Deer Season 2008 tips & tricks

[Odonata]

I don't know if this subject has been brought up previously, but what "secrets" are you willing to share about set-up, stand placement, preparing, etc. We all read the "outdoor writer" articles, but they often don't apply to local, up-north tactics. I have hunted for 20+ years and have had great success. Always willing and interested to hear what others are doing. What are you willing to share?

[tunrevir]

Heres one I like to use. I cut the tarsal glands of the hind legs of the deer I shoot, dry them freeze them and then use them as a scent drag. Punch a hole in them run a string through, soak in scent of your choice and drag away. I store them in a small plastic container when not in use. They work great.

Tunrevir~

[Bear55]

Good tip tunrevir. But why dry them and them soak them in a store bought scent? I would think freezing them and using the natural scent of the deer would work much better.

[woody1975]

I know this will sound a little wierd, but I have always hunted deer like people fish walleyes.

I hunt the corners and edges of structure. Now this may be a corn field or a thicket. I have had a lot of luck in these spots. Just like walleyes, depending on the time of year, your tactics have to change. For instance, the spot I am hunting now is a small patch of woods between two corn fields. When the structure is gone, I need to change my tactics. Another favorite is on a side hill. More often than not, when I have watched big deer, they tend to travel the side hill versus below or above. Also, when ever possible I like the wind in my face and the sun at my back. It makes for a more enjoyable sit and helps cut down on being spotted.

As the hunting pressure increases, I try to head to areas that are not as easily accessible or just plain nasty. Sometimes you do not have a lot of shot options, but when you do, they are close. Now when refering to bowhunting, when there are still crops out there, sometimes these places are easier to obtain permission to hunt. There have been a few times when land owners have said "You want to hunt there?" And often times, they are the spots that I will be pulling deer out of before the crops come out.

One more thing - And this one I have trouble with, but when hunting with a gun on public land (National Forest) I try to stay in the woods while others are heading for sandwiches. I have trouble with this, because I always get a little excited to see if anyone has shot a deer. I can't tell you how many times I have gotten back to my stand after lunch and found fresh tracks over my tracks from when I walked out after the morning hunt.

Just my .02, but they have worked for me in the past.

[Odonata]

I have used the tarsal gland off of harvested deer before. I typically put out some form of scent and use a scent cover spray. I have used a drag-rag before, but it usually sling-shots back as I walk and hits my boots or gets wrapped around trees. Anyone have yearly success on ridges running east-west? It seems most of the deer (bucks) I have killed have been heading east or west. Sounds strange, but the wind is usually out of the northwest. Anyone with similar experiences?

[BobT]

I know this will sound a little wierd, but I have always hunted deer like people fish walleyes.

I hunt the corners and edges of structure. Now this may be a corn field or a thicket. I have had a lot of luck in these spots. Just like walleyes, depending on the time of year, your tactics have to change. For instance, the spot I am hunting now is a small patch of woods between two corn fields. When the structure is gone, I need to change my tactics. Another favorite is on a side hill. More often than not, when I have watched big deer, they tend to travel the side hill versus below or above. Also, when ever possible I like the wind in my face and the sun at my back. It makes for a more enjoyable sit and helps cut down on being spotted.

As the hunting pressure increases, I try to head to areas that are not as easily accessible or just plain nasty. Sometimes you do not have a lot of shot options, but when you do, they are close. Now when refering to bowhunting, when there are still crops out there, sometimes these places are easier to obtain permission to hunt. There have been a few times when land owners have said "You want to hunt there?" And often times, they are the spots that I will be pulling deer out of before the crops come out.

One more thing - And this one I have trouble with, but when hunting with a gun on public land (National Forest) I try to stay in the woods while others are heading for sandwiches. I have trouble with this, because I always get a little excited to see if anyone has shot a deer. I can't tell you how many times I have gotten back to my stand after lunch and found fresh tracks over my tracks from when I walked out after the morning hunt.

Just my .02, but they have worked for me in the past.

I'll second all of these.

Bob

[Wobbler]

Ditto to all of what has been said so far. I have shot my last 4 bucks (All 8 points or better) 11am-2pm. Lots to be said about sitting in the woods when others are having lunch. Most hunters don't realize deer need a little stretch break about noonish and I have found that to be very effective on the National Forest area I hunt. Also 1 trick I have used too is a silver gum wrapper from a piece of gum and I tie it to a branch in some of my shooting lanes and tie it to a branch when I go sit in a stand that day. A deer will focus on that while I get ready for the shot. The wind blows it and they watch it. It sounds real stupid but I just tried it once and it was amazing to see them watch that wrapper. Now I do it all the time. I can't remember where I have read that to try it but I have seen deer look at that and it is like the saying "Curiousity killed the cat", well it has also killed some nice bucks too! I don't know if they think it is a deer waving its tail or what but try it sometime when maybe you are not expecting to see a deer. I claim the copyright though if everyone starts using it and it works for them!

[89Bronco]

Quote:

Also 1 trick I have used too is a silver gum wrapper from a piece of gum and I tie it to a branch in some of my shooting lanes and tie it to a branch when I go sit in a stand that day.

I claim the copyright though if everyone starts using it and it works for them!

Now I'm sure we'll see a couple of pieces of tin foil in a Primos or Realtree Road-Trips bubble-pack hanging on store shelves for only $9.99!

[Cooter]

I've learned taking a truck or especially a 4 wheeler close to my stand spooks deer far less than trying to sneak in. Of course, where I hunt they are very accustomed to both. I'll be taking the 4 wheeler to about 30 yards of my ground blind tonight.

[BobT]

I can remember in my youth. One of the members of our hunting party was probably the noisiest guy you could ever meet in the woods and he liked to move around. When he walked he dragged his feet something terrible and you could hear him coming from 100 yards away on a windy day. Even so, he was able to walk up on and take more deer than anyone else in our hunting party.

Ever notice how you can see a deer along side the road and they don't get spooked by the moving vehicle? Same is true with ATVs. They'll just stand there and watch as you drive by. Experienced the same thing while driving skidders. Deer would lay down under an evergreen and just watch as we drove by time after time.

My only explanation is that they can hear you coming from so far away that they are not concerned. Think about it. What startles you more in the dark, a sudden unexplained noise or a sound that you've been hearing for quite some time?

Might be something to this.

Bob

[Wobbler]

89Bronco,

My dad always said if you want to get rich some day come up with an invention for deer hunting or fishing that you can make cheap and sell high and you will be rich. While your price of $9.99 seems high I thought I could get $19.99 or so! But with the economy the way it is $9.99 might be a good place to start! But that is a lot of gum to chew to satisfy all the people who will want it! On a serious note too I bring a good game to the stand during the times when I may want to crawl out of the stand due to being bored. In our shack we all have games and every day we swap out games. (Yahtzee, poker, Blackjack, connect 4, etc.) I have been able to stay in a stand longer by having those along. Longer time in the woods= more time hunting!

[BigGrassBass]

I hunt all high pressured public land in the west metro. My #1 tip...

Go out Friday night and get wasted beyond belief. That way you won't get out of bed on Saturday til at least 10:00. Then head to the public land and find a nice stump to sit on that is no more than 300 yards from the parking lot. You won't have to wait long! Soon all the hungry hunters that got there at 4:30 will get hungry and decide to walk back to their truck and get some lunch. It's a large deer drive made in heaven!

Seriously, I've done this for the past 3 seasons (except for the getting wasted the night before part) and have put a nice 10 point on the wall and taken several does to fill the freezer. It doesn't work in all areas but if there is a nice funnel that isn't far from the parking lot and the main hunting area it can be a gem! Put the other hunters to work for you!