Hunting, not Killing

[splatek]

I'm a total newb at hunting. It's been an interest of mine for a while, but I decided this year to jump in and try it. Thankfully, I've had a bunch of good people helping me, talking to me, answering my endless questions; but, I've been finding it really hard to find land to hunt. I live in Gwinnett. I am not opposed to traveling, I'd rather not go through Atlanta, but I am finding that might not be possible. Side note: I'd be really interested in talking with someone that has access, lease, or club (or something I can get involved with up this way or the neighboring counties, etc). I realize the WMAs, the NF, and other public lands are available, but being so new I just don't know what I'd be looking for, doing, etc. And asking an avid hunter to stop their own hunting, in season to teach me, just seems plain rude. This past weekend I was able to get in a stand on property that my girl's brother-in-law has. He knows a lot and I learned a lot about what I am looking for, "sign", and what not. We saw some good scrapes and rubs and my stand was in a prime spot to get one. We checked the trail cam from the night before and we saw plenty of action:




We were in our stands early and within a half hour or so of some light, I saw a very nice doe. I was shooting a crossbow and determined that the shot was not there. I was coached to not take a shot that I wasn't taking and this one was at 40, maybe more yards with all kinds of brush between she and I. It just didn't feel right. Later that morning we both saw a spike that got spooked so neither of us has a shot at him. After that, it was a long day of watching squirrels and not seeing another deer. I was telling a buddy about this today and he reminded me, "that's why it's called 'hunting' and not 'killing'". But dang it, I want to learn how to field dress/butcher something that I kill!

Anyhow, I realize this isn't a post with a big buck or anything great like that, so sorry. But, if anyone checking this out has any tips, hints, or just wanted to help me find a place closer to home to look for something that wants to end up as my dinner... by all means I am all ears!

 

[Thunder Head]

Access to good land is very hard to find. The closer you get to ATL. the worse it gets. But if you can find a little place the hunting could be outstanding.

Kudos to you for not taking a iffy shot. It very important to be picky about your shots when shooting arrows of any kind.

 

[splatek]

Access to good land is very hard to find. The closer you get to ATL. the worse it gets. But if you can find a little place the hunting could be outstanding.

Kudos to you for not taking a iffy shot. It very important to be picky about your shots when shooting arrows of any kind.

Thanks man. After not seeing any deer the rest of the day, I was certainly kicking myself about not taking the one on that doe. So I appreciate that sentiment about not taking a bad shot; my buddy said the same thing. I guess just being new I have regret.

Finding land to hunt seems to be really, REALLY tough. I'm happy to get away from ATL, I just don't want to drive through it. I wonder if there are places out by athens, or that way, or west? I've heard that north, into the mountains is great for bear, but less great for deer.

 

[krizia829]

I don't live in Georgia but I go every year and Atlanta is horrible from everything I've heard.. I would definitely stay open minded about traveling a little bit if you would need to depending on your area and budget, comfort level, etc. What I recommend is knocking on people's doors. You'd be surprised how many people are okay with someone hunting their property for a day or two! Just make sure if they say yes, to give them a little thank you gift, even some of the meat. It can go a long way and you never know the connections you can make. My husband and I have always thankfully been very blessed and have had a place to lease to go hunt with plenty of deer.

When it comes to harvesting a deer, don't feel bad if you don't get to shoot one! It happens to all of us. It's better to not shoot than to make a bad shot and wound the animal. It will make you sick to your stomach. It has happened to me with archery and it kills me. Which is why I like general gun better lol but everyone is different. It is much more rewarding making an ethical shot than risking hurting an animal.

I highly recommend following a channel on youtube called "The Hunting Public". They have really really great public land hunting videos and you'd be surprised at how much you can learn watching their videos. They're a group of guy's in their 20's-30's and the videos are also very entertaining to watch. They're young but they know what they're talking about! When it comes to skinning/gutting a deer, watch some videos on youtube as well from a channel called "Bearded Butchers". They will show you quick and easy ways to do the job both on the ground and hung on a gambrel.

I'm 27, been hunting since I was 10 and my husband is 33, hunting since he was like 14 and we're hooked! As we've gotten more time in the woods, we've learned a lot throughout the years and it has become easier passing on several deer so you will see over time that not shooting at a deer feels just as good as shooting one for the right
reasons!

I wish you the best of luck and may you get yourself a big buck and doe that you've been searching for! It's great to see another new hunter in the woods

 

[175rltw]

If you don’t get out there to the WMAs and the national Forest and start looking for scrapes and rubs- browse lines and oak flats, you’ll always be on here or somewhere else begging access. Or you’ll end up paying a bunch of money for access of your own down the road- possibly still without “knowing what your looking for”

Get into the woods. Hunt downwind of an active game trail that leads to water or food. Don’t hunt the actual water or food- hunt the approach. Hunt 100 or so yards in from it. Bring a powder puffer or a cigarette lighter and make sure that flame or powder is always blowing back toward you- and be aware of what’s in your scent cone- as it can be easy to end up staring at the piece
Of woods in front of you while a doe is blowing at you from the woods behind you...

 

[Matt.M]

First, congrats on not taking an iffy shot. Major maturity move there.

Second, I would drive through hades to get to some good deer hunting land. I don't follow the logic of not driving through ATL to get to it. Just alter your times to get there avoiding traffic. Wouldn't be a hangup of mine.

 

[transfixer]

You don't have to drive through Atlanta to get to good hunting land, there are plenty of deer to the east and northeast of Gwinnet county, my club is in Oglethorpe county, about 30mins east of Athens, also Walton county, Morgan, Greene, taliferro and Wilkes county all hold deer, finding a decent club you feel comfortable with might be hard, but can be done, ask around with some of the people you know that hunt.

 

[The mtn man]

I saw a big buck squirming around last weekend in down town at the 75/85 interchange, not joking, it was huge and had been hit and broken down, cars were swerving around it, was about 1am. I wasn't about to stop of fear of ending up in worse shape than him.

 

[The mtn man]

Look up available leases from folks like plumb creek, there had been one in Hancock county available for a couple years, I'm not sure if it's still available.

 

[splatek]

Wow, so much good information.
MattM - you know, you are right! I guess I could just adjust my timing and what not. I've lived out here in the 'burbs so long, I guess I got a little too comfortable. I really want to learn to hunt public land and there is some good info shared on here about that too. I realize the learning curve is steep, but as a college professor, I am really willing and able to learn. I'm going to go looking for 'sign' tomorrow on some public land, although I think for that plot of land it's small game season so I will be bringing along my small shotgun.
Really can't tell y'all how much I appreciate the help!

 

[transfixer]

You've got the Broad River wma which isn't too far from you, and its archery only if I read the regs correctly, currently open, shouldn't be too crowded with hunters, being archery only.

Also Elbert county wma, according to the regs its open, and firearms season, either sex now till end of state season, either of these are probably an hour and a half or so from you, I've never hunted either of them, but that part of the state has always had a good population of deer. Others on here may have personal experience with these places.

 

[splatek]

You've got the Broad River wma which isn't too far from you, and its archery only if I read the regs correctly, currently open, shouldn't be too crowded with hunters, being archery only.

Also Elbert county wma, according to the regs its open, and firearms season, either sex now till end of state season, either of these are probably an hour and a half or so from you, I've never hunted either of them, but that part of the state has always had a good population of deer. Others on here may have personal experience with these places.

@transfixer thanks man! I am slowly going through the eRegs on WMA's to find archery only. Right now I am archery only (hopefully that will change next season). I will look into these two and report back what I can. Yesterday, I spent another couple hours on some public land. I was sort of scouting, but that turned into sitting after I (with the help of a buddy) found some pretty good sign, fresh sign for after a rain. So, I sat, until dark, but that pesky buck didn't want to come out and play bullseye for me. Again, hunting, not killing. I did, however, learn a ton yesterday from my friend about reading sign, the differences between male and female sign and what they might mean. Was also picking up pointer about where to setup for good shooting lanes, and instructed on how to develop/create a small ground blind. Still so much, SO MUCH, to learn, it's really been fun. Across several areas of the land I was on yesterday there was a lot of indication of bucks: big and frequent rubs, fresh scrapes. I think that my scent might have put him/them off. I realized that at least some of my clothes has contact with the "real" clothes... at least that's what I am going with. HAHA.

This weekend I will get out again and scout/hunt another piece of public land; next Tuesday I will hang with a buddy on some property he has, and it will continue. I'm hoping the rut will make a buck get stupid and walk in front of one of my arrows/bolts, but at this stage of the learning, I'm not really chasing a big buck, just a deer, meat, etc.

 

[splatek]

Well, since my first outing, I've been to a piece of public land that's archery only twice. The first time I went was Tuesday and I was just gonna work on my scouting a bit. Then a friend, and well-seasoned hunter, caught up with me and we found a lot of good sign: rubs, scrapes, one really good, big fresh scrape. He helped me/coached me through a DIY ground blind with available deadfall and I waited from about 4 until dark and didn't see, nor hear a thing.

This morning my boy was with his mom, so I was able to sneak back out again, to the same public land. Hiked in to a spot I identified on a map and during my previous visit. Got my blind, chair, and cover setup by about 5:15 (early, perhaps, but I figured that couldn't hurt). I sat, and I sat, right about when the sun was coming up/first light, I hear something behind me... A crack of a branch or something like that. I wait, and I wait. I must've waited an hour. I stopped hearing anything so I began to scan the edge of the field I was working and I hear an abrupt "airy" cough sound, followed by two "thump, thumps" - I turned to see, but the light was still rough into the timber. I texted my buddy and he said "sounds like you spooked one!" ARRRRRGGGGHHHH!!

About 10 I was going to pack it in, but before doing that I decided to swing by the other plot that I had worked earlier in the week; low and behold there was a new, large, fresh scrape with a 3-4" print in it. I took up in my old blind and waited, and waited... but didn't see anything the rest of the day.

I sense a theme here: wait, don't see anything.
I'm following all the instructions I am getting: testing wind, descenting everything (twice), etc etc. I still can't seem to shake the feeling that I am doing something terribly wrong. I might consider trying to get out again this Tuesday and next weekend; my girlfriend has already told me I'm "a glutton for punishment!"

 

[Blackston]

Perseverance is key ?. And adversity is the best professor ? You will get one if ya keep goin !!!!!

 

[baddave]

hey splatek-- just a tip. don't feel bad about not taking that iffy shot . there's nothing worse than making a bad hit on a deer and losing it ..you can sleep passing up a shot but a bad hit and losing it will keep you up for a long time. don't ask how I know

 

[transfixer]

Don't sweat getting busted by a deer, especially one coming from behind you, happens to all of us, Sooner or later you'll have them come in where you can see them!

 

[Timberman]

You’re doing all the right things.

One thing that I have to reign in is pressing too much. Sort of like “commission breath”in sales, pressing or trying too hard can have a negative effect. I do best when I relax and let the hunt come to me.
Do know that 2-3 hunts do not a hunt make . If we ever get around a campfire get me to tell about learning to turkey hunt before the internet when turkeys were scarce and old timers tight lipped.

That said keep hunting fresh sign from the downwind sign stay relaxed it will happen.

 

[charlie81]

Don’t feel bad man. I just started myself. Well, I started last year (I had gone a few times the year before with my father in law), but I’m basically looking and finding spots on my own and learning as I go. I still haven’t shot a deer. I did see 3 last year but I never had a shot. I’ve see one this year and didn’t have a shot but I’m not giving up. Every time I go I feel like I learn a little more. Either something is working or it’s not, but you can learn from it.

 

[oldguy]

Take the time to learn as much as you can about as much as you can. Learn to identify the trees and shrubs where you hunt. Go to the woods in all seasons and learn/study the changes. Learn to identify the birds, by sight and their calls. Learn about the non-game critters and their ways. Look up and learn to recognize a few major constellations (Orion, Sirius, Big Dipper, North Star, Little Dipper). Watch for the meteor showers. Go to the parks along the Chattahoochee, leave the trails and scout for deer sign (you'll be furthering your education). S-L-O-W down, this is not a video game. It will happen when it happens. Take your time and enjoy the journey.

 

[Ruger#3]

Some really good advice given here. Developing as a hunter is a lifelong journey, there is no finish line. Every minute spent in the woods will make you better.

FYI, I cross Atlanta every work day, at the hours you’d be headed hunting there’s almost no traffic. The new expressway offers a cheap way to avoid the traffic all together. Don’t let fear of some traffic drive your hunting choices.