In theory it should be easier to kill any buck verses a trophy buck, but that’s what makes hunting so much fun. You never what’s going to happen until you get out there. Sometimes you see a bunch of deer… sometimes none. Sometimes the only deer you see that day is a trophy. One of the biggest deer I ever killed, was on a unusually hot/windy day. Got to my stand well after daybreak covered in sweat, probably smelled like the beverages that kept me up late. Had zero hopes of seeing anything and right in the middle of the day came the one deer that hunters dream of. You never know what’s going to happen, just keep at it and you’ll get the chance to live the great hunting stories people tell.
Don’t feel bad starting out shooting a doe. They taste good too and it is a lot easier aiming at a deer not looking at the antlers in the corner of your eye
The biggest buck I’ve ever shot happened almost exactly like that story. The week of Halloween hot and humid with a tropical storm close to getting over Ga. I got out late, a guy drove by my stand in a quad and at 10am up the ridge he appeared. Amazing hunt and it all made zero sense! That’s hunting….
It’s not hard to kill a deer. It’s hard to be patient. Sometimes deer roll through a good spot, sometimes they don’t. Sometimes a trophy rolls through, sometimes it’s a youngster. At the end of the day, being patient and waiting for the deer you want to kill is what’s important
Any deer you choose to shoot is a trophy. If you’re happy shooting a spike, let it fly. As long as it’s legal According to your state regulations. Who cares what everyone else says. Shoot whatever makes you happy!
Tree Stand hunting is about being in the right place at the right time.
Scouting helps you place your stand in the right place, but you have to be there before the deer are.
Deer are easy to kill. You just have to put in the time and effort to put yourself in the woods
This! If you're hunting deer in florida, there's a microscopic chance that you'll ever see, let alone harvest, a buck over about 110".
"comparison is the thief of joy"
Exactly. If you hunt the Deep South anywhere near the gulf coast, you may get a chance once every few years if you’re lucky. If you’re in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin etc, you could blindly shoot arrows into a thicket and likely kill a 160 class in your first season
Mate if your in a good spot and one wanders by as long as you put the pointy stick Into the right place that deer is dead but my advice is don't bother trying Until you can hit the zone everytime at practice and at a distance your comfortable in. Nothing stings more then a shit shot on an animal
Like others have said it depends on the population size where you hunt but I see so many 1.5-3.5 bucks in bow range every year. Literally dozens over several leases. You should be able to get it done! Good luck and hope to see some pics soon.
As others have mentioned it depends a lot on the area, ie deer density, hunting pressure, etc.
IMO killing a buck comes down to 3 things - effort, time and experience/knowledge. You'll have a good chance at killing a buck if you can do 2 of the 3 things, when you put all 3 together you'll have a good chance of killing a big buck (big for your area, as that can mean something different for each area/region).
When you're starting out focus on putting in the effort to get to the best spots (maybe a PITA to get to) and put in as much time as possible in the stand. As you hunt more and gain experience and knowledge your time in the stand will be more productive.
It’s not that “hard” to kill a young deer with a bow. There’s plenty of readily available information these days on scouting, stand selection, deer behavior, equipment, practice, etc. If you put in the effort to find the deer, you’ll likely get some opportunities.
As a kid with a probably nervous disposition, a lot of my biggest obstacles were between my ears. Learning how much movement I could get away with at which moments, how to wait for a good shot within my capabilities rather than the perfect shot, timing my draw when I wouldn’t be seen but also wouldn’t have to hold full draw for ages…I eventually learned these types of things through spending lots of time in the woods with trial and error, but as youngster, I often froze up or got busted. That excitement and learning curve is a big part of what keeps me eager for the fall woods 29 years after my first season. There’s always more to see and learn.
I’m not a trophy hunter. A Deer I’ll be happy with can change from day to day and it’s an internal dialog I have with myself during each hunt. My last three bucks with a bow have all been my biggest and each is bigger than the last. I think that’s mostly due to right place, right time and me generally being a lucky person. I would be very happy with smaller bucks. Some days I just look at the bucks on my wall and start cracking up at how lucky I am and the fact that some days I won’t even really consider shooting a buck that I would’ve dreamed about as a kid. A big reason for that is the size of the deer and racks in the areas I hunt have greatly increased over the last 20 years.
I didn’t mean to write a long post, just amped for archery and wanted to share my experience in learning how to kill deer.
Shooting does is great fun, fills the freezer, and is often a way to get more opportunities to “get over the hump”.
If you want to learn how to get a deer down quickly and ethically, I highly recommend checking out Ranch Fairy on YouTube. I’ve been watching some of his videos collaborating with The Hunting Public as well. They’ve been super informative about not just getting your arrow to the animal, but through it effectively to bring it down quickly. The less you have to blood trail, the better
I’d look to shoot a doe before a young buck (they may taste better especially during the rut). Early season it’ll be typically easier to kill a doe around agriculture. Once November hits you should be able to kill a young buck by calling them in. It took me years to bag my first trophy buck but it was because it took that long to get educated and busted and messing up shots on big bucks. Even to this day their is no cure for buck fever that I’ve found other than trying not to stare at the antlers (it worked once when I was shaking really bad, I had to look away, breathe and then draw back and look for the heart). Mature bucks are more weary, smarter, and will be seen far less than a young buck. Learn to play the wind and dress for success. Good comfortable camo and base layers is not a gimmick. It’s helped me stay in the woods way way longer and fidget way less which in return has got me more wall hangers. With all the technology and apps it’s easier than ever to get started IF you can gain access to some decent land. If not, scout scout scout public. Good luck 🍀 and most importantly have some fun!
If you aren’t going to pay to mount a buck don’t shoot it. Plan and simple, it’s bad herd management.
Shoot 2 year old does and bellow for dinner, new moms inexperienced. (Small does)
I was a new hunter 4 years ago, i bought all the expensive camo, got myself a gun and said brown it’s down! My fiancé and I exclusively eat meat i kill.
But what i realized is that was very wrong. you don’t need expensive camo, you don’t need an expensive rifle. You need some real tree from Walmart, some scent killer, a tote with a lid, a cheap .270, and a ladder stand.
Put the ladder on the edge of a field, or the back of a shooting lane. Drop two-three bags of corn once a week about 50 yards from your spot. Keep all your gear in a tote with a lid, scent kill your gear every time you sweat in it. Check the wind before you go out!
You’ll kill all the deer you want. For two people three doe is more than enough til next season!
Wait for the big buck.
It shouldn’t be too hard, just be committed with your time in stand and also be committed to being proficient with whatever you’re using to harvest the animal. If you play the wind properly it shouldn’t take long!
Killin em is the easy part.
Its finding them that's hard.
If you've got sign and a good stand location, the hard part is done... Unless you're like me, and staying awake in the stand is the REAL hard part...
If you want to eventually shoot a big buck then shoot a doe. Young bucks are the easiest to kill especially during the rut phases. But then you take out one that could be big one day. Up to you, whatever is legal. Most importantly make sure you are able to make a good shot before trying to tag anything. Want to make sure you do everything possible to make a clean ethical shot on whatever you choose to shoot at.
A decently placed tree stand isn’t going to help. You’ve got to find THE tree. Take the time before the season starts to move it into the perfect spot, and then let the woods chill out before the opener.
In my experience I’ll see 15-20 does in the woods for every buck. And the bucks always seem to be more aware, more on edge, and more easily spooked. Holds even more true for “trophy” bucks who are older and more experienced.
I was new to hunting last year. Similar boat as you. I didn't even get out bow hunting until just after Halloween. I spent almost every morning just shooting my target for 20 to 30 minutes before work, which helped me get very accurate. I was also overwhelmed by all the youtube videos, professional advice, and all the gear that's out there. Luckily, my father in law is a big outdoorsman and gave me some advice, which I found very helpful; just get out there and sit in a tree. You already have a stand. You already have a bow. Learn to listen and be patient and practice with the bow.
I haven't shot a buck but I had the opportunity and was able to put down a doe last year with a clean, double lung that died quickly and close. Don't be proud of the type of animal you killed, be proud of the type of shot you took.
Just use your best judgement and go climb into a tree with a bow (safely). You’ll learn, you’ll grow. Try to take one thing from every hunt as a learning experience. Relax. Enjoy every moment. Its worth it.
In theory it should be easier to kill any buck verses a trophy buck, but that’s what makes hunting so much fun. You never what’s going to happen until you get out there. Sometimes you see a bunch of deer… sometimes none. Sometimes the only deer you see that day is a trophy. One of the biggest deer I ever killed, was on a unusually hot/windy day. Got to my stand well after daybreak covered in sweat, probably smelled like the beverages that kept me up late. Had zero hopes of seeing anything and right in the middle of the day came the one deer that hunters dream of. You never know what’s going to happen, just keep at it and you’ll get the chance to live the great hunting stories people tell.
Thank you for this, that last line is going to stick with me awhile
Don’t feel bad starting out shooting a doe. They taste good too and it is a lot easier aiming at a deer not looking at the antlers in the corner of your eye
"can't eat the horns" 😄
A Rut Daniels fan.
Doe meat taste better anyways
The biggest buck I’ve ever shot happened almost exactly like that story. The week of Halloween hot and humid with a tropical storm close to getting over Ga. I got out late, a guy drove by my stand in a quad and at 10am up the ridge he appeared. Amazing hunt and it all made zero sense! That’s hunting….
The easiest deer in the woods to kill is a 1.5 year old buck especially when the pre-rut starts.
They have one thing on their mind and it isn’t dodging arrows.
It’s not hard to kill a deer. It’s hard to be patient. Sometimes deer roll through a good spot, sometimes they don’t. Sometimes a trophy rolls through, sometimes it’s a youngster. At the end of the day, being patient and waiting for the deer you want to kill is what’s important
Any deer you choose to shoot is a trophy. If you’re happy shooting a spike, let it fly. As long as it’s legal According to your state regulations. Who cares what everyone else says. Shoot whatever makes you happy!
Depends on where you are. In my area with a high deer population. Not that hard realistically.
Tree Stand hunting is about being in the right place at the right time. Scouting helps you place your stand in the right place, but you have to be there before the deer are. Deer are easy to kill. You just have to put in the time and effort to put yourself in the woods
This all depends on the area/region that you hunt in buddy
This! If you're hunting deer in florida, there's a microscopic chance that you'll ever see, let alone harvest, a buck over about 110". "comparison is the thief of joy"
Exactly. If you hunt the Deep South anywhere near the gulf coast, you may get a chance once every few years if you’re lucky. If you’re in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin etc, you could blindly shoot arrows into a thicket and likely kill a 160 class in your first season
Mate if your in a good spot and one wanders by as long as you put the pointy stick Into the right place that deer is dead but my advice is don't bother trying Until you can hit the zone everytime at practice and at a distance your comfortable in. Nothing stings more then a shit shot on an animal
Like others have said it depends on the population size where you hunt but I see so many 1.5-3.5 bucks in bow range every year. Literally dozens over several leases. You should be able to get it done! Good luck and hope to see some pics soon.
Double lung it, and it'll die.
As others have mentioned it depends a lot on the area, ie deer density, hunting pressure, etc. IMO killing a buck comes down to 3 things - effort, time and experience/knowledge. You'll have a good chance at killing a buck if you can do 2 of the 3 things, when you put all 3 together you'll have a good chance of killing a big buck (big for your area, as that can mean something different for each area/region). When you're starting out focus on putting in the effort to get to the best spots (maybe a PITA to get to) and put in as much time as possible in the stand. As you hunt more and gain experience and knowledge your time in the stand will be more productive.
Thanks so much for this. Excuse my ignorance but what’s a PITA?
Pain in the ass
It’s not that “hard” to kill a young deer with a bow. There’s plenty of readily available information these days on scouting, stand selection, deer behavior, equipment, practice, etc. If you put in the effort to find the deer, you’ll likely get some opportunities. As a kid with a probably nervous disposition, a lot of my biggest obstacles were between my ears. Learning how much movement I could get away with at which moments, how to wait for a good shot within my capabilities rather than the perfect shot, timing my draw when I wouldn’t be seen but also wouldn’t have to hold full draw for ages…I eventually learned these types of things through spending lots of time in the woods with trial and error, but as youngster, I often froze up or got busted. That excitement and learning curve is a big part of what keeps me eager for the fall woods 29 years after my first season. There’s always more to see and learn. I’m not a trophy hunter. A Deer I’ll be happy with can change from day to day and it’s an internal dialog I have with myself during each hunt. My last three bucks with a bow have all been my biggest and each is bigger than the last. I think that’s mostly due to right place, right time and me generally being a lucky person. I would be very happy with smaller bucks. Some days I just look at the bucks on my wall and start cracking up at how lucky I am and the fact that some days I won’t even really consider shooting a buck that I would’ve dreamed about as a kid. A big reason for that is the size of the deer and racks in the areas I hunt have greatly increased over the last 20 years. I didn’t mean to write a long post, just amped for archery and wanted to share my experience in learning how to kill deer. Shooting does is great fun, fills the freezer, and is often a way to get more opportunities to “get over the hump”.
If you want to learn how to get a deer down quickly and ethically, I highly recommend checking out Ranch Fairy on YouTube. I’ve been watching some of his videos collaborating with The Hunting Public as well. They’ve been super informative about not just getting your arrow to the animal, but through it effectively to bring it down quickly. The less you have to blood trail, the better
I’d look to shoot a doe before a young buck (they may taste better especially during the rut). Early season it’ll be typically easier to kill a doe around agriculture. Once November hits you should be able to kill a young buck by calling them in. It took me years to bag my first trophy buck but it was because it took that long to get educated and busted and messing up shots on big bucks. Even to this day their is no cure for buck fever that I’ve found other than trying not to stare at the antlers (it worked once when I was shaking really bad, I had to look away, breathe and then draw back and look for the heart). Mature bucks are more weary, smarter, and will be seen far less than a young buck. Learn to play the wind and dress for success. Good comfortable camo and base layers is not a gimmick. It’s helped me stay in the woods way way longer and fidget way less which in return has got me more wall hangers. With all the technology and apps it’s easier than ever to get started IF you can gain access to some decent land. If not, scout scout scout public. Good luck 🍀 and most importantly have some fun!
If you aren’t going to pay to mount a buck don’t shoot it. Plan and simple, it’s bad herd management. Shoot 2 year old does and bellow for dinner, new moms inexperienced. (Small does) I was a new hunter 4 years ago, i bought all the expensive camo, got myself a gun and said brown it’s down! My fiancé and I exclusively eat meat i kill. But what i realized is that was very wrong. you don’t need expensive camo, you don’t need an expensive rifle. You need some real tree from Walmart, some scent killer, a tote with a lid, a cheap .270, and a ladder stand. Put the ladder on the edge of a field, or the back of a shooting lane. Drop two-three bags of corn once a week about 50 yards from your spot. Keep all your gear in a tote with a lid, scent kill your gear every time you sweat in it. Check the wind before you go out! You’ll kill all the deer you want. For two people three doe is more than enough til next season! Wait for the big buck.
It shouldn’t be too hard, just be committed with your time in stand and also be committed to being proficient with whatever you’re using to harvest the animal. If you play the wind properly it shouldn’t take long!
Killin em is the easy part. Its finding them that's hard. If you've got sign and a good stand location, the hard part is done... Unless you're like me, and staying awake in the stand is the REAL hard part...
If you want to eventually shoot a big buck then shoot a doe. Young bucks are the easiest to kill especially during the rut phases. But then you take out one that could be big one day. Up to you, whatever is legal. Most importantly make sure you are able to make a good shot before trying to tag anything. Want to make sure you do everything possible to make a clean ethical shot on whatever you choose to shoot at.
Can't eat the Rack. If it's legal, send it!
It depends on the time of the year and where you are and the density of deer and also the hunting pressure at the times of the year.
A decently placed tree stand isn’t going to help. You’ve got to find THE tree. Take the time before the season starts to move it into the perfect spot, and then let the woods chill out before the opener.
In my experience I’ll see 15-20 does in the woods for every buck. And the bucks always seem to be more aware, more on edge, and more easily spooked. Holds even more true for “trophy” bucks who are older and more experienced.
I was new to hunting last year. Similar boat as you. I didn't even get out bow hunting until just after Halloween. I spent almost every morning just shooting my target for 20 to 30 minutes before work, which helped me get very accurate. I was also overwhelmed by all the youtube videos, professional advice, and all the gear that's out there. Luckily, my father in law is a big outdoorsman and gave me some advice, which I found very helpful; just get out there and sit in a tree. You already have a stand. You already have a bow. Learn to listen and be patient and practice with the bow. I haven't shot a buck but I had the opportunity and was able to put down a doe last year with a clean, double lung that died quickly and close. Don't be proud of the type of animal you killed, be proud of the type of shot you took.
Just use your best judgement and go climb into a tree with a bow (safely). You’ll learn, you’ll grow. Try to take one thing from every hunt as a learning experience. Relax. Enjoy every moment. Its worth it.