Many deer hunting strategies are passed from generation to generation. From a heritage standpoint, passing the baton is a good thing for hunting and its preservation. However, many whitetail deer beliefs are not based on fact, yet are passed along as gospel to newer hunters.
The Peanut Butter Kid
A few years back a former fullback for the Carolina Tar Heels became a guest at a local hunting club. The man, as you might expect, was very popular among the club members until he began talking about putting peanut butter on trees to attract deer. The evening before opening day, he smeared a full jar near his stand and that night was the subject of relentless jokes about “the peanut butter kid,”
The next morning, he was in his tree stand waiting for the scent of peanuts to do its work. By noon, not a single deer had been seen, yet the man refused to head back to camp for lunch choosing to stay the course. Ironically, while the rest of the gang was laughing about “the peanut butter kid,” he killed the largest buck of the season.
Did It Work?
Rumor has it that a run on peanut butter occurred for unexplained reasons at a local convenience store. The scent of peanut butter doubtfully lured the buck to its demise, however, as hunters head back to camp for lunch during firearm season, they often inadvertently push deer into other hunters. By spending maximum time on stand on opening day, the hunter succeeded.
GPS and Science
The advent of GPS technology allows scientists to collar deer and determine exactly where they go and when. This informative piece posted on the Realtree website speaks to core areas of deer travel and how measurements are taken. The impact of hunting pressure is also a factor and probably far more than you may think.
The more scientifically you think, the better your success will be. Here’s what you need to know:
Throughout the years, most of us have had to rely on our own experiences or reading about the experiences of others to improve our hunting success. The problem is we sometimes draw the wrong conclusions from our past experiences, and misinformation from others can be passed down for generations as fact. So where is a deer hunter to turn for reliable information? Science, of course.
https://www.realtree.com/deer-hunting/articles/the-science-of-killing-big-bucks
