How to hunt Weyco land: archery

[ljsommer]

I bought a weyco pass for Aberdeen this year and was very hopeful. Early scouting confirmed some hopes: that habitat is fantastic.

Opening weekend I glassed for 3 hours before and up to sunset: nothing.
Next morning I took a new tactic (one that had been recommended to me by multiple forums members) and drove the roads. I started at 6:30am and drive until 2:30pm. I saw one doe.

I feel like I don't know what I am doing. I must be doing something wrong. Also is it just me or is everyone just pulling does out of weyco land? what's the deal with that?

Is it dumb to be trying to hunt this place archery? is it the wrong time of year? I have no idea how to go about this. If any veteran members have the aberdeen permit, I'll pack meat if you'll take me along and teach me.

[ljsommer]

Oh also I seemed to be the only person trying for sunset deer, why is that? There were TONS of trucks all day and night hunting grouse, but all the deer pressure seemed to be morning only.

[luckyman]

Archery Blacktail takes some patience.I look for fresh sign and keep hitting those spots.I hunt early morning and late evening. I mostly wait till the rain come to hunt all day.
 If I see 5 does its a good day.
 

[Jonathan_S]

For expectation management purposes, I'd say you had a decent day. You saw deer while hunting blacktail in warm weather.

[ljsommer]

Ok so that was another question I had: if your time was limited (as most of ours is), would you wait until later in the season?

If it helps give some context, I also have the multi-season deer. So in terms of money, I am really heavily invested this year and I really want to make something happen. It'll be my first, if I do.

[fishnfur]

The first few days of the season could be a wonderful time to archery hunt BTs.  You might catch a buck still in velvet which presumably would still be relatively relaxed and diurnal vs. almost completely nocturnal once the velvet is gone.  You must get away from major roads and any hunting pressure though.  With the woods being pretty dry, it is still a pretty tough hunt this time of year. 

In my mind, Weyco land and clearcuts in general are for rifle and muzzleloaders unless you can find that trail that the deer use to access and leave the cut/reprod to feed.  In the heat, I suspect most bucks stay bedded all day, with only a moment or two of standing/peeing/quick bite of food breaking up the entire day.  The odds of finding deer moving at midday seem low.   I believe RadSav has recommended working the upper timbered edges of cuts/reprod or the two timbered sides of the cut - typically somewhere around 25 yards into the timber, working slowly into the wind and looking for bedded bucks.  It ain't easy, but it is always fun.

If you have a multiseason pass in hand and are limited on available time in the woods, waiting for the cool wet weather and the onset of the rut closing in might be a better use of your limited time.

[Martinhunter]

Ok so that was another question I had: if your time was limited (as most of ours is), would you wait until later in the season?

If it helps give some context, I also have the multi-season deer. So in terms of money, I am really heavily invested this year and I really want to make something happen. It'll be my first, if I do.

If you have the MS permit and your limited on time to be in the woods, I'd definitely use the time you have available for the last 5 days in October and the 4 day late buck season. It's 100 times better in my opinion. I was out on Saturday the 31st in that same general area and I saw one deer all day as well. I think their just going thru that transition period of summer to fall mode and only moving at night. The 1 deer I did see was at 8:00am and she was already bedded.

[chad24n]

Ok so that was another question I had: if your time was limited (as most of ours is), would you wait until later in the season?

If it helps give some context, I also have the multi-season deer. So in terms of money, I am really heavily invested this year and I really want to make something happen. It'll be my first, if I do.

If you have the MS permit and your limited on time to be in the woods, I'd definitely use the time you have available for the last 5 days in October and the 4 day late buck season. It's 100 times better in my opinion. I was out on Saturday the 31st in that same general area and I saw one deer all day as well. I think their just going thru that transition period of summer to fall mode and only moving at night. The 1 deer I did see was at 8:00am and she was already bedded.

  Last week of October, maybe first week of November if you are after a buck. They start covering considerably more ground checking on does in prep for the rut.

[ljsommer]

I am trying for my first deer so I'll take a doe (and be grateful for it). Archery is any deer, modern is any buck.

Any blacktail is a trophy blacktail to me, just trying to break the ice.

[cb1989]

I am trying for my first deer so I'll take a doe (and be grateful for it). Archery is any deer, modern is any buck.

Any blacktail is a trophy blacktail to me, just trying to break the ice.

Hey man, i lurk mostly but see you post quite a bit about asking what you're doing wrong, or why aren't you seeing/killing deer. I dont know your background, but I'm 30, and have been hunting deer for 17 seasons in different parts of the country. I'm self taught, nobody in my family hunted big game at all until I decided to start. I couldn't even begin to explain all of the things I've learned in 17 years, but there are years I still don't get a deer. So, to be a couple years in yourself and not killing deer - it's not because you're doing anything wrong - I'd say there's really nothing you could do that's "wrong" at this point besides not spending as much time as possible in the woods. All of the mistakes, all of the not seeing deer, its all a learning experience. Nothing anybody on here says is going to be near as valuable as the lessons you learn yourself.

I don't mean this in a bad way, though it may come across that way. If you need instant gratification, hunting is not for you. Lot of new guys these days want all this instant info because we live in an age where we think everything needs to happen right now. It may feel good in the moment to get your hand held, or go out with someone experienced and have them guide you into success, but long term that stuff is hollow, and means nothing. The only advice you should need has already been given on here, pick a spot that doesn't see too much pressure, that's close to home so you can hunt it a lot, get good with your weapon - like really good (that's probably #1), and just grind. Eventually you will get an opportunity. Youll either screw it up or youll cash in. Then youll do it again, and then again. Or maybe youll decide it's not for you, maybe you wont like the cold/wet/loneliness/expense/whatever. Which is fine too. Hunting is cool right now, but those fronting the movement have other motivations when they say everyone should do it. Because that's just not true. 

[kentrek]

If your after any deer then driving the roads really isnt the worst thing out there...but you need a driver and you need to be able to jump out and let the driver keep on driving away..

I feel it's been kinda slow so far this season for what ever reason so dont get too down on your self...

[fishnfur]

   I poked about a bit last weekend in an area with a lot of deer and saw no action just after first light. I decided to wait awhile before I go out for a first hunt.   No worries, once the heat lets up a bit, say a few weeks or so, the does and small bucks will be more visible in the early morning and around 11:00 - 12:00 AM period. 

If I was targeting a doe, I'd find some huntable land closer in to neighborhoods and civilization.  The deer populations are often very robust close to towns due to the lower populations of predators and all the crunchy people living close by that no longer hunt.  Good place to find relaxed deer that will just watch you as take a shot at them. 

[ljsommer]

I like to hope that my hunting progression will be something like working towards a doctorate in school: I don't mind if it takes many many years, as long as I feel like I am doing the right things to get where I am going. The biggest struggle is knowing what the right things are.
Being in the woods a lot is better than *not* being in the woods a lot, but sitting in woods that have no deer won't do you a lick of good.

You have to do the right things at the right time in the right place, and you have to do it over and over until you succeed. I just worry that I am not doing the right things.

[Rainier10]

Six years I bow hunted before I ever filled a tag.  Six years and I worked my butt off hunting early and late season.

I am just not sure this hunting thing is for you man.  You are going to have to have a bunch more patience if it is going to work for you.  It is not as simple as do A,B,C and boom Deer down.  Sometimes it happens opening day of year one and sometimes it happens on the last day of the late season of year six.

cb1989 really said a bunch of good stuff too.

I have hunted for over 20 years now.  I have a ton of private land that I own, I have feeders on it, water sources, cover and tons of deer and elk most of the year.  My kid didn't see a shooter buck on opening weekend.  There is no reason to think she wouldn't get one on opening day other than it is hunting, you don't always get one or even see one.

You should take some time and really think about if this is for you.  Like cb said, it might not be and that is okay.

Good luck, man.

[ljsommer]

Six years I bow hunted before I ever filled a tag.  Six years and I worked my butt off hunting early and late season.

I am just not sure this hunting thing is for you man.  You are going to have to have a bunch more patience if it is going to work for you.  It is not as simple as do A,B,C and boom Deer down.  Sometimes it happens opening day of year one and sometimes it happens on the last day of the late season of year six.

cb1989 really said a bunch of good stuff too.

I have hunted for over 20 years now.  I have a ton of private land that I own, I have feeders on it, water sources, cover and tons of deer and elk most of the year.  My kid didn't see a shooter buck on opening weekend.  There is no reason to think she wouldn't get one on opening day other than it is hunting, you don't always get one or even see one.

You should take some time and really think about if this is for you.  Like cb said, it might not be and that is okay.

Good luck, man.

I specifically called out a doctorate because those take, what, 8 years? If I work hard at this for 8 years multi-species and multi-season (I have multi-season deer this year) and don't get a deer, then yes. I'll quit. I've got a few years to go before it gets to that point.

[grundy53]

I've been hunting for 25 years, fairly successfully. There are still a lot of times every year that I question if I'm doing the right things. Or if I even know what the right things are 🤣😆

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[BULLBLASTER]

Lj do you have a trail camera?

[ljsommer]

I've been hunting for 25 years, fairly successfully. There are still a lot of times every year that I question if I'm doing the right things. Or if I even know what the right things are 🤣😆

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Hah! See that's the kind of post that makes me feel better. Thanks!

[ljsommer]

Lj do you have a trail camera?

Yup! I've got a handful. They're a lot of fun. Not sure how to best utlize them on weyco land though.

Also I want to clarify: this was never supposed to be a woe is me post. I feel fine about this taking years. I just want to double check my strategy to make sure I'm doing the right stuff.

[BULLBLASTER]

Take one of the cams and a couple buckets of apples and put it in a thick spot near where you saw that doe on the opener. Let it soak a week and go check it. Also choose an area with deer sign recently and spend lots of time there (it doesn’t have to be a big area) but spend time there sneaking around and sitting and watching and listening. Watch tracks and poop and other sign day to day, see how they are using the area.

[Rainier10]

So then yes, you are doing it correct.  I assure you it will come together.  Keep at it and I am sure in the late season driving the roads you will really start to see does in the cuts and have opportunities there.

Practice, practice, practice.  You want to have good muscle memory so when that opportunity comes up it is almost automatic to draw and shoot.  In the heat of the moment is not when you want to be mentally walking through draw, anchor, site picture, level bubble, easy squeeze.  That stuff has to just be automatic by the time you get an opportunity.

That bucket of apples and cam are a great idea.  Blacktails live and die within a 1 square mile area generally.  640 acres that is not much real estate.  Of course it so thick they can be 30 yards away and you would never see them.

[kentrek]

Trail cameras are great confidence boosters..

Never give up, embrace the struggle...you shouldnt have to hunt years to shoot a doe...its not rocket science...stay confident & positive...try an enjoy every moment..dont get desperate

[ljsommer]

Thanks for the great feedback, all! I find that the time I enjoy hunting the most is when I am in really cool territory. I bought the weyco pass hoping for larger numbers of deer and fewer numbers of hunters. We'll see how it works out!
If nothing else, this kind of hunting (driving roads) gives my disabled mom a chance to join me on a hunt, something she's wanted to do ever since I got into it, since she went with my grandpa many years when she was younger and she's eager to see this tradition rekindled in our family.

Mom in the passenger seat with her favorite Starbucks order (I know, I know) and tunes on the radio - if nothing else it'll be great family time!

[Rainier10]

Oh my goodness you are definitely doing it right having your mom along. Road hunting is great for visiting also.

[OutHouse]

So then yes, you are doing it correct.  I assure you it will come together.  Keep at it and I am sure in the late season driving the roads you will really start to see does in the cuts and have opportunities there.

Practice, practice, practice.  You want to have good muscle memory so when that opportunity comes up it is almost automatic to draw and shoot.  In the heat of the moment is not when you want to be mentally walking through draw, anchor, site picture, level bubble, easy squeeze.  That stuff has to just be automatic by the time you get an opportunity.

I second the practice and muscle memory aspect of archery. Another thing is to get used to shooting as you would appear during the season i.e. if you are wearing a pack with binoculars on you chest, wear them when you practice. How the weight of your gear and equipment affects balance might matter when you draw down on a deer. When I blind hunt I practice exclusively from a sitting position or on my knees. And get a routine for your shot that becomes automatic. For whatever reason, when I shoot from a standing position my feet come very close together. I just have better balance that way for some reason. For me its feet come together, draw, settle on target, exhale gently and shoot. For me, if I have to aim for too long its a likely miss or bad shot.

[Lumpy Taters]

Hunting in general is all about trial and error.  I have been learning for 40 years and I still struggle to get black tails.  They are an elusive breed.  Just get out there and try.  I would rather walk all day in the woods then spend one hour at my desk at work. Read, listen and watch what others do and give it a try and find out what works for you.  Mornings are for watching, mid day is for napping and afternoon is for walking.  I try to stay off the main roads on weyco land and avoid the road hunters.  I have found the most success walking the old skidder roads and cat trails. 

[ljsommer]

Hunting in general is all about trial and error.  I have been learning for 40 years and I still struggle to get black tails.  They are an elusive breed.  Just get out there and try.  I would rather walk all day in the woods then spend one hour at my desk at work. Read, listen and watch what others do and give it a try and find out what works for you.  Mornings are for watching, mid day is for napping and afternoon is for walking.  I try to stay off the main roads on weyco land and avoid the road hunters.  I have found the most success walking the old skidder roads and cat trails.

Cool thank you!

[Tinmaniac]

You may want to check the rules on who you can bring with you in a permit area.The way I read Weycos rules is your spouse or related children under the age of 18.Would be a shame to have your permit revoked.

[ljsommer]

You may want to check the rules on who you can bring with you in a permit area.The way I read Weycos rules is your spouse or related children under the age of 18.Would be a shame to have your permit revoked.

I am familiar with the rules, but frankly if they want to revoke my pass because my disabled mom who can't lift her arms past her waist is in the passenger seat, then well, I suppose that's their right to do. I just know I won't be giving them my money in the future.

It'd take a pretty heartless dude to stuff down his own logic and reason to revoke a pass in that scenario but I am 100% happy to swallow that pill if someone wants to be Mr. Authority.

[ctwiggs1]

Logging land on the wet side is irritating as hell.  You'll see beautiful animals until either the native season starts or Sept 1st, whichever happens first.  From that point on, there are so many trucks driving the over-roaded (new word, it'll be in the Oxford when I release it) areas that all the free-spirited hippy animals turn into anti-human non-socializing not-getting-out-of-bed-today Richard-heads.

If this is your first year and it's any deer... Dude, shoot the doe.  Get some meat.  Learn to break it down yourself.  Be proud of it - you did it on your own and you put meat in the freezer.  Oh and if you think you're heavily invested, wait until you start processing your own meat! 

The only thing that'll really help you is time and commitment.  Time time time.  Just keep doing it.  Sometimes people get lucky and sometimes you just have to work your butt off.  Two years ago I took my brother deer hunting for the first time in 10 years and he nailed a buck 10 minutes into a 4 day hunt.  Absolute BS luck!  I didn't kill an animal until the weekend AFTER that hunt and I do this all year long!   

Either way, don't give up.  Keep updating this thread.  Keep telling us about the failures (we all have them!).  And then bring pack some sweet pics of a dead deer and the freezer you just filled when you make it happen.

Good luck!

edit:  Just so we're on the same page -- I question my capabilities as a hunter every single hunt.  "Man that was stupid", or "Why the heck did I just do that???"  And I put a minimum of a deer a year in the freezer.  Trust me, it never stops!

[ljsommer]

Thanks ctwiggs1!

This weekend I am taking off for a 4 day backpacking archery elk hunt: antlerless or 3pt+. I'll have pictures and a good story, at the least!

[WSU]

I don't deer hunt Weyco, but I see a fair amount of deer glassing.  Find a good vantage point that you can sneak up to (meaning don't drive your rig to the end of the landing) and glass.  They are there but they often don't just let you drive up to them.

[Tinmaniac]

You may want to check the rules on who you can bring with you in a permit area.The way I read Weycos rules is your spouse or related children under the age of 18.Would be a shame to have your permit revoked.

I am familiar with the rules, but frankly if they want to revoke my pass because my disabled mom who can't lift her arms past her waist is in the passenger seat, then well, I suppose that's their right to do. I just know I won't be giving them my money in the future.

It'd take a pretty heartless dude to stuff down his own logic and reason to revoke a pass in that scenario but I am 100% happy to swallow that pill if someone wants to be Mr. Authority.

Don't shoot the messenger man.You said you're heavily invested in this season.Why would you risk throwing it all away?It's not Weycos fault if you can't find animals or follow the rules of their permit.So is it your plan to leave mom in the truck to deal with security if you get lucky enough to chase an animal?Good luck.

[ljsommer]

You may want to check the rules on who you can bring with you in a permit area.The way I read Weycos rules is your spouse or related children under the age of 18.Would be a shame to have your permit revoked.

I am familiar with the rules, but frankly if they want to revoke my pass because my disabled mom who can't lift her arms past her waist is in the passenger seat, then well, I suppose that's their right to do. I just know I won't be giving them my money in the future.

It'd take a pretty heartless dude to stuff down his own logic and reason to revoke a pass in that scenario but I am 100% happy to swallow that pill if someone wants to be Mr. Authority.

Don't shoot the messenger man.You said you're heavily invested in this season.Why would you risk throwing it all away?It's not Weycos fault if you can't find animals or follow the rules of their permit.So is it your plan to leave mom in the truck to deal with security if you get lucky enough to chase an animal?Good luck.

I am not too big to admit when I say dumb stuff, and yeah, you're totally spot on. I bought the permit, I agreed to the terms of that permit.
Thanks for speaking truth to the situation, I hear you.

[Tinmaniac]

No worries.My advice is to hunt SLOW,in the truck or on foot.This is a tough time of year,long hot days,trees still holding all of their leaves and every bug out there wants a taste of your skin.I like stormy weather and shorter days,cold nights.Like others have said the last few days of October and late buck is prime time for deer.Dealing with the meat is also much more forgiving in the colder months.

[fishnfur]

...and no bees when you're field dressing the animal. 

It will all work out fine ljsommer.   I'd probably take my mom too, the rules be darned. 

Stay focused, really focused while in the field.  The deer always show up as soon as you start rushing it, or once you've given up for the day.  That is the cruelest joke of all.  Focus for three hours, get sloppy for 5 minutes, and guaranteed, that is when the buck shows up.

[scotsman]

One of the best tips I received when I started is to watch for deer trails cutting into the edge of dirt roads. Stop your car, walk to trail and look for hoofprints. If any, scrub them out with your foot. Next time you come by the same spot, stop and see if there are new hoofprints in your boot marks. WRITE DOWN THE TIME and DIRECTION of the hoof prints. Repeat a few times and voila, you have developed a strategy. Time, direction and place for tree stand or ambush. Scent control is very important when setting a blind in their house!  Blacktails are creatures of habit so will be pretty consistent unless disturbed.  You can thank me later.....

[fishnfur]

I could buy that BT doe are creatures of habit. This might come in handy during the rut if you're hoping to bag a love-sick buck hanging with a doe. 

You might be able to pattern a buck while he's in velvet, but after that, they tend to use the wind to tell them which way to go to feed and where to bed.  Once they leave their maternal group and start hanging out in bachelor groups, they come and go, seemingly at random and typically only during the first and last few minutes of hunting light will you have a chance to catch them traveling.  My trail cams bear this out over and over again.  You'll see the same bucks over the course of several years, but very rarely will you find a buck visiting the same feeding site or using the same trail day after day.   

[luckyman]

The first thing I was told was,
#1 Deer are creatures of habit
#2 Don't rely on rule #1
The deer were out today tho. We seen 11 deer.

[yorketransport]

This will sound a little odd, but I didn't start filling my deer tags consistently until I stopped "hunting". The harder I tried, the fewer animals I saw. I have the best luck when I just walk through the woods with a gun. I almost always hunt WeyCo land where the deer are pretty accustomed to people and vehicles being around. In my experience the deer respond differently to me if I'm trying to sneak up on them than they do if I'm just waking around and doing my own thing.

I went out 3 times today in 3 different spots, early morning grouse and rabbit hunting with the dog, mid day scouting for elk with my son and then later this evening just out for a walk. I saw 4 deer (one 2pt buck) in the morning, 3 does in the mid afternoon and 7 deer this evening (one spike and one decent 3x3). All of these were inside of 60 yards while ignoring every thing you should be doing to find deer. I got close enough to the 3x3 and a couple of does that I actually got some great video (audio really) of him blowing/huffing at me from about 10 yards away. I could have easily had a shot at him if I had a bow. The frustrating part is that actually have a multi season deer tag, but I can't shoot a bow because of a bad shoulder.

I'm quick to admit that what the deer are doing now isn't necessarily what they'll be doing in 3 weeks or even in an area 20 miles away. My point is that sometimes you can over think the whole thing. I've been far more productive when I just grab a gun, binoculars, knife, tags and some water and go for a walk. I'll be quick to admit though that I'm not picky about the animals that I'll shoot; the first legal critter gets shot every year. Meat in the freezer and punched tag means that I can get an extra couple hours of sleep every week, which is way more important to me than another set of antlers thrown in the front flower beds.

[fishnfur]

I'm in full agreement with you yoke.  My mind periodically goes back to one of the members stating that he always saw deer when he was just out walking after work in his oil soaked timber cutting clothes.  In the back of my mind, I'm always wondering if I sprayed my clothes with bar and chain oil and just walked in the woods whether I would see more deer than when out creeping around like a hunter.  The deer seem to be able to differentiate between "safe" human behaviors and "dangerous" (life-threatening) human actions in the woods.  I'm sure I'll never know the full answer, but it would be an interesting experiment.

[luckyman]

  Deer can see it in your eyes, the way you lock on to them. Spooks them nearly every time the same as you can tell if a dog want to bite or be pet.
I watch them out the corner of my eye while I walk up and judge yardage,draw, anchor,  and swing the drawn bow placing the pin on the spot and release. Try never to make eye contact.

[ljsommer]

That's amazing thanks for the post yorketransport. I am going out this Saturday morning pre-dawn with my boy to walk the roads with my bow and we're going to just have a nice little nature walk and see what we come across. I am 100% shooting the first legal anything I come across. At this point I'll take absolutely anything, as I've been skunked so far on: deer, elk, bear, cougar, and turkey

An archery doe would feel like winning the superbowl 

[fishnfur]

Deer can see it in your eyes, the way you lock on to them. Spooks them nearly every time the same as you can tell if a dog want to bite or be pet.
I watch them out the corner of my eye while I walk up and judge yardage,draw, anchor,  and swing the drawn bow placing the pin on the spot and release. Try never to make eye contact.

I tried that last year but got the "draw" part out of order.  Turned and then started to draw - definitely not a suggested method.  Won't make that mistake again.  I do wonder what the next mistake will be though.

[Pegasus]

Eye contact. I always squint to avoid it. Act like you did not see them. Look away from them, they know when you have spotted them. Several times I have kicked dirt like I was looking for food while ignoring the deer and was able to move into a group of deer that were doing pretty much the same as long as the wind was right. Try it sometime and you will be surprised.

[Skyvalhunter]

I kick dirt every time I walk and didn't see a deer take note once.