Tree saddles, ultra-lite climbing sticks, o-zone generators, grunt tubes, what do all of these have in common? Well for one, they are all hunting equipment that is marketed to increase your odds of harvesting a deer.
But do they really?
I have read hundreds of articles, studies maps for hours on end, bought the latest and greatest gear, and yet I still struggle to consistently kill mature deer, or even lay eyes on them for that matter. Why is that?
Because all the "experts" and Facebook keyboard warriors don't know what they are talking about. Just kidding (kind of).
I first want to start by saying there is some great information out there to help you learn as much as you possibly can about deer hunting. But, you have to understand that 90% of the information you read is not applicable to your situation. We all need to learn when it is best to simplify our strategy.
Sure snort-wheezing a buck into your set may work for an Iowa lease property, but if you are hunting a high pressure piece of public land near a densely populated area, you are probably going to spook deer before you even lay eyes on it.
So how can we retain the good information and block out the rest?
Start by hitting the woods. The best way to learn is to do. A lot of deer hunters will try and over-complicate things on their journey to learn more about these cagey animals, but will end up more frustrated and confused then when they first started.
I think it would be beneficial to start from the beginning, so lets break deer hunting down to its most simple form and then work our way up.
1. FIND SIGN
This may be easier said than done, but with a little bit of hiking time, the odds of you running into tracks, scat, rubs, scrapes, or game trails is highly likely.
2. PICK THE BEST DAYS TO HUNT
Humans and deer are very similar in the fact that we like to be out and about when the temperature is manageable. In order to put yourself in a deer's mind, imagine you are constantly wearing a puffy jacket. This would force you to stay in the cover and shade most of the day, and start to get active later in the evening and through the night right? Well I would be willing to bet the deer are thinking the same thing. For this step, cold fronts are your key.
3. HUNT GOOD WIND
You may be able to trick a deer's eyes. You may be able to trick a deer's ears. But you will never be able to trick a deer's nose. Keep this in mind and make sure the feature you are hunting is up wind of you.
4. CONCEAL YOUR MOVEMENTS
After the nose, the eyes are a deer's second most reliable line of defense. Make sure all movements are either hidden by trees and brush, or your movement is held to a minimum.
5. EXECUTE YOUR SHOTS
Whether this be a bow shot or a rifle shot, saying composed and delivering your arrow or bullet to its target is crucial for obvious reasons. Practice is the name of the game here so make sure you are hitting the range!
Sometimes when things become frustrating and the chips aren't falling the way you would like, lean on your hunting roots and go back to the basics. There is a reason these tips have not changed for millennia.
Execute the fundamentals, and enjoy the success! Happy hunting out there everyone!
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