Heading in to the brush good idea? How do the experienced guys do it.

[bigcountrydel]

So first off I'm new to hunting and bow hunting. I'v been doing the whole is and wait with no luck. I also have my 7 year old with me. He's really in to it just does not like the sit and wait game so old dad says hey let's go in the brush see what we can find. So this is the part where you come in what brush should I be looking in and how. Iv seen some places off google earth where I hunt that are brush repod. I also areas in those places that look like there are less trees and maybe open Should I head towards these. Or should I hunt in tall timber? Any help is welcomed. Even ideas for hunting with a kid.


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[fishnfur]

Find some thick stuff - brush that you can't see through or a small patch of 6 - 10 year old reprod that your boy can't get too lost in, or at least small enough area that you can find him in if he gets lost.    You go hide downwind of that spot far enough that you can see bucks coming out of the brush.  Send your boy in from the upwind side zig zagging as he works his way towards your location.   His noise and scent may bump a buck out of the brush towards you.

That whole scenario may be a bad idea.  He's only seven after all.  Sitting still on a trail or feeding area while archery hunting is probably your best bet.

I could never take my seven year old hunting.  He never shuts up.  I mean never!

[predatorG]

  I'm out here trying to get a nice rosie. Got a great spot and dad got a cow here last weekend. Then our huntil partner brings his kid. All he does is break branches, talk loudly, and sit and blow his hooch ie mama wrong so all it does is this high pitched squeak. Back on topic, what deer are you hunting?

[Ebell]

That's funny fishnfur!
To head into the brush or not?  A good question. You have to though. I like cutting trails with pruners in areas I'm planning on hunting in the late summer.  I still carry them with me during the hunting season to try to limit noise and acces areas the blackberries are blocking me.  It's impossible to walk in this stuff on the west side without making some noise though.
I don't have kids so I can't give you any advice on that.
Eric

[bigcountrydel]

My kid must be a special one then lol. He does not talk and is quiet for me for the first 45 min then I slip him my phone and he plays games for another 45 to and hour then we gotta move or he gets restless. But at the start of this I told him if this is what he wants to do where doing it for real so no noise and he was all about it. I don't think I'll send him out to push them if I he gets lost my wife would kill me. Pruners are packed now that's a great idea. Thank you guys for the info. Well put it in work tomorrow


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[fishnfur]

Yeah, my wife would get pissed at me too if I sent my young one in there.   She still worries about our 15 y/o hunting - though he would be perfect for that scenario - he sounds like a cow elk walking through an alder forest even when he's trying to be quiet.  Noisy as hell!
 
One of your issue with brush is getting through it with a bow.  I always feel that you need to have an arrow nocked in case you find a surprise deer as you work through the stuff.  Broadheads and brush don't mix very well in my experience. 

 I'm thinking your best bet is to find a unit of fir reprod that is about 5 -7 year old.  Around here, that makes the trees about 6 - 9 feet tall -big enough to make deer feel comfortable being in there in the middle of the day.  Let the wind decide what direction you will attack it from, find a good deer trail and very, very slowly work into the wind and through the unit.  Look at the bases or under trees for bedded deer and stop frequently - sit on a stump for 15 minutes, and just listen for the occasional whisper a deer makes as it travels through the the thick stuff.  Spend 5X more time being motionless than moving. Occasionally, a thick stand of 3 -5 year old alder will also hold deer - there's often a lot of Trailing and Himalayan Blackberry growing in those areas.  You can't really hunt through these alder patches because they are just too tight to be quiet.  Just work the edges slowly trying to hide behind any single or groups of firs growing closeby.  Visibility is good into the stuff, but that means the deer can see you too.

[2labs]

You guys were on the right track till ya started getting all P.C. Never heard the term bird dogen? That's what kids are for! Hell kids were built for reprod.
Send all the youngins in and all the growd ups are positioned on ridges in lawn chairs drinking Busch light.

[chester]

You guys were on the right track till ya started getting all P.C. Never heard the term bird dogen? That's what kids are for! Hell kids were built for reprod.
Send all the youngins in and all the growd ups are positioned on ridges in lawn chairs drinking Busch light.

This reminds me vividly of ages 10-25. Finally figured out why the older guys would always have the luck haha


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[2labs]

25 ya say touch slow is ya?

[Special T]

Read Boyd Iversons Black tail trophy tactics 2

I think its quite possible that the 7 year old could be a big hindrance archery hunting on the west side. IF you give him some way to stay quiet stand hunting MIGHT work.

If you want to take your kid hunting you NEED to teach him how to walk quietly in the woods. STILL HUNTING (very slow walking in the woods) is hard for most adults to do and nearly impossible for kids...

[fishnfur]

  but the OP said he's looking to keep the boy occupied once he can't sit anymore.

-  Realistically, a two person ladder stand would be the best set up for you and your son. Get in before or at first light, strap him in tight and sit two hours or so while he messes with the iPhone and you look for bucks.  Same in the evenings.

[bigcountrydel]

I figure I'll try early morning sitting 2 hours is max I can get him not to make a peep. Then after that two hours head in to the reprod. He walks pretty quiet for kid. We've been working on the walking three steps stop wait listen walk 5 stop wait listen then 2 steps and so on. He has made big improvements since we first started. Also he was the one that wanted to hunt so I think it helps cuz he wants to learn.


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[Special T]

Sounds like your training him right. Read the book to him, give him a set of cheep bino's in a harness and take him timber cruising with you. If you can teach him to move slow and walk like an Indian you could have a pretty good partner. I have a cheep set of 10X 50 big 5 special i let my kids use cause they were $50 and they use them to try and see animals.

[j_h_nimrod]

They all have to learn, no time better than when they are young. You just have to realize that if is more of a family time than a hunting trip, sure way to ruin a budding hunter is to make the experience a bad one. Used to take my daughter out in a kid carrier backpack, she was old enough to walk, just not far so it was easier to carry her. She would "spot" for me and whisper about what she was seeing. Also knew to cover her ears if she saw the rifle come up:). Never shot anything that way but she loved it. My boys love getting out too and I can't wait for them to get their HS cards.

Sounds like you are doing a good job. Your not going to get anything if your kid is getting antsy so taking a walk and working on woodcraft (with a chance of stumbling on a deer) would be better time spent.

[bigcountrydel]

I let him use my binos when where out. I will get him his own.Thanks for all the tips and support I'm checking out that book and I'll see if I can get him to read it to me.


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[deerhunter_98520]

Sounds like your doin it right  I have a 5 yr old and 12 yr old and take them both out...my oldest has his license and the 5 yr old just loves to come along and spot moose and elephants in the westside  you just have to factor in that they will be noisy and continue to take them out and teach them....patients on your part is just as important as anything else...I know how quiet you have to be to hunt these elusive ghosts of the coast and its hard with young ones....but it sounds like you got that under control...your doin good by mixing up the styles of hunting and keeping him entertained...you might want to try still hunting the big timber as it might be easier hunting with your kid..one other thing you could do to keep him entertained is bring a set of rattlin antlers...I know its not prime time for it but its one more thing for him to do that he would probably enjoy...and who knows a young buck may come look to see what's happening...his face would light up like a Xmas tree if he rattled in a deer...keep up the good work and getting your son Involved 

[luvmystang67]

Walk into a hunt area one time and one of the old timers in camp that was telling us where to go grabbed my gun and said... I'll hold this.

I asked why?

He said, you wont need it where you're going.

He was right.  Should've brought a spear.  Talk about THICK.  Bird doggin at its finest.

That being said, I've done it for blacktails.. they sneak and tunnel in front of you without making a PEEP!  You can get 15 yards and see their tails slinking in front of you sometimes.  Argh!