Tips for new !SERIOUS! hunter
 

Seeking tips; I Am a young avid hunter looking to capitalise from others knowledge. I've had luck Hunting deer in the past with family but I am now trying to hon my skills on my own time. The area I hunt isn't like the mid west or down south it is thick, heavy, brushy, swampy, with lots of hills and mountains in between. I've heard deer like the mountains and ridge tops but see most the deer in small fields near homes. I've looked at topo maps around my area but it doesn't give you the knowledge I need to find the deer.

So basically am wonder how to find deer in thick timber with mountains during fall rifle season.

Basically SCOUT.

You will not be able to go to a sportsman's message board and be given a syllabus to make you an experienced hunter. As was stated above, get out and scout areas that look like they would hold deer, look for signs of deer, trails, scrapes, trees that have been rubbed by buck and when you find a place that has those things continue to scout and learn the lay of the land and how the deer travel in that area to determine the best place to go on stand. There are no substitutes for putting in the time and work to find a place that is good for deer hunting.

real simple, like others said, you wish to get good at something, best way is to go do it and earn your goal
trail and error can be a great way to get better at things, if you pay attention to your successes and failures and grow from them!
real simple things, are tried and true too
deer need basic's
food, cover, water and security
find places that have the most of these things and you will find deer

deer like forests and hills and such, BUT if there wide open, don;t hold food or cover to be safe there
your not going to find deer there often!
deer are seen more in fields, due to odds are fields hold more food in one locations as to spread out in a forest
then add in the FACT< many forested area's have grow old and do not make much good food or browse or cover, due to , things growing too mature, too much tree top cover to prevent new growth and fresh new saplings and good browse for deer to live on!

if you look up what deer like to eat and then find where it grows in YOUR area you hunt, you will do better finding deer this way, than many others IMO
set up between the foods they eat and the places they bed /hide for cover during the day time

What everybody else said. Your Fish and Game department should have some information on the area you hunt as well. Are you hunting public or private property? How often can you get to the property to scout? Does your family hunt that area as well? If so, they would be able to give you some info on the property and help you get up to speed quicker.