Hello,


I have asked this question in another forum, but I am wondering what some of your deer hunting tacktic' s and trick' s might be. This will be my first time in the deer woods this fall. I was granted an Illinois Shotgun Deer permit for the Medewin National Tall Grass Prairie. I from what I have read, assigned a spot and that is where I will be hunting from. There is one catch though, I guess I am only allowed to hunt within a 50 yard radius of my assigned spot. I do not have a tree stand, and will probably be hunting from the ground. I am looking at what appear to be ' turkey' blinds, do those work well for deer as well??

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Eric

Wind, smell, site, etc.. these all effect hunting. When you get to where you are going, stay as still as possible. Always keep an eye open, deer are like ghost they can move right in next to you and if your not paying attention you' ll never even know. Try to wash your clothes in a scent remover type soap I use baking soda. Then leave your hunting clothes outside if possible for atleast 2 weeks before you plan on hunting. Some folks like to put there clothes in a plastic tote with tree pine branches and leaves. If you do this, use the same type of leaves that are in the area you are going to hunt. One of the most important things is the wind make sure it is in your favor otherwise you' ll just be sitting in the woods enjoying the birds. Also remember your out there to enjoy it not make yourself famous, so have fun and be safe.

722 said it all,yes the blind will work but you have to move slow.Your head and sholders can still be seen.Best advice,have fun and learn.There' s always next year.

I have a slightly different tack on your expected hunt. Considering that you are assigned a specific plot it seems that your neck of the woods will be filled with lots of hunters. Get there very early, get comfortable and be still. On opening day in
my neck of the woods I can count on lots of deer being pushed around by hunters. As for scent, considering the number of people in the woods it might not make any difference, also since your assigned to a spot you really have no choice as to adjusting for wind direction etc. Alot of deer on opening day in crowded sections seem to throw scent caution to the wind and seem to concentrate on avoiding noisy people by silently moving and try to hightail it to the thickest most inaccesible area they can get to or head for the hills that few are willing to climb. (last year as soon as hunters started entering the public land bordering my land I had a herd of deer moving up the mountain, counted over twenty three in the first two hours though I did have wind direction in my favor) The good part is if they don' t see or hear you they will probably feel its safe. Number one thing for you is be quiet and still and DO NOT anticipate the direction the deer will come from. When they are on the move from hunters they will break from trails etc if required to get to their destination without detection, though there will probably be a general direction they do move in. Be ready for them to appear anywhere as if they were magically transported there. If your there early hopefully the late comers will push them towards you. Also make sure you practice shooting and are confident in your ability to hit what you aim at. I think alot of missed shots and opportunities by first timers and others are caused by people who question their own shooting abilities. Too many people miss an opportunity for a good shot because they are unsure if they can make it and when they finally decide to try anyway they have already missed the best opportunity for a good shot(and shouldn' t even be shooting). I truly feel that when you see a deer you should be able to get on target and be ready to pull the trigger within five seconds. I hear from alot of people how they waited till it could get in to range or better position and ended up blowing the shot. Not advocating shooting through bushes but you should be on target and then ready to pull the trigger as soon as the shot is clear. In my area if you can see the deer it is within shooting range, no open fields and shots across valleys here. Just remember that in your hunting scenario you have very little control or choice in your site or method of hunting. The only thing you do have control over is your ability to be quiet, still, (not stink if your into the scent thing), hit what you aim at, and act quick and confidently. Practice, practice, practice. If you can do all that any failure to get a deer won' t be due to your performance. Just an opinion so take it with a grain of salt. Best of luck.