Prepping for All-Day November Bowhunting
Prepping for All-Day November Bowhunting
During the month of November, it’s a bowhunter’s dream along with all the prepping for all-day November bowhunting. This is the time of year we plan our vacations. The bucks are now throwing caution to the wind in pursuit of a hot doe. Not only are they throwing caution to the wind, but they are entering into the seeking, chasing, and breeding phases. During the first two phases, bucks are covering a lot of ground searching for does. Just being in a tree is a good place to be and could give you the opportunity to fill your tag. The latter phase can be just as important to be in a stand, but rather than trying to intercept wandering bucks, you are using the data from scouting and trail cameras to help you set up near where a buck is locked down on a doe. Regardless, November is a time where you want to spend as much time in the tree as you can. I recommend packing a bag and bringing it with you to the timber, in case you decide to sit all day. What I pack can vary, but here are some staples for me.
Food & Water
If I’m intentionally sitting all day, I will pack a lunch as well as some snacks. If you have noisy plastics, you might consider repackaging into sandwich baggies or containers. Some hunters shy away from strong smelling food and beverages, and others will pack a thermos of coffee. I also don’t want to get down because I’m thirsty. Pack some water and you can sit as long as you would like. If I pack a thermos, I will put a sock over it so it doesn’t bang around in my backpack. If you low blood sugar makes you sluggish, you should also throw in some snacks that will sustain you and give you the energy you need to have a safe hunt.
Calls
During the rut, I like to have a full array of calls. It is hard to know how a particular buck is feeling, I have had success using soft doe grunts, doe bleats, more aggressive buck grunts, growls, snort-wheezes and rattling. If you’re looking at a buck that is out of range, you might try a couple of calls to see if he will come within bow range. During the rut, I will blindly call and blindly rattle and have had success bringing bucks into my stand. Pack a variety of your calls and you will be ready for any situation.
Scents
I don’t think you can beat having some doe estrus during the rut. It doesn’t work 100% of the time. I have never had much luck doing a scent trail to my stand, but I a ton of hunters have had bucks follow their trail to the stand. I prefer to place some estrus around my stand. Make sure you are using quality scents that have not gone rancid. Nothing is worse than spooking a buck or doe by having rancid scent. During the first part of November, along with estrus, I will use some tarsal gland based lures. These can pique a domant buck’s interest and keep him in the area.
Gear
Lastly, I’m going to go over some basic gear I keep in my pack. Besides my bow and arrows, a rangefinder is my next most important piece of equipment. Sure, I am pretty good at guessing yardage, but open fields can trip up even skilled hunters. It also gives me confidence when I pull the trigger. I have friends that will keep an extra release on-hand, I do not as mine is a wrist release. Usually I shoot fixed-blade broadheads, so I keep a sharpener in my pack. I continuously check to ensure my broadheads are sharp and lethal. Also, I will use the time in the tree to keep my hunting knives sharp too. Aside from a knife for field dressing, I pack a bone saw, and OB gloves for field dressing. My tags and licenses I keep in my coveralls, so they are with me wherever I go. Once temperatures start to get uncomfortable, I will throw in some hand warmers. I use both the disposable and the rechargeable kind. I don’t want to be tempted to leave before I want to.
Every hunt can be different and you might need different gear for different times of the year. Get out, and enjoy hunting in November.
by Shannon Rivers
November 2024
