Thread: Hunting
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Old July 10, 2006, 08:38 AM   #8
FirstFreedom
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Join Date: May 31, 2004
Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A.
Posts: 12,451
I'd agree that finding a mentor is priority number 1. They will help you with the following.

As for actual tactics, picking the right spot to be is far and away the most important thing you can do, by scouting on foot and arial maps, finding rubs, scrapes, trails, bottlenecks, food sources, bedding areas, etc. Oh, you may be on land that has too much human activity and/or poachers - you MAY need to change hunting areas.

But, the best scouting in the world, putting you in the perfect spot, is completely useless unless you control your scent, movement, and noise, especially your scent. Read up on scent control and using the wind to your advantage, which is primarily taken care of and decided upon BEFORE the hunt, and will strongly influence you spot choice and/or walking direction. And, then stay still and quiet DURING the hunt. The more like a rock you are, the more wildlife you will see. You also have to really keep your eyes peeled for any movement. Deer will walk slowly and quietly, and they are very well camoflaged in the fall and winter (brown on brown). Movements that I was sure were nothing more than a squirrel or something at first, turned out to be small does after watching the movement for awhile. You have to move very slowly or none at all, while using their movement against them. Once you've got your scent under control and the wind in your favor, controlling your movement is the most crucial thing, more important than noise. And when you see movement but aren't sure what it is, look for things like antlers, legs, and the white of the belly and neck spot of the deer - also look for flopping ears, as mentioned.

Good luck. I did not get a single deer the whole first season I hunted, and all deer that I saw except for one were gump deer. Gump deer = When you see them, *they are run-ning!*
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