Shot Placement

Shot placement, shot placement, shot placement. More important than caliber, bullet weight, velocity, or energy, shot placement is the most important consideration if you seek to quickly and humanely take deer. Proper shot placement will always guarantee quick, clean, one-shot kills. Knowing where to place your shot requires you to know which organs to target, and exactly where those vital organs are within a deer’s body. When shooting deer, the organs we are targeting are the heart and lungs. The heart and lungs are conveniently located together in the forward part of a deer’s chest. By aiming for the heart and lungs, you can place your bullet where it will do the most damage in the largest target, with the largest margin for error. 

A perfect broadside presentation. The red dot indicates the ideal aiming point and bullet placement. A bullet anywhere within the blue oval will also result in a quick, clean kill.

The proper area to aim for when shooting a deer is the forward portion of the chest which contains the heart and lungs. The heart and lungs are ideal as they are both the largest target, and the most critical organs. Life cannot be sustained without adequate oxygen available to the brain. This oxygen is provided to the brain by the cardiovascular system, the heart and lungs. When shooting a game animal, the goal is to interrupt the flow of oxygen enriched blood to the brain which in turn causes asphyxiation and death. The most efficient way to produce this asphyxiation is to damage the heart so significantly that it is unable to effectively move blood throughout the body. Placing a bullet through the heart will cause a rapid loss of blood pressure and quick death. So too will a bullet that strikes any of the vasculature around the heart. The ideal shot is through the top of the heart where all of the major veins and arteries that lead to and from the heart connect. A bullet placed here will completely disconnect the heart and cause massive internal hemorrhaging, resulting in nearly immediate death.

A bullet placed through the lungs will have several affects which work together to ensure a quick, clean kill. The lungs are made of soft, fragile tissue that provides very little resistance to a bullet and or bullet fragments. The lungs are literally a maze of blood vessels of various sizes. A shot through the lungs will destroy many of these vessels resulting in massive hemorrhaging within the body cavity and within the lungs themselves. The hemorrhaging that occurs within the lungs will have a secondary effect of preventing oxygen from being transferred to the bloodstream just like in drowning. Thirdly, the actual physical damage to the lungs will decrease their capacity to provide adequate oxygen to the bloodstream. Finally, puncturing the chest cavity causes a disruption in the balance of air pressure between the interior of the chest and the outside air. This disruption will result in inefficient inhalation as the action of the diaphragm which would otherwise draw air into the lungs, will instead be drawing air into the chest cavity surrounding the lungs, further limiting their ability to provide oxygen to the blood stream. A bullet passing through both lungs will always result in a quick kill.

An ideal broadside shot. This position affords the greatest room for error.

When shooting for the heart and lungs, you are also afforded the greatest margin of error. In the chest area, the heart, lungs, shoulder bones, spine, and liver are all closely packed together. Even if your shot is off by a few inches in any direction, it will still have fatal results. A shot that is a few inches forward of your aiming point will pass through the shoulders likely breaking shoulder bones while still hitting the forward part of the lungs and perhaps the heart. A shot that is lower than intended will still strike the bottom portion of the lungs and will likely contact the heart. A shot that goes a little too high will catch the top part of the lungs and or hit the spine. Finally, a shot that is a few inches too far back will get either the rearmost portion of the lungs, or strike the liver. The liver is the body’s blood filter, and as such, it also contains a large amount of vasculature which if damaged will result in massive hemorrhaging. The liver is never the intended target, but it does provide a last chance vital organ before one’s shot is too far back into the stomach and intestines. A shot through the liver will be fatal, but it will take a few minutes longer for the animal to expire than it would with a heart or lung hit.

This buck is strongly quartering-away and really isn’t presenting much of a shot. It would be best to wait for the buck to turn more broadside.

A lung or heart shot that does not contact the shoulder bones or spine will rarely if ever cause the deer to fall in its tracks. Typically, deer shot through the heart and or lungs will sprint for several dozen yards before falling dead mid-stride. This is due to the fact that it takes several seconds to several minutes for the animal to bleed enough that blood pressure drops to fatal levels. Initially, there is enough oxygen already in the blood, muscles, and organs to keep the animal alive and moving for a short period of time. During this time while the residual oxygen is being consumed, an animal can still run and even act as though it hasn’t been injured. Bullets are not lightning bolts, and more often than not, even a hard-hit deer will run at least a few dozen yards before expiring.

The proper point to aim at to hit the heart and lungs on a broadside deer is along the crease that runs behind the shoulder, about one third of the way up from the bottom of the chest. A bullet placed at this point should go through the lungs and take out the top of the heart. It is important to understand that your aiming point will change as the deer’s position changes. Do not become fixated on the point behind the shoulder thinking it is the proper aiming point for all situations. In fact, it is only the proper aiming point when a buck is standing perfectly broadside. An excellent way to practice proper shot placement is to look at photos of live deer either in books or magazines and imagine where you would aim so as to place your shot in the heart/lung area. It requires a little imagination to visualize the bullet’s path through the chest cavity. Rarely in the field will you be presented with a situation where a buck is standing perfectly broadside to you on the same level as you are. Rather, either you or the buck will be higher or lower, and the buck will be either facing slightly toward or away from you. This is when it becomes important to visualize where the vital organs are located and the path your bullet will take. In general, if you are higher than the buck, you will want your bullet to hit higher up on the buck’s side so that the bullet will still go through the heart and lungs on its downward path. If the buck is above you, you will want your bullet to enter the buck’s chest at a lower point so as to go through the vitals on its way up. For a strong quartering-to shot you will need to hold right on the near side shoulder rather than behind it. A good way to line up a quartering to shot is to align your vertical crosshair with the near side leg and then bring your horizontal crosshair one third to one half up the body. This will place your bullet squarely in the vitals.

Quartering-to shot. Note the need to hold on or in front of the near shoulder.

The five basic positions that a buck can be in are, broadside, head on, quartering to, quartering away, and facing away. The broadside shot is the ideal and should be waited for if possible. More likely however, is some degree of quartering away or quartering to. When a deer is quartering away, its body is turned away from you at an angle. In some ways, this can be even better than broadside as it allows the bullet to enter the space between the shoulders from the rear without having to first pass through the shoulder itself. Quartering to is when a deer’s body is angled towards you. Quartering to is an acceptable shot angle, but it requires a little more thinking about where to place your bullet. With quartering to, instead of all the vitals being lined up one behind the other, they are sitting next to each other. For this shot, you will need to place your bullet in the near shoulder. With this shot, there is a little less room for error as the vitals present a smaller target. Also, if your shot is too far over towards the offside shoulder, it is possible to put a bullet through the chest that misses the vitals, but breaks the off side shoulder. A wounded animal can go a long way on three legs if its heart and lungs are intact. The head on shot, where the deer is directly facing you, is similar in that it is an acceptable shot, but it requires more care in bullet placement. In the head on aspect, the heart and lungs present a smaller target with less margin for error on either side. A shot placed in the center of the chest will hit the vitals, but any deviation to the left or right can easily miss the vitals. A shot that is off to either side will create massive injury to the deer without causing a quick death that would come from a hit to the vitals. If an animal is facing directly away from you, then you have no shot. Yes, people will tell you that they have taken this shot with great success. This is not a shot that should be taken. There is simply too much non-vital body mass between the bullet’s point of entry and the heart and lung area. The potential for severe wounding without immediately fatal results is too high for this to be considered an ethical shot.

This head-on shot is less than ideal, but can still be highly effective. Notice the much smaller margin for error. Also note that a bullet placed even a few inches too far to the left or right will severely damage the shoulder without damaging the vitals.

A shot to the brain will produce instantaneous incapacitation and death, but it is far too small of a target to be practical or ethical for deer hunting. A deer’s brain is about the size of a fist and is surrounded by hard bone. Also, there is no margin for error with a brain shot. A shot at the brain only has to be off by a few inches to result in grievous injury instead of death. A buck with a bullet through his jaw will eventually die from dehydration or starvation, but he will cover a lot of country before doing so most likely eluding attempts at follow-up shots. A shot to the spine will also cause immediate incapacitation in the form of paralysis, but often won’t be fatal and will require further follow-up shots. The spine is very small and surrounded by non-critical tissue, which also leaves a small margin for error. The small target size and lack of margin for error make head and spine shots unethical and unadvisable.

As hunters we both love and respect the very animals which we seek to kill. Out of this love and respect comes our desire to kill the animals we hunt as quickly and as painlessly as possible. The way to do so is to place your bullet precisely in the heart and lungs. By doing so, you not only insure your own success, you also show respect for yourself, the animal, and other hunters.

Original article can be seen at http://www.nosler.com/articles/2011/04/03/shot-placement/

Calling Whitetail Deer

During the rut, bucks are looking for any clue to lead them to the whereabouts of a receptive doe. It doesn’t matter if the doe is already being courted by another buck, as a dominant buck will gladly try to chase off the other suitor. One proven way to attract a dominant buck closer to your stand is to call by either rattling or imitating whitetail vocalizations such as grunts and bleats. Either way, any dominant buck within earshot may just decide to come over and see what is going on.

The whole purpose of rattling is to sound like two bucks fighting over a doe. When a buck hears two other bucks fighting, he will immediately think that they are fighting over an estrous doe. When a buck hears this, he may decide to come towards the sound in the hopes that he might be able to steal the doe while the other bucks are preoccupied with fighting each other. Rattling doesn’t always work, but it may be that last little bit of enticement a buck needs to come within range of your stand. When rattling, don’t overdo it, real buck fights don’t last very long, so rattling for a minute or two every half hour is plenty. You can use either shed antlers, commercially available fake antlers, or what’s called a rattle bag for rattling. Rattle bags may be the easiest as they are simple to use and easy to transport. If you use real antlers, the larger they are, the more sound they will make. Antlers dry out after several years and lose their tone, so try to start off with a relatively fresh pair. A light coating of oil applied to real antlers from time to time will help preserve them. Cutting off brow tines as well as the sharp points can save your hands and make them easier to transport.

Whitetails make a wide variety of vocalizations, but the ones that are most important to the hunter are the bleat, snort, grunt, and wheeze. Of these, the grunt is probably the most often used for calling in bucks. All whitetail deer grunt to one another. When hunting, you can use a grunt to entice the curiosity of any bucks which may be in the area. When a buck hears a grunt he may be likely to come investigate looking for the deer that he thinks made the grunt sound. If a buck is already with a doe however, he will be unlikely to leave her to come see who is grunting. The tone of a grunt can be an indication of a bucks age and size, so it is best not to make your grunts too deep as they may intimidate other bucks by sounding as though they came from a large dominant buck. The bleat is mostly used by does and fawns, and big bucks know that where there is a fawn, a doe can’t be far off. For this reason, bleats work well for calling in bucks that are in search of does. Unlike rattling and grunting, the bleat is non-threatening so it should work well on all bucks regardless of age or size. The wheeze and the snort are sounds that bucks use to intimidate other bucks, and can be used in conjunction with rattling to add an extra degree of intensity and realism. Be aware however, bucks and does also use the snort to warn other deer of danger so you run the risk of spooking deer unnecessarily if you use the snort excessively or at the wrong time.

A whitetail buck pursuing a doe during the rut.

When you do any type of calling, you draw attention to yourself. Even though you sound like a deer, you are making noise that gives away both your presence and location. For this reason, it is important to carefully consider your surroundings and stand set up before calling. If you are in an open area, calling may not be as effective. Any buck responding to your calls will be expecting to see one or more other deer in the location from which he heard the call. If the buck can easily see the area from which he heard the call and no deer are present, he will become highly suspicious. This is why calling can be more effective in areas of heavy cover. If a buck’s sight is obscured by brush, he may be more likely to come over to check things out. A general rule is to never call to deer that are already headed towards you. If everything is working in your favor, and a buck is headed your way, there is no reason to call and potentially ruin the situation. On the other hand, if a buck is moving away or past your stand, you don’t have much to lose by calling to him. There is no guarantee that calling will bring him closer, but it is your only alternative. When a buck decides to investigate a call, he will often circle downwind first to use his nose to check for danger, so be sure to utilize proper scent management when setting up to call. There is a safety issue with calling too, you not only sound like a deer to bucks, you also sound like a deer to other hunters. If you are going to be calling during rifle season, be sure to wear some hunter orange and make yourself recognizable to other hunters.

Calling can be an effective addition to your whitetail hunting strategy. Done properly, and at the right time of year, calling can produce spectacular results. There are a variety of resources available on the subject of calling deer and you will realize success much faster if you educate yourself on the proper sounds and techniques before trying them in the field. Instructional DVDs are an excellent tool for learning to call as they give you a chance to hear how the calls should sound as well as showing common deer reactions. Of course, there is no substitute for first-hand experience, so don’t be afraid to try some calling when you head to the woods this fall.

Original article can be found at http://www.nosler.com/articles/2011/04/03/calling-whitetail-deer/

The Whitetail Rut

The term “The Rut” is loosely used to define the period of time in the fall leading up to and including when does are bred by bucks. A variety of other terms like pre-rut and post-rut are used to describe time periods and behaviors that occur both before and after breeding. Rather than get into splitting hairs over terminology, one can more easily understand the rut and associated deer behavior by examining what is going on with the deer physiologically.

All creatures are driven by two simple impulses, the need to survive and the need to reproduce. Pretty much all deer behavior can be attributed to one or both of these basic needs. Even though the motivation for rutting behavior is simple, the behaviors themselves, particularly during the time immediately before breeding, are incredibly nuanced. The rut is a complex ballet influenced by a variety of factors some of which still elude human understanding. Perhaps the biggest influence on the rut is photoperiodism which is the term used to describe the relationship between physiological changes and the number of hours in each day. As the earths orbit around the sun progresses throughout the year, there is a gradual change in the hours of sunlight each day. This change has a direct effect upon the reproductive hormones, testosterone in bucks and estrogen in does. As the hours of sunlight decrease, the level of these sex hormones increase in both bucks and does ultimately causing estrous and ovulation in does while causing bucks to seek out and breed them.

The deer behavior that is referred to as “the rut” is the lead up to actual breeding taking place. This behavior is fairly easy to understand if we consider what exactly bucks are trying to achieve during the rut. All rutting behavior boils down to a buck’s desire to locate and breed a doe while ensuring that he is the only one who does so. It is important to understand the effect that buck-to-doe ratio has on rutting behavior. In a deer population with a poor buck-to-doe ratio, populations where there are several does to every buck, very little rutting activity is likely to take place. That doesn’t mean that breeding doesn’t take place, it just means that the lack of competition between bucks results in very little rubbing, scraping, and fighting. In contrast, areas with a buck-to-doe ratio that is closer to 1:1 will experience heavy rutting activity as bucks vie with one another to breed the available does.

Throughout the late summer and early fall, bucks are preparing for the rut by feeding heavily and establishing dominance. The rut takes a huge caloric toll on a buck’s body, so they prepare for it by bulking up on high calorie foods during the months before the rut. Bucks will seek out highly nutritious foods like apples, corn, acorns, clover, and alfalfa during the lead up to the rut. Bucks also begin to establish dominance by rubbing, scraping and sparring. Rubs are a visual and olfactory signpost made by bucks that say “I’m here, I’m the toughest, and I’m going to breed all the does.” Scrapes are similar signposts that say pretty much the same thing. By rubbing and scraping, a big buck will declare ownership of an area and breeding rights to the does in it. Whether or not other bucks respect a buck’s declaration of dominance is another matter entirely. Before the rut, bucks sort out most of their differences through body language and displays, rarely engaging in actual combat. However, when two equally matched bucks meet and neither will back down, the battle can be violent.

During the rut, bucks battle for breeding rights.

Bucks are always sorting out who is dominant throughout the year, but as testosterone levels rise and days grow shorter in the fall, displays of dominance and the battle for top position begin to increase. As the urge to breed becomes ever more pressing, a buck will expand his range looking for does. As he does so, he will cross over and into the range of other dominant bucks which results in increased rubbing, scraping, and fighting activity. As bucks begin to intrude on one another’s turf, pecking orders that were sorted out earlier in the year become irrelevant.

A buck will continue to travel in search of does until he locates one that is ready to breed and receptive to his advances. Once a dominant buck locates a doe about to come into estrous, he will stay close by and defend her from other bucks until he is successful in breeding her and her estrous cycle ends. At this point, the buck’s near frenzied traveling comes to a halt as he remains with the doe until breeding is complete and he begins ranging again in search of another receptive doe.

Once the rut begins to wind down and does are no longer coming into estrous, bucks’ testosterone levels fall and relatively normal behavior resumes. At this point, bucks will rest and recover from the exertions of the rut while feeding heavily in an attempt to put weight back on before winter. 

To take advantage of the rut, a hunter must properly identify the timing of the rut in his area so as to best capitalize on the buck’s behavior. During the lead up to the rut, increased feeding activity makes hunting food sources an effective strategy. Later, when bucks start to move and dominance behaviors begin to kick into high gear, hunting heavily used travel corridors and areas with heavy rubbing and scraping activity becomes highly effective. Also during this time, hunters can use calling techniques such as rattling and grunting to take advantage of dominant bucks’ urge to breed and willingness to fight.

A whitetail buck pursuing a doe during the rut.

The whitetail rut is an incredibly complex seasonal cycle that has become the obsession of many American hunters. Fortunately, there are many dedicated individuals who have made it their life’s work to unravel and understand all the factors affecting the rut. This article is but a brief overview of a topic on which complete books have been written. If you are serious about hunting whitetails and are interested in knowing more about them, I highly recommend you read Charles Alsheimer’s book Strategies for Whitetails. This book is full of beautiful photography, while also containing one of the most complete and understandable descriptions of whitetail behavior from an undisputed expert on the subject.

Sources

Alsheimer, Charles. Strategies for Whitetails. Iola: Krause Publications, 2006. Print

The original article can be found at http://www.nosler.com/articles/2011/04/03/the-whitetail-rut/

Deer Habitat

Knowing where to look for deer is one of the keys to being a successful hunter. To know where to look for deer, you have to know what habitat to look for. Habitat is the environment in which a particular species commonly lives. In hunting, we are typically concerned with what type of food sources and cover to be looking for. Deer like to live in certain areas based upon the availability of water, cover, and their favorite foods. Deer are very adaptable, so anywhere you can find the three necessities, you should be able to find deer.

In general, deer are considered browsers. This means that they will eat a wide variety of plant material that is indigestible to other herbivores such as sheep and cows. A deer’s diet will change throughout the year based upon what foods are available. Deer are very flexible in what plants they are able to eat, but they will typically focus on the highest calorie food that is available. All deer favor agricultural crops with alfalfa fields being a huge draw for both whitetail and mule deer. While mule deer are commonly found in areas containing sage and juniper, these are not preferred foods, but rather survival foods utilized in winter when nothing else is available. New growth, sprouts, and shoots, are often the most tender and nutritious, so try to find areas where harvested crops are re-sprouting, or wild plants are sprouting new green growth in the fall.

Water is a necessity for all living things, so you will have a hard time finding deer in areas without water. While game will always be more concentrated around water sources, deer will travel to and from water as necessary. Deer don’t need to drink as often as humans and they can absorb much of their water from the vegetation they consume. If you are hunting in a very arid region, deer will range several miles from water in search of feed and secure bedding areas. You may want to focus your hunting efforts around water sources in very dry areas as the water will act as a natural draw to all of the deer in the area. If you are hunting in an area where water is abundant, you should focus more on finding food sources and bedding areas.

A mule deer buck’s number one defense is his eyesight. Mule deer can see extremely well, and will pick up a hunter’s movement from very far away. Because of a mule deer’s great eyesight, he prefers to spend his time in more open areas where he has a good view of the surrounding country. That way, he can see any potential threats approaching and escape long before he is in any danger. Mule deer bucks, especially the biggest ones, like to spend the majority of their time on high ridges. They also seem to have a preference for bedding under rimrock cliffs. These cliffs give them a sense of security, knowing that nothing can sneak up on them from behind. During the summer, big mule deer bucks like to live in the high country at or above timberline. They live up high, as it gets them far away from heat, bugs, and people. In the Rockies, mule deer will often inhabit areas that look more suitable for Mt. Goats or Bighorn Sheep during the hot summer months. The bucks will stay at these high elevations until the rut draws them down or the first snows force them down to lower elevations.

Whitetail deer are commonly found in areas of thicker cover. Whereas a mule deer buck will use his eyes to detect danger, a whitetail buck’s number one defense is his nose. To hunt whitetails, you need to find three things: food sources, bedding areas, and transition zones. Whitetails feed on a variety of foods, but some of their favorites are agricultural crops such as corn, alfalfa, and soybeans. Another of the whitetail’s favorite foods is what is called mast. Mast is a term for any food source that is provided by trees. The two favorites of the whitetail are acorns and apples. Once you have located a likely food source, you will need to figure out where the deer can bed nearby. Bedding areas are usually located in thicker cover where the deer can hide from sight and use their acute sense of smell to detect any approaching danger. Transition areas are those areas between food sources and bedding areas through which deer must travel twice a day going to and from the food source. Locating a well used trail in a transition area between a heavily used food source and bedding area is a great way to ambush whitetail deer.

 All deer like what is called “edge” habitat. The “edge” is wherever two different types of vegetation meet. The best example is where a forest meets a meadow or open plain. Deer prefer the edge as it allows them access to a variety of food species while also providing the safety of nearby cover. Areas that have been logged or burned in recent years provide lots of edge which deer will take advantage of. Farmland also provides a lot of edge as well as abundant food. Anywhere that there is a mix of vegetation types, provided that the three essentials of food, water, and cover are present, you will be likely to find deer.

Finding deer isn’t always easy, but it can be much more so if you know where to look. By seeking out the right types of habitat, you can increase your chances of finding a good buck. Looking for the three necessities of food, water, and cover will help you to narrow your search to areas that are actually capable of holding deer. When all else fails, sometimes it helps to just ask yourself, “If I were a deer, where would I be?”

The original article can be found at http://www.nosler.com/articles/2011/04/03/deer-habitat/

Scouting

Once you have decided upon a location to go hunting, it is time to go scouting. Scouting is the process of looking for game in the area you intend to hunt, before the opening of hunting season. Scouting before season will provide you with information about the area you plan to hunt and the animals that live there. Scouting can confirm that an area is a good place to hunt or eliminate it as an option all together. Sometimes, areas that look great on a map, or that have a good reputation, aren’t good anymore due to changes in habitat or game populations. Scouting can be anything from looking at maps, making phone calls, researching on the computer, to multi-day camping trips, or afternoon drives with the whole family. Just getting out in the field frequently will build your confidence and make you a better hunter. By doing your homework and scouting before season, you can maximize your opportunities for success once the season opens.

Hunting time is always limited, both by season length and responsibilities at work or home. By doing plenty of scouting before hunting season, you can increase your odds of success on opening day. If you don’t scout before season, then the first few days of your hunting trip will be spent learning everything that you could have learned ahead of time during the summer. You are likely to have better chances for success by spending lots of time scouting and a little time hunting rather than not doing any scouting hoping to get lucky during season.  

Quite a bit of scouting can be done during the winter in the comfort of your own home. Perhaps the simplest form of scouting is to look at maps and study what an area looks like. When looking at a map, ask yourself, “If I were a big buck, where would I be?” It sounds silly, but oftentimes it is true, if it looks good to you, it probably looks good to deer too. Keep in mind that all animals share three basic needs, food, water, and cover. If an area is lacking any one of these three items, it probably wont hold much game. Game animals, particularly trophy bucks, don’t like to be around lots of human activity. When looking at a map, look for areas that are isolated from humans by either distance or geographic features such as ridges and canyons. Be aware that more remote areas will be more difficult to access, but that difficulty alone might be what makes them better places to hunt. Try to also look for areas such as high ridges that will provide good lookout points to glass from. Saddles between drainages are often preferred routes for game movement, so pay attention to the locations of saddles between likely looking areas.

A truly amazing tool for scouting is Google Earth. Google Earth is available to download for free. This allows you to get a three dimensional view of the area that you intend to hunt. It takes a little practice to get used to using the controls, but once you do, you can almost “hike” around an area sitting at home in front of your computer. Make sure your computer is fast enough for Google Earth, because a slow computer will make using Google Earth an exercise in frustration. Know that the satellite photos used by Google Earth may be several years old, and may not represent how an area looks currently. The best example of this is with forest fires, if there has been a fire in the last few years, it may not yet show up on Google Earth. Topography can also be a little distorted in Google Earth, so always refer to a topographic map in conjunction with Google Earth.

Google searches and online forums are another way to gain useful information about an area. Just doing a Google search with the name of an area can often turn up photos or comments. Online hunting forums can contain good information as members are often willing to share their past experiences in a certain area. Don’t just limit your search to hunting websites however, as many hiking and backpacking sites contain trip reports by their members, usually with photos. If you’re lucky, the area you are thinking about hunting might be featured. Or, you may find out that it is an extremely popular backpacking destination, and might not be the best place to hunt.

Calling the Wildlife Biologist for the unit you intend to hunt should also be part of your pre-season scouting. Biologists will be able to recommend areas to hunt as well as give an indication of the trophy potential in a certain area. It is a good idea to already have a few spots in mind so that the Biologist can make specific recommendations about your choices. Biologists are in and out of the office quite a bit, and get lots of calls from hunters, so don’t be discouraged if you have to call several times to actually get in touch with the right person.

Talking with others hunters, whether online or in person can also provide good information. Just remember, that other hunters most likely aren’t going to tell you how to find their favorite hunting spot. Also, it is impolite to ask too many questions about where someone has had success in the past. It is acceptable however, to ask general questions about specific areas you have researched on your own.

Evaluating new areas and locating bucks well before season will greatly increase your odds of success.

 The very best way to scout is to actually get out in the field and explore the country. By exploring an area, you will be able to observe game movements and patterns while getting to know the lay of the land. Also, you will be able to confirm any hunches you may have had when looking at maps. Seeing a place by hiking or driving around will help you learn far more about it than you could ever learn solely by looking at maps and pictures. When scouting, there are a variety of signs to look for that will tell you about deer activity and numbers in the area. Tracks, trails and droppings are the most obvious signs of deer activity. Always be looking for tracks even when driving on dirt or gravel roads. Note the overall number, general size, and age of tracks. Lots of tracks equal lots of deer. The size of tracks will also tell you generally what size of deer made them. Heavily used trails will show you where the deer are moving to and from. If you have time, follow deer trails as they can lead you to bedding or feeding areas, as well as reveal commonly used travel corridors. Make a note of trails and areas of heavy sign on your map, as they are good spots to set up a stand or ambush during hunting season. Cut banks along roads are good places to spot deer trails as they typically stand out very well. Pay attention to the age of tracks as they can tell you if deer are currently in an area, or haven’t been through in weeks or months. A great place to look for tracks is around ponds, lakes and streams. The mud around water sources takes and holds deer tracks very well. Droppings are also a good indication of deer numbers as lots of droppings means lots of deer. Droppings are also pretty easy to age. If they are dried out and gray, you know that they are old. If they are still moist, you know that they are fresh. Fresh droppings are perhaps the best indication of recent deer activity short of actually seeing deer. Rubs, made by bucks rubbing their antlers on trees, are a great sign of buck activity. It can be difficult to tell if other types of sign were made by bucks or by does, but only bucks make rubs. If you find an area with several rubs, you have found a good place to hunt.

Intelligent scouting and knowledge of your game is what it takes to find trophy bucks like this.

If taking a trophy buck is your goal, then scouting is essential. To take a trophy buck, you either need lots of luck or you need to do lots of homework. Big bucks don’t get big by being dumb, and to hunt them successfully, you need to learn their habits. By finding a big buck and learning his habits before season, you can identify his weaknesses and the times that he is vulnerable. Hunters who consistently take the largest bucks all have one thing in common, scouting. To consistently take trophy deer, those hunters spend far more time scouting than they do hunting during the actual season. Many trophies are taken on the first day of season because the hunter has gotten to know the buck and his habits so well. A way to use scouting to one’s advantage is to find a buck well before season and identify his home area. Then, check up on the buck periodically throughout the summer to keep track of his whereabouts. A few days before season opens, return, locate the buck, and watch him until opening morning when you can hopefully make your final stalk and collect your trophy. If you look closely in many of the popular trophy hunting magazines, you will see that the hunter has pictures that he has taken of his buck during scouting trips. Many even have pictures of the same buck from multiple years. These hunters are putting in the effort scouting to give themselves a major advantage during season. Some hunters take only one or two trophy deer in a lifetime, because they simply get lucky. Other hunters consistently take big bucks year after year. The hunters who take many trophy bucks do so because they scout hard and find those big bucks well before hunting season opens. If you want to harvest a trophy, then you can’t wait until opening day of season to find one, as then it is too late and you will just be relying on luck. Finding big bucks while scouting is no guarantee that you will take one, but it certainly increases your odds. Sometimes it can take years of hunting the same buck for an opportunity to present itself. The more time spent scouting and the more time invested in hunt, the sweeter the prize when it all finally comes together. Taking a deer is really only the culmination of a hunt. All the steps that lead up to the taking of that deer are the actual hunting. Spending time scouting allows you to hunt, without a rifle, all year long.

Be conscious of the fact that the weather will likely be much different during hunting season than it is during your summer scouting. Depending on where you are hunting, weather could completely change the movement patterns that you have identified during the summer. Finding a trophy buck in a high mountain basin doesn’t do you much good if he has moved down to lower elevations by the time hunting season starts.

Scouting isn’t just about looking for game. While you are out scouting, consider the logistics of your upcoming hunt. Depending on where and for how long you are going, pay attention to things such as locations of campgrounds, stores, motels, and gas stations. Scouting trips will allow you to see exactly how long it will take to get to the hunting area, which will help you to decide if you need to stay nearby. Also, think about how long you will be planning to stay. Do you need to bring enough water for the whole trip or can you get resupplied? If the weather is going to be hot during hunting season, see if there is a cooler nearby where you can hang your meat if you are successful. Sometimes, grocery stores in rural areas will allow hunters to hang game in their coolers for a small fee. Finding a place to keep your meat cool may enable you to stay put in the field with your friends rather than having to head for home once you have filled your tag.

Scouting is a great time to get the whole family out in the woods and introduce children to hunting.

Scouting is fun and it is a good reason to get out and explore new areas. Also, scouting is much more relaxed than actual hunting as there is no pressure to want to fill a tag. The weather is typically better as well since most scouting trips occur during the spring and summer. Scouting is a great way to introduce kids and new hunters to the outdoors. A scouting trip can be as simple as taking your family on a hike looking for sign, or an afternoon drive looking for game. By taking children and interested people out scouting, you can expose them to hunting without all the seriousness and possible intimidation that might come with an actual hunting trip. Hunting season doesn’t last very long, but scouting can make it feel like season lasts all year.

The original article can be found at http://www.nosler.com/articles/2011/04/03/scouting/

Where to go hunting

Choosing a location to hunt requires the hunter to consider a variety of factors. Depending on the options available, one may choose to hunt public or private land, close to home or far away, in the same spot every year or in various hotspots. The number and or quality of deer in a certain area will also affect one’s decision of where to hunt. Finally, tag availability will ultimately determine if it is even feasible to hunt a certain area more than once or twice.

If a hunter knows private landowners, the option to hunt on private land is often a good one. Private land is land owned by an individual or business on which hunter access is controlled or limited. By gaining permission to hunt on private land, one can virtually eliminate competition with other hunters. However, being allowed to hunt on private land is useless if the land in question doesn’t contain deer. Even if a hunter doesn’t personally know landowners, it is possible to gain access to hunt private land simply by asking permission.

Many great hunting opportunities are available on public land. Just because a hunter doesn’t have access to private land, doesn’t limit their chances for success. The biggest difference between public and private land will be the potential for competition with other hunters. In popular areas, the number of hunters entering the field on opening day can cause the deer to move out of an area or change their patterns for the rest of the season. One way to get around competition from others, and make hunting pressure work for you is to find areas where access is limited by the physical terrain. If someone is willing to get up earlier and hunt harder than everyone else, they can quickly leave the competition behind. By working hard to get into rough or remote areas, a hunter may be able to increase their odds of seeing deer. Certainly, they will reduce their likelihood of seeing other hunters.

Whether choosing to hunt private or public land, it is essential that the hunter be sure that it is legal to hunt in the area they are considering. One must not assume that he is in a legal area without checking the hunting regulations and the hunting unit map. Deer tags are only valid for a particular geographic area known as a hunting unit. Unit maps and boundary descriptions are available from Department of Wildlife or Department of Natural Resources. A hunter must pay particularly close attention to the unit boundary descriptions, as the difference between being legal and illegal is as simple as which side of the road one is on.

Another important consideration when picking a hunting area is how far the hunter will have to travel.  Time to hunt is often difficult to come by and travel time will eat into the total amount of time available. An area that is just average in terms of deer numbers, but nearby, may produce better results as it can be hunted more often. Or, a really excellent hunting area that is far away may be worth the time commitment necessary to make a multi-day hunt. It will be up to the individual to decide what works best for them and their lifestyle.

When choosing an area to hunt, it is easy to give in to the temptation to always try new areas, chasing the latest and greatest hot spot. While it is necessary to hunt where the deer actually are, constantly changing hunting areas can put a hunter at a distinct disadvantage. Many of the most successful hunters hunt the same areas year after year. Often these hunting areas and the knowledge about them have been handed down from generation to generation. By repeatedly hunting the same areas, it is possible to gain an intimate knowledge of the terrain. Knowing a piece of ground is a huge advantage as it allows one to focus their hunting efforts on places that are known to hold deer. Familiarity with an area also builds confidence and comfort, which result in more time spent in the field. Each return trip will add new knowledge as to the habits of the deer in that area. Continually hunting one area is no guarantee that it will produce, so careful consideration must be taken before committing oneself. Also, habitat and deer populations change over time, so if an area is no longer producing, there is no point in wasting time there.

Before researching an area to hunt, it will be necessary to decide on a goal. Is a trophy buck the desired quarry, or will simply filling a tag be success enough? Trophy deer areas and areas with high total numbers of deer aren’t always the same. Proper genetics and ideal habitat are necessary for the production of trophy bucks therefore, if the goal is to take a record book trophy, one must hunt in a trophy producing area. Conversely, a known trophy producing area may not contain the largest total deer population. If taking a deer for the freezer is the objective, it will be much easier to achieve success by hunting in an area known to have many deer. Just because an area doesn’t have a reputation for producing trophy bucks doesn’t mean one isn’t there. Every hunting season, trophy bucks pop up in unlikely places.

Tag availability will affect one’s decision regarding where to hunt.  In the West, most really good hunting areas issue tags through a drawing, so it may only be possible to draw a tag once every several years. The areas where tags are easy to get usually don’t have great hunting and likely receive heavy hunting pressure. For this reason, it is advantageous to become familiar with several hunting areas in various units, so it is possible to hunt more often even if it means hunting in a marginal unit. General season or over-the-counter tags can still produce good results, they will just require more work and careful planning to avoid other hunters and achieve success.

Conversations with a Wildlife Biologist regarding a potential hunting area can help to quickly decide if an area is worth hunting.  A Wildlife Biologist will be able to provide vital information about deer numbers, trophy potential, seasonal migration patterns, and likely places to find deer. They will also be able to advise you on the legality of hunting a certain area. When talking with a Biologist, it is helpful to have a map of the area in question so that specific place names and landmarks can be discussed. It is also a good idea to take notes and mark points on the map. Proper research done before selecting an area to hunt can save hunters lots of time and effort. If trophy bucks are the goal, research becomes especially important.  The Fish and Wildlife office can also provide harvest statistics, which provide information about deer numbers, trophy potential, and hunting activity.

Seasonal weather variations can also have a huge affect on the decision to hunt an area. High basins that have excellent habitat and many deer during the summer might be snowy wastelands by the time rifle season opens.  Always consider when the season will be and what the weather might be like at that time of year before totally committing to an area.

Questions about where to hunt can be a sensitive subject amongst hunters. It can take years to locate and learn a good hunting area, so most hunters are reluctant to share knowledge about their favorite spots. Too many units and regions have seen hunter numbers skyrocket after one picture or magazine article gets published showing a trophy buck from that area. When given advice about where to go hunting, be cautious in sharing that information with others. It is very bad etiquette to receive a tip about an area and then show up with an ever-increasing number of buddies in subsequent years. No matter how much research is done, and how many questions are asked, one will ultimately have to go check out on area for themselves. There is no substitute for actually getting out in the field and seeing things in person. A big part of the fun of hunting is getting to roam around seeking out new opportunities.

Finding a good area to hunt isn’t particularly difficult, it just requires a little time and effort. Doing research in the off-season can help a hunter find an area that will provide him an opportunity to achieve his goals during hunting season. Winter is a great time to do some homework studying maps and gathering info. By researching potential areas in the winter, one can optimize scouting efforts during the summer.

The original article can be found at http://www.nosler.com/articles/2011/04/03/where-to-go-hunting/

When to Hunt

The choice of when to go hunting is constrained by when hunting season is actually open. Deer season can last anywhere from just a few days to a week or more. In some cases, choosing when to hunt means choosing between first or second season as deer season is often divided up into two or more separate time periods to reduce the total number of hunters in the field at any one time. Dividing up the season also reduces stress on the deer by allowing them a break between seasons. First and second season both have their own advantages and drawbacks. When deciding which season to hunt, you will have to decide which one best suits your hunting style. Rifle seasons are often scheduled so as not to take place during the rut or breeding season. During the rut, bucks are less wary as they seek out does that are ready to breed. Rut crazed bucks are also more easily fooled by calling techniques such as rattling and grunting. Scheduling rifle season during the rut would give rifle hunters undue advantage while disrupting the breeding cycle. Bow hunting seasons are often scheduled during the rut so as to provide bow hunters with more opportunities to fill their tags.

 First Season

The first season is just that, the first rifle season of the year. First rifle season usually occurs after archery and muzzleloader season. One of the nice things about first season is that the temperatures are usually warmer and the weather is typically better. While the warmer weather is nice for hunter comfort, it isn’t really an advantage to hunting as winter weather can actually work in a hunter’s favor, if they can tolerate it. Another benefit to first season is that aside from archery season, first season hunters are getting the first opportunity to hunt the deer that year. Having the first opportunity means there are more bucks still in the woods, and their patterns haven’t been disturbed as much by hunting pressure.

One of the disadvantages to first season is the warmer weather which will keep deer bedded down in the shade during the warm part of the day. If first season occurs before fall rains start, the woods will be very dry and noisy. It is extremely difficult to be quiet and sneaky when all of the grass, leaves, and other plant matter on the ground are dried out.

 

Second Season

The benefit of hunting second season is the likelihood of wet and cold weather. While it may not be the most pleasant time to be out in the elements, hunting is almost always better when it is cooler and either wet or snowy. Once the fall rains start to put moisture back into the woods, it becomes much easier to be quiet while stalking and hiking. Rain and wind also cover up noise that you make, effectively limiting the deer’s ability to hear your approach. Cooler weather also has the effect of keeping the deer up, moving around, and feeding especially before a storm. This provides more opportunities to see game throughout the day. Snow can be a great help to hunting as it makes tracking extremely easy while also muffling sound even more than rain. Enough snow at higher elevations will also push game down and concentrate animals at lower elevation.

Second season may be scheduled closer to or even during the rut. This offers significant advantages as bucks become much less cautious when chasing does and defending territory.

The major drawback to hunting second season is the fact that you are literally last in line. Everyone else has already been in the woods, chasing the deer and disrupting their patterns. By the time second season starts, many bucks have already been taken by other hunters. Also, hunting during colder, wetter weather requires better clothing and more perseverance to stay out in the field rather than being at home on the couch watching football.

In some states the seasons are long enough, weeks or months in some cases, that you have flexibility in deciding when to hunt. If this is the case, you will most likely want to plan your hunt for the period of time right before and during the rut. Or you may decide you prefer to hunt only in warmer weather. The important thing is to try hunting at a few different times of year to see what best suits you and your style of hunting.

Whichever season you decide to hunt, learn how to work the differences to your advantage. Maybe try hunting first season one year and second season another to see which fits you best. Either way, you can’t lose as it’s really all about just getting out there, experiencing nature, and having fun.

The original article can be found at http://www.nosler.com/articles/2011/04/03/when-to-hunt/

Hunting Deer in Your State

Before you decide to start hunting deer in your home state, it is important to know which species of deer are available to hunt. Hunting tactics vary between the different species of deer and it is essential that you match your tactics to the species being pursued. The best place to find out for sure which deer inhabit your state is your Department of Wildlife or Department of Natural Resources. They can not only tell you which species are available, but they can also provide you with the necessary information regarding season dates and bag limits. Generally, if you live in the eastern portion of the U.S. you will be hunting whitetails and if you live in the west you will be hunting mule deer. There are exceptions however especially in the central and western states, so it is always a good idea to double check.

A typical mule deer buck. Note the white facemask, white rump, and thin black-tipped tail.

Mule Deer

The Mule deer’s range extends over the entire western half of the United States. The eastern boundary is always in flux, but it generally reaches from the eastern slope of the Rockies out into the plains states. There are no mule deer east of the Mississippi river. Almost all of the states that contain mule deer also have populations of whitetail, so you will have to do your homework. In general the further west you get, the smaller the whitetail populations. Check your states hunting regulations closely to see if there are separate hunts for whitetail and mule deer or if it is just a general deer hunt.

If mule deer is your state’s primary deer species, you will want to focus on spot-and-stalk and still hunting as these are the hunting methods that typically work the best for mule deer.

Whitetail Deer

When you say “deer”, most people in America assume that you are talking about whitetail deer. Whitetails are the most common deer in America with a population that far outnumbers all other deer species combined. As the whitetail population continues to grow, their range continues to expand westward. If you are going to be hunting anywhere east of the Rocky Mountains, the primary deer species is going to be whitetail. West of the Rockies there are many whitetails too, but this is where their range begins to overlap with that of mule deer. If you are going to be hunting anywhere from the western plains states to the pacific coast you will need to check the regulations carefully for species specific seasons and rules. Alaska and Hawaii are the only states that have no whitetail deer.

If whitetail deer are your main quarry, there are literally dozens of books written on the various methods for hunting whitetails. Check your state regulations for which hunting methods are legal. For example, some states allow baiting while others do not. The primary methods of whitetail hunting are stand and still hunting. Hunting out of tree stands or ground blinds is very effective for whitetails and a good method for new hunters who are beginning to learn how to hunt.

Blacktail Deer

Columbian blacktail deer only live in Washington, Oregon, and Northern California west of the Cascade Mountains. Blacktail look similar to mule deer, but they are different. Sitka blacktails are only found in Alaska. Compared to the other deer species, the range of the blacktails is relatively small. Usually, state regulations don’t make a distinction between blacktail and mule deer as their ranges overlap somewhat. There are some limited whitetail hunts within blacktail range, so be sure to check regulations carefully.

Spot-and-stalk or still hunting are popular blacktail hunting methods, but many whitetail hunting techniques seem to work well for hunting blacktails as well. Rattling and grunting work well for blacktails as does hunting from tree stands and ground blinds.

Axis Buck taken in TX

Hawaii

Hawaii doesn’t have any native deer species, but the islands do have a variety of very good hunting for exotic introduced species. The only deer hunting in Hawaii is for Axis deer. Axis deer were introduced to Hawaii from India in the 1800’s. Axis deer are very beautiful and extremely good eating. They are very striking as the adults have white spots like fawns. The bucks make fantastic trophies as their antlers are very large in relation to their body size. If you live in Hawaii or are planning a trip there, you owe it to yourself to check out the opportunities for Axis deer hunting.

Fortunately for us hunters, any state you live in has some deer hunting available. Just be sure to check your state’s regulations to be sure of which species you will be hunting. Once you know which species you are after, you can tailor your hunting methods to the species accordingly. That way, you won’t study everything you can find about hunting whitetails only to find out your state mostly has mule deer.

The original article can be found at http://www.nosler.com/articles/2011/04/03/hunting-deer-in-your-state/

Hunting Methods

The hunting method you choose has as much to do with you as it does the game you pursue. Not all hunting methods are suitable for all hunters, neither are all types of hunting suitable for all kinds of terrain. Physical limitations may prevent some hunters from being able to climb into a tree stand, or hike all day in broken country. Other hunters simply don’t have the patience to sit quietly in a stand or blind for hours on end. Thick forests, and areas with lots of cover, don’t lend themselves to spot and stalk hunting like open country does, while wide-open country doesn’t always work for sitting in a blind either. Some cover is so thick; it is simply impossible to still-hunt through it. Many places, there aren’t any trees big enough to put a stand in. First, you will have to match your hunting methods to the area that you are hunting. Then, you have to find a hunting method that not only suits your area, but also fits your personality. By trying a few different methods, you can quickly find out which ones will be successful for you.

Tree Stands
Tree stands were invented for deer hunting and they simply work. Tree stand hunting has some distinct advantages, but it also has drawbacks and limitations. Without a lot of practice, we humans are clumsy and noisy moving through the woods. When we walk through the woods on our two legs, the sound of our walking has a cadence totally different from that of four legged animals, and the deer know the difference. When you move in the woods, you are playing to the deer’s advantage of better hearing and eyesight. Sitting motionless in a tree gives you the advantage, as you won’t be making any noise or any movement, which conceals you from the deer’s heightened senses. Being up off the ground also helps limit the amount of your scent wafting around in your immediate area. Deer can still smell you however, as your scent is still blowing down wind. Getting up high also puts you up above the deer’s direct line of sight, but don’t think for a minute that deer don’t look up in trees. Any movement will attract their eyes, but by being up high you do have a little more freedom to move around. Sitting in a tree stand gives you a huge advantage when it comes time to shoot. Usually, you will be shooting at deer that are totally relaxed and have no idea that you are present. This affords you time to wait for the best shot angle, as well as time to get steady. Also, you will probably have a good view of the deer as it runs off after the shot. You may even be able to see it fall, making recovery that much easier.

One difficulty to tree stand hunting is simply getting the stand and yourself up in the tree. Not everyone is strong enough or physically fit enough to get up and down from a tree stand safely, so be honest with yourself regarding your own abilities. Another drawback is the fact that your stand placement has to be pretty precise. If you put your stand up in the wrong spot you may not see any deer, or they may be out of range. Once you are up there, it is almost impossible to get down quietly enough to stalk deer that are nearby but out of range. Also be aware of the fact that up in a tree, you are totally exposed to the elements. The only shelter in a tree stand is the clothes you are wearing, so dress accordingly. Being still your body creates much less heat so you will have to dress far more warmly than if you will be moving around all day. Wearing lots of warm clothes will change how your rifle fits, so be sure to go shooting with your hunting outfit on to get used to it before you’re trying to shoot the buck of a lifetime. Tree stand hunting requires lots of patience, as you have to remain alert enough to pay attention to what is going on around you for several hours at a time. It can get pretty boring sitting in a tree for several hours when deer aren’t moving. Some people just can’t sit still for that long. Typically however, there is always something going on and you will be amazed at the variety of wildlife you see going about there lives thinking no one is watching. If you change your perspective, you can be constantly entertained while sitting in a tree stand.

All but a few specialized tree stands are single person stands, so if you want to hunt with children or others, you will need to put multiple stands close together, which can be tricky. While tree stands themselves aren’t dangerous, just like firearms, improper and unsafe use can result in injury or death. Probably the most common injuries to hunters are those sustained from falling out of tree stands. Following basic safety rules and always wearing a safety harness easily prevents tree stand accidents.

Ground Blinds

A ground blind in Texas. Blinds like this are often used in conjunction with bait.

Hunting from ground blinds has many of the same advantages as hunting from a tree stand. Sitting in a ground blind still limits the amount of noise and movement you make without requiring you to climb up in a tree. Sitting on the ground makes your scent more of an issue, but many of the tent-like commercial ground blinds actually contain much of your scent. Being in a blind screens much of your movement, so you can move around and fidget a little more than if you were in a tree. However, being on the ground puts you in a deer’s line of sight, so they are much more likely to spot you if you aren’t well hidden. Also, deer will be more likely to notice a ground blind that suddenly appears in an area that they frequently use, whereas they are unlikely to notice a tree stand. For this reason, you will usually want to set up your blind several days before you plan to hunt to let the deer get used to its presence. Ground blinds don’t have to be store-bought; they can be easily built or improvised from material you find in the field. Even just sitting in amongst the branches of a blown down tree or some logs can serve as an effective ground blind. An advantage of ground blinds, particularly commercially available ones is that they afford you lots of shelter as you are basically sitting in a tent. This makes the ground blind a great option when you know that the weather may be wet or cold. Ground blinds also have the advantage of being able to hold more than one person making them a great way to hunt with children or new hunters. Another advantage to ground blinds is that it is possible to slip out quietly to stalk an animal that is out of range.

Still-Hunting
Still-hunting is probably one of the most common methods of hunting, but it is also commonly done wrong. Still-hunting is the process of slowly moving through deer country looking for deer. To do be done properly, one must move extremely slowly, as in feet per minute, scanning around looking for deer. To be successful, you have to see the deer before they see, hear, or smell you, which is an extremely difficult thing to do, as the deer’s senses are so much better than ours. Many hunters think they are still-hunting when in reality they are pretty much just traipsing around the woods spooking everything within hearing range. Still-hunting is hard, as it requires infinite patience to slowly move through an area continually looking at the same country trying to detect deer. Still-hunting gives up almost all advantage to the deer as by moving around on the ground, making noise, you are doing all the things that a deer is perfectly designed to detect. The only way to gain the upper hand with still-hunting is to move like a ghost and use your binoculars to try to see deer before they see you. There are hunters who still-hunt successfully, but it takes many years of practice to develop the skills necessary to do so. For those who can’t sit in a stand without getting bored, still-hunting allows you to actively look for deer rather than sit and wait. Still-hunting is perfect for the times when you don’t have the time or the desire to set up a stand, or you can’t see into a particular patch of cover from afar, but you think it may hold deer.

Driven Hunts
A driven hunt is when one or more hunters or “beaters” as they are traditionally called, moves through an area or patch of cover purposefully trying to drive out any deer that may be hiding there. The beaters are trying to drive the deer towards a group of hunters who spread out at points ahead of the beaters so that they can intercept any deer that are trying to flee. Driving game is one of the most basic forms of hunting that is employed by almost all predators that hunt in groups. Probably the most spectacular example of driving game occurred when the Native Americans would drive whole herds of buffalo over cliffs. Driven hunts can be very effective and are a traditional form of hunting in parts of Europe and the United States. Driven hunts recognize the fact that humans are noisy and our presence does spook deer. In a driven hunt, you take advantage of this fact and use it to flush deer out of hiding. Extreme care must be taken when conducting a driven hunt, as there are many people in relatively close proximity to one another, which can make picking a safe shooting angle difficult. Also, the deer will be unpredictable as they flee and may just as easily run out the side or past the beaters rather than run toward the blockers. Since the deer are running, most shots will be difficult, as they have to be taken with the deer on the run. In this situation, the deer are already spooked and on high alert, so shot opportunities will be quick and few. Driven hunts are usually employed in areas of heavy cover where game is known to hide, but it would be impossible to approach undetected. Driving game doesn’t usually work very well in open areas as the game has sufficient time and plenty of escape routes to elude the hunters. Another way to conduct a drive that does work in open country is for hunters to take up positions overlooking likely escape routes along ridges while another hunter simply makes his presence obvious by slowly walking through an area in the open. When a drive is conducted in this fashion, the deer will simply get up and sneak away slowly rather than spooking and running away. One advantage to driven hunts is that they can be exciting as the action is fast and you never know what critters may come running out of the cover.

Hunters glassing during a Spot-and-Stalk spring bear hunt.

Spot and Stalk
Spot and stalk hunting is the process of locating game from afar and then stalking within shooting range. Spot and stalk is probably the most common method of trophy hunting particularly in the west and in open country. Trophy hunters prefer spot and stalk as it allows them to evaluate and approximate a buck’s size before deciding to pursue him. Spot and stalk requires the use of high-powered binoculars and spotting scopes to locate game from as far as several miles away. By locating deer from far away, you have the advantage of time. Time to both evaluate the buck’s trophy potential and plan how to best approach him. When hunting by spot and stalk, the day is spent at one or more vantage points glassing (looking for game through optics) until a deer is located. Spot and stalk provides the advantage of being able to look over a large area of country without disturbing the game by moving around making noise and leaving scent. It also allows you to cover a large area with your eyes while sitting still in one spot. This is especially important in mountainous terrain where one can easily burn themselves out in a few days by hiking around too much. A popular adage advises, “Let your glass do the walking.” This means, rather than traipse around, find a good vantage point and sit still watching for game with your optics. Spot and stalk is only effective in areas where the cover is open enough to allow you to see for a distance. Areas of thick cover don’t lend themselves to hunting by spot and stalk. Spot and stalk also requires patience as you must sit still and continually look over the same areas again and again. It can be fun however as you do get to see a lot of country and often see a wide variety of birds and animals. Also, unlike a stand or blind, you can move around and stretch from time to time. Just be sure not to let your hunting partners sleep while you do all the glassing. Many hunters consider stalking to be the purest form of hunting as you have to be pretty stealthy in order to sneak within range. When stalking a buck, you are allowing him the chance to use all of his senses to detect your presence before you get close enough for a shot. Stalking isn’t easy, but it is very exciting, as you have to be very sneaky while at the same time moving quickly enough to get in range before the deer move away.

Calling
Calling can be effective if you are hunting either whitetail deer or blacktail deer during the rut. Typical deer calls imitate bucks grunting, snorting, and wheezing. Other deer calls imitate the bleating sounds made by does when they are in estrus, meaning they are ready to be bred. These sounds all imitate rutting activity, which is a powerful attractant to bucks. Bucks are very territorial, and large, dominant bucks seek to breed all of the does in their area. When these bucks hear sounds, which they think are coming from other bucks following does, they will sometimes come investigate in order to drive off the buck they think they hear. Calling is typically used when a hunter is on stand either in a tree or on the ground. Calling will produce mixed results, but it is one more tool available to hunters during the rut.

Rattling is another form of calling, where a hunter will make try to imitate the sounds of clashing antlers made by two bucks fighting over a doe. The sounds of rattling makes a buck think that there are two other bucks fighting over a doe. Hearing this, the buck may attempt to come and either steal the doe or join in the fight. Like the other forms of calling, rattling will produce mixed results, but it can be effective during the rut.

Baiting
Where legal, baiting can be very effective at attracting deer. Baiting refers to the practice of placing bait, typically food such as corn or minerals like salt, out where deer will find it and eat it. Bating is used in conjunction with a tree stand or blind to attract the deer within range. Baiting is very effective as once deer learn that food or minerals can be found in a particular location, they will return there often. Typically, corn, grain, acorns, or a blend of sweet tasting, high calorie foods is used as deer will preferentially seek them out over other food crops. Minerals, like those fed to cattle, are also highly attractant to deer as they are often lacking in a deer’s natural diet. There are a variety of commercially available bait products formulated specifically for attracting deer, but plain corn or salt work well too. Be sure to check your local law as baiting deer is legal in some states, but illegal in others.

Hunting with Dogs
In many of the Southern states, it is legal to hunt deer with dogs. Deer hunting with dogs is an American tradition that predates the founding of our nation. Hunting with dogs is very similar to a driven hunt except for the fact that the beaters are dogs rather than humans. Various hound dogs are used to hunt deer as they trail them by scent. Hound hunting is typically done in areas where the cover is so thick as to be virtually impenetrable. Dogs are released into an area where deer are thought to be in the hope that the dogs will drive the deer towards waiting hunters. Shots at deer being driven by dogs through thick cover are typically taken at close range, so hound hunters commonly use shotguns with buckshot for deer hunting. Hound hunting is a very specialized form of hunting as it takes years to train good dogs, and they require care and feeding year round. Most hunters don’t get into this type of hunting simply because of the investment involved. For the same reason, dedicated hound hunters are usually interested in little else.

Picking the hunting method that works for you involves a little trial and error. Except for specialized hunting methods, like hound hunting, it is pretty simple to try out different methods until you find what suits you. Don’t feel like you have to hunt a certain way just because that is the way someone else does it. The most important factor for success is actually being out in the field. Pick a hunting method that you enjoy, and are willing to do from dawn to dusk. If you can’t stand to sit still in a tree for hours on end, don’t, get good at still-hunting or spot and stalk. If you have a hard time moving quietly, try stand hunting. Whatever you do, just be safe and make it fun, because what is the point if it isn’t enjoyable?  In a typical day of hunting you will likely use more than one method. You may start the morning on a lookout glassing for a spot and stalk, then still hunt through a bedding area during the day, and then sit in an improvised ground blind for the evening. A big part of being a successful hunter is being able to adapt to whatever conditions you encounter. Being flexible and having more than one skill set in your repertoire will allow you to seamlessly change hunting styles as the game and terrain dictate.

The original article can be found at http://www.nosler.com/articles/2011/04/03/hunting-methods/

Basic Hunting Gear Part III (Gear Specific to Hunting)

This is the equipment that makes the difference between going hunting and going for a hike. Adding this hunting specific equipment to the clothing and survival gear from part I and II will complete the gear ensemble that you need to be an effective and efficient hunter.

Rifle

You wouldn’t be hunting if you didn’t have a way to harvest game, so it is essential that you bring your rifle and ammunition. It doesn’t happen often, but you would be surprised at the number of hunters who have set off on opening morning only to discover that in all the excitement they forgot their rifle and or ammunition. Along with your rifle you should carry several rounds of spare ammunition. You should also consider carrying some sort of cleaning rod so that you can clear your rifle’s bore if it becomes clogged with mud, snow or debris. You must never fire your rifle in an attempt to clear a clogged bore! Doing so will most assuredly result in the destruction of your firearm as well as causing you and those around you severe bodily harm! Several manufacturers make either segmented or cable type cleaning rods and kits that are designed to be carried in the field. If you are going to be hunting in inclement weather, place a strip of electrician’s tape over your muzzle. It will not negatively affect accuracy, but it will prevent snow, rain, pine needles, and other debris from falling into your barrel. While not absolutely necessary, I believe scope caps are an excellent accessory to add to your hunting rifle. They aren’t expensive and can easily save your hunt by insuring that your scope lenses are clean and clear when it comes time to take a shot.

Binoculars

Nikon Rangefinder and Swarovski 8x30 SLC Binoculars

While I would never tell someone that they can’t go hunting without binoculars, if you really want to be serious about hunting, you need a good pair. Carrying and using binoculars will allow you to spot far more game than you can without them. Binoculars will also allow you to spot game from a distance before they are aware of your presence. With a good pair of binoculars and a good vantage point, you can effectively cover and “hunt” far more country than you can possibly cover on foot in a day. Just as with boots, try several different pairs and buy the absolute very best that you can afford. Fortunately with optics, you do get what you pay for and price is actually a really good indication of quality. Cheap binoculars are cheap and good binoculars are expensive. It is up to you to decide how much you are willing to spend. Buying quality binoculars is one of the few times that you will actually be able to improve your hunting skill simply by buying something. Quality binoculars have much better light transmission and image clarity. This means that you will be able to effectively glass game both earlier and later in the day when the light isn’t as bright. Image clarity allows you to spot game by noticing small details like an ear or antler sticking out from behind a bush. Also, clearer images result in less eye strain. Eye strain occurs when your eye is constantly trying to focus the image it sees through the binoculars. With lesser quality binoculars, the image will be less crisp and your eye will keep trying to adjust which will quickly lead to eye strain. Quality binoculars have more precise and robust focusing mechanisms which also help to improve image clarity and prevent eye strain. When your eyes get tired, you won’t want to look through your binoculars to glass anymore, and you can’t hunt what you can’t spot. Really bad binoculars will give you eye strain bad enough to cause a headache. Keep in mind that you will never wear out a good pair of binoculars and most likely your kids will be able to use them, so they really are a one time purchase. If you have to, go without for a few seasons until you can save up for a good pair.

Knife

A selection of good skinning knives ranging from expensive to inexpensive. Clockwise from lower left, Carter custom Skinner, Ruana drop point, Shrade skinner, Mora Clipper, Victorinox Boning knife, and Hewlett Jewelstick Diamond sharpener.

Eventually you will be successful in taking a deer and will need to skin and field dress it. While hunting, I like to carry multiple knives for different uses. I prefer to carry one knife for general cutting chores, while keeping one or two knives in my pack specifically for skinning and cutting up game. By carrying multiple knives, I keep my game processing knives clean and razor sharp. A skinning knife does not need to be big, and actually, smaller is better. Any knife with a blade larger than five inches is going to be too big and unwieldy. I believe a blade length between 2.5 and 4.5 inches is ideal. Blade shape is also an important consideration when shopping for a skinning knife. Look for something with some curve or “belly” in the blade as this allows a much more comfortable and natural cutting stroke. Trying to skin with a blade that is too straight will be difficult and frustrating. Blade steel, the type of steel the knife is made out of, is another important thing to consider when choosing a good skinning knife. Premium blade steels are much tougher and will hold an edge much longer than less expensive steels. No matter what steel your knife is made of, be sure to keep it razor sharp. A sharp knife makes the job much easier and much safer. If you find yourself having to push hard, your knife is too dull and needs to be sharpened. A quality knife will hold an edge through skinning at least one deer if not several. Don’t be afraid to spend enough money to get a good knife, as it will last you a lifetime. While good knives can be had for as little as fifty dollars, don’t be surprised to spend between one and two hundred dollars on a good skinning knife.

For quartering and butchering big game, I prefer to use another specialized knife called a boning knife. To transport a deer or other big game animal out of the woods without horses or a vehicle, you will need to break it down into pieces small enough to be carried in a backpack. To do this, you will need to remove large cuts of meat from the underlying bones, as well as splitting joints. A boning knife is the type of knife that professional meat cutters use to separate large cuts of meat from bone. A boning knife looks like a small fillet knife and you probably already have one in the knife block in your kitchen. The thin flexible blade makes it really easy to separate joints and remove large cuts of meat from your deer. Fortunately, professional grade boning knives are actually inexpensive, only costing around fifteen dollars. My favorite is a five inch, curved, boning knife with a large, textured plastic handle. The only drawback is that these knives don’t come with sheaths, so you will have to rig something up to carry it in your pack safely. I like to use the plastic edge guards that are sold in kitchen stores and large knife catalogs.      

Camera

Always carry a camera and be sure to take lots of pictures. It is fun to look at pictures and remember the good times that you had on your hunts. Don’t just wait until someone has taken an animal and then only bring home trophy photos. Take many pictures throughout your hunt including photos of camp and the area you are hunting in. Memories are easily forgotten and it is fun to look at pictures and remember difficult hikes, less than ideal campsites, or miserable weather conditions. Just be sure that you have fresh batteries and plenty of room on your memory card before you head out.

 

Tag and License

You must always carry your tag and hunting license with you in the field while hunting. Some states even require that your license be displayed openly on your back. Consult your state’s hunting regulations to be sure that you are in compliance with the law.  Typically, the law requires you to validate your tag by punching out the date immediately upon recovering your deer. If you forget your tag and license at home or in the truck, you could potentially get yourself into a lot of unnecessary trouble.

Optics Cleaning

High-end optics such as scopes and binoculars have special coatings on the lenses that can easily be damaged by improper cleaning procedures. Using your t-shirt to clean the lenses of your scope or binoculars can quickly and permanently ruin your investment. Lenses should only be cleaned with a soft cloth specifically made for lens cleaning. Any little bits of dust or debris must be carefully removed before wiping the lenses or else they will act like sand paper and scratch the exterior lens coating. The best tool for removing dust and debris is a soft brush designed for optics cleaning. I carry a Leupold Lenspen and a small soft lens cleaning cloth in my pack at all times. I try to keep the lenses of my optics protected so that I rarely have to clean them, but I like to have the tools to clean them in the field if needed. Be sure to read the instructions that came with your optics and follow only those cleaning procedures recommended by the manufacturer.

Flagging tape

Flagging tape comes in a variety of fluorescent colors and is extremely useful for marking trails. Flagging tape is inexpensive and comes on a small roll that fits easily in your backpack. One roll should last for a very long time. Perhaps the most common use is to mark points along a blood trail when recovering game. If you are having difficulty following tracks or a blood trail, you can use a strip of flagging tape to mark the last track or drop of blood while you look for the next. That way, if you have trouble finding more sign, you can always return to the last known point and start over. Flagging tape can also be used to mark points where you need to turn off of a main trail to make your way to a stand or lookout point that you have located. Finally, it is a good idea to tie a few strips of flagging tape to the antlers of your deer while you are packing out the head to potentially let other hunters know that they are seeing another hunter with a deer head on his back, not a live buck. If you do use flagging tape to mark trails, take it down and take it with you when your hunt is over.

Shooting sticks

Whenever you are shooting at game, you should try to use a rest. A steady rest will greatly improve the precision of your shots no matter how good you are. It is possible to use a variety of improvised rests such as your backpack, a tree branch, rock, or log, but a good pair of shooting sticks can greatly simplify matters. Logs and rocks don’t always pop up right where you need them when taking a shot at an animal, and with shooting sticks you can set up a good rest just about anywhere you choose. I’m not talking about the full height shooting sticks used in Africa for standing shots, but if you like them and are willing to carry them around with you, then by all means use them. For most deer hunting you will be perfectly well served by a set of collapsible aluminum shooting sticks designed for shooting while sitting or kneeling. They don’t weigh much, collapse down to an easily packable size and they can make a world of difference in how well you shoot in the field.  Don’t wait until the moment of truth before you try shooting off of sticks. Take them to the range with you and practice using them in a variety of positions before you go hunting.

Game Bags

If you want to be successful, you need to prepare for success. That means you should carry your field dressing tools with you at all times. One of the most important pieces of equipment for proper meat care is game bags. Heat, dirt and flies are your worst enemies when it comes to caring for your meat. Quality came bags will allow your meat to cool while protecting it from bugs and dirt. Good cotton game bags are inexpensive and can be reused year to year after washing. They come in different sizes designed for either quarters or a whole deer. I like to carry six, quarter size game bags in my pack whenever I am hunting. With that many bags I can easily hang up all my meat and get it cooled down right away. A spare bag comes in really handy too for protecting the head and cape of your trophy if you intend to have it mounted. Don’t get yourself into trouble at home, but old cotton pillowcases make pretty good game bags.

Gear List

• Backpack
• Boots
• Rifle
• Ammunition
• Clothing
• Rain Gear
• Binoculars
• Extra insulating layer
• Garbage bag
• Map and Compass
• Knife or Knives
• Game Bags
• Hunting License and Tags
• Emergency blanket
• First Aid kit
• Matches and Fire starter
• Headlamp and or Flashlight
• Optics cleaning cloth
• Rifle Cleaning kit
• Pen with tape
• Flagging tape
• Cell phone
• GPS
• Water
• Lunch
• Extra food
• Camera
• Shooting sticks
• Hand sanitizer
• Toilet paper
• Rope

At first glance, this may seem like a lot of gear to carry around all day, but by being properly prepared, you will be able to be a better hunter. Being comfortable, confident and motivated will keep you out in the field longer, which will ultimately lead to more success. As you gain experience as a hunter, you will begin to decide what gear you think is necessary and what isn’t. Some hunters carry hardly anything at all. Other hunters carry way too much. Based upon my years of experience, this basic set of gear will help you to be safe and comfortable in the field. No matter what your experience level is, it is a good feeling knowing that you have the necessary gear to stay warm, dry and comfortable even if you have to unexpectedly spend the night in the field.

The original article can be found at http://www.nosler.com/articles/2011/04/04/basic-hunting-gear-part-iii-gear-specific-to-hunting/