Early deer hunting strategy

Redleg

All:Have a question about early deer hunting strategies. What are some good tips? Please, fill my head with knowledge! Thanks!(I live in Missouri)

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Crush your enemies, drive their horses before you, hear the lamentation of their women.--Genghis Khan

ndbilly

I also like - "We will slaughter your men, steal your women and dance on the bones of your children." I think it was Arnold S. in one of those Conan flicks.RE: Early Deer Hunting Tips. I am by no means an expert, but have had some success over the past twenty years. Best advice I ever got is what I'll pass along: Scout, scout, scout. The more time you can spend in the woods you plan to hunt, the better prepared you'll be. I would suggest, if your schedule allows, going early in the morning and/or late in the afternoon as the critters tend to be more active during tose times. If you haven't found a place to hunt yet, you should get on that ASAP. Archery starts very soon and the gun season will be here before you know it. Good luck!

DaRoosta

Make sure you know your weapon. You may only get one chance, so make it count. Even if you know your gun or bow is sighted in, make sure. Go to the range and check it out. I'm a firm believer that practice is key.Other than that, make sure you have fun and be safe. I'm sure you'll have lots of responses on this topic, so I just thought I'd add my #1 objective. Good luck.

ndbilly

Daroosta - I once shot at a deer from about forty paces with a rifle I hadn't touched since the season before. Broadside shot, I was holding just behind the right shoulder. He took off after I fired and ran in a big loop, eventually passing under my stand. I shot again as he passed beneath me and he fell dead with the second shot. Reconstructing things later, it was clear that my first shot was very much off the mark and not at all in a vital area. After a few rounds at the range the next day, I found out my rifle was shooting about 9" high! How the sights were thrown off by that much I still can't explain but the experience illustrates your point. Never take it for granted that your weapon is still holding to its sights. Get to the range as close to opening day as you can, satisfy yourself that you're zeroed, and handle the weapon with kid gloves from that point forward.

Shootist3006

Scout, practice, scout, practice, scout, practice.....Try to get 8 or 10 days, early morning and evening, just sitting and looking and listening. If you can't get that time, try talking to locals, most will help point you to the general area (if public land).Go to the range, plan to shoot at least 100 rounds or as many over that as it takes to hit a 4" circle on the 1st shot, every time.The maximum range at which you can do that is your maximum hunting range. Shoot standing with a post or tree for support, sitting with same support, and kneeling (also supported). Don't waste you time and ammo practicing prone or bench (except to zero in) as you most likely will not hunt with a bench and sandbags. If you hunt from a stand, practice shooting from it.Good luck!

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Quod principi placuit legis habet vigorem.Semper Fidelis

He Dog

Scouting is an important key. If you are hunting on a farm, you might want to do your scouting on a tractor, as wildlife tends to ignore tractors which they see a lot, and which doesn't shoot at them. If you are scouting before the harvest and will be hunting after, remember that this will likely change the habits of the deer. Hunted in NW Missouri last year and we saw the same does day after day, but the bucks were in deeper cover and tended to have larger ranges. Good Luck!

steve45

If you are hunting a busy area with a lot of hunters on the first day, sit quietly and let the other hunters run them to you.

legn4

Pay attention to the wind and acorns.

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Work'n like a dog all nite

simonbs

Hey Redleg,Are you at Fort Lost in the Woods? I spent a little time there - 'bout nine weeks. Bravo 247.If you are, I know a DI that might still be there that hunts on the post. He, or any other that hunts there could probably help you out more than anyone thats not in the area (except for the general tips that can/should be used everywhere).[This message has been edited by simonbs (edited 09-25-2001).]

Redleg

Yeah, I'm at Ft L Wood....hunting has been cancelled on post until at least next year! Luckily, my house backs up to the national forest. There is going to be a great season next year seeing as there is no pressure on the deer herd.

crazyplane21

Redleg, My best hunts have been when I stayed in the stand all day long. I bring a lunch, snacks, water and somewhere to put the used water. Sometimes even a book to read. It seems like hunters getting out of there stands to go eat lunch or go home for the afternoon get 'em runnin'. I've had some of my biggest bucks taken in the afternoon when everyone's coming back into the woods. Hope this helps you out.