Deer Hunting Tips: Basic, but Tried and True

This November 25th, formally opens our rifle season for deer. No doubt many of you will be out there, and it’s likely that many of you will be hunting the public game lands.

The great thing about public lands is they’re public. The rough part is, deer on public lands are usually more wary than their private land brethren, and what’s worse, they’ve been listening to small game hunters traipsing around for months. They’re already on high alert.

It won’t get any better once the rifle hunters start making a racket.

So, with that said, here are some basic tips that might turn the tide in your favor this fall rifle season.

Cover Your Scent

Not all hunters use scent control, that is true, but doing so can give you an edge.

Make no mistake about it. Even though you can get close to deer while you smell like yourself, those encounters are 1000 to 1.

It’s better to try to control your scent as much as possible. Shower with scent free soap, keep clean, and keep your hunting clothes out of your closet.

In fact, one trick is to keep your hunting clothes sealed in a bag with leaves and dirt. This will help cover your scent and make what scent you do disperse smell like it came out of the woods and not out of your house.

Be Quiet

Even though scent is by far the largest deterrent to a deer, noise is definitely number two.

Don’t get sloppy or antsy while you’re in your stand, or when you’re going to or from it.

Be quiet with your truck door, gun case, and zippers, and walk slowly, and as silently as possible. One good way to tell if you’re too loud is to listen to the woods.

If the bugs stop calling, the songbirds start alarm calling, and the squirrels start barking when you walk by, you’re moving too aggressively and making too much noise.

You want the woods to take no notice of you. The same goes for when you’re in your stand. Move as little as possible, as any noise you make will spook any deer within earshot.

                                

Don’t Be Seen

Deer don’t have the same level of visual acuity as humans, and they’re more likely to see patterns than they are to see colors. That’s why your blaze orange might not spook them.

All the same, matching a pattern is much more important. That is, don’t use a different pattern on your camo shirt than you do on your rifle case or on your bibs. Be consistent and match the backdrop as closely as possible.

If You Aren’t a Good Caller, Don’t Call at All!

During the rut, rattling, snorting and wheezing can be a really effective way to draw in ornery bucks who drop their guard for a second thinking that there’s a rival male hoofing their turf.

But, there’s a catch. If you can’t call, or aren’t confident in your calling abilities, don’t do it. No sound is better than one made in the “wrong” accent.

Deer aren’t stupid, and if the cadence and tenor of your calling is off, they will avoid you more often than they will fly to you.

So, when in doubt, be still and silent.

Know the Signs

                  

Although not always, bucks will often revisit their scrapes and rubs. Look for young growth; anywhere saplings have the bark around their trees rubbed off, that’s sign of a buck.

The same goes for chewed overhanging limbs - that’s buck sign. Look for this, and see if you can get your stand in the vicinity.

Post Your Stand Over a Funnel

Funnels are habitat edges that deer naturally follow when they’re moving to and from food, water, and bedding areas.

Bucks will chase does up and back down these funnels throughout the course of a day. One trick is to look along the edge of a wood, or where a field breaks. Deer will follow these edges, and you should target them.

                   

Don’t Let Your Stand Ruin Your Chances of Success

Let us be very clear. What we mean is, don’t get sloppy when hunting from a stand.

Hunting from a stand will give you a better view of your surroundings, and will help prevent your scent from pooling around the ground, but you should still be very conscientious, alert, silent, and still.

Remember, a stand is not a blind.

Go Where Other Hunters Aren’t

Think for a moment. How often do you bump into other hunters when you’re within, like, 100 yards of wherever the state game land’s gravel lot is?

Most of the time, right? Go in farther. Get as far from other hunters as you can. Within a few days, deer will profile the movements of hunters and stay far, far away.

Your legwork will increase your chances of getting close to deer, especially as they recede from areas with a lot of hunter activity.

Be There When Other Hunters Aren’t

Show up early, and stay late. Hunt all of your legal light. This may make the difference between a punched tag and a boring season.

Deer will respond to hunting pressure by becoming increasingly nocturnal. This means your chances of seeing one moving very early or very late will be greater as time goes on.

Be Calm, Be Patient

It’s easier said than done, but try to keep your wits about you when a deer does materialize within range.

It’s way too easy to jump the gun and shoot too soon, or get nervous, think you’re going to miss your window of opportunity, and take a poor shot. Don’t do it. Wait for the right moment before dropping the hammer.

In the same vein, try to fight the boredom in your stand. It’s rough sitting out there for 3, 5, 8, even 10 hours at a time without seeing a deer.

Hang in there and listen. Sometimes, the squirrels and birds will tell you when a deer is moving in the woods. Also, sometimes rattling and snorting deer will betray their own positions.

Just be patient. It pays.

Too Late to Scout? Get Ready for Next Seasons Now

It’s too late this year for you to scout, but if you come up empty handed before rifle season closes and you have no plans to hunt the flinter season, make your resolution to start scouting now before next year.

Find the food sources, find the funnels, and read the tracks. You should spend more time scouting in the spring and summer than you do hunting in the fall.

The point is this: scouting is like studying and hunting is the test. You aren’t going to score well if you don’t prepare ahead of time.

So, if you didn’t scout enough this year, make sure to scout double time before next November rolls around.

Camo Shirts to Field Gear: Fatigues Army Navy Has You Covered

We’re here to help with last minute essentials. Either shop online or come visit us in store to stock up on some spare camo shirts, boots, outerwear, binoculars, blaze orange gear, or other hunting essentials before rifle season opens. It’s basically here!

Good luck and be safe.