Somewhere in a secluded glen of hardwoods and piney woods, you will find me perched in my "Ole Man" climbing tree stand on the opening day of bow season.
I'll be using the celebrated Horton Crossbow "Calamity Jane", which I have so diligently practiced with and promoted statewide.
I earned my right to do this.
One of the most difficult parts of deer hunting is to be an all-season deer hunter, which means no matter what the specific weapon is, just do it.
That means I hunt with everything and promote all types of deer hunting. I hunt deer because it's in the blood, but I love and respect these great and beautiful animals far more than can be imagined by the anti-hunter or those who just don't get out and enjoy nature to the fullest.
To me, it's a way of life, a world full of high adventure.
Bowhunting will teach the deer hunter to learn to get close and have patience. That is the name of the game. To do so employs many tricks to outsmart the wary white-tailed deer, but remember, no matter what kind of legal methods and means you employ, the deer will always have the advantage.
If you are hunting public land, you must find cross trails, bedding areas and natural food sources, placing your stand in a strategic location along these routes to get the closest possible shot, while on private land, you may try several different kinds of lures to close the range for the perfect shot.
Food plots work, but they don't have to be expensive. Deer love iron clay peas in this area, and every time I plant it, the food plots look like barnyards of deer tracks.
Of course, on my private deer lease, I use corn feeders just like everyone else. Corn works, but there are a few other things people should know that will augment the food plot and act as human scent detractors that just drive deer crazy.
This would be roasted soy beans, vanilla extract and, believe it or not, tobacco.
This is how I set up my deep woods deer stand on the lease and a lot of the members are doing the same and getting yearly good results.
First, I have my small pea patch to get the deer coming to the area. Then, I attach a simple corn feeder to a tree and start them on corn. The feeders are made out of old artillery shell holders and can be had at Red and White Feed Store in Leesville.
About three to five days before the season, I use the roasted soybeans, this used as feed, will also cover human scent in the area as it has a very pungent odor that to a deer is like a good outdoor barbecue.
The final application is imitation vanilla extract that I use liberally all around my tree stand area. Deer are so crazy about vanilla, I have seen them eat dry leaves sprayed with it.
Then, we have tobacco, and just for the record, I have always been a non-smoker.
I learned this from a real Cherokee medicine man, who took me to a place that had pet deer on Fort Sill in Oklahoma, and fed "Charlie" a big 10-point buck a cigarette. He loved it, but would not eat the filter tip.
After a few weeks, once the word got around about this to the hunters, everyone was trying it by sprinkling cigarette tobacco around their deer stand.
They said the deer walked right up as it too covers human scent. As far as Charlie, I understand he developed a 5-pack a day habit before he was released back into the wild.
You will find these methods work most of the time to some degree as you experiment on your own. This is a good way to compete with the big, rich deer lease next to you that have been convinced through media hype to spend a lot of money on deer cultivatiion science.
I like my "Old Indian Ways" that work year after year. You can't buy venison in the freezer or a trophy on the wall. What you need is a little in the smarts department and a little luck too.
Pass it on.
John Simeone is an outdoors writer for Louisiana Road Trips Magazine, along with being a member of the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association. He can be reached by e-mail at fptopgun@bellsouth.net.
Leesville, La. —
