If you hunt public land stay put let the impatient hunters do the work for you.Find natural funnels.I cant tell you how many times I've set up on funnels and had other hunters push deer to me......patience ,patience,patience.

Sit down and shutup.

what are you looking for during your early season scouting trips?

My # 1 tip for young hunters is not to measure the success or quality of your hunt in inches but rather in lessons learned, friendships made and good times had. Deer hunting is so much more than just killing a big buck.

Get out and work at hunting or you will never learn anything. You have to develop your own style. I would never do half the stuff already mentioned, but that is not the way I hunt. You have to figure out what works for you.

Watch out!!!!
 

Don't be a trespasser, or poacher. There ain't nothing worse! Up here in Michigan, we got something for ya!:happy0001:

http://www.wwmt.com/articles/oak-1381063-burr-corn.html

Believe scent elimination to a point.... This is the funniest element. it is religion to some and ignored by some. I have a buddy that has a trouphy wall of racks that he and his dad have killed. His dad smokes like a train and camoflauge is whatever piece of hunting clothes they have laying around. $300+ scent control outfit doesn't guarantee you a trouphy buck.

Understand your hunting property. Look for bedding areas, and feeding areas. Hunt bedding areas in the morning and feeding areas in the afternoon. If you understand where then you can truly hunt the travel locations and not get too close to the bedding area in the morning. Get there early, stay late and be extremely, extremely patient.

as I have gotten older and tired of cleaning deer... I would also repeat another post... set and watch the first few smaller bucks pass through. It makes you relax, gives you a little rush to enjoy what your doing, and gives you confidence to set longer. Not to mention it is good management. A lot of the times now I make it a game to see how close I can get, or how close they can get to me and if I can remain invisible to them. I've actually had deer bed down not 15 yrds from my feet and then after a nap have gotten up and fed towards me until they realize I am setting right there. Closest yet is 5 steps from my feet. No scent loc suit and laying on the ground.

hunting has little to do with skill and more about opportunity.
The guy in california hunting public land is less likely to kill a deer than the guy in Texas hunting a huge private ranch.

Bell Curve...
 

The most important lesson I have learned when being in the woods is the early bird gets the worm. Scientific research has discovered something that most hunters already knew. Deer do not move very much if at all during the midday, except during RUT. So if your a bow hunter get out there at least one hour before you are allowed to shoot anything stay quiet and still the less movement you make during twilight the point that deer are most aware of their surroundings the more opportunities you will have at getting what you want. Bell Curve has been discovered deer move more during the 30 minutes before and the 30 minutes after most hunting is done in the morning and late afternoon usually during bow season. So from my research and experience which is not much you really only have a one hour sweet spot during an entire day during bow season to shoot a deer. So long story short get out there early be still and keep your eyes open. you may just have the granddaddy of the woods strolling up on your back door pretty soon.