Ask The Biologist

Less Is More

Less Is More

By Bob Humphrey

Most of us hunt from our favorite stand way too often.

QUESTION: How often can I hunt out of my favorite stand before deer feel pressured? – Bill W.

ANSWER: Much depends on circumstances and how you hunt it. A lot of folks, mostly gun hunters, hunt out of permanent shooting houses over greenfields and do quite well. I have a permanent ladder stand that produced good bucks for my son three years in a row (during gun season). However, every time you enter the woods you make your presence known, and every encounter you have from a particular location teaches deer to avoid it.

I know many bowhunters with a lot more experience and level of success killing mature bucks than me who contend your best opportunity will most often come the first time you sit in a stand, and I tend to agree. Research has shown mature bucks learn to recognize and avoid permanent stands. As a general guideline, I never hunt the same stand on consecutive days, and I try not to hunt it more than two or three times a week.

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Copyright 2024 by Buckmasters, Ltd.

Copyright 2020 by Buckmasters, Ltd