having trouble in the unit i hunt need HELP!!!!!

[peckl1]

IMHO

 

Hunting is a process!! You need to scout, find out how your unit is laid out. Where people are salting,where water is, where the deer are bedding, and where you think other hunters will be.

 

Then come up with a plan. Where should I be on opening day??? then all bets are off, because there will always be something that you did not count on. Then you have to adapt to the new situation. That is hunting.

 

 

Lee

[monstercoues]

Well you couldn't be more wrong Jim. I spend probably more time out in the field than most of these guys and possibly even you as well. I just think that it is alot more fun and challenging to hunt fairly. I am sorry that I think baiting is wrong. It's illegal to bait bear, it should be illegal to bait deer as well. We have some units here where archers are having just as high success as rifle hunters in some units. Take baiting out of the picture and I bet those archers wouldn't be a factor. I am an archery hunter as well and this is just my opinion, but I would sure feel alot more satisfied taking an animal anyway other than sitting bait.

 

Whats so hard about taking a tree stand up a tree over water or taking a bag of salt or a salt block out into the field and waiting for some critter to walk underneath you and eat. Thats not hunting to me. Just my 2 Cents.

 

 

 

 

Not to sound mean or anything, but what about fair chase? Quit baiting this animals and hunt them the real way. I can't stand how people hunt these days. It's not hunting if your just sitting on your can waiting for something to come and eat. U might as well set up a lawn chair and eat popcorn with your bow in your hand. Do it the right way and spot and stalk these awesome deer, give yourself the ultimate challenge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been hunting my unit for about 5 years and have about 3 solid salt licks established. This last year I was not successful on any of them and thu bucks that i have been harvesting of them are not that big (90 being the biggest) so this off season i decided to make a few more. Well the trouble i am having is everywhere i go to make a new lick i find there is one already there . i have found 4 of them and it’s driving me crazy. Some look like they are used quit a bit and the others hardly at all (not being re-charged or no tree stand marks). The areas where I have found the salt licks look great. there is plenty of good sign and I found a ched that was massive( im thinking around 110-115). Imp only 21 and for being that age I have always respected other hunters and know what is write and wrong about hunting someone’s area.

 

So what do i need to about my problem?

 

the area i hunt is not that big and every year i see more and more hunter there.

do i still hunt in that area where i found them?

do i go 2-3 miles back away from it all and make a new salt lick( salt starts to get freaking heavy at 300 yards ahahah)

Do you guys have any ideas.

 

Thanks for the help guys

Love this site

 

 

Hey Monstercoues.......I know yer expectin' some replies to your statement! Here's mine....

 

Why do you care? Why make a comment like that? I applaud you for the style of hunting YOU prefer.....I also applaud those guys that choose to sit on their can and wait! I bet most of those guys that hunt out of a blind or treestand spend AT LEAST twice maybe three times more time in the feild establishing their spots than you do hunting your way! It amazes me how dedicated most of those guys are and how much time they invest in their spots. They may be sitting and waiting for their trophy, but they've already done the hours and weeks of hard work and research. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and how they choose to hunt......it definitely doesn't make them less of a hunter because they don't hunt the way you do! You should be happy that they aren't out there stalkin' your deer! I have never hunted out of a treestand or over bait.......but that's because it takes too much time and effort to do it right! Just my $.02 JIM>

[monstercoues]

Wow! First of all I just want to say I like your quote at the bottom of your message.

"There's nothing funnier than a person trying to be taken seriously". If this is true, than you can bet that I am laughing at your reply. You cordially invite me to shut up huh, well I cordially invite you to quit hunting out of a tree stand with salt and start still hunting on the ground. Also in the thick stuff you can hunt just fine still hunting. I am not saying spot and stalk is the only way, I am just saying that baiting and sitting tree stands or blinds is not fair chase thats all. If you feed them, they will come.

 

 

This is my first year trying the salt-lick deal & I can tell you already that it takes a lot of time & effort to make it work. Deer don't just magically appear in a crap area because some a-hole walked 50 yards away from his car & scattered some salt. You still have to find good spots & do your scouting.

 

I choose a tactic to suit the terrain. In the desert, binos & tripod. In thickn timber, treestand & salt. Spend some time in the thick, over grown stuff I'll be hunting this fall & then tell me how you plan to spot & stalk. Still hunting you could do, spot & stalk - forget it. You can't see a hundred yards, but there's a lot of animals there, so you adapt to the circumstances.

 

Hunters need to keep their mouths shut about bashing other peoples methods. It doesn' suit your taste, fine don't hunt that way. You still have no right to dictate what the rest of us should do in the field, so consider yourself cordially invited to shut-up.

[wklman]

to me it all comes down to respect for the animal and the hunt. my conscience wouldn't let me kill an animal over bait period.i couldn't look my hunting buddies in the eyes and be able to tell them i got an animal that way either.the hunt is way more exciting when you glass an animal up,sneak up on it,get close and then make a good shot to put it down.

[crazy4COUES]

"Well you couldn't be more wrong Jim. I spend probably more time out in the field than most of these guys and possibly even you as well. I just think that it is alot more fun and challenging to hunt fairly. I am sorry that I think baiting is wrong. It's illegal to bait bear, it should be illegal to bait deer as well. We have some units here where archers are having just as high success as rifle hunters in some units. Take baiting out of the picture and I bet those archers wouldn't be a factor. I am an archery hunter as well and this is just my opinion, but I would sure feel alot more satisfied taking an animal anyway other than sitting bait.

 

Whats so hard about taking a tree stand up a tree over water or taking a bag of salt or a salt block out into the field and waiting for some critter to walk underneath you and eat. Thats not hunting to me. Just my 2 Cents. "

 

 

 

 

 

What is your deal? People come to ths site to gain info about coues not hear you talkin bout your OPINION the way you are. What information are you basing OPINION on about archers killing just as many deer as rifle hunters? How many deer do you know of that have been killed EATING salt? BLA BLA BLAH!! The guy wants to know about salt licks big effin deal.

 

Now to respond to THE question, too much salt in an area is useless. I would refrain from establishing any new salt lick (were you can SLAUGHTER a deer from... LOL) and utilize what is already there. Also move around explore new areas you may be suprised.

[COUESAZ]

Or there are my ethics in hunting, Spot and shoot. I will shoot a deer at over 400 yards if given the right situation so is that any better than setting in a stand or setting on salt. I know guys that pack over 400 gallons of water a weekend on there backs to fill water holes. That is more work than i am willing to do for a deer.

[COOSEFAN]

Hey Monstercoues.......I apologize for making a comment that I know nothing about. I don't know you or how much time you put into your hunts. My bad I just know how much time and effort some treestand and bait hunters put into their style of hunting and I'm jealous at the fact that they have the time and dedication to do it! I also understand exactly what you are saying about hunting spot n stalk......it is an incredible feeling when it all comes together and you walk up to that critter for the first time and put your hands on it! BUT......I bet that feeling is exactly the same for those guys that put tons of effort and time into their set-ups and are successful......who are we to say that OUR style of hunting is more rewarding than THEIR style of hunting? To each his own......as long as it's legal, why else should we care!

 

again monstercoues....sorry for the false accusation JIM>

[TLH]

I like to set up cameras to see what is walking around out there and i wouldn't hesitate to sit a site and shoot an animal--at the same time i like to spot and stalk animals just as much as anyone--hunting is hunting and to each their own. There are some folks out there that sit water and salt that in their prime could probably walk all of you macho spot and stalk boys into the ground but with time, hard work, and a lot of other things these folks can't do that any longer--are you willing to push these folks out of hunting because YOU don't like that style of hunting? I don't think you are but that is what would happen and that isn't right is it?

 

Now, for the second part of this post--how many deer/elk/bear/antelope/ and other critters are out there now that wouldn't be out there if hunters didn't pack water and salt/minerals into the woods?? I would say more than is taken by someone sitting water and salt plots--so you see, there is a ton of benefits for the salt plots and water holes and with out them you may not have the same number of animals to spot and stalk. The bottom line is that we help each other in our sport and we need to be aware of the comments we make against our fellow hunters.

 

Now for the third part:

 

The AES has been watering the water holes/tanks/and guzzlers in Unit 9 for over two weeks--any of you hunting up there this year for elk?? Would you want them to stop putting water out? You know that is the main reason they don't go into unit 7/8/10--no water no elk, no water no deer--and, as been said here already, you put water in the same category as "baiting".

 

Good luck and be safe out there!!

[monstercoues]

Hey Jim,

 

I see your point and I agree with you. These guys do put alot of hard work and dedication into what they do, and they probably do feel just as good as I do when I walk up on a downed animal. I am just saying that I don't agree with baiting, thats all. Not really a big deal, and I accept your appoligies and I hope I didn't hurt anyones feelings with my thoughts.

[monstercoues]

Hey TLH,

I like putting cameras up myself, just to see whats in the area. I do it over water only, and a few trails. I am not trying to keep anyone out of the field, I am just saying that I don't agree with baiting animals. Don't you get sick watching all these hunting shows where guys are sitting in a ac house shooting deer out the windows in there so called blinds. Or sitting a tree stand over bait for anything that just comes in.

 

I am not putting water in the same catagory as baiting. Animals need water to survive, not salt. I thank those that contribute to water hauling. I spend alot of time volunteering to check water catchments and also hauling water myself in Southern AZ. Animals aren't being drawn to areas because there is salt there, they are already there and they just come in because its like giving candy to a baby. They don't benifit from salt, just death by whoever put it out.

 

 

 

I like to set up cameras to see what is walking around out there and i wouldn't hesitate to sit a site and shoot an animal--at the same time i like to spot and stalk animals just as much as anyone--hunting is hunting and to each their own. There are some folks out there that sit water and salt that in their prime could probably walk all of you macho spot and stalk boys into the ground but with time, hard work, and a lot of other things these folks can't do that any longer--are you willing to push these folks out of hunting because YOU don't like that style of hunting? I don't think you are but that is what would happen and that isn't right is it?

 

Now, for the second part of this post--how many deer/elk/bear/antelope/ and other critters are out there now that wouldn't be out there if hunters didn't pack water and salt/minerals into the woods?? I would say more than is taken by someone sitting water and salt plots--so you see, there is a ton of benefits for the salt plots and water holes and with out them you may not have the same number of animals to spot and stalk. The bottom line is that we help each other in our sport and we need to be aware of the comments we make against our fellow hunters.

 

Now for the third part:

 

The AES has been watering the water holes/tanks/and guzzlers in Unit 9 for over two weeks--any of you hunting up there this year for elk?? Would you want them to stop putting water out? You know that is the main reason they don't go into unit 7/8/10--no water no elk, no water no deer--and, as been said here already, you put water in the same category as "baiting".

 

Good luck and be safe out there!!

[TLH]

But the water holes (most of them) are man made--that was the point i was making. Natural water sources are few and far between and in this state we need man made water to help all living creatures survive so sitting a man made water hole is no different than sitting a block of salt.

 

I didn't think you were saying you wanted to keep anyone out of the field--your just passionate about your sport and i am too----

 

By the way, if your interested (any of ya) we started a program through the AZ game and fish that is called "adopt a Catchment" you can call your district g&f person and get forms that you can fill out and send back to the game and fish. These forms then will be given to the WM of the area, after they look over the form and see what needs to be done they will head out and fix any problems that are there.