Originally Posted by nchawkeye

First, give us a good definition of "excellent deer hunter"...

Are we judging by how many B&C bucks a fellow has killed???
If so, I'm out, I've actually put buddies on my hot stands so they could as I could
care less about antlers...It's more of a chess game for me, figuring out what the current food sources are, knowing what calls to make during different phases of the season, knowing what thickets they seem to go to when everyone thinks they are nocturnal...

I don't mind killing bucks, but usually put 4-5 does in the freezer to eat...

Let's just say what areas do I see where other hunters can improve...

1) Food, it's amazing how little some hunters know about the whitetails diet...
Small example...Can you identify white oaks, pin oaks, chestnut oaks and red oaks and do you know what deer prefer...Can you tell if a deer has eaten an acorn or a squirrel by sign???

2) Terrain and habitat...Like bass fishing, deer follow structure...They may follow a hollow or cross a saddle, there are pinch points they follow, certain areas on a creek they cross, beaver dams they use...Some guys never quite get this...

3) Shooting or being familiar with your gun...I grew up squirrel hunting with a .22, head shots only...How someone can miss a deer at 50 yards is beyond me but it happens every year...I thinks children should be started and taught to hunt small game before moving to deer...Many guys would benefit by going back to basics and squirrel hunting...

Just a few things to consider...