Tips to Make You a Better Deer Hunter
Whether you’re a complete newcomer or are a veteran hunter, there are many aspects that go into deer hunting. The following are the top five tips to help you become more successful this season:
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Be careful about your odor.
Human odor can scare deer away very easily. Even if you don’t think you smell, your presence alerts deer. Shower with a scent-free soap before every hunting trip, and while you’re snacking in the car, don’t contaminate your hunting clothes; keep your clothes sealed in a plastic container or bag along with dirt, leaves, and other ground debris until you arrive at your hunting location. This will allow you to easily take on natural scents that won’t give you away. Going off this, experienced hunters bring an odor eliminator with them and will consistently spray themselves. After the walk to the stand, apply odor eliminator to your body, your hat, and your hair.
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Be aware of all conditions.
Take note of the wind and make sure that you play it. You can set up a high tree stand so your human odor flows above the deer. Before the season even begins, you can practice setting up and taking down your tree stand to ensure that you can do so as quietly as possible. You can also check out aerial photos of your hunting location by simply searching Google Maps.
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Protect yourself.
Something many hunters forget to look out for is the risk of ticks. Be sure to douse yourself with tick repellent while you’re hunting, especially during the summer and the early fall. Tick-borne diseases are serious and can end your hunting season early. If you have a tree stand, you also need to take action to make sure you’re safe as you get in and out of the tree; many falls from the tree stand happen as people are climbing in and out, so you should always wear a full-body safety harness to ensure this doesn’t occur to you. Again, a tough injury can put you out for the entire season. If you’re hunting in late fall or winter and there’s snow on the ground, look for leaves strewn across an area where deer have pawed. That could be a good spot to set up and wait in case the deer return.
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Understand the best time of year for your actions.
During the season, you should avoid trimming shooting lanes, or otherwise disturbing your hunting area. The best time to clear shooting lanes is during the summer. Some deer become conditioned to the smell of timber that’s been freshly cut, and associate it with humans, so you’ll lose a lot of potential with your area.
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Don’t underestimate concealment.
If some concealment is good, maximum concealment is always better. Create blinds for your tree stand to fool deer, and the blinds will also provide the added benefit of protection from the wind. You should also understand the necessity of being able to get to your tree stand completely undetected. Going under the cover of darkness likely won’t help. To cover your entry, use a creek or curtain of the forest.