New to deer hunting
Wisconsin
Hello all,
I am very new to hunting, in fact this is the first time I will ever hunt. I know that I have a lot to learn about scouting deer, scent elimination, hunting techniques, etc. Can anyone offer tips, advice or point me to a good article or website to help learn some of the basics and important parts about hunting deer. Example such as what to look for to indicate a bedding area or identify new vs. old scrapes. I appreciate any help you all have to offer.
Subscribe to Bill Winke's Midwest Whitetail news letter e-mail. Always lots of great info shared there. It always coincides with the time of year. From starting food plots, early season hunting through to the late season.
Go to wiredtohunt.com and listen to their podcasts. this is my first year bowhunting too and I have learned so much from them.
Or...go out and learn from the countless mistakes you will make. I'm old school...or just old...63...and grew up in the hay day of hunting; started in the 60's under the tutelage of my father. He taught me so much, but more importantly, made sure I'd experience plenty of self infilicted "learning experiences".
Definitely search out all the knowledge you can find, if possible get a mentor, but do enjoy the lessons you will learn from your errors. Brother...that's half the fun!!!
bgbuckslyr, that is one of the best posts ever made on this site. You really kept it real. Some people won't admit to #6 but 99% of those who have hunted a long time will. #5 is really really important.
I agree. Great post bgbuckslyr! Informative and positive.
One suggestion that I'd add. Go to a good archery shop or club and take a lesson or two. Have someone look at your form and correct anything before it becomes a bad habit.
And have fun shooting your bow. Shoot a smaller number of arrows more frequently.
Good luck. Have a great season.
thank you all so much for the tips and advice.
This seems pretty basic but is the downfall of many hunts, myself included, many times over.
Whatever you sit on whether it is a tree stand or chair, log, whatever you must be able to turn, standup, draw, and shoot without creating any sort of noise. It is something you should practice too. Sometimes just a slight shift of weight from one foot to another is enough noise to spook a deer.
My success in terms of harvest and just getting deer in close where I could have killed them skyrocketed when I got a bunch of home made tree stands that were very quiet. When on the ground I either use a cut tree trunk set into the ground at my permanent ground blinds. Otherwise I use a 3 leg stool. You can turn your body on it pretty good and even get to a standing position just using your legs or drop to your knee and kind of turn off the stool. Also can rock back and rest your back against a tree in them.
In cold weather a towel on a metal stand will help reduce noise. (and insulate your feet just a little)
When you finally get a deer within shooting range, you are likely going to over think things. KNOW where 25 yards is, if you have been practicing that is your cutoff. Anything closer then 25 yards is the 20 yard pin. Anything further is probably outside your range. Know where 25 yards is and you will know where you can shoot.
One hint on shooting, move slow, but never try to shoot a deer looking in your direction. Never stare down a deer, you will loose. Try to keep from getting tunnel vision, seeing one deer often means there are several.
One hint on selecting a deer, fawns loose their spots by October. But they will still have a short body, short nose and look like they have longer fur (because they are smaller). If you see a doe with a long body, long neck and long nose, she is mature. Take the shot.
Following up on the good tip that Per48R gave you. If you end up looking at a deer when he/she decides to look at you slowly squint your eyes shut to the point where you can barely see the deer. If you look away or keep your eyes open at that point you are toasted.
I would suggest watching the hunting videos, and notice when the hunters take their shot, and where they are aiming on the deer. Notice the body language of the deer before and after the shot.
I find that this helps me when out in the field.
Remember, this is hunting, not killing; so don't get dejected if you don't get a deer this year, or next year, or even after that.
Took me nearly 11 years to get my first deer with a bow. Since then, I've gotten nearly 30 deer including some nice bucks in less than 20 years. EXPERIENCE is the best teacher.
Don't worry about what other's think. If you get a nice clean shot opportunity on a yearling buck, or yearling doe. Take it! It is great practice, and will put delicious venison in your freezer. Who cares if it is not a Monster buck. The more you hut, the more selctive you can get.
NEVER take a bad shot. We MAKE bad shots occasionally, (hit your arm, bulky clothes, twerked arm, dropped arm to quick, hit a twig, etc.) but that is different than taking a BAD shot. (running deer, bad angle, too far, etc.) It is better to observe a deer walk away safe, than to wound a deer and spend sleepless nights.
Plus lots of good info above from others.
Read as much, and watch as much video as you can. You will start to see a pattern of what works, and what doesn't.
GOOD LUCK!!!
Thoughts on early season hunting, ie first or second week of the season. I have heard pros and cons for early hunting.
Newby, you were asked which county you will be hunting, and I'll ask, public or private land?
Lincoln County both public and private land. I talked to someone at work who said that Deer in Wisconsin are very sensitive to hunting pressure and your best chance to get a mature buck is the first week or so of the season. I have read some articles that seem to agree and some that disagree. Another friend said that the early season is a bad time to try and get something.
newby, I personally prefer the rut over early season. I like from right before Halloween until around the 15th of November. That said, lots of deer are shot early season. The key is to minimize the pressure.
No Newby you are not new to hunting. Although you do struggle at it and rarely score. RC when will you realize how easy it is to trace your IP even if you use a proxy? Childs play.....O and add southern boy to that as well:^)
Dang, say it ain't so FIP. It never ends...
FIP, I am not sure who it is that you think I am but I would like to get a few things straight. #1 I have never been on this website before. #2 This is my first time ever hunting in my life let alone WI. #3 I'm not sure who you think I am but I can assure you that its not me. To everyone else I appreciate the tips that you have provided.
One tactic worth mentioning is to hunt where you can see deer. I mean, where you can sit and see far enough to actually see a deer. That may be hundreds of yards from you. Bring binos.
It does two things. 1. keeps you from getting depressed that you don't see deer. 2. lets you fine tune where you should be Often a side benefit is that it lets you get into and out of the woods without spooking deer. It can also desensitize you so when you do have a deer getting close, you don't freak. It is often the thicker cover where shot chances are most likely, but that is also where you can't see very far and when you do see a deer it is out of sight again quickly.
newby, there are a few guys here who apparently fell in love with some dude that used to post but then I believe was banned. I don't think he has posted here for quite some time, but that doesn't stop these few individuals from dreaming he's back posting. Heck there have been times I've been accused of being this RC fella also, but I'm not him either. It's a little flattering though, as I can tell you this RC fella was pretty great which explains the infatuation some of these guys have. ;-)
As to one of your questions, my vote goes to early season (first week or two) as being a good time to catch up with a nice buck. Just a few different challenges compared to late season like more bugs and warmer temps but in my experiences it can be a very productive time.
Remember to be safe and always wear climbing/fall protection if hunting from a tree.
Good luck!
I'm not sure what Fip is talking about either. I hunted wisconsin for the first time last year and I joined this forum for the first time about a month ago. I'm an experienced bow hunter but like newbie, I'm always looking for as much info I can to better myself as a hunter. With that said I'll give newbie a little advise. Number 1, spend some time scouting. Don't just settle for a trail, a rub, a scrape, ect. Look got deer dropping. When u find several dropping in one area of a well used trail hand a stand 20 yards downwind of the shit piles. This is likely a staging area. It's been working for me when I'm looking for meat. You almost guaranteed a doe hunting these stagging areas. Just look for the fresh poop. I even pick the poop up to check how fresh it is. If there multiple fresh poop piles, bingo u in the right spot
"Remember to be safe and always wear climbing/fall protection if hunting from a tree. "
Great advice there Ronny. I see you've been a busy boy...
Well good luck to both of you this year. If one of you get a buck both of you will score. For that matter many handles here at the WI site will get one all with one arrow.
As far as the Plane goes I think the fork horn will fit nicely in a carry on.
No fork horn for me Flip. I'm not shooting a buck unless he's going on the wall. I can shoot a fork born here in Louisiana if I want. I'm not going all the way to Wisconsin to shoot small deer
