Trying to hunt deer this year, tips please!!!

Hard to say, where do you live, what type of ground, (open wooded mountains etc), what kind of deer, (whitetail, muleys).

Start by getting a BLM (or simular) map and find out what is private, and what is public land. Then if private seek permission well in advance.

I dont go for baiting. Its illegal here and I dont consider it fair chase.

Best advise if to find a friend who is a avid hunter, have him take you hunting.

There is more to hunting then shooting critters, do you know how to dress a deer? Or To take care of the game after its dressed to keep it from spoiling.

Man there are too many varibles to attempt to answer the question 'HOW DO I HUNT"?
 
enjoy time in woods

i am older and have shot many deer so this may not be good advise for a new hunter, but when i go hunting i don't care if i shoot a deer. i find comfortable spot, where i can see an open area, and sit back and enjoy the woods. by being still and patient i see a variety of game and always feel blessed by God to be out in his creation.
 
That spot was WREAKING of apple cider by the time I left, there were 2 rubs, I think somethings going to nom nom nom on my apples : ) Im so stoked! My co workers at the gun store gave me 38 shells of buckshot LOL Im going to go pattern it. I have 0, 00, 000, and 4 buck. Ill see what it shoots best : ) So excited right now!

Im going out monday ill keep you guys posted hardcore. Thanks so much for all the help. I have washed my clothes in scent proof wash and put them in a bag. I have a hack saw, knife, gloves, and a garbage bag set aside....wishfull thinking? YEAH...but I plan to go out like 5 times this year on the 6 day season, and if I dont bag a motha' imna buy my extended season permit for 28 clams and get one of these babys THEN!

P.S. I cant shoot slugs out of my gun. To be legal you need irons or a scope. i have neither and im broke....so I wont be buying them...well I have a scope but no mounts for my shotgun.


EDit: P.S. Birdshot, yeah man im getting stoked just going out there, seeing the rubs, and putting the apples out. I just love the outdoors dude If I bag a deer though....ill be so excited : )
 
Farmland is correct that is alot of info for a post. Safety class is a must. A rifle would be better if legal were you are at with lots of practice. The best way would be to go with someone who knows what they are doing to teach you some methods. Like finding a good spot, making a blind, wind factors etc. Just gutting a deer sounds easy, and its not to bad to do. But it would be nice to have someone walk you thru it the first time. A few mistakes doing that, and you have lots of stuff you do not want on your meat. I am not trying to cop out on you, but having a partner to show you would be the way to go. Also having a partner is a safe way to do things. Good luck, and sorry about not being much help, but do try to find someone to go with the first few times.
 
the things that happen when i can't login all the time:mad:.


i hope all goes well. get yourself a metal ladder type treestand, dicks has them for 60 or 70 bucks 15' tall, and it comes with a safety harness. i got 1 over a month ago. its great:D.
 
I have duck hunted for about 5 years now im pretty good with hunting rules and regs and stuff
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Just went to the spot I scouted pre-season and there were yellow posters EVERYWHERE ... man I didn`t know it was private property this guy went post happy:mad: ]

Some states have very stiff penalties for hunting/trespassing without written permission, i.e. 1st offense=`s $500 fine or six mos. in jail.

Rule/Law #1: find out about property your hunting and obtain written permission if its private;).

Lavid2000, What state are you in?
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U are NOW addicted! The best thing I can tell you is go out and track them in the off season. Not were U plan to hunt it will spook them. watch them from far way (spotting scope) And remember this! If you dont want to walk,crawl or climb throught it the deer dont want to ether. find exscape roughts and bottle necks food sorce sleeping cover ALWAYS put the wind in your face. Dont fall into the sent game you WILL wast a lot of $$$$$$$$$$$$$ use baking soda I have taken deer with a cig hangen in my mouth, taking a ****, standing at the back of my truck maken coffe on the tail gate with the colman camp stove going. About the only time when I havent is when taking a dump and getten layed thats a bit cold but fun Yes what state Iam in MN? I use a small strap on deer stand and strap on steps and got back pack straps on it and a small back pack it is varry light and unsafe! But like U said 18! Iam in my mid 40's now but still climb up a tree 25 30 feet with no harness set up like a VC sniper and take deer with my bow. Now adays I would rather do that than get layed dont worry your day will come to LOL
 
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sorry guys I got banned and couldnt respond. i went out 4 days and got nothing....didnt even SEE anything. A buddy of mine let me borrow a stand and I bought some tree steps : ) I baited a spot with some corn, and since I got nothing I bought my extended season permit for 28 bucks. I have 32 days to kill something : P

Hopefully ill get something.

-DWB
 
lol nah not falling out yet. Ive been out 5 times, 6 day firearm is over. Moma got me the permit season as an xmas present. I ahve from january 2cnd through the 30th : ) I have like 30 lb of corn out and 6 apples. Ill get one of those motha's!!!
 
Where's the deer?

After gun season the deer have been run pretty hard, they go to cover very early also. I've seen coming out of the fields at about 4:30 to 5:00 AM. I was out all day yesterday in one of favorite spots and did not see anything. I even checked out normally well traveled paths (about 3" of snow) and saw no tracks of any kind. I had two guys driving for me and they never saw a print. So, now is a tough time. Keep going though because you sure won't see any if you don't. Give them a couple weeks, because they are creatures of habit, and they'll return to those habits. Read a lot on the internet, there's alot of good info there. You have snow now, so get out there and find some prints. Read up on stalking, that can be very rewarding. And just because you're 18 doesn't mean your immortal. "Be Safe"
 
Jersey Permit season

After battling the crowds my first few years in NJ I now do all my Jersey hunting during the permit season. Not that I've ever tested the liberal limits (unlimited in some zones) but I hunt all the way into mid Feb. Still hunting the thick stuff in the snow is great. Good pair of binocs is a must. Hang in there it'll happen.
 
couple tips....

For a good scent blocker suit, go to army/navy surplus store and get a chemical suit, you can usually get one for 40 or so bucks and they work, also they're already camo so its a double win. Just store them in the garage away from chemicals in a plastic bag when you're done, don't wash or you'll get charcoal all over the place. Remember that your scent comes mainly from your crotch and armpits, not your feet. It floats in the air then settles after you've already moved off. Rubbing yourself with a native plant (IE pine needles or mint) works well, just make sure its not poisen ivy or oak or some other noxious plant. Also smoke works remarkably well, just not cigerette smoke. Also don't smoke or dip in the tree, and take a big gatoraide bottle to **** in.

Baiting... usually illegal, highly immoral...but... Don't put it on trails... wouldn't you be suspicious finding a half eaten apple pie in the middle of your halway? Peanut butter ALWAYS works. But animals have to find it, become comfortable with it, and then come to eat it. They're not going to smell it in a day. Calls work better because they cover more area, but that takes some expertise, not something you'll aquire in a day. But animals are curious creatures and often they will creep up to investigate strange noises. I've watched deer waunder up on some crazy things, even sleeping hunters.

If its in Rut try some of those doe urine/scents. People have done really well tying a rag with 6 or so feet of cord and spraying the scent on that and dragging it behind them to the stand/tree.

DON'T try stalking. You'll be more likely to scare anything away than you would sneaking up on a deer. It'd be like a blind person wearing a leaf suit trying to sneak up on you in walmart. You arn't a woodsman (most people arn't) and you don't know what you're doing (no offense) besides you wouldn't know what to look for and you might end up at best ******* off other hunters or at worst, getting mistaken for a deer and end up shot because someone jumped the gun, didn't see you and shot at your rustling footsteps....

Know the range of your gun. Buckshot isn't exactly a long range round.... Don't shoot unless the deer is 50 or so yards away, if you don't know what 50 yards looks like measure it off before hand and practice judging the distance. Cause if you've never hunted I'm sure you can't follow a blood trail and there's nothing worse than wounding an animal and it suffering for god knows how long before finally dying.

Stay quiet and move slowly. I mean crazy slowly. Scan with your eyes before moving your head. One foot at a time, slightly crouched, one foot in front of the other, balancing and completely putting the weight from one foot down before picking the other foot up. Its slow, painful, and extremely hard to do, but it'll keep you from crashing through the bush and scaring everything away.

Shot placement. Shoot for the vitals. You've seen the deer targets, Aim there. Don't shoot unless you have a clear shot, broadside of the deer to ensure you hit something worth hitting and the deer dies.

Enjoy yourself
 
dont give up. some ppl hunt for a couple years before getting one. just make sure you do your homework and start scouting and looking for other places to hunt for next year.
 
There is definitely a learning curve involved with deer hunting. It is not about the gun so much as the deer. Take some hikes this summer in the area you want to hunt and start getting more familiar with the woods and perhaps deer patterns. Look for trails and so forth.
 
Baiting is fine if it is legal in your state. Baiting tends to bring in the smaller less savy deer and the more mature bucks wait until it's dark.

Since you are talking NJ, I would look for natural features that funnel deer as they move from the places they feed to the areas they bed down. It is harder when the topography is mostly flat or nearly flat, but the same principles apply. These funnels also tend to be good spots if there are hunters taking part in drives. In flat country, it may to your advantage to buy a deer stand (in the off season as they are cheaper) and perhaps use it to get you up off the ground where you can see better. Deer move differently during different times of the year and yes, hunting pressure causes them to move at night and often bed down in places that are thick (with a view).

Locate food sources. In particular look for oak trees as they will be dropping acorns during hunting season and are a major food source. All oak trees don't bear nuts every year, so you need to be familiar with the food sources in the area.
 
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