America has a favorite hunting pastime, and it’s deer hunting. Deer have been able to survive because they’ve learned to avoid predators. This is accomplished by using their sense of smell, sight and hearing. Their evolution has made them accustomed to hearing two types of sounds, which include both the natural and unnatural. The natural sounds are part of their element, but it’s the unnatural sounds such as leaves being crushed, or the sound of metal brushing up against something that alerts them to possible danger.
If the season has arrived, then understanding the rules of engagement is imperative to successfully hunting your game. Mimicking that will attract deer, such as a fawn in distress, a fawn bleat, doe or buck grunt, are great ways of getting their attention and drawing them to your location. Additionally, making a rattling noise mimics the sound of two bucks locked in combat. Be sure to rattle with a bit of enthusiasm, and a few grunts will help to make it sound authentic.
Whitetail deer have been able to survive because of their acute sense of smell. When deer hunting, make sure your scent is not carried by the wind. You should make it a point to avoid deer trails. Not only can they smell the hunter, but they easily smell the scent of each footstep. You should begin the hunt with clothes that have no scent of laundry detergents and you should bathe with non-scented compounds. It’s easy to underestimate the ability of animals when it comes to their sense of smell.
It’s commonly thought that deer have a poor sense of sight. While it’s not their sharpest sense, many hunters give away their positions by allowing themselves to be seen. If you can fool their sense of sight, smell and hearing, then you’re well on you way to becoming a successful deer hunter. The key is to remain unseen and keep whatever you need within easy reach when hunting game.
Getting in close proximity with your prey requires a definite level of experience and skill. If you have the deer in your sights and you’re still undetected, it means you’ve done everything correctly up to this point. Deer hunting is an art. This means taking into consideration the wind direction, moving through the terrain quietly and employing a high degree of patience. Inevitably, there comes that moment in which you decide if the deer will live another day. The wildlife you hunt is a part of the majestic part of nature’s cycle.
Their numbers are huge, they are common as can be and they are among one of the biggest frustrations to hunters, the world over. What is this elusive beast? Whether whitetail or mule, it’s the humble deer. They look soft, beautiful and may even make you think of “Bambi”. However, hunting one will blow all those sweet thoughts away. They are clever, crafty and possess a nearly unrivaled sense of smell. All of these traits make your average deer a formidable challenge to any hunter.
Seasoned hunters will all have their particular “tricks” they like to use to bag deer, however the same methods won’t work for everyone. It’s a matter of trying to see what works on the populations where you enjoy hunting. There are various sprays you can use to mask your scent as well as other tips to get that buck with the antlers for your wall.
Skill and understanding the psychology of this animal will go a long way towards making a legitimate kill. A mature buck will usually forage in the early morning and then bed down to snooze until the early evening hours when he will rise again. If you can get downwind of a resting buck, when he rises from his bed, you will get a clear shot nearly every time. Another trick you can use when you’re hunting is to use your turkey call. They feel comforted by the call of the turkey as the birds are silent when dangers such as hunters are around. A quick noise on your turkey call now and then will leave the herd that you are creeping up on very calm, so you can literally have your pick of among the herd.
Another trick you can use when you’re hunting is to let other big game hunters do the work for you. Often hunters that flush out a herd will send them running and if you’re across the way – the herd will be coming right at you. A good way to enable this situation to happen is to position yourself across from other hunters in high ground or thick cover. When deer are panicked they will look for an escape route and that is usually higher ground or a thickly overgrown area in which to hide.
Hunting is a fun and relaxing sport. Don’t become frustrated and turn your fun hobby into a day of sheer annoyance because you keep losing your shot. Try something different that you haven’t done before when you’re hunting. Mask your scent, use a turkey call and rattle those antlers to see what attracts the deer in your neck of the woods and you’ll see your success rate go up on your next hunting adventure.
