green horn not sure where to start???????

[Marker]

As said above, an experienced hunter is good to learn from - and that is not me LOL. I remember when I started hunting I made every mistake in the book, but I kept at it and learned from talking to local hunters and reading books. The best author I have come across is J Eberhart, he has a few books out regarding bow hunting pressured whitetails - if you decide to bow hunt, he is a bit extreme but I follow about 1/2 of his advice and have experienced much better results.

I would also start managing the property as best as you can on a year round basis, there is a lot of good info about managing food plots, deer sanctuaries, and deer management on the net. You will also learn a lot about deer behaviour watching them throughout the year, and by hunting season you will be prepared for hunting instead of scouting.

I just finished planting some 2 yr old hybrid white oaks which should be dropping acorns in 7 years, I had planted some apple trees last year along with clover and some other ground cover. My hunting trees (about 10) are cleared out in spring, not fall, to allow time for the deer to acclimatize. This allows me to have multiple trees ready to go depending on the time of year and wind direction.

Good luck, let us know how you do.

[Cintax]

Plenty of good information posted here so far. Keep in mind safety, if you live near people know where your shots are going to go. Also, be sure you are using the correct firearm. If your property is south of the Severn you can pretty much count on it being shotguns, muzzle-loaders or bows only.

I would watch several youtube videos on how to gut and clean a deer. Then how to skin it. Have a butcher lined up who will do deer.

Butchering a deer is easy enough. I suggest the OP learns the skill himself or herself since it will be a life long skill and save a lot of money. Also, there is no guarantee you are getting your deer when you use a butcher.

I just finished planting some 2 yr old hybrid white oaks which should be dropping acorns in 7 years, I had planted some apple trees last year along with clover and some other ground cover. My hunting trees (about 10) are cleared out in spring, not fall, to allow time for the deer to acclimatize. This allows me to have multiple trees ready to go depending on the time of year and wind direction.

Where did you buy the white oaks?

[Marker]

[QUOTE=Where did you buy the white oaks?[/QUOTE]

I purchased some hybrid white oaks from Rhora's nut farm: http://www.nuttrees.com/hybrid.htm

I also have some non hybrid white oak first year seedlings in pots ready to plant, I can give you 2 or 3 for free if you are close to Burlington, they will need to be planted in a low lying moist (not wet) area with slightly acidic soil in full sun, and with a tree tube to prevent being eaten by rabbits. Those seeds I got from Michigan and Vermont so they come from a strain which can take a winter, but we are in the Northern part of the White oak's natural range so I would expect some loss.

[dutchhunter]

I would start with the hunting regulations ,find out what management unit you are in and what deer season you have for what firearms you can use check local bylaws as well ,you most likely have a bow season that starts in October and a shotgun season the you can hunt in ether November or December ,A mentor is a great way to start and if you have a place with deer on it you are ahead of the game and should have no trouble getting some one to help you with your quest ,,good luck ,,Dutch

[mitchell]

I relied on mentors to take me out and show me the ropes,I didn't have the luxury of having my own land I'm forever greatfull whatever u choose ur going to have years of fun!

[patvetzal]

Get to know the neighbours. Where, when and how they will be hunting. Spend as much time on the ground as you can, learning where the deer travel, and when. It is fine to read about other people's situation but yours might not be quite the same, for reasons not normally apparent.
Do your neighbours cut off the runs to your area? Do they normally hunt it because no one else does? Do their dogs run thru it, with or without the "dogger"? Can you make a deal to hunt with the neighbours? Would you want to?
Lots of questions that can only be answered on site....
I had one neighbour who told me that no one hunts his 400 acres, another neighbour who claims to get a deer on that same 400 acres every year...

[JMatthews]

I'm surprised someone hasn't made an offer to go out with you this year. ( other than Turkey Rookie!) I went deer hunting for the first time with a group of hunters that has hunted my property for over 25 years. I learned more by watching and listening than I thought possible. I was in there helping to gut and drag out shot deer and even managed to shoot one myself. After seeing what this group did, I feel really comfortable hunting with my crossbow this year.
Someone else mentioned seeing if your neighbours hunt. Might be a good idea to see if they are interested in having you join them.
Good luck!

[eljefeshuntshop]

Welcome! Always great to have a new hunter join the passion hobby. I was a green horn not too long ago myself and to be honest, YouTube, magazines and talking with friends is always a good place to start. When I began hunting with my buddies, who have been hunting since they were young, I just listened when they were speaking about various topics. I mostly only chimed in when I knew something on what they were talking about. I have since become more knowledgeable with my new experiences with those friends that I often have new ideas and input for the group.

I'm the first in my family to get a gun licence and to hunt so I know exactly where you're coming from. Land to hunt but no knowledge passed down from dad or family members. For me, I got lucky. I have friends who hunt and have land. I was quickly brought into the group so I didn't have to worry about getting land (although, someday I will get some land of my own for myself and my buds. My wife is always fighting this fact). I didn't always have people to talk to about it and quickly found that I could get a lot of my info from various media sources and my hunting friends when we were together.

I have plenty of magazines that I've read many times over and if you'd like I'll send some your way. PM me if you're interested and we can get that sorted. I'll leave that up to you.

Glad to have you with us!

-huntshop

[Richie Hastings]

As for gear I would get a few catalogues from different stores and keep them by the throne, where much is learned on a daily basis

[MikeyBl]

as many others sid, reading and youtube, then trail and error is where I started.