Tuesday, October 03, 2006

10 Tips Deer-Hunting Success

GO PUBLIC While it's difficult to gain access to private lands, every state has public wildlife management areas, including federal lands. Many public lands offer excellent hunting opportunities.
TAKE A CHANCE Experiment with new ideas and products. Many hunters still believe that calling and rattling for whitetails won't work in their area. You'll never know if you don't try.
VISUALIZE THE SHOT If you're hunting from a tree stand, practice shooting from every angle. When a deer appears, you'll know better how to move without being detected and which shots are impossible or very difficult because of obstacles.
SWEEP UP If you're in a ground blind, clear leaves and brush from around your feet. If a deer suddenly approaches and you must change positions, rustling noises could alert it to your presence.
IGNORE THE MOON Some hunters won't go out on a day following a full moon because they believe the deer are active all night and don't move in daylight. Wrong. Deer are always someplace, and you should hunt whenever you can.
GET MOBILE Don't spend all your time in one spot, unless you've patterned a buck and want to wait him out. Otherwise, be flexible and try new areas.
BE SURE If you're hunting does and your management plan is to protect young bucks, look long and hard before pulling the trigger. The doe might be a button buck.
DON'T FORGET SAFETY When you hunt with a firearm, wear hunter orange clothing whether the law requires it or not. Likewise, always use a safety harness when in a tree stand or climbing to and from it.
PRACTICE FOR ACCURACY Don't even think of hunting unless you've practiced enough with your firearm or bow to be consistently accurate.
COUNT ON LUCK During an Arkansas hunt a guide showed me a tree stand and said a big buck was once seen from it, though he hadn't been spotted for a few seasons since. Other tree stands with more potential were available but I opted for the first one. The big buck decided it was time to pay a return visit. I shot him and learned that simple luck always plays a hand in a hunter's success.

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