Make the socials work for you

Every hunter has read the post. ‘You should have been here yesterday’ ‘Mate, I saw a massive stag just near that gate’ ‘We always see pigs in that creek line’ 

Information about past success, travels across the socials faster than a spooked Red Deer hind. While we can’t ignore the flow of information, hunting other people’s game, is very rarely a model for success. 

It’s a mistake that is often made, especially by new hunters, chasing last week’s opportunities instead of focusing on what the animals are doing right now. 

Understand that animals are constantly moving 

Game animals don't stay in one location waiting to be found. Their movements are driven by several factors, including food availability, water sources, weather conditions, breeding activity, and the very hunters that spotted them! 

A stag seen three days ago could now be feeding in a completely different valley. A mob of pigs reported in one creek system may have shifted a kilometre downstream in search of easier pickings. Even animals with relatively predictable habits can change their routines quickly when conditions change. The reality is old information becomes less reliable with every passing day. 

Use hunting information as clues 

The best way to approach hunting information is to view it as intelligence, not a shortcut. 

A report about animal activity can help identify a productive area or highlight a pattern worth investigating. It may tell you that deer are using a particular gulley system, pigs are active along a certain creek, or goats are frequenting a ridge system. 

What it shouldn't do is create the expectation that the same animals will still be standing in the same place when you arrive. 

Now, I’m a guy who likes sharing information, but rather than say something like, where are the Deer, ask something like? 

• Why do you think the game was there? 

• What kind of pick was about? 

• Where was the nearest water? 

• What kind of country? 

• Was the game on the move, or hanging around?  

  
  

These types of questions focus on future opportunities, not trying to recreate past success. Reading the country, the most successful hunters are the ones who know how to find fresh sign and interpret what the landscape is telling them. Learning to identify tracks, droppings, feeding areas, wallows, bedding sites, rubs, and trails gives you information that's current and relevant. Fresh sign tells you what animals are doing now, not what they were doing days or weeks ago. By developing these skills, you become the one with the information and more importantly the one with the Stag on the ground. Build your own game plan Every hunting trip should begin with observation and analysis. Use reports as part of the puzzle but never rely on them entirely. Spend time exploring. Search for fresh sign. Assess food and water sources. Pay attention to wind, weather, and hunting pressure. Let the current conditions shape your plan rather than a story you heard around camp. The bottom line Good hunters gather information. Great hunters verify it. Next time you come across some information, treat it as a starting point rather than a destination. Use it to understand the area, then do your own homework. Hunters who consistently fill the freezer aren’t hunting other people's game. They're finding their own – even if they start out with a little help from their friends.