HOW TO HUNT THE RIGHT SPOT

Jerry Simmons of Jasper, Alabama, often bowhunts public lands. "I've learned that there are a good number of bowhunters who know as much, if not more than I do," Simmons said. "The bowhunters today have read, studied, watched videos and learned so much that most bowhunters can find a really good place in the woods to hunt from. So I always expect another hunter to find my best hunting site, especially for the opening morning of bow season.

"That's why I always try and pinpoint one or two alternate stand sites that I can go to if another bowhunter appears at the place I've planned to hunt or another hunter comes wandering through my area on the morning I'm hunting."

Simmons has learned there's no point in getting mad, upset or aggravated when another hunter spoils his hunt. Simmons figures that another hunter has just as much right to hunt there as he does.

"If you have alternate hunt sites picked, particularly in areas of thick cover where most other bowhunters won't go, you can move there and hunt from these sites with confidence, even if the hunt at your best site does get disturbed," Simmons said. One time Simmons found an alternate site right on the edge of a main road.

"I noticed on one of the days that I was scouting before I hunted that a large white oak tree was dropping acorns not 10 yards off the main road that hunters used to come into and out of the wildlife management area," Simmons commented. "At first light, another bowhunter came wandering through my best place to hunt that day. Since he walked through my area at about 8:00 a.m., I left that stand site and decided to go to the white oak tree I'd seen.

"I climbed up a tree near the white oak and tried to hide so the cars going up and down the main road wouldn't see me. To be honest, I felt kind of dumb, hunting only 10 yards from the main road with traffic running up and down it all morning long. But at 10:30 a.m., a nice 6 point came to that tree to feed, and I took him with my bow. On that day in that place, my alternate spot paid off."

Read more from Jerry Simmons and others...

How to Learn the Land
Have a Successful Three Day Hunt
When to Stay in Your Treestand and When to Leave
How to Hunt the Right Spot
Techno Deer Hunting

You can click here to see the cover of John E. Phillips' book, the "Masters' Secrets of Bowhunting" as well as sample chapters.