Deer hunting ? Any scouting tips for me?
Deer Hunter Guide | December 11, 2008 | 4:01 pm
Huntermom asked:
I’ve only been hunting for two years now. I got my first buck last season, but I sat with my husband all the time. I’m wanting to scout out my own big bucks. Any good tips?! We have several properties to hunt, but I’d like to concentrate on one and find the biggest buck on it.
LACEY
I’ve only been hunting for two years now. I got my first buck last season, but I sat with my husband all the time. I’m wanting to scout out my own big bucks. Any good tips?! We have several properties to hunt, but I’d like to concentrate on one and find the biggest buck on it.
LACEY
Be Vewy Vewy Quiet…
This isn’t a specific answer but it will help unlike ol’ mikey p.
When I want to scout out big bucks, I use squirrel season as an excuse. Squirrel hunting lets me take time to figure out where all those tracks are going.
In three years of doin’ it I have accidentally killed one squirrel, but found a whole heckova lotta deers.
Good luck!
Hard to answer in just a few words.
Look for crossing trails. Rubs. Water crossings. Sites where the have bedded down.
Look for oak trees, they do like acorns. And if in a farming area, follow the fence lines- Look for tracks going to and from fields.
Prevailing winds should of course be in your face. And pick locations where you can hunt with the sun to your back.
If using a tree stand(s) place the stand where it will give you a good view of feeding areas. trails from the feeding areas to bedding sites.
Place your stand about 20 yds off of their trails.
A common mistake for newer hunters is leaving their stand to quickly..Get bored, cold,hungry..Thus be patient.
As a rule. Deer will feed all night when the moon is out. And not be moving much until mid day on.
Cloudy nights they will be out earlier in the mornings.
A good book for newer–and also experienced hunters is the Deer Hunters Bible.
Hunt a spot that has apple tree or trees in the woods*…
In short hand form, by the time the rut gets here, hunt the does, because when its that time of the year, the boys will be with the ladies. Everyone else is right trails, food, lay of land, are all things you have to know, but in short hand form it all of that comes down to one thing, when the ruts on where are the does. Find them and you’ll find the bucks.
up wind and move 2 steps in 30 seconds
Try natural “funnels” between wood lots, swamps, and thicker areas. Look up your hunting area on Google Earth or Yahoo Maps to get a “birds eye” sattelite view. Places between bedding and food sources also produce more deer sightings before it gets too dark. You should start now, spend a few evenings every week out in the woods in different areas to get a good feel for what’s in your woods. The advent of the digital trail camera has made it easier, some might say too easy, to scout several areas at once, and 24/7.
Put the extra work in, walk a little farther than the next guy and you’ll be rewarded. Big bucks got that way by avoiding the easy areas!
Hi,
I love it when other woman get out and hunt. I have been hunting for many, many years. My father started me on it and I have been doing it ever since.
Here are just a few tips I use when I go out hunting.
One important thing is to be scent free.
Wash your clothes but do not use ultra violet laundry soap.
After drying, place clothes in a drylock bag or garbage bag
Spray down your clothes with some sort of scent elimination product
If you are hunting in extreme heat and you begin to sweat, you may want to reapply that scent elimination product.
Gumoflage makes a product called chloroflage for body scent elimination you may want check it out.
Chewing the gumoflage scent elimination gum to eliminate your breath odor.
I have been successful by using these tips when hunting. I hope you are too.