deerhunter1224

I havent gotten a deer in 4 years. I hunt a area that has a high number of deer. Alot not all of the hunters that I know that hunt close to me get a deer every year some of them more then one. I do have deer that walk past my stands. I shot at two deer last year and missed. The other deer that walked past my stand either the shot wasnt right or I just let them walk. I think I am doing everything right. I just get a bit upset I put alot of hours in scouting and sitting on the stand then I show up empty handed at the end of the season.

North Texan

DH, can you elaborate on your setup? Are you near a field, trail, feeder, etc.? Do you use a stand, tripod, blind?

Everybody has dry spells. I have picked spots that seem to have all the right things going, but don't see deer. Then sometimes I have just been walking and sat down, only to see deer come from every direction. But after a few years of hunting I have found ways to help improve my luck. Tracks, rubs, scraps,, etc. indicate good deer locations. The one thing that I have found is that they don't indicate timing. Deer, like humans, are creatures of habit. I discovered while coon hunting one night that my deer spot did have deer, it was just that they hit it well after dark when only moonlight was shining. Other times I have been snake hunting around noon and seen deer at other hunter's stands. They said they weren't seeing any deer. Its because they were hunting from early morning till about 10:00, going back to camp, then hitting the stand again in the afternoon. The deer were coming by fromi 12:00 to 1:00. I now get in the habit of looking at tracks. If I see fresh tracks frequently, I know the deer are there. If I don't see fresh tracks nearly every time I hunt, I look for a more predictable spot. Sometimes the deer alter their course, especially with other hunters in the woods. A good spot now may not be one come opening weekend. Another thing is wind. I have had what appear to be good spots that are unproductive because the wind never blows in the right direction to permit a good setup.

cardeer

Buck fever maybe,do you sight in your weapon,do you practice?????????

Striper Phil

How far away were the deer you missed?

What type of gun?

Did you prop aganist a tree or something?

How well do you do on targets? Propped?

Did you targer chech your gun after a miss? This is important to do.

Had a friend who missed a few times and every time we checked his 308 it shot fine. Found out his scope would jump back and forth between two positions. One that was way off.

North Texan

A little practice will help yoiu make the shots you are presented. A lot of hunters will say, "From the bench, this gun will..." Enough said. A lot of people do their shooting from the bench, but that doesn't count unless you take the bench hunting with you. Target shooting should simulate the shooting positions you will be in when hunting. I probably take my practice to the extreme, but I don't take shots unless I am 99.99% positive I will make them. Usually during the summer, I take my target to the areas I plan to hunt. I position the target at the locations I plan on making the shot. I also shoot in the same posiiton I will be in when deer season arrives. I do everything I can to simulate the actual hunting situation, including making shots in low-light conditions. I continue practicing until I become very comfortable with the shot. It takes a lot of time, but can pay off. When seson arrives, I know I can perform at showtime.

TobPark

I don't go to the point of taking targets to my normal hunting grounds, but I do like to practice different types of shots at the range. I take standing, kneeling, and various other contorted postures that may be needed while hunting.

OntElk

I sometimes get looks at the range when I practice various feild positions and circumstances. Sometimes i stand there with my gun cradled and practice bringing it up quick, safety off, and a quick aim and fire. Not an unsual way for things to happen out hunting. The rest of the guys sit there with there rifles in the rests taking tons of time to try and hit the bull. When do you have that luxury in the bush?

This has helped me to feel confident at taking a good kill shot in more situations. Having said that I let the buck of a lifetime walk last year because i couldn't get the 'right" shot. (yes, buck fever). It still haunts me a little but bottom line is I was there! All the guys in my hunt camp that shot deer last year said they would have been blasting. Maybe so, but only one of them has a mount on the wall after 30 yrs of hunting. I took pride that I got myself onto this brute I had been hunting for 2 years. They would have never been there to begin with.

If you're seeing deer first of all then you'll have your time for sure. Second if you're a confident shooter it will happen more often I expect.

Don't sweat it. Your signature says it all for you.

zekeskar

I do this too - and I also practice the second and third shot to get quicker at making an accurate followup shot, or move to a different target alongside the first. Starting slow making sure the second shot is accurate, then practicing and speeding up, but only as fast as can be done accurately (hunting shot accurate - not trying for the 1" groups). For this exercize I use a 6" target at 100 yards.

Paid off last year as I got my first double! And I felt comfortable and it was automatic and not rushed or panicky.

Practice those wierd shots, don't sit at the shooting bench.

Striper Phil

Another thought, when you practice concentrate on the first shot it is the only one that counts in the field.

zekeskar

Absolutely Striper Phil. Hopefully, you didn't take what I read to contradict that basic rule. I've had only one in my life that required a second shot, so I totally agree with you. I was glad, in that particular situation, that I had practiced chambering the second shell and getting back on target without just blazing away. Turns out the first shot was likely fatal (double lung), but the moose was trotting off into heavy brush and I put another one into the boiler room.

I wonder how many among us practice that simple act - shooting, chambering, getting back on target? I'll bet a lot of us just sit at the bench, get a good rest, shoot and then check where the shot went.

Plus, I've yet to shoot more than one animal with that careful and accurate first shot. Where I hunt whitetail, you can take two deer (actually more than that) with supplementary tags and party hunting is legal, so a double is something you want to be ready for. I still think it's a good idea to practice shooting in any situation you can think of that might show up in the field - all positons as well as second and third shots at second, yes even third, animals.

I even go so far as to practice shooting in cold weather, with the bulky clothes and gloves I *might* be using if it gets really cold. My practice paid off in that I was able to calmly and accurately make that second shot from a make-shift rest, without just blazing away, freezing cold, dressed like a blaze orange michelin man. Just like at the range!