Hunting is one of America’s most loved sports.
The combination of spending time outdoors and experiencing the thrill of the chase is a combination that millions cannot resist. Hunting generates over 25 billion dollars in retail sales each year, with over 15 million American participants.
Deer are the most popular choice for hunters, with most states having hunting seasons for them. There are multiple tactics for hunting these animals, but no matter which ones you choose, hunting deer is addictive.
Top five deer hunting strategies to try on your next trip:
- Ambush
Ambush hunting is the most common strategy for whitetail deer, with most hunters preferring to catch the animals around agricultural areas.
The whereabouts of deer are largely dictated by the location of their favorite food and most of them cannot resist crops.
Most game animals spend their time sleeping, feeding, or traveling between those two areas. Use that to your advantage and catch them where you know they will be – deer are very predictable creatures.
- Scout
When you first start hunting, you might think that all woods look the same – but never to deer.
The key to finding and intercepting deer on their travels is to know where they are eating and sleeping. Most deer prefer to hide in thick cover or tall grass. Not only does that protect them from the cold and wind, but it also offers them some form of camouflage.
Scout for deer near thick marsh edges, abandoned farms, and overgrown woody areas.
- Stand Selection Tips
Select a stand location where deer will not be able to smell you.
Have a safe area downwind and always pay attention to the direction of the wind – that way you can move your stand if you need to. That safe stand area will allow you to sneak in completely undetected by your prey.
Remember that deer need to be dressed as soon as possible after taking one down, otherwise, you run the risk of spoiling the meat.
Click here to learn more about field-dressing deer.
- Antler-Rattling
A deer relies on communication to navigate their environment – and they communicate well.
They use their ears, eyes, posture, tails, and vocals to interact. An effective tactic for hunting them is mimicking their behavior to trick them. The best way to imitate deer is to use antlers to make a series of sharp, short knocking sounds that emulate the sounds of antlers hitting together.
Real antlers create the most realistic sounds, but they can be massively inconvenient to carry around because they do not fit into bags easily.
- Get Stinky
Many dominant bucks spend a fair amount of time looking for a fight.
That makes them drawn to the musk of one another – and as disgusting as this may sound, you should get all up in that. As much as that smell may want to make you toss your cookies, it is one of the most effective hunting strategies to try if you feel like being all Bear Grylls about things. By following these simple tips above, you should be hauling deer in no time at all.
