antlers on their heads that are covered with velvet that has millions of nerve endings and blood vessels in them. They know they have to protect their velvet from bugs and things that might scuff up their head gear.

They prefer to stay in semi-open terrain where there are breezes to keep the bugs and branches to a minimum.

I find many bucks in the same general area as Does during the Summer. Fields are a great place to glass in the mornings and evenings.

My favorite places to search for Summer Bucks are pipeline and power line right of ways. This is true especially if I'm scouting a new area or want to see what quality of Bucks the current area holds.

In some states, you can actually spotlight Deer at night. Just be sure to check your local regulations before doing this!

Summertime scouting for deer also gives you the chance to pattern the Does. Chances are they'll stick around the entire year. It helps to try and learn their patterns as well.

Of course, as the food sources change, so will the patterns. In agriculture areas, those patterns don't seem to change as much as they do in Deep Woods. Keep that in mind when you're scouting your hunting area.

Don't overlook watering holes. Although Whitetail Deer don't water like Cattle, in arid regions, especially as the Summer temps rise, they'll visit watering holes a lot more often than people think.

I've actually watched Does playing in an old Slough one year while Squirrel hunting. So expect the unexpected.

Is Summer Time Scouting Worthless For Hunting Season?

I've heard some people say that you're wasting your time scouting in the Summer. This isn't exactly true. If you only hunt the Gun Season or Late Season, then there might be some truth to this.

In States that have early hunting Seasons, Summer scouting can allow you to pattern and kill a Buck before some Hunters even start thinking about putting stands out.

The bachelor groups will still be around in August and even early September in most places. This gives early Season Hunters a chance to pattern and take the Buck of their choice before he goes bonkers and heads out to parts unknown.

The more you get out and learn what the Deer are doing in your hunting area do under certain times and conditions, the more you're likely be in the right place at the right time. Don't ignore scouting for Deer in the Summer, it can be a great time to get out before the Season and see what your hunting area has to offer.

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I received an email from a buddy the other day. Seems him and his group are losing their deer hunting lease that they've had for the last 12 years. This is a large deer hunting lease that has quite a few members. My buddy doesn't know where he'll find another deer lease to get on for the upcoming season. They've taken some nice deer off of that lease over the years. I know they'll miss the deer hunting that it provided.

Over the years he's told me some of the things that have went on at the deer lease. Not all have been nice things. Like the time someone left a gate open and the Ranchers cows got into a pasture where they shouldn't have been. Or the time someone mistook a calf for a deer. I could go on with the examples, but you get the picture.

According to my buddy, the Rancher said that he the hunting group had wore out their welcome and that he'd be leasing his Ranch to a commercial hunting operator next year.

Here are "7 Reasons You'll Lose Your Hunting Lease This Year"

1. Your group disrespected the land. Over the years I've heard all the reasons why people lost their deer hunting lease or their permission to hunt private land. The #1 reason I keep hearing from landowners is that the Hunters are trashing up their land or failing to take care of what's there. Open gates, litter, wildfires, downed fences, cutting trees for firewood without permission, etc, etc. How can you blame landowners for not wanting you back? These same people who disrespect the landowners land are the same ones who would throw a fit if you did the same thing to their land. You should treat any land you have permission to hunt as if it was your own...because in some ways it is.
2. The Landowner received a better offer. This is probably the 2nd most popular reason people lose their deer hunting lease. Someone else wants it worse than you do! Times are tough and I see big corporations and commercial hunting operators coming in and literally paying more for a lease than the going rate. This can be due to several reasons, either the commercial operator needs more land for their Clients or the Corporation can overpay for the lease and still save money they were paying other places. In some rare cases, I've read where non-hunters were buying the leases in order to prevent hunting on the land. I think we'll see more and more of that in the future.
3. The price of a lease increases so much that you can not fill all the spots. In many cases the group buying the lease depends on having X number of hunters so they can afford the lease. When the price gets astronomical, many hunters simply cannot afford the lease and the group fails to raise enough money to secure the lease.
4. Your members lose interest. This is something I've been seeing lately. It seems there are fewer and fewer hunters these days. As our numbers decrease, I often found myself wondering "why". The simple fact is that we aren't showing our younger generations how to hunt and fish. Now instead of hunting, Families are going to major sporting events or taking up other outdoor interest like Golf. Adding to this is the fact that in most areas, traveling to the hunting area includes a several hour drive. I see this a lot in the Houston area. Instead of traveling halfway across the state a few times during the season, would-be hunters are spending their time on the Golf range, fishing or some other type of sport that keeps them near home and with the entire family.
5. The land is sold and the hunting rights are not transferable. This is happening more and more. As our landowners age or die off, the land comes up for sale and many times the new owners do not want the hassle of dealing with a deer hunting lease. I read on account where the sale would only go through if the hunting lease was terminated at the closing date. Just so happened the closing date was in the middle of deer season! The members were contacted at the last minute and told if they had anything on the lease to get it off and that the land would be off limits the upcoming weekend. Talk about ruining your hunting season!
6. You fail to help take on some of the cost of liability insurance. We live in a time where everyone wants to sue for something. I talked to a landowner several years ago that said he ended the lease on his land after one of the members, an attorney, threatened to sue him because he'd walked into an old fence before daylight one morning and cut his self up pretty good. The landowner then went to the group and asked them to help buy liability insurance and they refused. The attorney never did sue, but it scared the landowner to where he refused to let anyone hunt on the land after that. I know most lease operate without liability insurance, but it seems it's been a growing trend in the last several years for either the landowner or the group leasing the land to carry liability insurance, or for both to share the cost. From what I understand, this can be pretty pricey depending on how large the lease and the group leasing it is. Many members feel they are paying enough as it is and the landowner should pay the premium...especially since it benefits him!
7. The economy takes a downturn. No one knows what will happen tomorrow. Should there be another event that causes our economy to take a nose dive, many Hunters will be spending their lease money on car payments, mortgages and gas for their cars. After 911, I know many Hunters that held onto their lease money for fear it would be needed at a later date. And who could blame them?

While there are many reasons you may be losing your hunting lease this year, by far and away the most common reason is neglect of the land or someone else coming in and buying it out from under you.

This is where building long lasting relationships with Landowners will benefit you in more ways than one. Treat the Landowners land as if it were your own, because in many ways it is. Then, when an outsider comes along and tries to buy the lease from under you, you just may have the advantage of having a "friend" as a Landowner instead of a Landlord. As the old saying goes, "No one likes to screw their friends." Make a friend out of that Landowner!

7 Reasons You'll Lose Your Deer Lease This Year 

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But you could be missing out on the best time to take a good buck.

The truth is most hunters give up deer hunting after the second weekend.

When I hunted in the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas, they had something like a 21 day gun season the best I recall. After the second weekend, the woods were empty! It's like I had them all to myself. If you saw anyone during the late bow season, they were probably lost!

When I lived in Oklahoma, 'back in the day', there was a 9 day rifle season at the end of November. December was a late archery season.

It wasn't until I started hunting in the late season that I found the deer easier to pattern and easier to kill.

Here are some late season deer hunting tips I learned along the way.

1. Sleep in. I spent many a frozen morning in my stand waiting on deer. Most of the time, this was wasted time and there were times I was so cold I had to call it quits. I once read an article by the late Ben Lee where he said deer bed up until mid morning because they don't like to feed on frozen vegetation. I think that's true! Also, they the mornings are cold and deer know if they wait, it will warm up. They know they can reserve body heat by waiting to feed later in the day. Besides, these are the best excuses I can come up with for sleeping in!
2. Practice shooting in your winter clothes. Whether you're shooting a bow, muzzleloader or modern rifle (or shotgun), practice in the clothes you'll be wearing. Bulky clothes can make you shoot differently than the same clothes you had on when you sighted your weapon in. Bowstrings are notorious for catching on bulky clothes and guns seem to get snagged on the extra clothes as your raising them to shoot. You may also want to think about reducing the poundage on your bow. It's hard to pull a heavy poundage bow when your muscles are cold!
3. Don't forget your rutting techniques. During the late season there is a "secondary" rut. Not as noticeable as the first, but enough to make the bucks go bonkers. The secondary rut is for the Does who did not get bred the first time around. From what I can tell, the secondary rut is also drawn out. So you may see Bucks chasing Does anytime during the late season. Give your rattling antlers and deer calls a try this time of year.
4. It's all about the food. In late season, Deer need food and lots of it to maintain their body heat and survive the Winter. Bucks will be trying to put on some fat before the hardest part of Winter hits as will the Does. This is why it's the easiest season to hunt in my opinion. Find a good food source, find the trails leading into these food sources and sit back and wait for the right Deer!
5. The South will rise again. If you're into still hunting or stand hunting bedding areas, look on the South slopes or areas facing South. These areas warm quicker and sooner than other areas. You'll find your Deer here working on their tans and staying warm.
6. Hunt the fronts. Cold fronts seem to affect Deer movement more in the late season than at any other time in my experience. Deer will really be up and feeding heavy a few days prior to the arrival of a cold front and the days following a cold front. Also in my experience, it seems the amount they're up and moving is also dictated by how severe the front is. Weird, but that's been my experience. They seem to "sense" whether or not the approaching front is a "weather maker."
7. Dress for success. When the temperature plummets, it's time to break out the cold weather clothes. I still prefer wool clothing on those days with the exception of my Windbreaker coat. I have a friend who swears by the Arctic Shield line of clothes. Whatever you wear, remember to dress in layers. One December I was hunting before the arrival of a major front. The day was really, really cold. It was one of those days when the Sun was out, but you'd thought that it had lost all the heat. It was like the Sun was just making an appearance for the heck of it. No warmth was coming out of that big orange ball on this day! I had taken my camo sleeping bag and put it on while in my treestand. It was one of the warmest late season hunts I'd ever had! (I don't recommend this however, if you do use it, make sure you use a safety belt if you're hunting from a treestand)
8. Fuel the fire. On late season hunts, I bring along some water, sometimes Coffee and high energy snacks. Keeping your tummy full will help you stay warm during the day.
9. Think safety. Before climbing into your stand, make sure there is no ice. Ditto for treesteps if you're using them. I take a piece of carpet and lay over the seat and platform to keep the snow and ice off of these areas.
10. Use lighter colored camo. Remember, there are few leaves on the tree now and you'll most likely be outlined against the sky when a Deer looks up. I switch to either a Winter camo pattern or an Urban type camo as both are not as dark and stark.
11. Muzzleloaders only. If you plan on using a muzzleloader, keep it outside. Taking a muzzleloader from a nice warm home or vehicle into frigid air will cause condensation to form in the barrel. Even if you snap a few caps the moisture is likely to come back. This affects those who are still using traditional blackpowder more than those who are using modern primers and blackpowder substitutes.

There you go. You State's Deer season may still be underway. Get out there after them! It's my favorite time to hunt deer!

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