Deer hunting is a sports activity that started decades ago, making it one of the best outdoor activities enjoyed by families and friends. It’s a bonding exercise with a reward of savoring, on that tender, healthy and juicy venison.
Enjoying this palatable dish, there is more that you need to do than just aim and release/fire. While your wits are fundamental aspects of deer hunting, there are a lot of other hurdles you’ll need to circumvent for you to eventually enjoy your kill.
Whether you’re a veteran or a novice hunter, here are three prerequisite techniques you should have for your hunting success matrix to go a notch up.
- Time of day
- Time of season
- Scouting
1. Time Of Day
While it might be alright and fun for a rifle hunter(or a hunter with a shotgun for deer hunting) or a road trip hunter to hunt day and night, day after day–this will be a recipe for burnout for a bowhunter. And while the deer’s pattern may change later on in the season, which will offer you the chance to hunt all day long, it’s prudent to hunt three hours after sunrise and equivalent hours before sunset.
You need to be privy to the legal hunting hours so you won’t have any running with the law. Settling. Settling in early in your hideout is crucial. Because deers are easily startled, you’d want to be settled in prior to their movements.
2. Time Of Seasons
As the hunting season progresses, deers become more and more aware of the hunter’s pattern and are wary of even the slightest movements. To increase your hunting success, especially for a beginner, go wild in the first few days of the hunting season. At this juncture, the deer aren’t easily spooked.
The mating period, known as the rut, is one instance where the bucks and does are overwhelmed by hormones. The deers are more concerned about their orgy and little about the human presence. Though the rut lasts for a couple of weeks, it only peaks within a day or two, giving you the perfect opportunity to claim your prize.
3. Scouting
It’s important to know the topography of the hunting ground—the food, drinking area, and thick bushes plus the likely location for bucks to bed prior to the hunting season. Understanding the terrain will give you an idea of the best location to pitch your blind as you await your kill.
For efficient scouting, use a digital mapping platform. You may have to make a few adjustments here and there depending on the wind direction. Deers use the wind to detect the scent of a predator. You’ll have to pitch your blind parallel to the flow of the wind or, better yet, mask your odor.
Your Hunting Success
Articulating and implementing the above tips will increase your chances of success, but always remember to familiarize yourself with the state laws on the legal deers to be hunted. Ensure you have the necessary hunting gear to ensure your hunt is flawless, especially after the kill.
Also, evaluate the best hunting techniques that are suitable for you with respect to the weapon that you are wielding. In case you want a souvenir, learn the basic cutting technique to use. Ensure you follow all the safe hunting procedures before you squeeze that trigger.
References;
Best Shotguns For Deer Hunting [2021] | Gun Made
Best Shotguns For Deer Hunting [2021] | Gun Made (2021). Available at: https://www.gunmade.com/best-shotgun-for-deer-hunting/ (Accessed: 22 October 2021).
North Carolina Hunters: Make Sure You Think Twice Before Pulling That Trigger
North Carolina Hunters: Make Sure You Think Twice Before Pulling That Trigger (2020). Available at: https://www.charlottestories.com/north-carolina-hunters-make-sure-think-twice-pulling-trigger/ (Accessed: 22 October 2021).
Author Bio
Authored by Marice Young
Mom, wife, and pro-guns writer. I live in Tolleson, AZ where the crime rate has been higher than almost 99% of American cities. A horrible personal experience made me realize the importance of gun ownership and self-defense.
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