Why can any number of deer hunters use the same hunting method, stand hunting, for example, but end up with much different hunting success? Is the hunting method at fault or does something else account for such differences?

Differences in success while stand hunting are caused by quite a number of variables. Take stand site selection. The number one stand site characteristic many stand hunters insist on today is a great field of view. Others look for up to eight characteristics known to make stand sites mature-buck-effective (not including a great field of view). Many stand hunters do not realize most of today’s mature whitetails are “stand smart,” meaning, they quickly recognize and avoid obvious manmade stand site construction, destruction and intense human trail scents so characteristic of many stand sites today. Many hunters take no particular precautions at all while stand hunting. Some, including my sons, grandsons and I, routinely take up to thirty every half day. Some hunters rarely miss a minute of hunting during periods when odds for hunting success are greatest. Others have no idea when the odds are greatest. Many stand hunters seldom see deer within fifty yards until shortly after they become alarmed enough to begin snorting and bounding away with all possible speed, making them very difficult targets. Some hunters stand hunt in a way that provides easy shots at unsuspecting deer, standing or moving slowly short distances away. Many stand hunters rarely see mature bucks, much less take one. Some see several mature bucks per hunting season and take one nearly every year. Many hunters believe it takes no more knowledge and skill to take mature bucks than is needed to take fawns and yearlings, which is far from true. Most hunters do not recognize important hunting-related information provided by deer signs. Most do not know how to take advantage of such information. With the exception of farm fields and clearcuts, most hunters cannot identify whitetail feeding areas and whether or not they are current favorites of desirable quarries. Many stand hunters do nothing to keep their necessary motions and silhouettes (large and dark against the sky or snowy backgrounds) from being easily spotted and identified by whitetails. Most stand hunters spend too much time at one stand site, not realizing almost all mature bucks and many mature does discover and begin avoiding them during the first 1-30 hours they are used. There should be little wonder, therefore, why different stand hunters end hunting seasons with vastly different hunting success.

Of all the reasons there are differences in stand hunting success, what contributes most to making this hunting method effective enough to enable a hunter to regularly take the most elusive of whitetails, bucks 3-1/2 years of age or older? It’s “certain precautions,” up to thirty of them.