Dear driving, Stalking techniques and help

[USPENAMC]

1st time deer hunter and as a first i have had to put lots of money into buying the neceseties later years i will already have most of the stuff. I have not and dont plan on buying a stand this year. I plan on hunting the mille lacs WMA. I need some help and techniques on driving deer. and stalking deer I will hopefully get lucky. Im getting a multizone buck license so that i can change where i go or what i do as i somewhat please. anyone hunt mille lacs, sherburne national wildlife refuge, carlos avery, or any of those near places

[Ruttin' Buck]

USPENAMC...as a first time hunter, I would highly recommend still hunting for deer...particularly in the areas you mentioned hunting. I spent the first 6 or so years of my adolescence rifle hunting deer from the ground. I learned more about deer than any magazine or book can tell you by sitting and watching deer from bow stands.

I'm most predominantly a stand guy now but have taken deer (many of which were bucks) with bow and rifle from ground level to 25 feet in the air. Just go by the books. Look for areas with good sign, trails, rubs, and more importantly scrapes with hills bordering them. Set up a few ground blinds atop the hills if possible downwind of the prevailing winds (south to south east of sign)with a couple good shooting lanes. Try to determine where the deer will come from and when/where you'll make your shot. If you lay down a few dead falls next to a tree so you can sit up off of the ground, a guy can sit from sun up to sun down once you get used to sitting still.

The last year I rifle hunted from the ground was about 8 years ago. I wasn't happy with the area I was in and actually got up midday to scout around. I wandered about a mile from where I'd been and ran into buckzilla's lair....the place was tore up! I planted my butt underneath an uncomfortable pine for 1.5 days waiting for him. On a Sunday night with a snow storm rippin' I sat and waited for him to come 'freshen' his scrapes. Surprisingly, upwind footsteps were approaching as I reached for my gun. I thought I'd get busted for sure when he got close. The only thing that saved me was Tink's 69. This buck (6 pointer) was more concerned about the 10 canisters of scent I had out and the scent trail I dragged in than my smell (I am however very picky about being scent free). I am not kidding when I say that he came in so fast I didn't have time to the gun up! He stood behind me, and I mean I could have reached around the tree and petted him, while he sniffed furiously! I planned to shoot him left handed after he proceeded but he thwarted me and walked over a burm directly behind me and all I could watch were his antlers disappear through the forest. It was disappointing, but great! I didn't however feel that this was 'buckzilla'. Sure enough, come sunset another set of legs shows up in the brush...except this guy was sporting head gear with 8 points and an 18" spread....I bagged him. Now if that story doesn't prove you can do it on the ground, what will?

I think it's important for me to mention this was on state land. I also think it is noteworthy to mention that all of the deer I've ever harvested were on public land. Also, the areas you mentioned do not lend themselves well to drives. Besides, you will get much more satisfaction from your first deer if you take it naturally vs. crankin' a bunch of rounds at an adrenaline pumped deer.

As for stalking, I've done it, but would not recommend it. I walked up to within' 15 feet of an 8 pointer once. I was scouting with my bow and it had just rained so the ground was quiet. I spotted him and planned a course but didn't intend to get that close! No shot was possible. Another time, I was walking a circle around my brother in a mature forest as it had just snowed and the deer were not on the move. As I walked, I came upon a large set of fresh tracks in the snow and they were going my direction. I followed until they headed up a large hilltop. Atop the hill I could see nothing but downfalls. My gut told me he was bedded up there. I had my gun in my hands as I approached downwind in the quiet powdered snow...the conditions were perfect. I straddled a deadfall and there he went. I saw nothing but horns! He was huge and passed within' 30 yards of me as I threw the gun up. I didn't fire despite the fact that I was toting my semi that day. I could have rattled off a clip full of shots but I chose not to. I prefer clean shots, lethal shots, and sure shots. There is nothing worse than tracking a poorly shot animal or worse yet, losing one. For this reason alone, I would highly recommend not stalking deer. There will be plenty of other guys walking the public land when you hunt that will guarantee that the deer will move! Even if you do get close to a deer, if you are offered a shot, it will likely not be a worthy one.

Remember, deer will often run once they pick you up with 2 senses. The deer's sense of smell, hearing, and sight are your enemies. To stalk a deer, the ground must be quiet (no leaves), you have to walk into the wind and if one of these is not the case, I can guarantee they'll see you before you see them.

Good luck! Hope this helps.

To the hunt!!

[Guest]

Like buckblaster said, you are better off finding a good spot to sit vs. trying to walk around. I only have experience with sherburne wildlife refuge from you list of places. It has been my experince that if you pick a good spot, get out there plenty early, sit still and be quite, that most of the other people in the woods get a little bored around 9 or so and get up and walk around. So if you are still in your spot, while everyone else is up and walking around, they will push the deer around for you.

Scott

[USPENAMC]

im actually planning to go into the bush around 3 am and walk for about an hour and then sit my behind somewhere when i find a good spot i actually plan on hunting mille lacs. i plan on walking a trail that leads to some unused railroad tracks and of course ill walk out of the trail about 500 yards but on the edge of the rail road tracks concealed by the tree line. spread out some scents all around me and sit and wait for one to cross the railroad tracks in search of the scent i laid out. The trail is on the north east side of mille lacs national wildlife refuge. What do you all think of this. Do you think those abandoned railroad tracks might be a good way to go.

semper fi

David

[Fisher Dave]

If you set up on those abandoned railroad tracks .. your likely going to be seeing alot of orange, and not a whole lot of brown frequenting the tracks ...

There are 2 ways to go about it if you are going to take a stand somewhere (or blind). One is get in there way early and park it so things are settled down before shooting hours .. the other way is to head out at shooting hours (when you can see) so you have an opportunity to take a deer crossing your path.

Hunting land that popular, I would recommend getting back in early before the other hunters and know EXACTLY where you are going... let the people coming in late push the deer to you... then again .. this year with the doe licenses the way they are .. people will be shooting everywhere and the deer will be on the move.

[Sarge]

USPENAMC, listen to the sound advice you are getting. Like FisherDave said, know exactly where you are going. You can get aerial photos of the area you want to hunt for free on the web, and get out before you hunt and check the area over, even if its only the day before you hunt. The deer will be moving on opener. Going into the field and wandering around for an hour or two, in the dark, won't help you any, even if your dragging scent.

You don't need a deer stand, a carefully placed log or two next to a big tree, will offer some cover from approaching deer, and possible stray bullets(hunting public land scares me during gun season). And remember scent control will be more important when hunting on the ground.

There are plenty of great hunters who can "still hunt" while slowly, methodically making their way thru the woods on foot. I'm not one of them, I don't like to move around unless I can head into a stiff wind, heavy rain, or blinding snow.

If your gun hunting by yourself, it should be treated just like your bow hunting, let the deer come to you. If you can get a buddy or two to go with, then plan some driving and stalking techniques. One disclaimer though, I have twice been able to "jump shoot" deer, once out of shear luck, and another because I watched the deer bed down. Both times I had the wind in my face, and the deer didn't know they were in trouble till it was to late.

One other thing I would recommend for future years is locating some private land to hunt, I would rather hunt 5 acres of private land than 500 public.

Good luck, and please report back your first MN deer hunt.

[USPENAMC]

thanks for the advise and yeah i guess my best bet is to lay some scent and then sit around and wait and let the commotion hopefully bring one to me and i will report the season back to you all doesnt matter if i dont get one the fun is always in getting out there