I’d like to divide this discussion into two parts. In part one I’ll talk about what is in my pack, objectives and how my strategy evolves over the course of the season. Part two will look look at what I’m hunting from, and modifications.
I am a 100% public land hunter. Fortunately, North Carolina offers plenty of open, accessible and productive public land to hunt. Most of these are large tracts open to varied forms of deer, bear, turkey, fowl and boar hunting: muzzle loader, rifle, shot gun (with and without dogs), pistols and archery. Hunting public land is challenging and yet rewarding. The challenge comes not from avoiding crowds of people. I can count on one hand and one finger the number of instances in which a hunt was infringed upon by another. The challenge lies in the inherent challenges of public land hunting which in my opinion actually adds to the hunt. These challenges include:
1. Highly pressured game (extremely wary)
2. Prohibitions regarding baiting, mineral blocks, food plots and/or attractants
3. No permanent blinds or structures (everything must leave with you at the end of the season)
4. No spikes, screw in steps, nails, lag bolts or “2x4 ladders” in trees
To be successful on public land a hunter must use stealth,be observant, adaptable, persistent and extremely mobile. He or She must learn to identify and hunt: signs, travel corridors and be cognizant of how deer movements vary with the season.
*** Tick borne disease (e.g. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme Disease) is nothing to scoff at especially in the warmer months. I consider the use of permethrin a must given that insects are repelled by it and ticks are repelled or killed on contact. I use either a permethrin spray or soaking solution found in most outdoors shops (REI) or military surplus stores. Spray or soak your clothes in these solutions and allow them to fully dry before wearing. This will keep insects off for about 6 weeks, stand up to a couple of washings and is scent free. Insect repellent devices have become the rage of late and while they do a great job at repelling biting flies and mosquitoes, I am not necessarily enamored with their potential against what I perceive to be the most dangerous animals in the deer woods for most of the early season - ticks.
With that in mind I would like to share some tips regarding how I adapt what’s in my pack to the movement of deer throughout the season.
Early season (Sept-Oct) I generally pack extremely light for three reasons:
1. September in Virginia and the Carolinas is pretty much an extension of late August. While the temperatures generally drop a bit into the mid-low 80’s, it is not unheard of for them remain in the 90’s throughout the early part of the month. This is also Hurricane season and any tropical disturbance will push warm humid air ahead of it resulting in mid-summer humidity and heat. The 2009 and 2010 ’opening days’ presented temps in the upper 80’s low 90’s for the first week. The 2011 may not be as hot, but the recent tropical air masses have really pushed the humidity.
2. Fall is the perfect time of year for outdoor activities. A typical September or October weekend is totally booked with little league football, dance recitals, practice and/or yard work. Not to mention the gradual creep towards later sunrises and earlier sunsets. Thus early season hunting (or fishing) trips are generally last minute opportunities lasting a few hours before sunset or before sunrise.
3. September-October is essentially doe seasonfor me. This is when I’m hunting for some good “tail gating meat”, back straps and an opportunity to donate at least one deer to the NC Food Pantry before the season turns to gun/antlered deer only in mid-October (non-archery zones).
Given the factors above, my early season hunts are frequently short (less than 3 hours) and are often un-planned opportunities. My typical early season pack would contain:
· Range Finder
· Sock filled with baking soda: every so often I pat it against my body, gear, inner shoes and base layer (great scent tamer when dealing with early season heat/perspiration/foot odor).
· Field dressing cutlery
· White pillow case to pack out meat.
· Multi-use tool (Leatherman)
· Scent - Away spay
· Water
· Headlight: snakes are on the move late summer-early fall (especially at sun rise/sunlight). More than once, I’ve almost stepped on a copperhead in the leaf litter (perfect camouflage). Generally, they will feel you coming and flee or rustle the leaves to let you know they are there.
· Whistle - a scream may not be good enough and/or your cell phone may not have coverage.
· In mid-late October I might carry a small ‘bleet call’. If things are really hot or I feel really “stinky” I’ll try to cover my scent with a little doe urine. Otherwise, I hunt travel corridors, water and funnels for does (meat). If a buck comes by, so be it.
November is the time for chasing mature bucks on public lands. These animals did not get to be “mature” on highly pressured tracts by luck. They have patterned hunters via their early season mistakes as well aggressive attempts at rattling, grunting, bleets and over use of out of season”cover scents”. These deer know how avoid hunters and mask signs of their presence. Generally, the pre-rut will occur in late-October through early-November and the full rut in Mid-late November. This is when those wily old bucks get a little bold and sloppy. This is the best opportunity to bag a mature deer on public land. Temperatures vary this time of year. In mid-November 2008 and 2009, we had a dusting of snow on the ground. Mid-November 2010, temperatures were above normal with daytime highs in the mid –upper 70’s. Typically, temps are in the mid-low 60’s and dropping into the 40’s-30’s at night. I generally have more opportunities to hunt this time of year. Little league football is over, the lawn has gone dormant, and I can do longer hunts of 3-6 hours.
As such, my November “rut pack” pack generally will contain a little more gear:
· Range Finder
· A sock filled with baking soda-every so often pat it against your body, gear, inner shoes and base layer
· Field dressing cutlery
· Pillow case for carrying out venison
· Multi-use tool (Leatherman)
· Scent-Away spray
· Water
· Snacks: Generally something high in protein or carbs and perhaps a little sugar. You will need that energy to quarter, debone or drag out a mature big bodied buck. Water, builder bars, nuts and perhaps a warm beverage.
· Headlight (especially at sun rise/sunlight) snakes are no longer an issue but now coyotes are on the move. Generally, they keep their distance, but if they smell meat at dark, who knows what might happen. I had three follow me out one evening. They say they don’t pack up and stalk, so I guess they were just escorting me to my truck.
· Whistle
· ‘bleet call’, a rattle bag and tarsal juice as a drag bag. Now I am I hunting scrapes, rubs and mature buck travel corridors identified last season.
December is the next best time for chasing mature bucks on public lands. They have absolutely patterned hunters by this time of year. Now the woods are experiencing heavy weekend pressure from still hunters, and dog hunters. Their mistakes as well aggressive rattling, grunting, and over use of out of ”cover scents” have pushed mature bucks and does near nocturnal. Often there is a “second rut”. Or so it’s called, when does in esterus but unbred are being chased again. This is a second opportunity at those wily old bucks as they get a little bolder and sloppier than usual for a second time. This is the next best opportunity to bag a mature deer on public land. In December, we probably have had a dusting of snow on the ground and temperatures in the mid-low 50’s and dropping into the 30’s-upper 20’s at night. The cooler weather also has deer up and moving about during daytime hours as well. Summer time patterns are generally abandoned as the growing season is over and there is little to browsein the under story. Acorns, nuts and any remaining ground cover are major attractants. Mobility, stealth and patience are essential this time of year..
As such, my December “rut pack” pack generally will contain a little more gear:
· Range Finder
· A sock filled with baking soda-every so often pat it against your body, gear, inner shoes and base layer
· Field dressing cutlery
· Pillow case for carrying out venison
· Multi-use tool (Leatherman)
· Scent-Away spray
· Water
· Snacks: Generally something high in protein or carbs and perhaps a little sugar. You will need that energy to quarter, debone or drag out a mature big bodied buck. Water, builder bars, nuts and perhaps a warm beverage.
· Headlight (especially at sun rise/sunlight) snakes are no longer an issue but now coyotes are on the move. Generally, they keep their distance, but if they smell meat at dark, who knows what might happen. I had three follow me out one evening. They say they don’t pack up and stalk, so I guess they were just escorting me to my truck.
· Whistle
· A rattle bag and tarsal juice as a drag bag. Now I am I hunting scrapes, rubs and mature buck travel corridors identified last season. I am also looking for signs of browsing. As food sources dwindle and most does have been bred, these areas receive a lot of pressure.
Well, those lists were developed per my experience over the last few years. In part two we’ll discuss hunting set ups (tree stands) and explain why mobility stealth and adaptability are essential when hunting public land as well as modifications I have made to enhance those attributes of my set up.
