looking for advice

[73hunter]

So much great advice above, I am soaking it in too.

Took my first this year, after about 7 prior years of unsuccessful deer hunting……and believe me I was starting to wonder if I ever would. Someone above said don’t forget to have fun and that’s good advice….no matter how bummed I was about coming home empty handed…I still enjoyed the sunrise and the quiet.

[blasted_saber]

....and let's not forget that a bag corn goes a long way to bringing a deer in

[jdennis422]

Simply, these are the steps to becoming a successful hunter:
1) Learn whatever you can about your quarry including biology, physiology, basic needs, habits, and behaviour. Without a proper mentor, the only way to quickly pick up knowledge is to read books and magazine articles, and watch videos. The risk with this is that there is a lot of crap out there which can fill your head with nonsense. If there was one expert that I would recommend for deer behaviour it would be John Ozoga who worked as a deer researcher for the state of Michigan. He has several books out and “Whitetail Intrigue” would be a good first read. Leonard Lee Rue III also has good books. Many hunters, including some on this forum, downplay the importance of learning through books and videos and claim the only way to learn anything is through experience. In my view, “book learning” can quickly build a foundation that will complement practical experience. Book learning won’t teach you everything, but it can help you make connections out in the woods.
2) Learn woodsmanship which includes: map reading, using a compass and GPS, navigating in the woods without aids, tree and plant identification, how to maintain your gear, how to read sign, animal knowledge and identification, insect identification, basic geology and forestry, understanding current weather and forecasts… just to name a few.
3) Choose the correct firearm and sight. Whether it’s a rifle, bow, or crossbow you need to pick the right tool that will get the job done. It must be comfortable to carry as well as be a good physical fit. It also must be reliable.
4) Be a proficient shooter; practice regularly and shoot from different positions.
5) Learn and become proficient with different tactics and techniques and incorporate them into your repertoire. Don’t hunt from the same spot and in the same way every time. Be adaptive.
7) Hunt where the game is and base your expectations on the population density. Animals are not evenly spread out across the range. Agricultural areas tend to support more deer than forested areas. Deer travel from feeding to bedding areas. They often follow topographical or vegetative boundaries. Funnels or pinch-points are great places to intercept deer.
8) Hunt for as long as you are able to. Get to your stand early and stay late. Have a backup plan if plan “A” doesn’t work.
9) Be patient, use your time to watch, listen, and learn. Don’t rush to shoot, do it right.
10) Don’t always shoot the first one that comes along, or right away. Pay attention to what the animal is doing and why. You can learn a lot by watching animals interact.
11) Respect the animal’s senses. They can smell and hear better than you, and their vision doesn’t get enough respect. Pay attention to the wind as a deer will trust it’s sense of smell over anything else.
12) Learn from your mistakes (we all make them). What could you have done differently?

Successful hunting requires you to be in the right place at the right time. Having the proper foundation will help you get there.

There are many on here that would like to help you get your deer. You can reach out broadly through the forum or pm someone with questions. I suggest that you post an image of your area along with a description of what you are doing and seeing. You’ll get some suggestions on what to try.

thanks so much for taking the time to reply. very informative and exactly what I was looking for when I originally posted. I've got 3 young children and working full time, but every spare second i get is based around trying to better myself in the hunting world. I listen to podcasts all day at work, and read as many articles as I can and watch videos when the kids go to bed, just trying to improve upon such things as reading animal sign, or weather patterns etc. Lots of other great ideas in your post that I can work on. Thanks for taking the time!

[newbiehunter]

Simply, these are the steps to becoming a successful hunter:
1) Learn whatever you can about your quarry including biology, physiology, basic needs, habits, and behaviour. Without a proper mentor, the only way to quickly pick up knowledge is to read books and magazine articles, and watch videos. The risk with this is that there is a lot of crap out there which can fill your head with nonsense. If there was one expert that I would recommend for deer behaviour it would be John Ozoga who worked as a deer researcher for the state of Michigan. He has several books out and “Whitetail Intrigue” would be a good first read. Leonard Lee Rue III also has good books. Many hunters, including some on this forum, downplay the importance of learning through books and videos and claim the only way to learn anything is through experience. In my view, “book learning” can quickly build a foundation that will complement practical experience. Book learning won’t teach you everything, but it can help you make connections out in the woods.
2) Learn woodsmanship which includes: map reading, using a compass and GPS, navigating in the woods without aids, tree and plant identification, how to maintain your gear, how to read sign, animal knowledge and identification, insect identification, basic geology and forestry, understanding current weather and forecasts… just to name a few.
3) Choose the correct firearm and sight. Whether it’s a rifle, bow, or crossbow you need to pick the right tool that will get the job done. It must be comfortable to carry as well as be a good physical fit. It also must be reliable.
4) Be a proficient shooter; practice regularly and shoot from different positions.
5) Learn and become proficient with different tactics and techniques and incorporate them into your repertoire. Don’t hunt from the same spot and in the same way every time. Be adaptive.
7) Hunt where the game is and base your expectations on the population density. Animals are not evenly spread out across the range. Agricultural areas tend to support more deer than forested areas. Deer travel from feeding to bedding areas. They often follow topographical or vegetative boundaries. Funnels or pinch-points are great places to intercept deer.
8) Hunt for as long as you are able to. Get to your stand early and stay late. Have a backup plan if plan “A” doesn’t work.
9) Be patient, use your time to watch, listen, and learn. Don’t rush to shoot, do it right.
10) Don’t always shoot the first one that comes along, or right away. Pay attention to what the animal is doing and why. You can learn a lot by watching animals interact.
11) Respect the animal’s senses. They can smell and hear better than you, and their vision doesn’t get enough respect. Pay attention to the wind as a deer will trust it’s sense of smell over anything else.
12) Learn from your mistakes (we all make them). What could you have done differently?

Successful hunting requires you to be in the right place at the right time. Having the proper foundation will help you get there.

There are many on here that would like to help you get your deer. You can reach out broadly through the forum or pm someone with questions. I suggest that you post an image of your area along with a description of what you are doing and seeing. You’ll get some suggestions on what to try.

Thank you. Just picked up white tail savvy by Leonard Lee Rue III. Looks like a very good read.

Sent from my moto g(8) power using Tapatalk

[Big Jack]

I’d say get up a tree and get quiet!