Avoid the Common Mistakes Bowhunters Make When Hunting Deer
Day 2: Don’t Wait for Perfect Hunting Days or Perfect Hunting Weather When Bowhunting Deer
Editor’s Note: Bowhunting for deer already has begun in some states and starts in numerous states during October. Good bowhunters can be better hunters if they don’t commit sins that decrease their odds for bagging any deer, especially trophy deer. This week, we’ll look at five of the most-common mistakes even good bowhunters – sportsmen who have taken several deer and who have hunted for 4 or 5 years – make.
 Even though an experienced bowhunter understands he should hunt with the wind in his face, often you’ll be surprised how many hunters think they can cheat and hunt in an area, even though the wind’s wrong. The number-one rule for productive bowhunting for deer is no matter how good a hunting site is or how excellent your chances are of taking a buck in that spot, if the wind’s not in your favor, don’t hunt that region. But instead go to where you believe your chances may not be as good but where you can hunt with a favorable wind. Of course, since many hunters are convinced they can bag deer, they may tell themselves, “I know the wind’s wrong, but I’ll go ahead and hunt that stand, because I just know I can kill a deer in there today.” However, probably nine times out of 10, they won’t take any deer and will have fouled-up the region with their human scent in the process. Many hunters, especially trophy hunters, wait on that perfect day to go out and try to bag a buck.  They come up with excuses for not hunting, like the weather’s too hot or too cold, or there’s too much wind or not enough wind. But the perfect day to hunt a trophy buck is any day you can go into the woods. The more days you are in the woods, the greater your chances of bagging a trophy. Most bowhunters hate to hunt in the wind. But in windy weather, the buck probably won’t hear you as you approach your stand. Remember, you can’t take a buck – any buck – sitting at home watching TV or drinking a cup of coffee. You must be in the woods with your bow and arrows.
 Tree stands can be and often are overhunted. If you bowhunt the same stand in the morning and the afternoon, then don’t go to that stand the next day. If you bowhunt from the same stand often, the deer will wise-up to what you’re doing. You’re leaving scent going to and from the stand and on and around the tree as you climb up and down. Particularly when hunting trophy whitetails, the less exposure they have to human odor, the better your odds are of taking them. The more exposure the deer have to human odor, the less chance the hunter will have to bag a specific buck. Deer wise-up to a hunter’s movement patterns quickly.  The only advantage the bowhunter really has for taking a smart deer is to be in a spot where the deer doesn’t expect him to be. Therefore the more times a deer smells human odor, the more likely the animal will be to avoid that place.
Many outdoorsmen brag about how long they sit in their tree stands waiting on deer to show-up. But if the bowhunter is in his stand asleep, daydreaming or not hunting (actively trying to see and take a deer), then the length of time he spends suspended between heaven and earth has no direct bearing on his success as a bowhunter. Don’t make the mistake of staying in a tree stand when you’re not hunting. When you catch yourself falling asleep or not actively looking for deer, the best thing you can do is leave the tree stand and come out of the woods. If the bowhunters not alert and anticipating seeing a deer, he’s more likely to shoot too quickly or inaccurately or make noise and spook the deer.
Tomorrow: A Bowhunter Always Needs to Be Aware of His Human Odor When Hunting Deer
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