How best to hunt?

[Phantom76239]

My first deer hunting trip, years ago in Michigan, was a cold day spent in a blind on the ground overlooking a previously-well-traveled alley only to not see a single living deer. My second, and my son's first, was this afternoon in the Ozarks stalking in a totally unfamiliar and un-scouted area, and again we saw not a single deer. My questions are now - 1. Will we see the best results (measured by meat on the table, not by antlers on the wall) hunting from a blind, from a stand or by stalking? And 2. How do we get started in a way that promotes success? I enjoyed the activity both times, but I'm ready to enjoy the fruits of my efforts! Thanks in advance - Chris

one go at it each isn't near enough. there is no clear cut answer. to get the answer you need to scout the area out or have it done for you but 95% of hunting is the scouting. the shooting and meat for the table is a very small part of the hunt. going in blind as a bat and expecting to drag something out is unrealistic, although it can happen. both can work but if you're not in the right spot your chances are lessened.

[Stewy Griffin]

You may be in a similar situation as me. Due to my son's age, I need to be with him. So I feel we need to be on the ground and he doesn't do a good job walking (stalking) quietly. While it is a little restraining, it is a good opportunity to keep him focused. I've heard the Ozarks are a great place to hunt.

[waggle]

Rocorrect. don't worry about "this doe". think more general. deer aren't solitary animals, they are a herd animal. trying to take a certain deer is way way advanced hunting and darn near impossible to do. hunt the deer as a herd. think about what brought that deer to the area you saw it. then think where are there other places like that. use the trails they put down to relocate the pod/herd. you can do this as a still hunt. just remember the wind. take a topo map and a pen and note the scrapes and rubs (old and new), note the food sources. note the pinch points (areas that the trails come together as one trail), note trail junctions, note the thick areas. look for the most used trails and the lesser used as well. look at the breaklines. a breakline is where a slope gets steeper or flatens out. it can be a gut, saddle, ridge or finger ridge. a breakline can be softwood stand to a hardwood stand or an old cut to old growth. if you take the time to note these things it will slow you down which may allow you to see deer before they see you. move very slow and look for these things as well as deer parts and your odds of success will be better.
__________________
nn wrote this in another tread and I thought it may help you out...

[waggle]

for some reason that tread didnt come out right....but what i said is ronn wrote that in another thread and it may help.

[Phantom76239]

Thanks for the input, guys. I know it's a little unrealistic to expect to park the truck, jump out, shoot a deer and drive it home. Part of the problem is that like Stewy Griffin's, my son THOUGHT he wanted to stalk far more than he KNEW what was involved. A couple hundred yards off the road and he was done. Knowing that deer are active all year 'round, I've got time to better prepare for next year and scout the area ahead of time.

being prepared not only impoves your odds its doing things right. there is a thread i strated "being prepared"



i understand not everyone is raised hunting and some get into it late in life and thats great. going to sites like this and asking question is a great way to start being prepared but this should start well before the season not 2 days before. scouting can be done during the hunt and everyone does it and should do it, as things change in the woods. what is bothering me is guys that just run out the day before the season buy a gun and head into the woods or don't take the time to learn about deer or take the time to learn woodsmanship or even really what deer hunting is all about. there are ways to be prepared without having grown up hunting. ask the questions before the season, learning first hand from someone who as a few years under their belt. reading books. there is nothing wrong with not knowing. I don't know allot of things and its okay to say i don't know. to go out there unprepared and shoot something or shoot at something with out understanding why you are doing it, or what to do afterward, or what this is all about or that, is just not right. it gives hunters a bad reputation. if someone shoots something but doesn't have a clue as to how to track and recover or know someone that can show them and help them they have no reason to be out there shooting animals. as i said we owe it to the game the sport and to other hunters to be prepared for what comes next. and what comes next starts way before the season with hunters safety, why we are hunting, learning the anatomy of the animal, its habits, its habitat, the laws, ethics (there is a big one), what the weapon of choice is capable of, what the user is capable of with that weapon, most firearms can out shoot the shooter, what the animal's defences are, some idea of tracking or/and someone to help in the field that does know how to track, what is safe and what is not (should be taught in hunters safety) and then maybe we are ready to go hunting. there are mentoring programs out there and they are great. I have taught and am teaching my son. I have helped other kids, I teach by doing seminars. there a tons of people out there to help new hunters. even the first time hunter was introduced to it by someone else that has more experience. even those that have 40 years in the woods, like myself and others on this forum and others out there, learn something new every year or should strive to. we try not to make a mistake but we do make them and if we do we learn from them; and by we, i mean everyone. the problem is our mistakes are picked up by others that use them against hunters, or worse yet cause injury or death. hunting is not tidily winks and the name of the game is something is going to die and that should be held in the highest of regards. there is a responsibility that must be met or stay home. thats all i'm saying i'm not trying to bash anyone. It just seems to me that it must be said.

[timberghost]

Check the wind direction and sit, watch, and listen while on the downwind side of the deer travel routes/trails. Be sure that you have concealed yourselves with trees, bushes and some type of vegetation It may be better for your son but will test his patience as well. You wouldn't want to stalk an area that you haven't scouted.

[wmi]

If you want to be successful hunting with your son put him in a blind. There is no way that a child will sit long enough, quiet enough, still enough. Hunt afternoons to start because it just makes things easier for the child. The blind will keep the child from feeling so restricted from movement as well as making the hunt more fun. Keep your hunts to half days. As far as telling you where to hunt that is a little tough probably the best case would be on a hill or rise with your back tight up or just inside thick cover.

[Body Bag]

I agree on the blind. I also prefer finding a trail about 20 - 30 yards off a clear cut (we have a lot of logging cuts in AR). I can hear the deer come out of the opening and watch them come into my lane.

Hunting does is easy. Find where they are and hunt it (feed them a little if it is legai). I have a stand that I have shot 2 does on and the rest of the family still (3 more does, 4 half year olds) still come through almost daily. The Monster Bucks stay a little better hid. I don't expect to see them on my doe stand unless they are chasing a doe.