Deer hunting tips

[WIMN]

Hey all,

New deer hunter here. I know the basics -- scent control, minimize movement, etc. With the rifle opener here in Minnesota next weekend, I am obviously excited to hunt (and have just this weekend to do so--otherwise I work everyday but Thanksgiving). Our rifle season usually coincides with the rut, so keep in mind my questions are aimed at peak rut timing rather than pre- or post- rut.

Wondering if all of you experienced hunters out there could share some wisdom or tricks to lure in "the big one" to your stand.

Firstly, a few questions about hunting gimmicks:

--Calls: DO grunt tubes or doe-in-a-can calls work?

--Scents: Doe in estrus as an attractant? Do you use a drag rag, or a wick, both? What product do you like?

Similarly, does using scents such as vanilla work as an attractant or a curiosity scent?

--Rack rattling: Any experience with this? Does it work? Is there a way to do it so movement is minimized or a way to keep your hands free so you can grab your gun if a big buck comes running in?

--Camouflage: Is it needed? What pattern is best? Does it work with blaze orange?

--Commercial attractants (the big bags of powdered food and scents you can buy at Wal-Mart and other stores): I think the idea of these is that they give off the aroma of a bunch of forage--acorns, a sweet smell, and so forth. Has anybody used these? A relatively large bag is only $10. However, if other deer scents (such as doe estrus) is more effective, I'd probably not want to overload the scents in the area as that in and of itself may spark suspicion in any nearby deer.

There's a nearby deer farm that sells doe urine here... It's pretty expensive, but I only have 1 weekend to hunt this year. Otherwise I work everyday in November besides Thanksgiving. Worth a shot? Or should I try an over-the-counter product from a sporting goods store? I did read that an important thing to keep in mind with doe estrus or doe urine (or buck urine) is to ensure that not too much is used.

Additionally, what type of scent control is real vs. imagined? I am planning on leaving my deer hunting clothes outside to air out for a few days and then putting them in a bag with some pine boughs... Too much? Last deer season we fried pheasants in butter after the opening day in the hunting shack (no ventilation) and all my clothes reeked like butter and onions the next day... Might have been a good idea to leave them outside while cooking since I saw no deer the next day.

In regards to camouflage--wherever I'd read that camouflage is good because it breaks up the human silhouette, I'd always thought this meant it just made the edge of the human silhouette sort of blend in to the surroundings (like a ghillie suit would do). The guy on this PAGE (link) took a bunch of black and white photos of himself in a deer stand wearing different types of camouflage. He shows that many of the "realtree" type camos maintain the silhouette but basically just make it harder for other humans to see us. He has a photo of himself in a Hawaiian shirt (in black & white) that shows how the silhouette can be broken up. It looks like there are "holes" in his silhouette. This, in particular, showed what silhouette breakup meant to me.

What time do you like to get to your stand? Half an hour before opening time? A full hour so things settle down? Earlier?

Do you use a light when going to your stand? I've read some hunters are so cautious that they don't use a light as to not spook deer away (since even a dim light can obviously be seen for a ways if it's very dark).

It's forecasted to be snowing next weekend... How will snow falling affect deer behavior? I know if it were raining they would probably bed down. Is it the same with snow?

Here's a tip an old timer shared with me... If a deer is crossing your path and you want it to stop for a quick shot, make a bleat-type noise. They usually will stop and look at you, giving you a few seconds to take a shot before continuing on their way.

[cavalierowner]

I believe very firmly that you should be in your stand when others are getting out. That means staying put no matter how cold ore bored you get. I can't tell you how many deer I've shot because someone has kicked them to me. In fact I keep track of what time of day I see the most deer and prime time for me starts about 1-1/2 hour after legal shooting time. I stay in my stand until at least 10:30 in the morning. In the evening I stay in the stand until the end of legal shooting.

I also plan on getting to my stand half an hour before legal shooting so things have a chance to settle down around my stand. That means I am walking to my stand when it's dead dark, so I have to use a flashlight. Whether that spooks deer or not, I don't know, but can't shoot that early anyway. I've never heard a deer on my way in to my stand.

[snapcrackpop]

You have a lot of questions...

I would suggest reading lots of old pages here and the bowhunting section.

Can't use bait, and that includes scent made with food. Id forget it all together.

If you call try to have a large open area downwind of you so they either can't go there or are exposed for a shot. If you call from some thick stuff they should get closer because they can't see where the deer making the noise is.

You are gun hunting so must wear blaze orange, I prefer blaze camo. But movement, sound and being downwind of where you expect the deer to be is more important.

But above all, I hope you have practiced with your weapon and don't take poor shots.

Are you in a stand or blind. Public or private?

Be safe and have fun.

[WIMN]

Snapcrackpop, I'll be hunting on private land. Thanks for the heads up about the bowhunting pages, didn't even think about that.

Good luck everybody!

[snapcrackpop]

Oh, and I forgot... I learned a tip here about rattling.

I tie my pull-up rope to my antler rope after im all set up. That way you can "jig" the rope to rattle or pull the horns up and rattle the usual way. Then if a deer comes in you just let go of the rope and your hands are free to shoot without worrying about dropping/ banging the antlers. Plus that way the sounds come from the ground rather than up in a tree. Lots of advantages.

[WIMN]

Thanks for the tip snap. I'm wondering how you tie your antlers together. I tied mine together to practice kinda like this tonight:

But, they rotate and the backsides of the antlers (the flat side w/o tines) so they just kind of smack together instead of slamming against one another like you'd do with your hands. Any advice?

[matthothand]

As a newbie, my advice to you would be to not mess around with calls, scents, or attractants. I think you'd be better off focusing on the fundamentals of deer behavior and movement. Keep your hunting simple.

[wannafish2]

Deer can see black and white, yellow and blue. Blaze orange does not appear as a color...however, ultraviolet light does make blaze orange appear brighter to deer so I always wash my orange in a scent free UV reducing wash prior to the opener. Always wash your hair and body before every hunt with scent killer, and use unscented deodorant. I also have a carbon powder I put inside my socks and any other clothing that is not carbon based scent reducing clothing.

Spray down with a scent killer or cover scent before you enter your hunting area - don't forget the bottom of your boots. don't smoke. don't bring food that is really odorous like sausage or salami. don't chew gum. drink water only when in/on stand.

Pick a spot to sit that is downwind of the area you expect the deer to come from and make as little movement as possible. I always move my eyes before I move my head when I am watching for deer. When you see a deer approaching, try to make any necessary movement when the deer is looking away from you, and try to take your shot when the deer is relaxed and not on full alert.

I prefer scent wicks and use doe in estrous urine. I also may use a grunt, but only when I know a deer is nearby or is just out of range and I want to try to get it closer. Rattling has never worked that I know of, but deer could have responded and I just never saw the deer. But none has ever come busting in to the rattling like on TV.

I aim just behind the shoulder when the leg is forward.

I usually get a deer during gun season. Bow hunting....now thats another story...only my 2nd year....good luck.

[wannafish2]

I read somewhere that green light does not spook deer or other game, so last year I bought one of those clip on your hat lights that had green as an option and decided to walk into my stand before daylight. Funny, out in the middle of dirt road land it is VERY DARK with no street lights...and correctly, the green headlamp didn't spook the animals...not the bear that almost made me wet myself on one morning during bow season...and not the deer that ran right in front of me on the way to my stand during gun season. I turned the lamp off when I heard them coming (it was a buck chasing a doe) - they ran in front of me...then one of them came walking back...pitch black and literally a deer walked 5 ft from me...i turned the light back on, it was a buck...scared the begeezus out of me...he didn't seem to know what I was....

I think I'll wait until I can see where I'm going without help....no more green headlamp for me...lol

but I agree, I have seen many deer around the time other hunters leave for coffee or lunch. Taken several then also.

[BobT]

As a newbie, my advice to you would be to not mess around with calls, scents, or attractants. I think you'd be better off focusing on the fundamentals of deer behavior and movement. Keep your hunting simple.

I would agree with this. Reducing/masking your scent, using luring scents, calls, rattling, and all the other junk we do certainly can help but in the grand scheme of things, you can do just fine by keeping your movements to a minimum, keeping your ears and eyes open, and paying attention. I don’t use lure scents, decoys, or rattles and I don’t take extra precautions with my clothing or hygiene.

I do carry a grunt with me but I use it rather sparingly. I will say that one time I honestly believe my daughter shot her buck after he came in to my grunt. My brother likes to use lure scents and he has had deer literally come to his stand with their nose on the ground following the trail he left with his drag rag. So these things obviously can work sometimes.

Always remember that a deer can hear many times better than you can. A deer can notice movement much quicker than you can. Deer can pick up odors many times better than you can. This is not always true but for a majority of situations, a deer will not run at the first sound or the first sighting or the first hint of odor. Deer are actually a very curious animal and when something catches their attention (movement, sound, or scent) they often investigate before leaving or fleeing. When they put more than one of these senses together that is when they’ll more likely leave.

I can’t remember how many times I’ve had deer grazing within just a few yards of me standing on the ground and they paid me little mind. This has happened during bow and firearms seasons and I wear solid blazed orange clothing for firearms. This, even after they saw me and investigated my presence. I’ve had deer sniff the back of my neck and not get alarmed until I moved my head. I’ve had deer catch my scent and stand there and look at me from 10 yards away until I made a slight sound. Last year I had a doe walk up to within 10 yards before she saw me sitting on the ground next to a small scraggly old leafless bush. After trying her hardest to get me to move by stomping her feet, blowing, and dancing around she eventually circled around downwind to scent me. When she did, she didn’t flee but rather nonchalantly kept her distance and circled around me.

[snapcrackpop]

I just tie the bases together with about 2 feet of rope with a loop in the middle. Then clip my pull-up rope to the loop. They will randomly bang together, hit the ground and tear up leaves as you pull on the rope.

Oh, and its been awesome for pulling in the little bucks, does and fawns this weekend. But I try to only call when I see a deer that isn't headed in my direction. If they are headed towards you I id avoid making any sound.

[BobT]

I’m sure there’s a slight advantage with all the “extra” effort to hide or reduce one’s scent, using rattles, calls, lures, food plots, etc. but I think it would be interesting if there was some way to do an apples to apples study and really determine how much advantage this really has. I’ve seen these things work well and I’ve seen years where guys using these things didn’t do as well as those that don’t. I think it’s a given that being in the right place at the right time is #1. Good luck predicting where that place is. Everything else is only an attempt to tilt the odds a little more in your own favor. How far one wants to go with it is up to them and their wallet.

At any rate, you won’t enjoy hunting and you won’t get a deer unless you get yourself out in the field/forest. Do what you are comfortable with regard to all the “extras” but I think you have to take care of your own comfort. For me that means staying warm and dry, coffee, maybe a cigar or two, a few snacks along such as venison jerky from last year’s hunt or a handful of candy bars or nuts, and a seat cushion. If I’m not comfortable I’m not sitting still and quiet (2/3 critical senses), I’m not alert, and my chances for success nosedive. If you can’t remain still, quiet, and alert all the other “extras” won’t help much at all.

[bigbucks]

My biggest advice is very simple & should be pretty obvious. Keep hunting, even if you move spots, stay alert & be ready deer can appear anywhere at anytime especially during gun season. Expect there to be a deer behind that next tree, around that bend in the tree line, or in that extra thick clump of brush you walk by, that way when one shows up you're ready. Always be thinking about where you'll take the shot. Okay, it's safe to shoot that direction & there's a nice opening just pass that big basswood tree or whatever... I just heard shots not too far to the West, better be extra conscious of that direction for a while. By the way the more shots you hear, the more I figure they didn't hit that deer, or there's more deer than they're going to get.

[DonBo]

Like others have said, hunt all day if you can. Certainly be there from early till late morning and again froM early afternoon till end of legal time.

Calls work! Don't over use them I'll use a can or grunt call no more than every half hour, or when you see a deer out of range or where you can't get a shot. Use a little doe-in heat if you believe it will help. Personally, I just try to be as scent free as possible, YES, leave your clothes outside, all of them, right down to you skivies.

Did I mention to sit all day? Sit still, move as little as possible, rely on your ears, take the first good shot that presents itself. Don't assume you'll shoot a big buck. Take the first deer you'd be happy with, especially your first deer . Big bucks are rare creatures.

Good luck and have a fun, safe hunt.

[Fever]

I honestly think that alot of our scent tactics are multi purposed. I do believe that it can have an allure to deer depending on their mood, time of day, presure, and population dynamics, but... more importantly I beleive that scent lures that appeal to deer also appeal to the hunter's psychology. I believe that using tactics like scent elimination are more common scence. while the doe in estrus type attractants not only could help bring in deer they will also keep a hunter in his stand and alert longer.... which is ultimately the key. It is a proven fact that if a hunter isn't hunting he or she is less likely to shoot a nice deer.

[NoWiser]

If I have one piece of advice to give to anybody it is to somehow find a way to sit ALL DAY. Morning and evening are great, but I have shot most of my deer the last few years mid-day. If there are other hunters around they'll push deer to you when they head in to warm up or eat lunch. Thinking a little more about it now, every deer I've shot in the last 10 years during rifle season has been between 9:00 in the morning and 2:00 in the afternoon. If you aren't in the woods during the middle of the day, you ARE missing opportunities. If you absolutely need to get up and move around, don't go back to the truck or shack. Slowly still hunt against the wind through areas with good sign. It can be an effective way to get deer and learn new areas. The key is SLOW!

As far as all the scents, attractants, and calls go, I wouldn't spend my money on them your first year. If anything, a bottle of Scent Killer to spray down with each morning never hurts, along with some scent free body wash and deodorant. More importantly, I'd concentrate on keeping quiet, still, and alert, and on wind direction. Of course, if you are the type that likes using different gadgets and new things and it adds to your enjoyment, go for it! Just beware that some of the commercially sold deer attractants are not legal to use in MN, even though they are sold here.

Good luck, be safe, and have fun!

[nwhunter]

If I have one piece of advice to give to anybody it is to somehow find a way to sit ALL DAY. Morning and evening are great, but I have shot most of my deer the last few years mid-day. If there are other hunters around they'll push deer to you when they head in to warm up or eat lunch. Thinking a little more about it now, every deer I've shot in the last 10 years during rifle season has been between 9:00 in the morning and 2:00 in the afternoon. If you aren't in the woods during the middle of the day, you ARE missing opportunities. If you absolutely need to get up and move around, don't go back to the truck or shack. Slowly still hunt against the wind through areas with good sign. It can be an effective way to get deer and learn new areas. The key is SLOW!

As far as all the scents, attractants, and calls go, I wouldn't spend my money on them your first year. If anything, a bottle of Scent Killer to spray down with each morning never hurts, along with some scent free body wash and deodorant. More importantly, I'd concentrate on keeping quiet, still, and alert, and on wind direction. Of course, if you are the type that likes using different gadgets and new things and it adds to your enjoyment, go for it! Just beware that some of the commercially sold deer attractants are not legal to use in MN, even though they are sold here.

Good luck, be safe, and have fun!

Well said! I've done my share of early morning shots, but the past couple of years, I'd say 5-7, I've gotten quite a number of deer between 11-2. Stay in your stands all day if able! However, there is something to the meeting for lunch ritual that I know a lot of camps have.