New Adult Hunter, go solo?

[g squared 23]

When I hunt public, I also try to do it during the week. I'll scout midmorning looking for a new spot, and head out and hunt a known spot in the pm. Not having 10,000 other trucks around is easier during the week.


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[Jax]

Excellent advice thank you! I cant believe this thread is still going, I feel bad for not having reported back.

Last year I just did some gear tests, roamed around some public forests just to be out in the woods, quickly learned my pants were WAY to loud, and I was carrying more gear than necessary, dropped my limbs from 80s to about 65s, and changed my sight out to an HHA Ultra which I absolutely love. This year I am increasing my range time even more, joined a private archery club, and I am hoping to take my bow out with me for the first time this fall. The biggest challenge right now is learning about public land and making a choice, but I am eager and enjoy the research.

The most important lesson I have learned so far, and hopefully this helps anyone else in my position that didn't grow up with it or have family/friends that share the same passion, and its advice that has been shared in this thread often, is to just get out there and do it, on your own. For two seasons I was sitting around unsuccessfully trying to coral buddies into taking it up, and thats now two seasons of lessons and adventures I could have been out in the woods learning.

Thanks everyone for your great advice and wisdom, I hope to report back in a couple months that I bagged my first Pope & Young (jk, Ill settle for finding some scat!)

If you're going to be hunting public land, you need to do much, much more scouting than hunting. You can get away with "observation hunts" on private land, but not in the poorly regulated lands of Illinoise.

Learn how to scout. If you walked in the woods right now, you wouldn't have a clue what you're doing, so do some serious research on scouting public land.

http://www.thehuntingbeast.com

The hunting beast is the best collection of information you'll find on learning how to find and hunt public land deer.

If you're going to hunt public land:
1. Scout more than you hunt. Now is the perfect time.

2. Never, ever, ever sit on a field edge unless you don't want to kill a deer

3. Figure out exactly where the deer bed and WHY (wind, cover and terrain normally) and use your head to figure out how to hunt the deer.


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[Jeff H]

Excellent advice thank you! I cant believe this thread is still going, I feel bad for not having reported back.

Last year I just did some gear tests, roamed around some public forests just to be out in the woods, quickly learned my pants were WAY to loud, and I was carrying more gear than necessary, dropped my limbs from 80s to about 65s, and changed my sight out to an HHA Ultra which I absolutely love. This year I am increasing my range time even more, joined a private archery club, and I am hoping to take my bow out with me for the first time this fall. The biggest challenge right now is learning about public land and making a choice, but I am eager and enjoy the research.

The most important lesson I have learned so far, and hopefully this helps anyone else in my position that didn't grow up with it or have family/friends that share the same passion, and its advice that has been shared in this thread often, is to just get out there and do it, on your own. For two seasons I was sitting around unsuccessfully trying to coral buddies into taking it up, and thats now two seasons of lessons and adventures I could have been out in the woods learning.

Thanks everyone for your great advice and wisdom, I hope to report back in a couple months that I bagged my first Pope & Young (jk, Ill settle for finding some scat!)

Sounds like you have a good handle on things Jax. With hunting like so many other things there is no substitute for time afield....or on the water.. or in the saddle. Time cures most things.

 

[Beechnut]

Shooting at a range when it's warm weather is easier than a breezy day in the 20's. Try shooting a deer when your body is shaking from the cold.

Don't forget a compass or some other navigation device (learn how to use it). Always let someone know where you are going. If you don't have much woods time, getting lost is easy to do.

Have fun and don't take anything serious (except gun and tree stand safety).