you have some nice deer hanging there newguy, very nice.

Here are some suggestions I have, i'm only 22, killed one "mounter," but I think I understand HOW to kill big deer. Knowledge is only part of it, application is the bigger part (and here lies my problem, ha ha). Others have probably already said everything I have to say, but here it comes.

First off, rack size/quality depends a lot on where you hunt. I believe you said you hunt in KY, on a large farm, so quality deer being around shouldn't be a problem for you.

* scent control. Make sure you go to GREAT extents to keep your scent to a minimum. You will never eliminate it, but you can take many precautions to make sure it stays at a minimum. Wash in scent free detergent, AIR DRY (if you can), if not use machine with several fresh-earth scented dryer sheets (your wife will probably hate you for this). Take it straight from the dryer to a scent free bag or tote. Pack it with some Fresh Earth scent wafers, or make a mixture of your own (pack a large sock full of earth from where you hunt, put everything from acorns to berries to topsoil with leaves and etc in it). This is to help mask whatever scents you will have on you, as well as help the clothes absorb the earth scent. Scent free wash before you go hunting, every time. Don't wear scented deodorant, wear no deodorant or scent free. Every time you store your clothes, store them back in the scent free container, not in your bedroom or living room, etc etc. DON'T walk behind your truck or fourwheeler if you have to get out to open a gate or anything. Don't contaminate your clothes with the exhaust smell. You can read more about scent free on here, but this will help get you started.

* be silent when entering the woods. Don't go tromping around, know where you're gonna go and get there. Plan out on how you're going to get there where you won't be going through bedding areas or even close to them. I would suggest hunting from a stand if you don't already. If you put up ladder stands, put them up EARLY. Don't do it a week before season. I would suggest putting them up two months before you start hunting. I just leave mine up all year round, and just check them to make sure they are safe every fall.

* spend lots of time in the woods, but don't hunt the same spot more than a couple times a week. The more you stomp through an area, the more chances you have of spooking deer from there. Have several spots to hunt throughout the season.

* stay awake in your stand. Some may laugh, but I know A LOT of people who sleep in their stand and simply figure that deer walking or w/e will wake them up. It's about 50/50 on whether I hear or see the deer first. You can't just have your ears open, you have to have your eyes open and scouring the woods. Be attentive, and stay quiet in your stand. Don't be playing a Gameboy or reading a magazine. If you go out in the woods to hunt, then hunt. (Personally, I do read a book in my stand. I check often to see if I see deer, but I also don't really care if I shoot a deer sometimes. Sometimes I just like the tranquility in the woods. If I am going to give my best effort at shooting a deer, I leave the book at home.) It's all about where your priorities lie.

* don't shoot the first deer you see. Especially don't shoot the first buck. I have been hunting many times and seen a small buck or some does followed by more deer 10-15 minutes later. Once there was a very nice buck walk out, but I had already used my buck tag[:@]. If you want a shoot a mounter, then don't bother shooting a buck you wouldn't mount. If you aren't seeing anything other than scrub bucks (as in, not seeing does either) and want meat, by all means shoot one, but try to wait until late in the season to do this, or wait until you won't be able to hunt anymore. You want your buck tag available, always, just incase. If you have the choice between a doe and a scrub buck, shoot the doe. How can a small buck grow into a big buck if he's dead? Some deer are 2-1/2 years old and have nice 8 point racks, but it's still a young deer that will GROW! That nice 8 at 2-1/2 will be a hog when he matures, or when he's about 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 years old. If you shoot a doe, don't stop hunting, especially if the rut is on. When the rut is on, bucks will run right up to her, dead on the ground.

* hunt with dedication. Don't go out 15 minutes before daylight. Get out there an hour and a half before daylight or so (depending on your local law regulations). Get out AS EARLY as possible. Make sure you hunt the first few hours of daylight and last few hours of daylight. These are the times where I see the most deer activity. I'd say two hours after sun up and two hours before sun down. Someone mentioned this earlier, and I have to agree.

This is about as much as I can think to offer right now. I wish you luck in your hunting, especially this weekend (I believe this is KY's last weekend of muzzleloader season?). Hopefully you bag a nice one.

Here is the one I shot this year. I did NOTHING that I suggested in this post, I just got lucky. Sometimes that's all it takes. He's not the biggest deer ever, but the biggest I have had the opportunity to take.



Good luck!