Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    
    
      O.K. - To start off let me explain some of the basis for my
    questioning.  Kinda like, I'll give the circumstances, and you guys
    fill in the blanks.
    
    I've been hunting the area that I'm in since last year.  Some of
    the reasons that I like the area so much is because it is very vast
    and not too crowded with other hunters, also I got tired of hunting
    away and walking/tracking a deer and finding myself coming out to
    the edge of the woods peering into someones back yard - YUCK !!
    
      So basically between last years deer season and this years scouting
    etc. I have been thoroughly exploring the area, piece-by-piece using
    a topographical map etc.   The area is in Mass, mostly a mature
    forest with MANY rocky hard wood ridges, a couple large swamps,
    a few brooks, and a couple sizable reservoirs( Can't Hunt Them Though)
    
      Last summer the family and I were hiking in late August and stumbled
    upon a small herd of 8 deer that we disturbed bedding near the big
    swamp.
      Then in December - Black Powder season I shot at and very
    unfortunately missed a Doe, then running in a herd of 6.
    
      In scouting and hunting the area this year, I have stumbled upon
    and found out where one lonely Doe lives and beds near the big swamp.
      I've also found a series of scrapes and rubs, and talked to a
    hunter who says he jumped a Buck bedding in some laurel on the side
    of a ridge that I've been hunting and found the scrapes etc.
    
      Ah Now, the things that I have learned so far from my own experiences
    so far are that all the deer that I've seen this year love to bed
    either on the side of or the top of ridges containing thick laurel.
      They seem to move typically early and late, and bed down around
    9:00 or 10:00.
    
                       FINALLY !!  My Questions ?
    
    1) Do these deer herd up (refering mostly to Doe's) under certain
    cicumstances or certain times of the year ?
    
    2) Do they change the areas that they frequent according to ???
        the temperature, the feed that they're looking for, whether
        there is snow or not, the rut ?????? AM I CONFUSED OR WHAT ??
    
    3) Where did they go? Would you Please send them home to Jeff !!!!
    
      
       This boy aint no fool, as much as I would like to shoot a Buck
    
    for my first deer, I'm trying to find that herd of 6 I missed last
    
    year.  You Know - Go with the odds - 6 to shoot at and miss is better
    
    than 1 with antlers :-) :-)
    
    
      As far as that Doe that I said I located - I disturbed it in its
    bed when I was exploring around 11:30 in the morn. and at the time
    I was walking a different ridge out, not even trying to be that
    quiet. I climbed up a fairly steep rocky ridge, just crested the
    top, I had one foot in the air when I hear this deer snorting. I
    held my foot in the air only moving my head slowly to find it and
    what do I see, but a Doe standing in some laurel only about 25'
    away from me looking the other way trying to figure out where the
    stink was coming from.  Incidently, I was wearing NO masking scent
    at the time either. Well, I didn't even have an arrow knocked, when
    I tried to put my foot down ever so quietly it immediately zoomed
    right in on me. SH*& GIVE ME A GUN AND THE PARTYS OVER - OH WELL
       
      :-) :-)  Thats why they call it a Sport - Right ?!?!
    
    I appologise for the LONGGGGG WINDED GABBING. 
    
    I guess we're talking about what I love..... to do ! I'm sure all
    can relate.
    
       Please, give me some advice, pointers, anything, THANKS !!
    
    
                            << Jeff >>

    
    Jeff,
    
    First let me say that through your scouting efforts you've managed to
    locate where the deer are. This is key, and puts you in an excellent
    position. From what your note state's, to me, you've done everything
    correct...Congrats!!
    
    Because you're hunting Mass where hunter ratio is high especialy on the
    opener, I would make myself a ground stand in the area you speak. Get
    yourself behind a big tree or inside of a hemlock, anything that will
    break-up your out-line or conceal your prensence somewhat. Don't forget
    to scrape away all the leaves from your feet so you can move around
    quietly.
    
    I'd plan on sitting there on the opener from just before light to dark.
    If you sit tight all-day your chances for success will be very high,
    but you have to have patience!
    
    Hunting MASS is different because of the many hunters in the woods,
    you'll have to learn how to use them as a tool to help you bag a deer.
    
    Again, the opener will be a lot of action, learn where and what time
    most hunters come in and come from, they'll push the deer to you if your
    positioned like I mentioned. Most hunters are lazy, they'll go to
    breakfast, come into the woods late, most have no patience and will
    soon be walking all-over the place, while they do this they'll most
    likely unknowing be moving the deer, If you sit tight, you'll most
    likely succeed..I bet you'll have one down before 9am---most likely
    between 7 and 7:30am...
    
    Now to your questions.
    
    #1 The Whitetail is not known to herd up, they'll most likely herd
    (YARD) up once the deep snow hits. Doe's will sometimes run in family
    units, maybe last years young with this years young...but it's hard to
    say... Bucks generaly are loners but sometimes will run with other
    bucks.
    
    #2 YES they will change their habits if hunting pressure is heavy.
       YES they will feed differently somtimes according to what's in
       season for crops, again, if snow is DEEP they'll yard-up.
    
       The Rut! Well, All I can say is most bucks lose their brains and do
       stupid things that get them killed.
    
    #3 The deer did'nt go anywhere..the're there! Remember, deer are
       BROWSERS, they'll walk and feed, when there tired they'll bed-down,
       when they feel hungry again they'll get-up and start to browse
       again. It's like you at home..You'll watch some T.V., when you feel
       hungry you'll go to the fridge, right.
    
    The key though because you're hunting Mass is to think about what I
    said. Mass is different on the opener because of the number of hunters
    and because of that all bets are off when it comes to deer habit.
    
    Sorry for the long answer!
    
    Good-Luck, You did your homework and I bet you tag-out on the opener!
    
    Rick
    
    
       
    

    
    
           Thanks Rick for the responce, and please don't appologize
    for it being too long, it wasn't at all, and I much appreciate the
    advice and encouragement. 
       In talking to other hunters that I hunt the area with, they are
    under the impression that many of the deer ( That group of Does)
    that I referred to may have been poached. Boy I HATE POACHERS !!
       One point that I was looking at when I scouted way out near the
    large swamp was that the opposite side of that swamp - out about
    a mile of woods was posted.  Therfore the hunters that used to come
    in from that side can no longer access the woods from there any
    more, that also means that a small Army of hunters will now enter
    these woods on the side that I go in.  My game plan was to move
    to the other side of this swamp very early hoping the intence pressure
    will push them in my direction.  The only drawback is that I'm going
    to be walking for about 3/4 of an hour to get there, but I'll do
    it for Mr. Buck !! Also the drag will be an all-dayer but I need
    the exercise!!
    
                     Thanks again, Jeff

    
    Why can't you go in from where you have been? If it's shorter, It'll be
    worth going in and to be on stand 1 hour before light.
    
    Especialy on the opener.
    
    Rick
    

      Mut have confused you with all my rambleing-on.  Going in from
    the side that I allways do will take 45 min. to reach the other
    side of the main swamp. Now what I have to do while Archery season
    is still going, and before gun season, I have to locate a good ambush
    point for me to sit in where my movement is concealed, and my view
    of my approaching quarry is good.
    
      I was thinking about somewhere on the side of a ridge that contains
    a generous amount of laurel for me to sit in, that the deer may
    try to use for concealment themselves.  I have a portable tree stand,
    but I question the effectivity of sitting up in an open hardwood
    wearing blaze-orange.  I think it might look like a beacon
    tower,warning the deer not to approach, thats why I'm thinking of
    a nice patch of laurel on the side of a hill.  What do you think?
    
      Should I be considering something else I'm not thinking of?
    
    P.S. - Do you know where I can purchase Napom, or maybe a Howitzer?
    
             :-)  :-)  :-)
    
                     Thanks again, Jeff

>   but I question the effectivity of sitting up in an open hardwood
>   wearing blaze-orange.  I think it might look like a beacon

	I wouldn't worry about the blaze orange at all.  The animals 
	don't seem to key on it (color blind or not).  What they
	_do_ key on is movement and strange noises (and even slight
	noises sometimes doesn't spook 'em (sometimes).

	This past elk/deer season (CO) I had put my elk down so was
	concentrating on getting a buck that we thought was in the area.
	I picked a spot on a hill about 50 yards above a waterhole.  No
	cover in front of me but some in back to slightly break up my outline.

	I had eight does come to the waterhole, drink and play around a bit
	and then start to walk up the hill straight at me.  They came
	within about 30 yards when the sound of a truck coming up a
	nearby road spooked 'em .... off they went in a flash.

	AA

   I read somewhere that the blaze orange is only as bright as it is, to humans
apparently we are extremely sensitive to that particular wavelength. Kind of like
the theory that the deer are sensitve somewhat to UV but we can't even see it.

    Here's a question that I've always wondered about.
    
    As we all know deer have a very accute sense of smell, how does
    a gut pile affect them if at all?
    
    Rick

    re .1 Jeff, sounds like you and I are hunting the same area -
    Blandford-Granville, Cobble Mtn. Reservoir, etc. 
    
    I still-hunted/scouted a couple times during bow season and have
    found the most deer sign in the thickest cover, usually areas
    that had been logged off several years before. Visibility 20
    yards or less. Mixed hemlock, hardwood and (deleted) laurel.
    During Monday's morning wind most of the shooting I heard was in
    the low areas where the wind isn't as bothersome. Unfortunately
    I was too high up the hillside. 
    
    Try and find the feeding areas the deer are using, and set up between
    the those areas and the bedding spots. 
    
    Good luck
    Dana

>(deleted) laurel.

 Mountain laurel? ;-)

    OK - Mountain (deleted) laurel

    In Reply .9
               Hi Dana, No the area that I'm refering to is East Mt.
    in Westfield/Rt. 202.  I know the area in Granville/Southwick
    around the gorge in that I fish it for brookies, but never hunted
    that area before. I hunted a few years back in Blanford off of
    Beach Hill Rd./ top side of Cobble Mt. but, sinse they restricted
    Blanford a few years ago to resident only or by written permission
    from a land owner etc. I haven't pursued going back.
       I'll stop by and B.S. with you after the first of the year in
    that I'll be back on days.  Good Hunting!
    
                            << Jeff >>