RE: Newbie Help
Deer are prey -- other animals eat them. Because of this deer are very cautious and want to stay hidden. When deer move, they generally like to keep out of sight as much as possible, yet they are also looking for the "easy path." Look for places where deer can move between their bedding areas and eating areas by an "easy path" that provides some security.
In accordance with their prey nature, deer generally eat in low light circumstances and remain on "beds" during high light conditions eating their cud (regurgitated food that they swallowed down when "eating"). "beds" are areas of cover such as brush or high grass that hides the deer and yet permits them to detect the approach of predators -- sometimes on the ridges of hills.
Generally, deer eat at first light and move from eating to bedding areas in the first two hours of light of the day -- from 30 minutes before sun-up to 2 hours after sun-up -- and from bedding areas to eating areas ni the last two hours of light of the day -- from 2 hours before sun-down to 30 minutes after sun-down. These are generally the best times to hunt deer. Find an appropriate place to see deer as they are moving at these times of day and shoot one!
Be sure the area you are hunting contains deer. If you hunt where there are no deer, your hunt will be unsuccessful. I don't mean everyday, I just mean don't hunt where there hasn't been a deer show up for the last 5 years. YOu want a place where you can expect to find deer footprints and deer poop around, even if on any given day you might not be able to spot fresh sign.
Try to conceal yourself. Wear a camoflage face mask that prevents your face from reflecting light to the deer as you turn you head. Sit in the shadows. Sit with something breaking up your shade behind and/or in front of you, such as low brush. When you move, move very slowly. Do not look directly into the eyes of the deer, this spooks them, avert your gaze. Don't conceal yourself on the trail of the deer otherwise they won't show up. Conceal yourself off of the trail but overlooking the trail.
Practice with your rifle so you know you can hit where you shoot. This means sighting in your rifle just before you go hunting. This also means practicing from field positions with the ammunition you will use on your hunt.
Have a plan for how you will get the deer out of the woods. Have a length of rope available to tie onto the deer which may make dragging it out easier. If you have a friend, you could find a stout pole and tie the two front legs together and the two back legs together and carry the deer swinging from the pole, with the pole over the shoulders of the two carriers. Have a plan. Most people field dress their deer -- am I right, gang? -- so you should carry an appropriate hunting knife and have an idea of how to gut your deer. Be careful not to cut yourself when gutting your deer.Do you need to check your deer in by Florida law? Where is the closest check station? What will you do with the carcass of the deer after you check it? Do you plan to pay to have another process the deer for you or to butcher the deer yourself? Have a plan ready. Deer meat may spoil quickly after death if the meat is not cooled promptly, and Florida -- like my adopted state of Texas -- tends to have lots of warm weather.
Stick with it. I shot my first deer on the last day of hunting season, 15 minutes after sun-down, with only 15 minutes left in the legal hunting day. I shot my doe this year with only 10 minutes left of legal shooting light (on opening day). Don't assume because nothing has happened for 3 hours while sitting bored out of your skull that the biggest bruiser in the woods isn't going to walk out in front of you in the next 10 seconds. That is how it works. Nothing, absolutely nothing happens . . . and then suddenly the deer is out there in front of you and it is show time. And the deer isn't going to stand still for you to shoot it indefinitely. Make up your mind promptly what you are going to do -- shoot or not shoot -- and implement your decision before the opportunity goes away. I'm not suggesting you rush your actions, but that you act in the understanding that your time is distinctly limited.
Take toilet paper with you for when nature calls.
Good luck! You will love it.