Intro/Lessons

[ImAboutEven]

Let me begin by introducing myself.

I got into deer hunting quite by accident. I didn’t really want to shoot a deer for a few reasons that are now stupid to me. Deer- or really any wildlife don’t lay down by a babbling brook or in a green field with the wind whispering and the sun shining to pass away of old age.

If left alone by hunters, they are torn apart alive by predators. And this pisses me off, especially when they’re doing it in my damn backyard…3 weeks now, three coyote kills near enough to my house that it woke me up.

Tonight is the night. Thermals, caller, wind in my face.

 

[ImAboutEven]

Let me begin by introducing myself.

I got into deer hunting quite by accident. I didn’t really want to shoot a deer for a few reasons that are now stupid to me. Deer- or really any wildlife don’t lay down by a babbling brook or in a green field with the wind whispering and the sun shining to pass away of old age.

If left alone by hunters, they are torn apart alive by predators. And this pisses me off, especially when they’re doing it in my damn backyard…3 weeks now, three coyote kills near enough to my house that it woke me up.

Tonight is the night. Thermals, caller, wind in my face.

That said, I was a bird hunter- that’s it. Until the NRA gun of the year was won by yours truly. Most were envious I guess, I didn’t really want it- a .308 deer rifle. But I thought….if one is going to have a nice rifle, he ought to put a good scope on it and if it’s got a scope it would be irresponsible and useless unless it’s dialed in.

That lead to a probably $150k to date passion. Lease, camper (for a couple of yrs), countless blinds, feeders, tens of thousands spent on truly feeding, not baiting (it’s barren out here), glass, clothing, hybrid side by side (I always laugh when I can hear someone coming in before dawn or at 3pm or something on their gas side by side miles away…do they really think deer can’t hear too?)

I’ve decided I’m not a deer hunter though, more of a watcher. I feed protein, I plant wheat and oats, I take pictures, I kill predators, I hire a trapper every April or so to rid the area of coyotes to the extent possible, I “hunt” during rifle only, bow is nearly impossible. I’m in NWOK, on the Cimarron River- it’s miles and miles of miles and miles, mostly wide open flat country and on my 1000ac I’ve got exactly ONE tree I can put a stand in, so I’ve got box blinds. If you’re getting box blinds…Redneck makes a heck of a blind. There’s another that escapes me that’s at least as nice but my son in law and I slept in separate blinds the night before last opening- I’m a little older than I think so everything hurt, but it worked. At least I didn’t run deer off coming in. It was fun, I’d do it again if I could do so easily…maybe build a box under the floor, a sliding door, box contains a heater, sleeping stuff, a cot, but propane heaters (windows cracked) still ended up with everything covered in condensation…and it was COLD that night. I’d do it again if I could be better prepared and if the windows wouldn’t fog up.

 

[ImAboutEven]

I’ve learned a lot too. I’ll pass on a couple of thoughts.

There are two kinds of outfitters (more accurately, two kinds of people) around me but I only personally know one. I befriended him, he was a friend of someone I trusted. A week out from open, he’s on the adjacent 160 wheat field. Told me that the waterfowl hunters who leased it wanted their nephew to hunt opening morning, that’s it. OK. Fine.

Well…his paid clients, every AM/PM for the 2wk rifle season killed everything appproaching maturity, every AM and PM something got shot, they all lived on me, fed on that 160. Including a 178” buck that I was after. Took me 7yrs to recover fully, after the outfitter was just about run out of the county. Same dude tried to sell me a mule deer hunt, I went and saw the herd, looked from the road w/a spotting scope. Two bucks in the herd, both for sale. Both were killed by others. More like a literal 100-200yd shooting gallery. Hope whoever shot each didn’t manage to screw up and mortally wound him like I did on my first archery hunt elsewhere. Felt horrible. Still do.

And we wonder why the mule deer are gone here. State record shot on my place years ago, there are NONE within 50 miles, there are some NW of me, but he killed BOTH bucks in the only wild herd I’d seen in OK. Who does that?

The two kinds of people are those who serve and those who take advantage. Life isn’t and doesn’t have to be a zero sum game- I don’t have to win at your expense. If we’ve both got the other’s best interests in mind- if we figure out how to help each other the best we can, we usually end up in the same place as the other way around….or maybe not…but we can sleep at night and we’re doing right by those we deal with. I’ll only ever do business or life with those who are willing to serve, not take.

 

[ImAboutEven]

Another random thought: Salt cedars are an invasive species out here, they’re green match sticks in wildfires, they’re also the best cover a whitetail could ask for. If it suddenly starts pouring rain or ice or snow….under a thicket of cedars is often as dry as being inside and if there are enough, they’re also blocking the wind.

We removed almost all of our salt cedars last year, thinking more natural deer browse, less water being sucked out of the ground and generally returning to what it was before they came would be outstanding.

It worked…and the deer left. Probably 70% of them gone, including three likely B&C bucks that I’d passed on year after year- patiently waiting for close to max growth. This was the year…one was shot across the street, I’ve never again seen the others, but if they’re around I’m sure they’re on my protein feeders about now, rut has just ended a week or so ago for the most part.

Lessons I’ve learned:

Try a wood campfire for cover scent, sit downwind before heading out. A friend who is an absolute predator and is straight as an arrow swore that he’s been within feet of deer and woodsmoke does something to insulate against deer’s primary radar…their noses.

Don’t remove all of the damn cedars unless you want to run off your deer and ruin 8yrs of HARD and LONG work.

Be patient, shoot a buck because he’s better than your last. Gotta let them grow up and if everyone behaved like this, everyone will get a shot at a very nice buck sooner or later.

Form a QDMA chapter in your area, shoot for as many adjacent landowners/leasers as you can possibly cobble together. If you work together, you win together but for God’s sake don’t let an unknown out of town outfitter lease across the street or whatever- collectively lease it if you’ve got to, but keep them out because I’ve seen 20yrs of 20+ people, continuously working together torn to shreds by one outfitter leasing 320 right smack dab in the middle. Oh, a rule at our chapter was kids have no limitations as to what they can legally shoot for their first deer.

Supplemental feeding is good, better if your neighbors either are doing it or aren’t hunting (like me- pretty sure no hunting within about 2 miles, maybe 3)

Practice practice practice with whatever you’re shooting- rifle, bow, crossbow, pistol, knife, spear- whatever. Don’t mess up your shot and know what you’re doing. My first bow shot landed exactly where I wanted it but I was too green….didn’t realize quartering to is not beind and just below the shoulder. Even after looking for hours, returning before sunup, flagging tape- all of it, I never found him. Still feel like crap. Get it right.

 

[ImAboutEven]

Get rid of predators if possible. I know the balance thing….I had a 160 leased, I was told it’s the best in the county. I once had to call my neighbor to come bail me out of my blind an hr after sundown, if I’d climbed down, I would have educated over 100 whitetails (no exaggeration). I had that place trapped every spring, just before fawns drop…of course to protect the cattle per state regs. Turns out mommas will return to what they know is safe, free from predation. That’s why I had over a hundred regularly. Of course bucks leave but with so many does, I saw all of the bigger bucks- or they visited when I wasn’t around.

Good thermals are worth their weight in gold. Nothing worse than being miserable out there. Outerwear is the same.

General on equipment- save for what you want, it’s way more expensive to “get by” because you’re likely going to buy whatever “it” is eventually anyway. It’s more expensive to work your way up the ladder.

Glass: Buy GOOD used. There are forum marketplaces everywhere. I’ve saved thousands over the years and members here and elsewhere are generally good people. Have yet to have a bad experience: TX Hunting Forum, Long Range Hunting, Rockside (or Rockslide? Can’t remember.). Top notch gear. TX forum isn’t as expensive usually, but it’s not the Leica, Zero Compromise, Nightforce (higher end models) crowd…but there IS excellent more affordable glass- one brand always hits my OK list, Vortex. You’ll find that general price point there and used is as good as new in my experience.

Time: Spend it if you can, out there doing. That’s why we love it, so do all of it. Scout, cameras and feed if you can, build blinds….the run up to the season is almost as fun as the doing of it.


*I’ve learned the hard way that it’s SO important to share your hunting with someone you like, love or care about. I’ve hunted solo now for 8yrs since moving and it isn’t the same. Kids are grown, not interested. No close friends in my new town are interested in partnering or whatever. I desperately need a hunting partner, turned out my best friend/partner for 10yrs was a mooch, I just didn’t see it. Someone dependable, who will help, who loves it too…share in the work, the frustrations (often), the excitement….and occasionally, even the wins.

Your relationships is what matters most, not what you shoot or whatever. It’s just the joy of being out there and the people you share it with that matters. I dropped my friend, my hunting/fishing partner about 7yrs ago- because I was being used and it just became too much. No details required…he crossed a bridge too far. Probably should have warned him but instead let his stupid stuff go unchecked, tried to be thoughtful, considerate but those who will use you don’t speak the language and don’t respond to subtlety.

Hope this helps someone, it’s far from complete.

Oh…I’ve got a landowner in my sights, it’s a trust (I’m in oil/gas country, farmers long gone, kids got minerals and got rich, moved in many many cases)…and the place doesn’t look hunted. It would be hard to find for anyone, maybe their doors get knocked down, maybe nobody has asked…don’t know.

Working HARD to find her/them- but just getting started. Please is likely the home of giants and maybe where mine relocated to, assuming they’ll cross the river. Any tips on finding a trust, whoever makes decisions and how to most likely get a “yes” are appreciated. I don’t shoot under 5yrs old, will shoot does if they want it done, will kill predators by whatever most effective means are, do it right, I don’t screw up a place, I know it’s not mine, I treat it better than I would my own, I take kids hunting and/or fishing with me every chance I get and I need somewhere to go- I’ve got a TON of gear and it needs moving while it’s still cool outside…and time to map it out, figure it out, plan and set stuff in motion.

 

[ImAboutEven]

Sorry for the length.

Writing is cathartic.

Hope it’s interesting or useful to someone…if not, my apologies for the intrusion.

 

[Rack Daniels]

Welcome to HT. That is a well thought introduction and you have some very well said remarks. If you stick around you will learn much more, like us “out west” guys don’t feed the wildlife. Ive spent some time in OK and I did some supplemental feeding because it’s legal also. Mostly to get cool photos- I knew I wouldn’t be paying the $500 NR deer fee… There are a few Oklahomans on here and they’re all salt of the earth dudes. Again, stick around and be personable and I’m sure you’ll have no trouble making semi-local hunting buddies. Ol Randy swears that you ain’t gotta be cold when you’re glassing, get a fire rolling and stay warm. I imagine it wouldn’t bother him too bad in the archery season either if it weren’t under fire restrictions and the weather warranted it. I know I’ve killed animals stinking like fire, even though I don’t think I’d go out of my way to make that my cover scent. I like to store my hunting clothes that are not in use in a dry bag with pine needles or juniper or whatever’s in the area when I’m camped out. I’d even go as far as to say I would rather smell like hints of grapefruit and bergamot or whatever my deodorant is, over human stench… Thats just my opinion/experience-YMMV.

Good luck in all your endeavors and I hope you stick around.

 

[Tmbrgost]

Welcome to HT! I enjoyed ready your thoughts-