First time Deer hunting

[pjc]

Re: First time Deer hunting

oopppsssssssssssssss...trigger happy on the mouse, double post

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: First time Deer hunting

It is a bit too early for the rut. The rut comes on when the amount of daylight in a day gets down to a certain point. That brings the does into estrous and then the bucks kick into rut. Around here you can pretty much count on the last week of October to see the rut kicking in.<br /><br />May the scene under your stand look like this. <br />Good luck out there.<br /><br />

 

[dakk1]

Re: First time Deer hunting

Never hunted with a bow and arrow. Shotguns mostly. You guys that can kill a deer with bow and arrow have my respect. I was wondering though, what percentage, roughly, are actually clean kills as opposed to how many turn into a tracking exercise. <br /><br />Dave..

 

[Fly Rod]

Re: First time Deer hunting

Can only speak for myself!!!<br />Out of the last dozen or so 3 dropped in their tracks and the rest have gone no futher then 70 yards!!! A few were hard tracking because of no blood trail!!! One deer took me 2hrs. to find and I must have walked by that sucker 3-4 times, it must have zigged when I thought it sagged!!! I pass up shots and let the deer go when and if I can't get a humane shot(heart area)!!!! I practice by shooting about 30-40 arrows three times a week from the ground, from a ladder and from the house roof and I practice 30-40yard shots!!! up to 30yds. is my kill zone, 40yds. OK and 50yds. terrible!!!<br /><br />There are alot of varibles when bow hunting!!! The height of the tree canopy is difinitly going to effect the distance of the yds. you can shoot from, wind also plays a big part!! The area that I hunt you are lucky to get a 30yd. shot!!!

 

[one more cast]

Re: First time Deer hunting

Back when I bow hunted I prefered the still hunting method. I discovered that if a deer spotted me then the best thing to do was to act like a deer. I would bend over so as not to look human,and reach up and pull leaves from a tree or kick up leaves from the ground with my hand. Most of the time the deer would get bored watching my behavior and go back to feeding. I hope no one ever seen me do this but it worked.

 

[Booner]

Re: First time Deer hunting

M&R: lots of good advise already but I will add<br />Start watching the deer movement in the evenings to see where they are coming out to feed. And if you can watch early mornings too. Don’t get to close. I use a spotting scope and watch from a distance.<br /> As food sources change the deer will patterns will too.<br />Sent control is very important if a deer smells you then its game over. Use the wind to your advantage. <br />If you hunt from a tree stand use a safety strap/belt I know of several hunters that have fallen out their tree stand. <br />Practice, practice and when you think your good practice some more. One mistake that beginning archers make is they will shoot too much in one practice session. I like to shoot only about 20-30 arrows during a practice session then stop but will try to shoot every day.<br />The Rut happens in three phases per rut, rut, and post rut. In MO mid to late Oct you will see lots pre rut activity. The rut will be somewhere about the first week of Nov thru about the third week give or take a few days. Like Flathead said its all about the lost of day light that triggers the rut. <br />During that time you need to stay on stand all day as the bucks are looking for and chasing receptive does. I like hunting on the edge of a beading area during this time. Not inside the beading area. <br /><br />Good Luck!<br /><br />PS: I am an archery hunter I shoot a Hoyt. <br />Have killed four Pope and Young P&Y class deer.

 

[Wimperdink]

Re: First time Deer hunting

Originally posted by Booner:<br /> <br />If you hunt from a tree stand use a safety strap/belt I know of several hunters that have fallen out their tree stand. <br />

sorry to chuckle booner but I just moved from south of KC and, if I heard a story about someone falling from a tree stand, I knew I would hear it had something to do with that lil purple crown royal bag they had with them.

 

[aspeck]

Re: First time Deer hunting

DD and I would get along well in the woods. I prefer to walk and stalk, or even drive deer, than just sit. Guess my ADHD kicks in and I gotta move!<br /><br />All methods that work for you are good methods. Best advice I could really give you is to:<br /><br /> #1 spend time in the woods, get to know the deer, their habits, their routes, etc.<br /><br /> #2 get to know your weapon intimately. Get to know the feel of it, get used to shooting while standing, sitting, kneeling, laying down. Get used to shooting up a hill and down from a stand. Practice shooting in the woods, and in fields. It is a lot different shooting when there are sticks, leaves, and tall grass in the way.<br /><br /> #3 Get familiar with judging distances. It is difficult to judge 30 yards when you are in the woods and there is a big buck standing there looking the other way. Adrenaline does strange things to your mind and body. So you need to get real familiar with what you are doing so you can do it while under the influence of adrenaline.<br /><br />Good luck, and have fun!

 

[jspitzer]

Re: First time Deer hunting

spend a little time in the woods and find their trails.look for scrapes and rubs. and remember shooting at a target is a lot different then shooting at the real thing, so practice a lot. I've been bow hunting for 10 years now and I like it more each year. Good luck to you.

 

[carrotsnapper]

Re: First time Deer hunting

Originally posted by JRJ:<br />

Originally posted by txswinner:<br /> Do NOT forget to pee on your hat and gloves to cover the scent.

Good grief Every hunter knows to use female scent

So you get your wife to pee all over your clothes? Huh! Sounds great. Actually I have hunted with a bow since I was 15. Never forget that bull moose that walked out of the trees. Scared the bejeebers out of me. Good luck. It is a great sport. Mark

 

[mikeandronda]

Re: First time Deer hunting

Thanx for all the Advise people.....But I can tell you there aint nobodys pee going on me or my stuff........Flahthead, I so would be happy with just a doe.....if I see something like that under my tree I will be as happy as a man can be .....well almost. The spot I have picked out for my stand has water(pond) to the back of me( bout 50-60 yrds) A trail about 20-30 yrd in front of me that comes from a corn field to the pond.......I figure water and food and when I was there Sat there was 2-3 really good trees to be in. Looks good to me anyways. Friday I have a disaster relief class with the red cross and after that I plan to spend as much of the weekend scouting the area and target practicing. I do like the dea of stalking a deer........maybe Gun season.

 

[Realgun]

Re: First time Deer hunting

Do NOT forget to pee on your hat and gloves to cover the scent.

Will you stop pretending to be a hunter. Just let him kill the deer for you. Better than you hitting a deer due to so many cause you can't hunt them. What a waste!<br /><br />PETA its whats for dinner. <br /><br />People Eating Tasty Animals. mmm mmm good!