help for first timer

[KidWalleye]

I've heard that scent doesn't matter that much when your 15 ft in the air. I've never been deer hunting, so this will be my first year. It only took 31 years lol. I'm also going to be processing my deer. Went to gander Mtn and saw a demonstration and bought the dvd. Does the bin with leaves work? My neighbor does that and swears by it. Any info is appreciated. Thanks and good luck to everyone.

[bigbucks]

Good luck with your first hunt. Sure the bin of leaves works, it will help give your clothes a more natural smell. There's a lot of posts on here addressing issues for first time hunters from the last month, peek back at some of those.

Make sure your gun's sighted in & you know where it's safe to shoot & not safe to shoot in any hunting situation. Hunting safely is the most important thing any time, but especially when you're learning & going to be excited, possibly more than some of us experienced hunters, although that's hard to say. We still get pretty worked up. Be careful where your gun is pointing while walking with people, don't climb stands with a loaded gun, double check the safety, be very careful crossing fences, deadfalls, creeks, etc. As far as where your gun's pointing around other people, keep an eye on your buddies too, sometimes hunting buddies get sloppy & an experienced hunter can most certainly shoot you accidentally just as easily as you can shoot them.

[leechlake]

Having scent free clothes is one thing but you need to have as scent free body too. Deer are going to smell you, I guarantee it, keep the wind in your favor when possible. If you expect the deer to come from the south, don't hunt that spot with a north wind, etc. The fact is for most people is you may have two days to hunt and limited stands or spots to hunt so you have to sit in spots that aren't ideal. The fact of the matter is that a big number of deer are shot because the deer was pushed by another hunter either walking, driving, or because the deer smelled that hunter. Have fun.

[Benny]

Yes even up in a stand a deer can smell your sent.I forget how this works exactly buy I belive in the AM with the cold air around you , you will get an up draft effect as the air warms .Warm air is lighter than cold air and will drift up, so your fine in the am.

But it is just the opossite as dark falls and the air cools.

I use those big glade zip lock bags and a few natural earth sent waffers tossed in with my cloths.

Two years in a row I had a nice buck work its way around my chair, as I used the grunt call and stomped my heel into the ground.It never did figure out what I was, but then again it never came out of the thicket to give me a shot either.Very exiting to hear a buck snort ,weez, and blow air out it's nose at you.

Benny

[Satchmo]

Best advise I can give to you is to go as scent free as possible, and stay down wind if possible from where you expect to see deer. Good Luck!!

[KidWalleye]

I can't wait to go. We've had our stands up for a few weeks. I didn't know if that made a difference. When you guys go out in the morning do you bring flashlights? Will this have an affect on the deer? Also how much do you really eat out there? I'm going to have my 7 by 14 fish house there for lunch. When your out listening and watching so much do you really think about food that much? Also does anyone process theri own deer? I'm going to do that too. Hesselgrave did a demonstration at Gander and I bought his dvd, I thought this would be the best way then you know that your getting your deer. Any thoughts? Thanks Kid

[pikerliker]

I have never had a problem being winded while in my tree stand. I have definately been when I have been on the ground. I rarely ever use a scent cover, charcol, etc. I wash my clothes and let them hang outside for a while, then put them in a plastic bag. That seems to work fine for me. Last year I shot 2 bucks out of the same stand and could have had 3 in 3 days if I had wanted. One of them was standing right under me! I could have jumped on his back! I concentrate manly on not making any quick or large movements if I can help it. I also try to keep my noise output to a minimum. Hope this helps.

~piker

[Jim Hudson]

Well good luck on your first hunt. You will probably shoot the biggest deer of anyone on this forum, as first time hunters have all the luck .. or so the story goes...

The best advice I can give you is to be patient and dont give up... If you want to harvest a deer just be determined to get one, if your stand placement is in a spot where you know holds deer then just stay persistant to get one. Have confidence in your set up and you will be able to hunt all day.

And as the rest have said, be aware of the wind and your movements. As a deer lives by it's senses and he or she will smell, hear, or see you 9 out of 10 times before you see them.

Other then that, just have fun and enjoy hunting. It's the experience that means the most.

For your question on deer care, I process all of my own deer. At first it may seem like a huge project but after awhile and a few deer it will seem simple. Just take your time and relate back to your demonstration. You should do fine. You can get some good books or articles on butchering also, step by step guides, etc. I usually skin my deer head down from a gambrel, skinning it from the rear legs to the neck. From there, I cut out the tenderloins, the front quarters, the back straps (the length of meat on either side of the spine from just below the rear quarters to and area you will see them end as you pull down on the meat just inside where the front shoulders were), then I either trim the neck for hamburger or cut off the neck for a roast, from there I saw through the spine at the area just below the rear quarters to leave the last two quarters hanging (you can trim the ribs or keep them), and with the last two quarters I bone around the pelvic bone to seperate the quarters. After I am done quartering, I usually let the meat chill for awhile, allowing me to work with it easier. I bone out all my meat for my choice cuts of steaks and a roast or two then the rest I use for hamburger, sausage, or jerky.

Just take your time and you will be able to handle this job fine.

[BLACKJACK]

kidwalleye, you asked about flashlites. Definately use one when walking into your stand and out in the dark, people have been shot on the way to their stands. Use a flashlite!!