tazman7

This is my first year of hunting- I have been out twice now and the only thing that I have seen is a squirrel...Is there any books or anything that are a "must-read" about deer hunting?

It is kinda rainy/misty today and I dont have to work- I would probably be wasting my time going today huh?

partsjay

I am sort of new to this, but there are some great books out there that may help.....Advanced stand placement is a great read....your never wasting time out in the woods....try and learn something everytime out.....and you may not see deer everytime you go....hope this helps. Jay

RDHunter

Oh yeatheres all kinds of books and magazines you can read about hunting deer , here's a few to look for at your local library or favorite book shop.
Hunting Rutting Bucks by John Trout , Jr.
The Art of Whitetail Deception by Kathy Etling
Moon Phase Whitetail Hunting by Jeff Murray
You could learn alot by reading and watching videos and getting advice in here , good luck to ya.

tazman7

Thanks guys-

I think I have my ground blind in a pretty good spot- I am in shooting distance of multiple scrapes and 3 rubs! So I dont know...do they usually hit that stuff in the morning or late at night? I usually go out around 3:30 then stay until dark

Big Racks Clothing

Be patient, have faith, and be persistent. Right now, you're up against the full moon. I don't care what the experts say, hunting during the full moon ishard. You see very fewdeer during this time. I've noticed it seems to be better on me if I wait until after 9:00 am to get in the woods during a full moon. I just see more deer then. I've been hunting for over 30 years.
Most important thing to keep in mind is wind direction. If the wind isn't right for your particular stand/area that you'll be hunting, then stay out or hunt a different spot. You don't want your scent blowing in the direction that you expect the deer to come from.
Right now, white oaks are dropping in my area and the deer are eat 'em as fast as they hit the ground. Concentrate on food sourcesright now.

Big Racks Clothing

parkerchamp

Hey, Taz.


First, let me say welcome to the wonderful sport of hunting.


I'm not what anyone would call an expert on the subject, but I can tell you from personal experience that one of the biggest mistakes a hunter can make is to base a good hunting day on the weather.


To be a successful hunter, you can't be afraid to get a little cold or wet. Deer are living creatures, and on a daily basis, they have to have food and water. That means that no matter what the weather, they will move at some point throughout the day. They may not move as much as normal, but they will move. I've found that on some occasions they move more than normal.


What it really comes down to is this... In order to harvest a deer, you have to be in the woods...period. The more time you spend in the woods, the better your odds. Get a good rain-suit, and maybe even wear a couple of extra layers of clothes to stay warm.


As far as reading material goes, there are all kinds of magazines available to help you. One of my personal favorites is "Deer & DeerHunting Magazine".


Always think positive, no matter what the conditions, and good luck during your first season. Hope to see some pics of a monster from you soon.

tschammel

I have been lucky to have a father to teach me alot of things about hunting. Although at the same time I learned alot by reading deer hunting magazines and renting/buying videos. Just get every magazine sub. you can and read about peoples experiences/hunting stories, tech stories and just keep reading. You can gain alot of knowlege from doing this.

I noticed that you wrote "It's rainy and misty today and you don't have to work".From my experience over 17 years of hunting, any weather is hunting weather. Expecially rainy misty cold days, I've seen some of my biggest bucks when the weather is rainy misty and cold, it gets the deer up moving. Anything can happen once you get in the woods no matter what the weather, but nothing can happen when your sitting at home watching tv on the couch. A good hunter looks at miserable weather as just another challange and doesn't letitaffect their goal. Most of the midwest is experiencingcoldfront and rainy conditions right now, that means unusually coldweather forOctober and in my book that means unususallyactiveDeer movementfor October. GET OUT THERE!

tazman7

Thanks for your help- I think I will go hunting today...what the hell, I have nothing to loose right.

I shouldnt really be using any calls right now either right? Or scent attractants?

MichaelT.

Let me just clarify a couple of things, light rain, misty, cool, cold, and the such..... DEER LOVE. That is their weather. Hard driving rain,bitter cold white out type conditions or high winds...... Not so much. Deer come into rut ( breeding ) in the Oct., Nov. Dec. months. The bucks are more active now to locate does ready to breed. It is the time of year when they let their guard down a bit.... Mind you I did not say a lot, I said a bit. The only time I have seen them relax is about 2 weeks after the season ends until about 2 - 4 weeks before it begins again the next year. They notice the increase in activity in the woods, " their world ", They are more aware of every little blob in the trees, the slightest noise or movement might send them running till they get to the next county, so move slowly and quietly going into your blind. No skipping or whistling.

As was stated before, hunt near the food right now. The bucks are going to be stocking up on food right now, in preparation for the rut. Food places,before the rut, that is a key. Another key is before the rut and mainlyduring the rut, FIND THEDOES AND THE BUCKS WILL BE CLOSE BY. That was a loud whisper, like a secret being told. The buck want to breed. Guy wants a woman on a Friday night, He goes to the bar or local pub to find her. ( Not me.... but I am talkinga lot ofsocial guys in this world ). Thinking like a buck in rut !! LOL So that is a buck in the rut. The bucks run and chase and search for every available doe in heat they can find, so they can breed. When they are chasing the does is when they are most vulnerable. ( A woman will get you every time ).

Bucks do not really like being out in the open. They like edges. Shadows. Woods. They will come out into the open some, but they are not comfortable.

Ground blinds can be very effective, but also consider a good ladder, climbing, or fixed position stand to compliment the ground blind, and give you other places to hunt. Other ways to "trick" the deer. If done right, it is often easier to get the drop on a buck from up in a tree, than it is from on the ground. Your scent is less of a factor. Your shape and movement is less of a factor. Note: I did not say a lot less... but any help is better than none. Noise is always bad.

Is camo clothing absolutely necessary? NO ! Does it help? YES ! And you should always take precautions to be as scent free ( you and your clothes ) as humanly possible. Shower with scent free soap ! Limit activity so you do not sweat. Wash your clothes in scent free detergent. Is this a must do? NO! Does it help? YES!

And as previously stated, always pay close attention to the wind direction when deciding where to hunt.

Scents and calls: Right now, cover scents would be ok, but rut scents might be a little early. A lot of that depends on your demographic area, where you live and what phase the deer are in right now. Calls are more effective coming into the rut and during the rut. But be careful, because over use can and often will run deer off or at least cause them to be very leery. And it also will help them to pinpoint where YOU are. And don't think they are not good at it. They are pros at it. They have great ears and noses. They know really close to how far a noise is away from them when they hear it and in what direction it came from. And do not fool your self into thinking that bucks are better at it than does...WRONG. A doe will bust you in a heart beat.

I hope this helps you some.

Good luck and good hunting.

God Bless.

tazman7

WOW- thanks alot michaelT!!!

I drew a little picture because I was bored of the place that I hunt---tell me if you think I have my blinds in good spots...