Posted on 09/04/2019 5:29:16 AM PDT by w1n1
When they were first introduced to the national hunting community, these novel methods for bringing in bucks were considered unconventional at best, and harebrained schemes by most. Now deer hunters everywhere use these tried-and-true tactics. We take a look back to when these trusty standbys were still considered downright bizarre.
RATTLING - The brush-country hunters of Texas and New Mexico were crashing antlers together for decades before the trend caught fire in the rest of whitetail country. Although native hunters likely developed the technique, legend has it that an old market hunter accidentally discovered the phenomenon:
"He was coming to town one day, his wagon loaded with deer carcasses, when a buck came barging out of the mesquite. The hunter, so the story goes, added him to the load. A short time later, another buck pranced up—and was soon in the wagon. The puzzled hunter stopped to figure things out and discovered that two carcasses were lying so their antlers clashed as the wagon jounced along the rough country road." -Hart Stilwell, "Why Not Try to Rattle Up a Buck," May 1951
Calling - The concept of calling for deer was less established even than rattling in the middle of the 20th century. In August 1949, an experienced deer hunter traveled to Alaska for a Sitka blacktail hunt. “He was sure it was just a gag,” reads the story. "Who ever heard of calling a buck?"
"Now I’ve used crow calls, duck calls, and turkey calls, and I’d read that down in Texas they lure bucks by rattling a couple of antlers together. But a real deer call I’d never heard of. Probably my voice expressed my skepticism. ‘O.K. I'll bite. What’s a deer call?'" Read the rest of 3 deer tactics.
If you’re going to call in a deer, don’t you have to know its name?
I got the number off the bathroom wall. No name, just the number.
I’ve been rattling in bucks out here in West Texas for close to 60 years, and I’ve called them in deer with hand calls. Called in all kinds of predators plus hog’s and Javalina’s. Called in quail, turkey, ducks and geese.
Animals in the wild are curious creatures. They hear an odd sound and they tend to want to investigate.
LOL
‘O.K. I’ll bite. What’s a deer call?’”
Hey deer , over here I got something for you....
Here, deery deery deery...
Yeah, deer are attracted to the sounds and scents of other deer. Go figure. You can learn a lot about deer by going into the woods and sitting down snd being quiet.
3 Deer Tactics that Hunters once thought was Odd
—
3 Deer Tactics that Hunters once thought were Odd
(Sorry)
“Yeah, deer are attracted to the sounds and scents of other deer.”
Used to know a guy who was a diesel mechanic. While other hunters spent a small fortune on special soaps and scent blockers he would wear his shop clothes for a couple of days straight and then hunt in them. “I smell like a farmer on a tractor and they don’t think that’s a threat.” His success rate indicated he was doing something right.
A friend’s father in law had his own sure-fire technique.
“I climb into my tree stand...finish my coffee, take a leak, light up a cigarette and start coughing...when a deer comes to see what the racket is all about, I shoot it”
Just it’s number or IP address
I read a book that included a story about a kid that stunk to high heaven that never got a deer. The author suggested he take a bath, and the kid scoffed.
I’ve found that deer don’t much object to smells and sounds of people if it’s someplace that they expect those things. The guy that claims he taught me to hunt would make noises after we got to an observation point, seeing if he could bump deer. The deer had heard us walk there, and just noted the fact. I threw a small rock to someplace that they didn’t think there was a person, and they stuck there heads up, pronto. Someone recently suggested “ rented beer” as a deer repellant. I’ve found that it doesn’t work if the deer can reasonably expect to encounter it, such as along heavily used people trails.
“If you’re going to call in a deer, don’t you have to know its name?”
No, Try... “Here deer!- here deer!- here deer!”
Works every time. :)
Smoke is a good cover scent as well as it is natural.
You make a sound like a bushel of corn of course :-)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.