Riflescopes and Scope Accessories

Deer hunting may be the furthest thing from your mind now, but soon the cool winds of October will be howling. That’s when multitudes of hunters minds will start thinking about deer hunting. The economy is causing more and more people to hit the woods trying to put a few deer in the freezer. The act of hunting deer and shooting a deer are totally different acts. Being a successful deer hunter covers a lot of things. By sticking to these proven tips, you’ll greatly increase your chance of filling your deer tag this year. And guess what. You may just become a Whitetail deer hunting fanatic like a bunch of us out here.

For starters, choose a weapon to hunt deer with. Then practice, practice and practice more until you’re an expert with it. Unfortunately there are many deer missed or wounded each year by people who didn’t practice enough with their weapons. As the old saying goes ‘Practice makes perfect’. So practice, practice, practice with your weapon. Most hunters consider it their responsibility to make ethical, clean kills.

The next step is to do some homework. Topo maps can be invaluable for finding out of the way places that many other hunters may overlook. Another invaluabe tool if you can get your hands on it is your States harvest data for previous years. This will turn you on to areas with high deer population. Hunter success rates aren’t everything though. It can also mean that there is a lot of hunting pressure in the most successful areas. I look at a number of things, but one I really want to see first off is the hunter success rate. Success rates will tell you how much success other deer hunters have had in one are.

Okay, now we need to find you some deer to go after. While good marksmanship is important, it won’t do you a bit of good if you can’t hit what you’re aiming at. Know how to scout for deer and what to look for. Yet, every year scores of deer hunters head off into the woods without having been out previously. These types of hunters are the ones you always hear complaining! Scouting is important, get out and do it a few weeks before you plan on hunting. Don’t go a few days before hunting as you’ll likely spook the deer.

Get an exprienced hunter to show you how to discern the age of deer tracks. Wait, you’re not done yet, other sign you’ll want to search for are deer droppings and rubbed trees where the bucks have rubbed their horns. A smart deer hunter will learn how to be on the lookout for topography that will funnel deer into a area near your blind. I’m always looking for deer funnels such as bottlenecks. Learn how to find these.

Finally, you want to do everything you can to find areas away from other hunters. Look for areas where the hunting pressure is light and the deer numbers are high. Some State’s share this info, some don’t. The average Joe hunter goes no further than a 1/4 mile from the road. If you have to get up an hour early to get back further into the woods, then do it if you’re really serious about putting your tag on a deer! The reward will be when you find an area where the deer are not as pressured as other areas. These deer will be more at easu and easier to hunt. Just remember. There are no guarantees in deer hunting!

Filed under: Rifles and Shotguns on July 31st, 2010