With bow season fast approaching, (some having just begun), the hopes and dreams of tagging that special buck are never more strong. Sadly, for a good number of bowhunters that dream will remain just that......a dream. However, this outcome has little to do with pure hunting skill and more to do with failing to recognize how vital the "little things" are. Without a doubt, when it comes to trophy whitetails, the Devil is in the details. Speaking of details, pay particular attention to the following areas and you just might turn your dreams into reality this fall.

12)   Ignoring Murphy’s Law:   Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.  And when it does, there is usually a big buck somewhere nearby.  How often has the simplest little thing cost you a shot at a trophy whitetail?  It never fails.  You could draw back on a dozen “subordinate bucks” and never have a problem arise.  But, put a big mature buck 30 yards downrange and the floodgates of “the ridicules” and “the unforeseen” open wide.  This hard fact of life is only magnified for those who are unprepared.  What I mean is prepare yourself for anything; because anything is bound to happen.  And if you think “that can’t possibly happen to me”, remember, it can and most often will….because Murphy says so.

11)   Sixth Sense:   Do mature bucks really have a sixth sense?  I used to think so.  However, over the years, I have come to realize that they are just really, really good at noticing our screw-ups.  For instance, mistakes that I commit when in the presence of immature deer routinely go unnoticed.  However, if I make those same mistakes around a Pope and Young caliber buck, I’m toast.  He will most likely bust me every time. 
If your current approach occasionally gets you in hot water with the youngsters on your property, you can pretty much forget about fooling the big boys.  They are much smarter.  When chasing upper class deer, the biggest mistake many hunters make is that they treat them just like the rest of the herd.  The fact is they couldn’t be more different.  Nevertheless, a big buck isn’t Nostradamus; he only senses what you allow him to.  Don’t make it any easier on him than it already is. Leave no detail to chance when pursuing mature whitetails and you will ultimately eliminate their “sixth sense”.   

Little details such as entry and exit routes can undo an otherwise good plan.       

10)   No Shooting Lanes:   How many times have you quickly set up your treestand without trimming a few shooting lanes first, only to later have a deer pass by without ever offering a shot?  Or, perhaps you do get a shot off and somehow that one branch suddenly materializes out of nowhere; spoiling your certain success. 
This one goes back to #12.  Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.  If you fail to trim adequate shooting lanes, you can bet your quiver full of arrows that if a good buck does happen by, he is most likely going to stay hidden in the security of heavy cover, or, your arrow is likely going to find a forgotten branch.  Bank on it.  The only way around that painful truth is to make sure you take the time to clear at least one open lane along the buck’s projected path; providing you with an unobstructed shot opportunity.

9)   Bad Entry/Exit Routes:   You might have the best stand, overlooking the best spot, holding the best sign on your property, but if you are educating deer every time you come and go….you are living on borrowed time.  A good stand is only as good as the manner in which it is accessed.  If you can’t get in and out with minimal disturbance, you need to consider an alternate route, or maybe a completely new location altogether.  I would choose a decent stand location with great access over a great stand location with poor access any day of the week.  Just like the mature bucks that you pursue, choose your travel routes with the utmost care.

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