Successful Deer Hunting: Tracking Down Your Prey

When hunting, there are two kinds of hunters: One, a hunter that waits; and two, the hunter that tracks. The difference of two is the complexity of their hunting techniques though both aim for the same thing; bagging their prized bucks.

Tracking down your prey involves a more detailed approach in deer hunting. It involves knowing the specific differences between a buck and a doe, their patterns and behaviors. Unlike hunters who track their prey, hunters who prefer to wait for the buck on top of a tree or in a well-concealed shrub, they utilize deer calls or rattles to lure their prey into range. While the tracker will go to the prey, no matter where it goes; this proves to be more challenging than the latter.

Knowing the habits of bucks and does

Before you track your prey, you need to know the difference between the two. Since bucks are the normal target during hunting, does can only be a target when you have a special license for it, or during a specific season.

Tracking involves being aware of what's on the ground rather than what's in front of you. You first need to find a decent trail to determine if the deer is a buck or a doe. Buck trails have a much wider stance than that of a doe, and he has a swaggering gait that no doe can imitate.

The buck also has a tendency to drag his feet and leave a very good impression of his trail. The female deer, or does, on the other hand tend to pick up their feet, thus leaving a more ordered trail. Hunting a buck in the snow is much easier than hunting them in summer. Since snow leaves a very discernable trail, you can easily distinguish a buck from a doe.

If a buck and a doe are traveling together, one perfect place to determine the sexes of the trail is on a low lying tree. A doe tends duck under low branches and continues on its desired trail, while a buck needs to walk around the tree since his antlers might get tangled in the branch.

Urine trails can also help you in discerning your prey. Bucks tends to urinate while they walk, while does squat. When you see 3-feet long urine trail in the snow, then it is a buck you are trailing.

Preparation before tracking your prey

Before tracking down you prey, you need to first pay attention to your smell. As part of their defense mechanism, bucks tend to have a keener sense of smell and can detect you from a distance. Your smell can alert the buck of your presence and you might end up chasing it.

If you have a natural stink that can't be removed by any non-smelling solvent, then you better pay attention to the direction of the wind. Make sure that you are on the downwind side so that your smell won't reach your prey. Knowing the direction of wind will allow you to position yourself so the buck will be unsuspecting of your presence.

Make sure that your clothes aren't washed with fragrant solutions like perfumes, colognes or branded detergents since the buck will instantly pick up these scents thus alerting him of your presence. You can purchase solutions that are perfect for deer hunters that can eliminate the smell from their clothes. These are quite expensive but a very useful tool if you plan on tracking.

Knowing the difference between a buck and a doe, as well as paying attention to the wind pattern and smell is a very complicated way in bagging your prey; the complexity level of tracking is definitely high but this is how experts do it.

Stalking Up a Deer

Stalking is another technique that requires the hunter to be more patient, attentive and observant when it comes to disturbances and changes, especially those made by the deer. Although some States may prohibit stalking in large groups especially with numerous hounds, the thrill of the hunt is all about knowing where the target is.

It's hard to fool a deer's sense of smell and hearing which is number one and two of their sharpest respectively. At this point, the hunter must take advantage of the necessary foliage and surroundings, along with a nice camouflage outfit and binoculars, it's all about following a deer to its bedding.

Stalking is more of a selective hunting method, only for serious hunters that wish to hone their sense when it comes to tagging his prey. There are a few things needed to see and have when it comes to stalking.

Rubber boots offer a quieter trek through the forest. It won't leave any traces of human smell and are more comfortable. It can be ordinary rain boots, but there are specialized rubber boots for hunters with added insulation and padding to make stalking a more possible approach.

Watching for signs of rubbings is another example to see if a buck may be nearby. It can't be helped if the deer may spot the hunter first, thus scurrying off out of the hunter's firing range. But deer can be habitual creatures that requires them to return to their territory. By placing a small amount of buck urine, it will give the impression that another buck is invading.

There are certain tracks that bucks leave on soft ground, best if they are left untouched, but not unnoticed. It's not like following the trail, but it will give a general idea on where to find a buck as the hunter can position himself in a hiding place to wait it out.

Food plots can be used, but aren't always effective. Think of it as additional aids in order to lead the buck to a trap. They are best used near water.

And the next best thing is to use the weather. Rainfall provides a better distraction for hunters as it muffles the sound of footfalls, breathing and the loading of a round into the rifle bore.

So it may not always be a successful hunt when it comes to stalking. But it's all about enjoying the very idea of taking charge of the situation and to rush head on with a clear tactic in mind. In case the hunter might get lost, it's better to head back before getting in any deeper.

Smells like Something

There's not much difference when it comes to deer hunting compared to military war exercises, where both must have a keen sense of sight, perception, hearing, and smell. In armaments and ammunition, powder-less propellants are used nowadays, but there will always be a presence of cordite smells that may alert the guard dogs, or in this case deer thus scampering away. Smells like something indeed.

When preparing for a deer hunt, there are a few things that a hunter needs to prepare before heading towards the woods. Deer are animals that have keen sense of hearing and smell, and if a deer roams across the path you take, it might alert them, prolonging your hunting time until it's too late.

To start things out, you need to dedicate a place to store your hunting clothes. One way of doing so is to use a non-scented detergent just for the sake of cleaning it and letting it air dry if the climate is warm enough. Absolutely no fabric softeners and hunters don't need them anyway. Well, forget the sexist part. As for storage, it's good to have a container where it won't allow human smells to stick on the clothes, something like putting it inside a Ziploc bag. And if you want to invest, a carbon suit would work best since carbon will keep the human smell trapped inside.

Of course there's more than just the clothing, a hunter has to think of his own smell before going out for deer hunting. Anything from colognes, scented shampoos or soaps isn't recommended even if it's fruity-licious like the forest. Deer will know and it's unnatural for them. There are a few soaps designed for those who are hypo-allergic that contains no fragrance so it's for the sake of being clean, and not to smell clean. And best if you don't use deodorants like Right Guard or Old Spice, those things can keep a deer away.

For your usual gear like tree stands, rubber boots are highly recommended since the human scent won't stick to the ground and guns and bags, there are some neutralizer sprays available on the market. It helps to know which one of your gear can be washed and stored away for the next deer hunt.

It may take some time and money to make sure your planned deer hunt will be an easy and enjoyable one, and cleanliness is next to, well at least the hunter won't smell once he pulls the trigger on the next trophy buck.

Setting Up Camp: Do’s And Don’ts On Camping During Hunting

Setting Up Camp: Do's And Don'ts On Camping During Hunting

It is normal for the hunter to set up a camping site during the hunting season. The camp site is a place where you can relax, enjoy nature, and get a full nights rest before going out hunting again in the morning. Considering this will be your base of operation during the hunting season, you have to make sure that you have everything that you need all ready in your campsite for easy access.

Making a list and checking it twice

The first step in planning for a campsite is to make a checklist on what you need to bring along with you. Necessities will include the basics: eating, sleeping, and recreation. Once you have these three firmly in you head, you can easily map out what to bring.

For sleeping quarters, you should consider the weather. Most deer hunters brag about staying in the woods and living the old-fashion way, but considering the conveniences that can be yours if you can afford it, well, why suffer? A sleeping bag is great to ward off the chill, and a tent is quite handy to keep the weather off your back.

Some hunters bring a second tent that will serve as their eating area and recreation center. If you are out hunting with a group instead of being alone, then a secondary tent will be needed. The second tent has to be large and spacious since this will serve as your meeting and dining room.

Other basic necessities will include flashlight, batteries, cooking utensils, a utility knife (very important) and extra clothing.

Setting up camp!

You need to set up camp in an even terrain, choose a soft patch of land where you are immune to possible flooding, or offending rocks underneath. You have to make sure that your campsite is a place of comfort. It's always best to set up camp where the weather won't get to you.

You need to organize your camp depending on certain activities. Sleeping should be on one end of the camp, eating and cooking on the other. You don't want these two activities together or you might end up with some foraging visitors while you sleep.
If you intend to cook by fire instead of a cooking stove, then you better set it up carefully to avoid accidental flame-ups. It is best to surround your campfire with rocks, and remove any flammable material around it. Also, make sure that your tent is a ways from your campfire since embers might end up burning down your sleeping area.

Block and tackle, a deer hunters closet

Practically a deer hunters best friend, a block and tackle is a necessary tool when camping out. A block and tackle is composed of a system of two or more pulleys attached to a rope or cable. This is used to pull up heavy loads with minimal force.

A block and tackle is especially useful to hang hunting trophies like deer, waterfowl and other prey. This is also a convenient tool for skinning and dressing the deer out in the wild; since the buck is suspended in mid-air, you can easily move the deer in any position you desire.

The contraption also provides a means of protection from scavengers who roam the forest at night; making sure that your catch will remain untouched during the night or while you're out on another hunting expedition.

Foresight is necessary when planning to camp in the great outdoors. Aside from planning for the weather, you need to make sure that you have everything you need to avoid regrets later on.

Seasons of the Hunt

There are a few times that a hunter will have to choose when it's time to get himself in the chase. Well, the gaming commission will announce when deer season will be open, but it takes nature to bring about the stir of things.

Most hunters anticipate the coming deer hunting season, especially those living in the Northwest where it goes into December. At this time, beginning in late September in the Northern part, hunters anticipate the Rut, or the deer mating season. This is part of nature where the doe brings about being the tease, in a sense that the buck would anticipate in order to start mating. At this point, hunters will have a clear chance of scoring a kill once a doe is sighted, thus the buck will appear shortly. It only happens during the daylight so that the doe can give birth to their offspring in the spring.

Call it superstition, but this is natural science in the making where the deer tends to go wild and are a bit less cautious. If a driver has ever run over a deer during late September to early November, well, that's pretty much it. A buck's sense of awareness is blinded to its need to find a mate in order to start breeding. It sounds like shooting fish in a barrel by the sound of it, but in regular seasons, deer tend to be more cautious and have a clear head.

On the forest trail, one way to know if a deer is nearby is to watch out for rubbings. The buck will scrape its antlers and head, in which a gland would leave behind a scent in a way dogs mark their territory. I wouldn't know its smell, but you'd know if a buck is nearby. This usually happens during a rut where they tend to be aggressive, a necessity to chase the doe in order to breed. Deep gouges on a trunk would likely be a buck just a couple yards in the area so it's best to leave and wait it out until spotted.

It takes a degree of know-how and the knowledge learned from school to know if deer hunting season and the rut is nearby. Soon enough, a trophy will be just around the corner given to their high anticipation and the appearance of the rubbings.

Scents, Tracking and Calls Techniques For A Successful Deer

Scents, Tracking and Calls Techniques For A Successful Deer Hunt

Utilizing various techniques in the fine art of deer hunting could boost your success. Knowing your equipment, being aware of weather patterns, and knowing the habits of your prey can also help.

Tracking

One of the advanced skills for seasoned hunters is tracking. Since the herd is always on the move, the hunter has to utilize various techniques to catch his prey. Knowing the prey will help for successful tracking.

One such way to track is to observe carefully the trails that the prey leaves behind. Distinguishing the difference between a buck and doe will give you the foresight on where your target will go. Bucks tends to have a wider trail compared to the doe and can be easily distinguished especially during winter months when the snow is thick.

Urine is also a basic factor in determining whether your prey is a buck or a doe. A buck will urinate while walking which will definitely leave a trail. The female deer is more sedate and will stop and squat before releasing her load. So make sure you keep an eye out for these stinky trails.

Knowing the various diets of your prey can also help you determine their location. Going to hunt in areas with their favorite food source will definitely land you in buck heaven! But remember that bucks move at a very indefinite rate, so you better watch out for their trails when they do so.

Scents

Scents are very important when going deer hunting. Since the herd has a keen sense of smell, they can easily detect those not of their own. This is a disadvantage for the hunter since our smell can be very distinctive to the prey, especially when we start to sweat under the heat of the scorching sun.

One method in getting over this obstacle is to use the direction of the wind at your disposal. When trailing a buck, you need to make sure that you are on the downwind side of your intended target, since the direction of the wind will make sure that the buck doesn't smell you.

Another method in hiding your smell is by using various detergents that eliminate your body odor. There is a skin tight undergarment sold in various hunting stores that eliminates bacteria that causes odor upon contact. You can also wear outfits that keep your smell inside rather than out. There are also sprays available that will also help remove your smell from your clothes.

Scent of the prey can also be to you advantage as well. If you have a sensitive nose and can distinguish the smell of a buck or a doe, then you can easily determine where its coming from by knowing the direction of the wind.

Deer calls and rattles

If you are using a deer stand and prefer to wait for your prey to come in range, then utilizing deer calls and rattles will suit you best. When you are using a short range weapon or a compound bow, you need to make sure that the deer is within close range for maximum power.

A deer call and rattle will mimic the sound made by bucks and does, so when the buck hears it, they try to look for the source of the sound. They will be quite cautious so you have to make sure that you are perfectly hidden so they won't spot you.

These techniques and gear are here to help you out in your deer hunting; so using these is not a sign of weakness but a sign of a true hunter.