July 05, 2018
By Tony J. Peterson
You know those unbelievable food plots on outdoor television that fill up with mature bucks and allow the host to scratch an oddly nicknamed buck off of his hit list during a half hour of footage?
Well, sadly, you'll never hunt there.
Don't feel bad, few people ever will. If that makes you sad or angry, consider this: where you hunt probably makes you a better hunter.
It's little solace, but those hunters who sit in a treestand year after year watching the same set of bucks typically aren't the best hunters.
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Likewise, bucks that have been groomed to the ripe old age of 5 1/2, until they are finally worthy of a tag, are the saddest deer around.
Imagine being safe from someone your whole life and you finally grow up, get comfortable in your ways, and then suddenly that backstabber literally pokes you in the back, or the side, with an arrow?
The good news is you don't have to be a television host to have a great season. In fact, whether you're a public land bowhunter, have knocked on a few doors and gained permission, or own the 40 down the road, you can lay out a plan to work around life's obligations and make the most of your bow season.
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These four tactics are vital to bowhunting success on public or private land.
1. WHERE Location. Location. Location.
2. WHAT Trail cams only part of the scouting puzzle
3. HOW Sometimes, a tree stand is nothing more than an expensive paperweight
4. PREPARE Common sense, plus tools, equals success
