Trying to get started

[wayzata]

Alot of my friends deer hunt and I have always wanted to get into it. But it is hard because my dad hunts everything except deer. Finally I got him to agree to go deer hunting. Any tips to help get started would help a lot! Thanks

[Archerysniper]

Start reading and watching anything you can get your hands on. Ask another family member or close friend if you can join them this fall hunting or just helping them scout and hang stands.

[MJ1657]

Do you have a spot picked out to hunt?

Spend time walking around getting familiar with the lay of the land. Right now is a good time to spot trails scrapes and rubs from last year. They are easy to spot.

[Bear55]

To start do you have anywhere to hunt? Private or public and what area of the state are you thinking?

Next start thinking about some of the gear your will need, you don't have to go too crazy so I would just get some cheap outer orange and maybe borrow a gun. Just in case you don't like deer hunting it's good to start out slow.

Finally once you have an idea of the area you will hunt get out in the wood and do some scouting. You don't have to get crazy your first year but try and find a good spot where several deer trails come together. Also see if you can find some food and good bedding cover in the area and just try and pick a good spot with all of those in mind.

Next just relax and have fun out there, there is a world of information out there on deer hunting and you aren't going to learn it all in one year or even ten so enjoy your time in the woods.

[Random guy]

Next just relax and have fun out there, there is a world of information out there on deer hunting and you aren't going to learn it all in one year or even ten so enjoy your time in the woods.

Now that’s good advice. I am the world’s worst deer hunter, hands down I stink at deer hunting; but I have a great time trying to harvest one but just getting out is fun. Heck I shot my first buck in 11 years last year and to be honest I had as much fun the successful years as I did in the not so successful years. I started hunting everything as soon as I could pull the hammer back on the old trapper .410 and I am in my mid thirties now and I feel I have learned about 10% what’s goes on in the woods...and deer are mythical creatures unlike bear, grouse, coyotes, ducks, moose, turkeys and other stuff I actually see.

[picksbigwagon]

great advice so far.....If you and your father already hunt with shotguns, odd's are you won't need a rifle, depending on where you go hunting. Even up north in the woods, you can be successful with a 12 ga smoothbore out to 75 yards.....Watching TV hunting shows will give you a false sense of reality. There aren't 10 point bucks behind every tree in Minnesota or Iowa for that matter either, contrary to a lot of those hunting shows.

Getting out now and having a looky loo is a great idea, make sure you take your Dad, I am sure he would love to get out of the house for a few hours as well....

[surewood]

Reading is a good start. Then scout as much as you can, find some spots that look good to you, and hang/build stands. Scrapes, rubs, beds, and heavy trails should get you started and then you'll learn from there. Get out in the woods and find as much patience and persistence as you can, and when they run out, find some more. If you have any questions as you go ask them on here, plenty of good info to go around. Keep the wind in your face, and good luck.

[wayzata]

Thanks a lot everyone for the great tips! And yeah me and my dad are big shotgun guys. We have been hunting turkeys on this guys land for about 4 years now and have always seen deer. But this year when we went scouting we saw a lot more so that gave me the idea. The land owner said one night he saw about 50 deer that he counted. So he has a major problem. He went shed hunting and fount about 13 sheds and his neighbor found about 13 as well. So there is plenty of deer and when we went scouting we found the paths that they use so im very excited!

[nwhunter]

If you have any questions as you go ask them on here, plenty of good info to go around.

^^Best advice yet...^^