Deer Hunting Tips

At some point in my hunting “career” I tired of hunting average size bucks and became interested in shooting only trophy bucks. There was quite a learning curve in moving my hunt to good bucks to monster bucks, but I got all the deer hunting tips I could from some of the best deer hunters in the nation. I found that the tactics to hunt the average deer don’t always translate to the much more elusive giant antlered mature bucks.  After much trial and error I found the true secrets to finding the great deer, and my success has multiplied year after year.

Are there big bucks where you hunt? Most extremely large bucks are never seen. Just because there have not been reports of large bucks being seen in an area does not necessarily mean they are not there. That being said there are certain areas which seem to be hotbeds for the giant racked deer. To have a chance at bagging the elusive giant racked deer you must hunt where the big deer are.  It is a hard fact that not all areas hold even one really big buck, let alone many. It is true however that certain factors lead to a greater concentration of giant bucks within an area.

The best way to find out if there are any big bucks in an area that you plan to hunt is to ask around. If you are looking for an area to hunt the best  people to ask about the local deer population are other hunters, local farmers and ranchers, county agents, game wardens, feed store owners and even the people at the closest coffee shop or cafe. You are trying to find out if there are any big deer in the area and where they are. remember you are looking for big bucks, not a lot of deer. Some places are teeming with small bucks, this is not our goal. We are looking for that monster. If you are already on a lease or are committed in some way to one particular area find out the areas or stands where the biggest bucks have been harvested there the last few years, and if anyone has seen any big bucks in any one particular  location. This is a good starting point. One word of caution though, deer stories can be as unreliable as fishing tales so try to get as much confirmation as you can.

Are You Willing to Do What It Takes?

Are you looking to bag that once in lifetime giant racked deer. If you are longing  to  bring home the type of buck that most people only dream about I can help, but you may have to adjust your thinking, your tactics, and embrace the patience and commitment it takes to bring home a colossal trophy deer. Unless you get really lucky the successful hunting of a giant whitetail or mule deer is a commitment that may take a full year of planning, scouting and hunting, or two, or more. There have been individual bucks that I scouted, pursued, hunted and dreamed of for several years before I finally had the opportunity to make the kill. The big “war hosses” have a particular affinity for never being in a position where a man can shoot them. There is a reason the giants are that way and they seem to almost have a sixth sense when it comes to eluding hunters.

There is a unique manner and behavior pattern with giant old bucks and to be successful in hunting them you must modify your strategy accordingly. You almost have to approach the giant mature bucks as if they were another species all together to successfully hunt them. Along with being older and larger they are wiser, more cautious, and much more deliberate in their actions. The fact that a trophy buck survives to 4, 5, or 6 years old is a testament that they have mastered a lifestyle that allows them to avoid hunters and other predators. A giant buck will not typically run at the slightest pressure ,they dig in and hide until it is safe to get away. I have seen bucks hold tight in cover using their amazing stealth and natural camouflage, then sneak, crawl, or even swim away to avoid even the most experienced hunters.

If you are going to be successful you must use different tactics for these big boys. It is almost like the police detective catching the master criminal, it can take months to years of hard work and a bit of circumstantial luck to make an arrest. But if you have the right knowledge and the commitment that comes from a burning desire to display that once-in-a lifetime-if-you-are-lucky class buck on your wall then read on…

Welcome to Deer-HuntingTips.com, your home for continuing information and discussion about one of the most enjoyable sporting activities of all time and your source for the best deer hunting tips online.

We will continue to offer deer hunting tips, tricks and little known tactics to help the experienced hunter as well as the absolute beginner. Whether you prefer to scale the great Rocky Mountains on majestic mule deer hunts, or hunt the  South Texas Muy Grande Whitetails, there is no other sport that will get the adrenaline flowing and the heart pumping quite like a deer hunt. We will be offering tips on the best deer hunting rifle, stories of whitetail and mule deer hunts, review and offer deer hunting videos, and introduce deer hunting outfitters and guides.

Welcome to your best source of Deer Hunting Tips online!

For the experienced hunter the following deer hunting tips may seem obvious but the basics need to be reviewed often and for beginners they need to be learned well.  A successful deer hunt involves more than traipsing through the woods and shooting a trophy deer. There is a lot of preparation required, safety precautions to be followed and discipline needed, but by following these deer hunting tips you will greatly increase your chance of having an enjoyable and successful hunt.

Basic Safety Tips:

·    Avoid all alcoholic beverages before and during hunting.

·    Treat your gun as if it is loaded and ready to shoot; never rely on a gun’s safety.

·    Don’t climb a tree or stand, jump a ditch, or cross a fence with a loaded gun.

·    Never pull the trigger unless you are absolutely sure your target is a deer.

Tips to Get A Deer:

·    Start Early – While some hunters prefer to hunt an entire day, sunrise and sunset are the preferred times for finding game. Deer tend to come out of the brush to feed only in the early morning and late pre-dusk hours. Head out to your deer stand or blind well before daylight in the mornings and well before dark on evening hunts. This gives the hunter plenty of time to get set-up and be prepared before the deer start to be active. Nothing is more disheartening than arriving to your hunting area,  chasing away a magnificent buck while getting to your stand or blind because you arrived too late, and not seeing another deer the rest of the hunt!

·    No Scents – Always be aware and take precautions to eliminate any unnatural odors. What may smell good to your spouse or friends usually smells like dander to a deer. No deodorant, cologne, perfume, after shave, or scented/deodorant soaps. Wash the clothing you will be wearing with an unscented detergent or plain water before a hunt. Deer have an amazingly sensitive sense of smell and even the slightest hint of a scent can send them scrambling away.

·    Be Still – When you are in a stand or blind move as little as possible and very slowly when you do. I believe the hardest thing for me to learn was the technique of slowly looking from side to side for hours at a time while sitting in a freezing cold deer stand. Deer are extremely wary of any sudden motion.

·    Be Silent – Silence is essential to a successful deer hunt. I have often been amazed (and later disappointed) with the sensitivity of a deer’s hearing.  Deer are especially alert to human voice or any sort of unnatural sound. If you are hunting with a partner and must speak only do so in a very low whisper and use slow hand signals whenever possible. Always be careful not to knock your gun against the stand or a pair of binoculars.

These are just the very basics and there are a lot of other things to know before you can call yourself an expert, but following these few deer hunting tips will greatly increase your chances of bring home that trophy buck you have been dreaming of.

One of the most important decisions for you to make in your hunting career is what deer rifle you should purchase. The keys to achieving your deer hunting goals come in the form of the best firearm for you. When you go to pick out a firearm, you want the one with the best style, action, sighting, size, and ballistics for your hunting area and physical capabilities. Whether or not you make the kill is largely reliant on whether or not your deer hunting rifle matches up best with the criteria above.

Your Specific Hunting Environment

The two main types of deer hunting environments are the deep woods/dense brush and open range country. You may be hunting in an area that has a mixture of both these environment types. Every hunting environment has different styles of shooting and require rifles with different characteristics.

Deer Hunting Rifles for Deep Woods or Dense Brush

Deer hunting rifles that work best in the woods are rifles made for medium or short range shooting. Most of the time, you’ll only be shooting from a distance of twenty-five to two hundred yards. So, having a deer hunting rifle that’s relatively light (nine pounds or less, including the scope) with a short barrel length (twenty two inches or less) is best. It’s important to be able to move quickly and easily through densely wooded areas. You may also want to consider rifles that have automatic functions and are easy to reload. It’s fairly common, when deer hunting in rough country, that you end up needing to take multiple shots in quick succession in order to make your kill. I would recommend using heavy bullet cartridges, .270 caliber or greater, with at least a 120 grain bullet, in order to penetrate any brush that might be in the way of your intended target. Any cartridges that travel more than 2200 feet per second have a higher chance of being deflected by the brush, and are therefore not well suited to densely wooded terrain. If your hunting terrain only allows shots to be taken within 50 yards or less of the intended target, you may want to consider using an open sight. If not, I would recommend a scope with four power, or a variable scope that can get down to 3X. You may want to conduct a few experiments at your local rifle range to figure out whether or not open site shooting suits your hunting style.

Deer Hunting Rifles for the Open Range

The best deer hunting rifles for open areas are made for long range shooting, and most are best at shooting 300 yards or farther. In this situation, mobility is less important than being able to shoot accurately, and the ability to make long distance shots. That said, most open range deer hunting rifles are heavier than their deep woods counterparts, and have a longer barrel. The best calibers and cartridges for open range deer hunting, are flat shooting, and high velocity. 6MM (.243) calibers or higher will work well, and bullets from 100 grains or heavier will be best. When shooting larger caliber rifles, heavier bullets are generally best for accurate shooting. The minimum required scope for most shooters is a 6×9 variable scope.

Personal Shooting Style and Abilities

When you start looking for the best deer hunting rifle for you, you want to make sure that you keep the above considerations in mind. Make sure that you are comfortable with the way that you’re shooting, and how you shoot when using a high caliber or magnum caliber rifle. Do you really want to lug ten or twelve pounds of long rifle with you around your deer hunting terrain?

You can probably go to your local hunting rifle dealer and try out a variety of different deer hunting rifles, and get a better feel for what you want and what “fits” you.. You may also want to consider asking any successful hunters that you’re friends with what kinds of rifles they use, and their reasons for using them. If you’re really interested in learning about their firearms, you could ask your friends to let you hold and handle their rifles, and ask what they like and dislike about their rifle.

Choosing the perfect deer hunting rifle takes time and consideration. The type of shots available in your hunting terrain and your personal preferences all have to be weighed, but when you are matched with the perfect firearm you will feel the confidence to make your shots nearly perfect every time.

The average deer hunter with only average knowledge and commitment, over time gets only average results.  Any hunter can bag a small buck once every year or two and might occasionally get lucky, but bringing home that majestic trophy buck with regularity takes commitment and knowledge.  The true deer hunting masters know the following advanced deer hunting tips I am about to share with you.

1. Scout Your Area Ahead of Time – I don’t mean analyze where you are going to sit when the truck drops you off, I mean really get to know the area you are hunting. Some of my most successful hunting seasons were started months before opening day. I would ask permission to go to the lease I was going to hunt on and scout all the areas. I would survey all the available hunting sites and “dry hunt.” Act just like I was hunting but not bring a gun (only a camera) to evaluate which areas had the most deer movement, biggest bucks and highest buck to doe ratios. I would also walk the lease during midday noting the signs of the big bucks, and speaking of the signs of the big bucks:

2. Know the Signs of Big Bucks – Knowing what to look for allows you to zero in on the areas where the trophy deer are. Look for tracks. Note the size, quantity and direction of the tracks to indicate the size, quantity and movement patterns of the deer. Look for Scrapes – areas where bucks scratch the ground accompanied with urination to mark territory and attract does, typically below low hanging tree branches at the border of heavy brush during the rut. Look for Rubs – Areas on trees or posts where bucks rub the velvet off their new antlers or mark their territory during rutting season. A “rub line” is a series of rubs, six or more within about a 100 yard space. The rubs are typically on the side of the tree that the buck is traveling form so noting which sides of the trees have rub marks in a rub line gives clues as to the direction of movement. Also scout for and note the size of bedding areas. No signs of bucks means no bucks!

3. Know How Your Firearm Shoots – Know the ballistics of the caliber and cartridge you are using. Realize and be able to adjust for the distance you are shooting; the rise on short shoots and the fall on longer shoots. Practice judging distance and if all possible walk off the probable sighting areas ahead of time so if you are making a 400 yard shot you know it is 400 yards and you know the drop your bullet will realize at that distance and be able to adjust.

4. Shot Placement – If you master the aim and ballistic characteristics of your deer hunting rifle, you can be more concerned with exact shot placement. A lot of other hunters don’t agree with me on my preference, but I am a “neck shooter.” A shot properly placed anywhere on the neck brings down your deer, right then, every time. If your shot lands lower on the neck you have severed the carotid arteries, high on the neck and the spinal column is breached, hit the center of the neck and you get a combination of these deadly effects.  From a broadside, front or rear quarter angle, or head-on angle the neck target is as large as the traditional “behind the lower shoulder” target and much more effective. I don’t recommend full rear shot attempts at all unless you are looking at a trophy buck you just can’t pass up; cleaning a deer that has been shot up the rectum is not a pleasant task to say the least. Always make wise shooting decisions; making a fast, efficient kill is be the goal of all advanced deer hunters.

5. Attractants, Calls and Rattling- Without being able to go into too much depth here, the last or our advanced deer hunting tips involves attractants (natural food plots, salt licks/mineral blocks, feeders, and flavored blocks) , deer calls, and rattling techniques. The food related attractants require previous preparation. Planting food plots takes time ant attention much as any gardening does. Continuous feeding of an area should start weeks or even months ahead of the hunting season so the deer get used to the location and timing of their free meals. Calling or rattling up bucks is a hit and miss technique that normally only works during a rut. I have had bucks come to my rattling slowly and cautiously out of curiosity when they were not in rut, but typically when it works well they tend to come rushing. I have almost been run over by bucks when rattling in the field, so if you become proficient at this technique be prepared for quick action. And proficiency is required and often slowly learned. To effectively mimic the call or re-creation of realistic fighting sounds of deer has a learning curve, but can become very effective once learned.

Every deer hunter wishes he or she could display a trophy buck at some time during their hunting career, some of us are not happy unless we bag at least one monster every season. If you are going to join the ranks of the elite hunters, then you need to know the advanced deer hunting tips the elite hunters know.

I am often asked why I like deer hunting so much. When asked this I typically remember one of my favorite sayings, “One doesn’t hunt in order to kill, one kills in order to have hunted.” We go hunting for the adventure and the excitement of the chase. We hunt for the peaceful contentment of being one with nature and the thrill of developing our skills and trying to overcome the hardships that the elements present. It is about returning to a more natural state where one feels more alive than is ever possible in the sea of humanity.

Hunting deer is about pitting ourselves against a quarry that is well-known for its elusiveness and incredibly acute senses. It is about the camaraderie we feel while getting back to nature with our good friends and family members. It is about the elation we feel when we overcome the harsh elements of nature and the keen senses of our prey and bring home the meat from a successful hunt; also the frustration and “wait ’till next time” emotion that stings us when a hunt doesn’t go as hoped. Is it about being a part of nature and knowing that our efforts help to maintain healthy environment and manage our precious natural resources. Mostly it is just about great fun! I still envy the lucky ones who are new to this great sport of deer hunting, knowing they are starting on a journey of a lifetime.

We welcome you to come back and visit us often and we promise to continue to bring you the best of deer hunting tips, startegies, techniques and methods to make this the best deer hunting season of your life.