What’s the one tip you wish you were given

[danswanky911]

As a new hunter, what’s the one tip you wish you were given chasing white tails? Or what’s the one tip you were given that’s proven itself over and over.

Building a make shift blind with some camo fabric made life much easier and the number of the that came in range went up. I hunt from the ground all day and having the protection of the blind allows the inevitable fidgeting i do to be hidden. I use a cheap camo netting and drape it over broken branches. It also provides a nice wind break.

 

[Slicktreedog]

Go with the mindset that you are hunting squirrels.

 

[ryjack70ss]

Go with the mindset that you are hunting squirrels.

Ha. That’s funny cause it’s true. Little a holes are everywhere when sitting in a tree stand.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sahunter06]

Slow down, be patient, use the landscape and hunt the wind.

 

[Gunner10]

learn how, why, when and where about deer before you spend your paychecks on every new gadget that will guarantee u to kill bigger bucks. if you learn deer behavior and how to hunt them and how to set up on wind directions you will not need all the gimmicks the industry sells. A good stand, quality clothes of any brand, a lethal weapon your confident with and a brain is all you need. theres no cookie cutter way how to kill a deer, so dont get tunnel vision on how its supposed to be done on tv. be able to adapt to the situation

 

[AroaniaPass]

I was set up using a mouth call to call coyotes. I spotted one working its way towards me. The land was heavily terraced so the coyote was in and out of view. I had to wait until it came in very close to take a shot. I barked and it stopped broadside about 20 to 25 yards right in front of me.
In my haste I clicked the safety off too fast and it made a loud enough click to scare the coyote and send it out of sight instantly. Never got it to stop again for a shot. Live and learn.
On another set up on a different day. I called one in and had it coming broadside about 80 yards out. I set the rifle on the bi-pod just in front of the coyote and waited for it to walk into the scope. Unfortunately it was aimed right into a small thin clump of tall grass. I barked to stop it and took the shot when the coyote walked into the scope. At the shot the coyote jumped about 6 foot into the air and was gone in a heartbeat. I knew I was dead on when I pulled the trigger and could not figure out what had gone wrong.
I got up and walked down to see if there was any blood to track. When I got to the spot I see one small sapling no bigger around than my little finger shot in two and the red ballistic tip from my Hornady bullet right on top of the snow by the sapling. No blood to be found. Rats! Foiled again.

 

[SuperDUECE22]

good spots can be ruined very quickly unless you have an iron clad route in & out of stand. This can be difficult when trying to hunt food plots that's why I find it better hunting the transition from bed to food, this also works good for getting mature bucks in front of you during daylight hours

 

[Couesy31]

For me it’s buy once cry once.

 

[mtluckydan]

Buy a subscription to North American Whitetail and read it cover to cover. Read every back issue if they are available....then apply techniques that you are good at that work in your geographical area or situation and be flexible. Almost every mature buck is his own animal and every piece of ground is unique in some way. Your ability to learn/apply knowledge to a specific situation will determine your success....from hard hunted public ground to private farms/ranches there is no magic answer...hunt hard & smart.

 

[Acidbraker]

I've been taking my daughter (15) and nephew (13) out deer hunting with me for the past few years. There are things/techniques that us folks that grew up in the woods just take for granted. I remind them to "walk soft, know what you're stepping on without watching your feet." Other nuggets of wisdom that my dad taught me are: the woods "go up and down, deer go sideways." So I pay closer attention to any horizontal lines/shapes when scanning.

 

[jedi]

learn to be flexible. some areas require stand hunting, some still hunting, and some are glassable. learn to change depending on the scenario. also, dont have a sling on your rifle! carry it in hand and only put a sling on when youre done hunting for the day or dragging a deer out. id bet a lot of people have missed opportunities because their gun was slung oveor their shoulder and not in their hands. stuff happens fast in the whitetail woods

 

[jedi]

another one too, maybe its not the most popular, but dont hesitate to use a guide. i have hunted 3 times with a guide(all in canada as you have to use them there) and thats after 20+ years of diy hunting. you learn little tricks and tips from these guys that you might not have thought of. glean as much as you can from them. it might accelerate your success at the start, or give you that one little trick you havent thought of to fool that big buck youve been after. use all means necessary to always be improving

 

[ThisIsMyHandle]

Move out of Connecticut and go out west.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mercerbear]

Ha. That’s funny cause it’s true. Little a holes are everywhere when sitting in a tree stand.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

And when they start barking at you they actually alert the deer that something is wrong. I hate squirrels!

 

[Dr. Zeus]

For me it’s buy once cry once.

I agree

Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk

 

[rugerhoyt]

Buy once cry once on clothing. Not saying it has to be Sitka or any of that. But no human performs well when they are cold. Missed out on a wall hanger at 16 years old cause my Wolverine boots and 9 pairs of socks couldn’t handle the 15 degree weather and I had to get out. 35 now and I can’t go to that stand without getting ptsd!

Buy antlerless tags to keep your trigger finger scratched, once I started doing that it helped let the 4 year olds walk lol.

Share the passion with someone else early. I messed up and waited till I had my own kids and I can think of countless people that went down wrong paths that I should of had with me and kept from those paths. Don’t have money for drugs and booze if it’s all tied up in gear and preference points


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rugerhoyt]

Buy once cry once on clothing. Not saying it has to be Sitka or any of that. But no human performs well when they are cold. Missed out on a wall hanger at 16 years old cause my Wolverine boots and 9 pairs of socks couldn’t handle the 15 degree weather and I had to get out. 35 now and I can’t go to that stand without getting ptsd!

Buy antlerless tags to keep your trigger finger scratched, once I started doing that it helped let the 4 year olds walk lol.

Share the passion with someone else early. I messed up and waited till I had my own kids and I can think of countless people that went down wrong paths that I should of had with me and kept from those paths. Don’t have money for drugs and booze if it’s all tied up in gear and preference points


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

And wear the $@:$;$ HARNESS!!!!!!!!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[FLS]

There is no substitute for experience. Hunt as much as you can and shoot every legal deer that gives you an opportunity. Hunt where there are enough deer to give you an opportunity for success. Don’t get hung up on clothes or gear, because until you figure out how to be a killer none of that crap really matters.

 

[GotDraw?]

Excellent Question OP--

Here's mine:

NEVER be influenced by all the hunting shows where they linger with the camera on the animal, waiting and waiting with the animal in-range (while they build minutes of film time to sell). They rationalize this to the viewer with voice overs that they are "waiting" for an "optimal shot", but its bullshit. They make money with film and want as much as they can get. Soo many instances of them filming and filming and then taking a sub optimal shot as the animal is leaving.

YOU-- ALWAYS take the first available good kill shot that presents itself. NEVER, EVER wait for a better shot if you have a kill shot you can connect on.

I can't tell you how many times I screwed up or have seen or heard of other hunters blow it by "waiting for a better shot": the animal turns and leaves... a tree gets in the way, another deer comes into sight and your deer bolts, wind shifts and the deer you never saw busts you and your deer bolts.

You are there for one reason- to kill as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Start "combat breathing" to de-stress and focus yourself very instant you see an animal you want to harvest and keep with that breathing from that moment, through your first shot and follow up shots until the animal is definitely dead. Keep your focus and de-stress with that practice. Here's a link to it:

NAVY SEALS COMBAT BREATHING TECHNIQUE

Shoot at first opportunity. Do it. Or go home hungry and disappointed.

JL

 

[legend921]

Get off the field edge! Spent way to much time there growing up.