I didnt start hunting until I was 26, this will be my third season and my first out alone. To make things even worse im hunting an area im not familiar with. I will be hunting near the lake of the ozarks on public land , also a first . So if anyone has any advice at all it would really help calm my nerves. And on a side note I bought a primos hardwood grunter call and have no idea how to use it so if someone could explain that to me it would be awsome. Thanks in advance.
help a new hunter out
- Thread starter roachcore
- Start date
Not much advice here. Just know you arent the only adult rookie out here. I grew up in a non hunting family. I mooched here and there and got put in stands,never really learned how to hunt a deer.Now I have a few friends that hunt and b/t asking ?'s and reading I have a little knowledge. Still figuring it all out. Find some food, find a trail, what about the wind, will the sun be in my eyes, where will my bullet stop? All things we must know,the last one for sure. Good luck....I still have not had a shot this year, been about 7 times. Don't get frustrated.
i would get a hunting video to see how to use the grunt call, or youtube. As far as hunting by yourself, you will learn more than anybody can teach you. I dont know where you are hunting, but if it is big woods I would be careful not to simply get lost. You learn more about deer by just watching their body language than anone can teach you. It's a trial and error game. Best of luck.
Uncle Buck
New member
Is thee no chance you can get down there a day early and walk the area?
If not, at least wait until daylight so you can see where you are going. Much to easy in unfamiliar terrain to trip on a log or a stump, stumble and end up hurt.
Get some markers ribbon, in the fluorescent orange and tie it to trees along your path going in.
Some of the national parks land in the Ozarks butts right up against private land owners property. I would hate to see you hunt over someones cabin or worse, take a shot and have a cabin appear in the backstop area.
Also, be careful about how far in you go to hunt, unless you are using a two wheeled cart to pull your game out. Any game you kill will have to be dragged out and you can add 25 pounds to every 100 yards dragged. Fifty pounds if you are pulling it uphill.
Good luck to you and let us know how you make out.
If not, at least wait until daylight so you can see where you are going. Much to easy in unfamiliar terrain to trip on a log or a stump, stumble and end up hurt.
Get some markers ribbon, in the fluorescent orange and tie it to trees along your path going in.
Some of the national parks land in the Ozarks butts right up against private land owners property. I would hate to see you hunt over someones cabin or worse, take a shot and have a cabin appear in the backstop area.
Also, be careful about how far in you go to hunt, unless you are using a two wheeled cart to pull your game out. Any game you kill will have to be dragged out and you can add 25 pounds to every 100 yards dragged. Fifty pounds if you are pulling it uphill.
Good luck to you and let us know how you make out.
Another adult rookie. I haven't gotten into hunting much untill the last couple years, and last year my work kept me away much of gun season, then my son was born, so I really didn't hunt much at all.
hang in there! Learn from your mistakes and have fun! Most of all, do things safely.
hang in there! Learn from your mistakes and have fun! Most of all, do things safely.
Inhimwelive
New member
Hunting
I taught myself how to hunt 25 years ago.. My father hunted but he was gone when I was 5 years old.. I learned some from reading Outdoor life and Fur, Fish and Game.. A lot was trial and error.. 1st Keep the wind in your face.. 2nd take a lesson from the deer. Use your eyes and ears to scout an area not your legs.. In other words really look over an area before you move into or through it.. Also make sure you either have a compass or GPS and really know how to use it.. Definitely take a survival pack especially since you will be alone in unfamiliar surroundings. If you have any specific questions feel free to ask... God bless, Kevin T
I taught myself how to hunt 25 years ago.. My father hunted but he was gone when I was 5 years old.. I learned some from reading Outdoor life and Fur, Fish and Game.. A lot was trial and error.. 1st Keep the wind in your face.. 2nd take a lesson from the deer. Use your eyes and ears to scout an area not your legs.. In other words really look over an area before you move into or through it.. Also make sure you either have a compass or GPS and really know how to use it.. Definitely take a survival pack especially since you will be alone in unfamiliar surroundings. If you have any specific questions feel free to ask... God bless, Kevin T
Hey there roachman, the first thing I'd do is ask somebody at work or any friends that hunt, or church also if you go. As far as being limited to land near the LOZ area,, do this also, go to the Missouri Department of Conservation website, and order you an Atlas, they cost about 25.00 and it gives a list of every county in Missouri, and where to hunt and fish on MDC properties. I am still using an older one, (maybe santa will bring me a new one this Christmas) but it will tell you of all conservation areas around you that you can deer hunt on. And listen: PRESCOUT YOUR AREA BEFORE OPENER!!!!!!!!!!
And maybe buzz up to Columbia to Bass-pro, they'll be glad to help you learn how to grunt those bucks. I learned from watching hunting videos, the more you watch the more you will learn. Uncle buck is right mark your path, it will help. AND REMEMBER IF YOU CARRY IT IN, YOU CARRY IT OUT!!!!! gOOD LUCK AND HAPPY HUNTIN DUDE!!!
And maybe buzz up to Columbia to Bass-pro, they'll be glad to help you learn how to grunt those bucks. I learned from watching hunting videos, the more you watch the more you will learn. Uncle buck is right mark your path, it will help. AND REMEMBER IF YOU CARRY IT IN, YOU CARRY IT OUT!!!!! gOOD LUCK AND HAPPY HUNTIN DUDE!!!Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
I recommend a USGS topographic map of your proposed hunt area. The "7-1/2-minute quadrangel" should be available from any architect/engineering supply store which sells surveying and drafting equipment and material.
It's wise to let somebody know where your jumping-off point will be, approximately, and about when you expect to get back home and tell them, "Hey, I'm back."
I've never used a grunt call, but I'd guess that a few not-very-loud grunts and a few-minute pause between calls would be reasonable. Maybe some of the hangers-on at your local gunshop could help, but get more than one opinion.
Try to find back issues of "The American Hunter" or such as "Outdoor Life" or "Field & Stream". Browse through for articles on using terrain and deer habits for places to set up. You'll usually find these in the summer and fall issues.
Don't worry about camo and all that stuff, or scent block or whatever. Learn to work with the wind, trying to keep it pretty much in your face or from the side as you either stalk quietly or sit and watch likely areas. Deer notice motion, and work mostly by what they can smell from upwind.
In general, big bucks will bed down just below the crest of a ridge or rise, and on the downwind side. Commonly, near any sort of saddle or swale. When spooked, they run uphill and upwind through the saddle.
Does and little bucks might be "any old where" and will run in whatever direction lets them get away the fastest and easiest.
A deer's attention span is maybe twenty minutes or so. If you mess up and make some noise, just sit down and be still for a while and let the woods calm down. I know hunters who have shot a buck from a tree stand and then just continued sitting for another twenty or thirty minutes and shot another buck--never having done anything with the first kill. You never know...
It's wise to let somebody know where your jumping-off point will be, approximately, and about when you expect to get back home and tell them, "Hey, I'm back."
I've never used a grunt call, but I'd guess that a few not-very-loud grunts and a few-minute pause between calls would be reasonable. Maybe some of the hangers-on at your local gunshop could help, but get more than one opinion.
Try to find back issues of "The American Hunter" or such as "Outdoor Life" or "Field & Stream". Browse through for articles on using terrain and deer habits for places to set up. You'll usually find these in the summer and fall issues.
Don't worry about camo and all that stuff, or scent block or whatever. Learn to work with the wind, trying to keep it pretty much in your face or from the side as you either stalk quietly or sit and watch likely areas. Deer notice motion, and work mostly by what they can smell from upwind.
In general, big bucks will bed down just below the crest of a ridge or rise, and on the downwind side. Commonly, near any sort of saddle or swale. When spooked, they run uphill and upwind through the saddle.
Does and little bucks might be "any old where" and will run in whatever direction lets them get away the fastest and easiest.
A deer's attention span is maybe twenty minutes or so. If you mess up and make some noise, just sit down and be still for a while and let the woods calm down. I know hunters who have shot a buck from a tree stand and then just continued sitting for another twenty or thirty minutes and shot another buck--never having done anything with the first kill. You never know...
As has already been mentioned, a prior scouting trip would surely help you out. If you've got a GPS it could also be very helpful finding your pre-scouted, located hunting spot the day of the hunt. Also, you can take your cellphone to see if you get reception in case of an emergency.
If no prior trip is possible, along with the topo map Art suggested, if you google 'Planet Earth' you can get a very good overview of the area you plan to hunt. It will show you actual pics. of the terrain you plan on hunting.
Also, along with informing someone of your where-abouts and approx. return time, take a small basic first aid kit. There was a good thread here not to long ago with some very good suggestions.
Don't know what time your season comes in, whether you'll be bow or gun hunting(assuming your talking about gun season), whether your deer will be close to or in pre,full,post rut or how much hunting pressure you'll experience so it's hard to say how you should use your call. At any rate, if hunting pressure is low, a couple low grunts every 20-30 mins. won't hurt (unless deer busts you moving your arms to call).
If it's gun season and anything like aroud here, after the first few hrs. of opening morning you can leave your calls at home cause the deer are just running for survival.
If no prior trip is possible, along with the topo map Art suggested, if you google 'Planet Earth' you can get a very good overview of the area you plan to hunt. It will show you actual pics. of the terrain you plan on hunting.
Also, along with informing someone of your where-abouts and approx. return time, take a small basic first aid kit. There was a good thread here not to long ago with some very good suggestions.
Don't know what time your season comes in, whether you'll be bow or gun hunting(assuming your talking about gun season), whether your deer will be close to or in pre,full,post rut or how much hunting pressure you'll experience so it's hard to say how you should use your call. At any rate, if hunting pressure is low, a couple low grunts every 20-30 mins. won't hurt (unless deer busts you moving your arms to call).
If it's gun season and anything like aroud here, after the first few hrs. of opening morning you can leave your calls at home cause the deer are just running for survival.
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grubbylabs
New member
Good optics (not expensive ones) and I high place to glass from is the best thing to do. If you go walking you will spook lots of deer that you will never see. If that is not practical then sit on water or food. But walking unless you have a place you want to go is pointless. The deer smell and hear you before you are even there and then they are gone and you will never know there were deer around.
advice
if not already said
move slow, play the wind, know your gun and yourself (what you can/cannot hit) good binocs - and glass glass glass.
cold there? dress warm no fun when your feet are frozen.
most of all enjoy and don't get caught up measuring success by number of points
if not already said
move slow, play the wind, know your gun and yourself (what you can/cannot hit) good binocs - and glass glass glass.
cold there? dress warm no fun when your feet are frozen.
most of all enjoy and don't get caught up measuring success by number of points
Kreyzhorse
New member
I'll echo Art's advice, use the grunt call sparingly and softly.
The most important part of hunting is stilling as still as possible. Deer notice motion. If you do get a chance at one, move slowly when you can. Don't move until the deer is looking the other way. If you do get busted by the deer but he doesn't run, he'll likely forget about you if you don't make any further movements.
Good luck.
davlandrum
New member
Or use cheap TP. That will decompose with time, the marker ribbons don't. Marker ribbons are everywhere where we hunt (public land), between the hunters and marking of timber sale boundaries. We used to bring a different color or outlandish pattern of marker tape (pink polka-dot,etc.), but even that doesn't work any more...
Calm down and relax Try to remember those things you learned going out with others I don't know about grunt calls I don't use them. Dress warm limit your time in the field this time. In other words don't stay out all day. Call it a day early this time around Do you know what you need to know about field dressing.Remember to tag. Like someone else said you won't be the only one out there alone. Remember all those things you should have with you. First aid kit, cleaning kit for the rifle,additional ammo,. cell phone, flashlight, food, rope, batteries, extra socks, wet weather gear. Let someone know where you'll be hunting Keep your wits about you and have a good time Bag that Buck