Bowhunters have been searching for a long time to find a shortcut in order to bag a trophy animal. Believe me in close to 30 years of bowhunting, I come to the conclusion that there are no shortcuts. Now it is not to say that the big ones can't be shot, because every year you see articles of people shooting bucks that weren't even known to them. But being truthful, going after a particular animal is tough, especially with a bow in your hands.
I can still recall one of the first tricks I did to try cover my scent and maybe even attract whitetails. I would smash an apple up against the tree I was hunting out of. Mom thought I loved apples, but little did she know that at least two an evening were being thrown up against a tree. To this day I still haven't told her any different, but of course I still love apples. Now I never arrowed a buck out of those trees but I did have a couple close calls as well as one miss. Did the apple help; I can probably say more often it didn't because there wasn't an apple orchard around for miles.
SCENT FREE IS ALWAYS BEST: Today the marketplace is full of every kind of scent imaginable and believe me I have tried my fair share of them. In the past years I have steered more on keeping myself as odor free as possible and playing the wind. Scents in my arsenal have been replaced with odor eliminating sprays as well as scent eliminating clothing. My reason being is that most of North America's big game animals rely on their noses as their first defense. Here are a few of the products which I feel can only help you when pursuing any game animal with a bow and arrow.
Scent Killer from Wildlife Research Center guarantees 99% odor elimination and back it up with a guarantee. I have been using their scent eliminating products for years with great success. It starts by washing my clothing, and in the shower with their shampoos and soaps, continues while I dress with their deodorant and ends when I spray down before and after I arrive on stand.
Scent Lok also plays an important part in my hunting. Since its inception I have had great confidence in their liner clothing. The liner allows me to change camo patterns reflecting the changes in the season. From the greens and yellows of early season to the browns, white and grays of late season the Scent Lok liner and Base Slayer products are always with me.
Keeping my scent to a minimum on the way to the stand is also very important. Many a buck changed direction after crossing my trail in my earlier days as I sat in my stand and watched them turn the other way. Those early years of wearing leather boots taught me a thing or two. Now I recommend a product introduced a couple years ago called Elimitrax. Elimitrax is simply an oversized boot and glove system made from a new plastic technology. The boots are great because they slip easily over your hunting boots and cover you thigh high. Elimitrax also carries gloves based on the same scent free, plastic technology. Similar to the boots the gloves are worn just like regular gloves however once the gloves and boots are on the similarities end.
Elimitrax: leave no scent behind.
Science has proven this new Elimitrax technology plastics formula produces less than 10% the emissions even of 'scent-free' hunting boots. These minimal emissions are not recognizable to any game animal.
There is absolutely no ground scent left behind with Elimitrax which is a huge advantage over any other kind of foot ware, even rubber which leaves a tremendous amount of scent on the ground deer will notice.
Another nice thing is with Elimitrax I can lay down a lure while walking to my stand and not have to worry about a buck smelling the lure and my boot scent.
Early season is great as I combine lightweight shorts with the thigh high Elimitrax. Once on stand I just slip them off and put my camo pants over the shorts. This is a great combo to cut down on overheating and perspiring. Gloves are very important as well. Walking into my stand a couple years ago almost cost me a nice buck. While approaching my stand site I casually used my hand to push a mulitfloral rose stem out of my way. As the buck approached he quickly stiffened when he smelled the stem. This actually gave me a chance to draw and place an arrow through the top of his rib cage. If I hadn't been ready or if that stem would have been a few yards farther away, that buck may not be hanging on my wall today. One thing for sure, he smelled the human scent I had inadvertently left on that stem. Remember this when scouting, placing stands, trimming branches, setting decoys or any other time you will be walking to, around or from your hunting location. Elimitrax is also tick, chigger and burr proof while being a great addition on those cold days. Elimitrax is a must have product to ensure your chances of being successful in the field.
HUNTING RIDGELINES: As most hunters that have been chasing whitetails for any length of time can tell you, their nose is their number one defense for a reason. That is why it is always a good idea to set several stand placements in an area because of the wind. Ridges are my favorite place for a stand. I always try to find where two come together. Whitetails travel ridges for many reasons. First they feel secure as they can use their two best senses to keep them out of trouble. Scent checking on the downwind side of a ridge and also the elevation allows them to scan a wider area. The two stands are placed, not on the top to the ridge but about 20 to 30 yards on either side. This way you have more options of hunting the ridge. One of my better stand sets is on the north east side of a ridge running the same direction as wind is prominently from the southwest. Just behind my stand the ridge drops off suddenly creating a pinch point. Deer being like humans will take the path of least resistance when not pressured. Deer come from a food source about a quarter mile away along a valley. As they near my stand placement they cut up across the ridge right in front of me as they avoid the increasing slope of the ridge.
When exiting the stand I stay as close to the steep slope as possible and descend to the valley below and up another shallow slope to the opposite woodline. This allows me a quick get away without detection.
SADDLE UP TO RESULTS: Saddles in ridgelines are also great stand sites. If you have a bowl shaped saddle where three ridge tops come together then I suggest hanging a stand immediately. This is another great ambush site where I find deer love as travel corridors. Bucks cruising for does will frequent this area because of the high traffic. The ultimate saddle is if it is located between a food source and bedding area. A saddle is also a hot spot for finding rub lines. Finding an area like this is best just after season when rubs are easier to spot. Mark this location for next season because you can feel secure to see plenty of action.
I have also found out that a saddle with a lot of ground cover is a preferred bedding area. The multiple ridges give several escape options and are harder to hunt because the wind direction changes frequently. If you try to still hunt an area such as this 99 out of 100 times the deer will be gone before you even have a chance to catch a glimpse of them. And that is being optimistic on those figures! It is best to accept defeat in an area such as this and forget about still hunting it. More than often you can achieve better success in these areas by backing off down the ridge several hundred yards towards a food source and erecting a stand site.
MAKING THE RIGHT TRANSITION: Transition zones in an area are also favored by deer. I believe it may be because it gives then sort of a staging area. These transition areas may be where a stand or hardwoods and pines meet. I have also found areas where an older mature woods meets a younger, less populated stands of trees. If there is a field nearby used as a food source hanging a stand in this staging area may allow you to get a shot at an older, wiser buck. Bucks tend to hang off a field edge in this area until the cover of darkness for security. Once again always hang several stands in order to play the wind.
Dave Conrad sets a lure strip
PLACING YOUR STAND: Stand height can also aid in wind patterns. The higher you are may affect wind currents when sitting ridgetops. One way to see how ridges affect wind patterns is by using smoke bombs. Grip one in a pair of pliers as you light it from your stand site during the off season. I would recommend late winter as well as summer because the foliage may cause different patterns. Make note of it and even have a friend help to follow the pattern as far away as possible before the smoke dissipates. It will give you a better understanding of just how wind currents affect your hunting situation.
I hope that I have given you a couple good ideas as to what kind of areas to look for if pursuing trophy bucks. I don't consider myself an expert, far from it as I am still learning new things after toting a bow around for close to 30 years. I just hope to give you a couple of suggestions on what type of terrain to look for and maybe give you some insight. The best advice is that when you find a good ambush spot; pick out several stand locations so that you can play the wind.
