Ever feel like you are doing everything wrong hunting?

[amishfarmer]

Im new to deer hunting this year. I drew a tag at Beale and Im scouting and glassing and learning all I can by myself so I know I have a steep learning curve ahead of me. But sometimes I feel like I have no idea what I'm doing and wonder if Im doing it all wrong.
I know its part of the process but dang, it can be frustrating.

Rant over. Im gonna figure out where I want to try tonight on base.

I did see a doe and a couple of yearlings today, but they were between the road and a pond where hunting is not permitted. Im gonna try my luck tommorrow morning in an adjecent area that allows hunting

[180ls1]

Its no different than anything else in life.

I will say a despondent attitude is poisonous. I would work on that.

[amishfarmer]

"Its no different than anything else in life.

I will say a despondent attitude is poisonous. I would work on that."

I agree I just needed to vent. Despondant attitude is gone

[deckhandmike]

Nah, I?ve already done everything wrong several times.

[WOODY2]

Enjoy the hunt/stalk, the kill can be anti climactic.

[TKM]

After reading some inarticulate dumb-*** asking if he can bring an air gun on a shotgun only dove hunt I'd say you are doing fine.

[racinjason233]

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile. I recommend more time in the woods reading the wind and finding out where they sleep and eat. Hide between the two locations. Good luck and don?t be in a hurry the first one is the best one.

Also walk slow then go a little slower and when your barely moving, slow down or come to my place they are setting of my cameras all night exactly 20 yards from my open 2nd story window?

[deckhandmike]

Enjoy the hunt/stalk, the kill can be anti climactic.

Getting one is the worst part. Then all the work starts.

[bigbossman]

Getting one is the worst part. Then all the work starts.

No kidding.

I just got back from a 5 day trip. Saw some decent animals, but failed to connect. A couple of stalks that fizzled, and a shot that missed........ but I still had a hell of a good time. A couple of years ago, I had three tags in another state. Three times I went out to scout, and three times I saw and killed a deer right away. Lots of meat in the freezer, but it was more work than fun. I don't think I spent more than a couple of hours total in the field.

That's how it goes sometimes. Spend all day doing everything right, end up with nothing. Step out of your car to take a leak, and shoot a nice critter before your hunt begins.

Headed out again tomorrow, so I have that going for me!

[Trapper]

Look for active bedding and feeding areas. They may bed in areas off limits to hunting but will travel into huntable areas for food sources and water. Move slowly and spend lots of time glassing. Beale has a good number of deer, genetics aren’t great for bucks but it doesn’t matter if you’re holding an either sex G7 tag. Activity will pickup in late October and the first two weeks of November as the rut kicks in.
If you have a G7 and will be hunting in November I’d be glad to glass for you and scout areas. I’m retired and have access to Beale.

[Garand Hunter]

This will irritate some on this thread, but perhaps you are hunting in the wrong state- California. I finally got it right and quit hunting Cali years ago. I just returned from Wyoming, near Douglas, yep it was on private property. Six of us up, six antelope down in three days. Yep its expensive. But I was tired of $$ spent and hunting most every weekend wasting my $$. Calaveras County has lotsa banbis but good hunting land scarce. Mybe it will eventually work out for you.

Psalm 1

[180ls1]

"Its no different than anything else in life.

I will say a despondent attitude is poisonous. I would work on that."

I agree I just needed to vent. Despondant attitude is gone

That's the spirit! To be honest that attitude creeps into us all, even the most experienced hunters, myself included. Having a hunting buddy helps.

If you are just beginning starting with small game may be better as you will get more sightings and opportunities.

[2muchsoysauce4allthisrice.no-good510]

Can relate

Can I ask what you might feel like or think you are doing wrong? Please rant; tell me or us more.

If it is first time being there, it helps to there for more than a day; I?m a solo backpack hunter as well.

It took me about 4 consecutive seasons to finally tag my first buck. Learn from every mistake. If you don?t bag this season; it?s ok.

I don't know about Beale. I work northern A zone; public land. I tagged my first buck in August 2023; 2x2 at 43 yards with a 7mm-08 Barnes 120 grain ttsx.


If you can, walk off paved trails; follow game trails. Where there are does (woman) and fawns (children), or many does (woman); there has to be a buck somewhere.

Make sure there is water that they somehow have access to.

Like another member said; learn to still hunt. Learn to be a good creeper and a stalker. You are in their home; not yours. Looks for areas with deer sheds; that is a path that a buck has used in the past. Maybe that one has already been harvested already; but it helps to know that path was used in the past.

[Skip_Dog]

And don't sit under a Grey squirrels tree. It will blow your cover at the right exact time.
Just got back from the grocery store. Going to get this year's bucks first run of stew for Sunday brunch ready. Family is excited. Dog hasn't dug up the head/antlers buried in the yard yet. Good times.

Stay the learning phase, never get to the point where you think you know it all. Those guys suck.
Good luck.

[MJB]

Knowing it allish is one thing and bragging about knowing it all and then showing otherwise are two different things. If I don't learn something every day I feel I missed out.

Every species that you hunt acts completely different. There is no one size fits all when it comes to the behavior details.

But as mammals go there's one rule that fallows the hunted. There will be a female that is the pack leader so to speak. Her mother taught her how not to get killed and she's the top bitch and now she keeps everyone safe. During the rut all bets are off but once pregnant they group up.

When it comes to mule deer there's a really good documentary on Nature where a hunter lives with a mule deer heard in WY for 7yrs. Once you get over the drama angle the biology revealed by his observance all on video will save you years in the field on how deer act throughout the year.

Guys that are new please ask away lots of knowledge here on CG. As a 57 year old I want to pass on my knowledge and experiences to anyone who will pass it on and be successful in life.

We have guys on here that hunt with dogs, a bow, guns, spears, knifes, speargun, all over the world, anything from fins, feathers, fur and elephant hide!