For those who haven’t tried it, deer hunting has a lot going for it. From the camaraderie of camp to the thrill of the harvest to the high-protein table fare venison yields, if you’ve never tried hunting white-tailed deer you should do so. You might just become hooked like the 10 to 11 million Americans who head to the woods and fields in pursuit of a deer each year.
Hunting Whitetails: Some Important Choices
In the beginning, you’ll need to determine what kind of weapon you want to hunt with—archery equipment, a primitive firearm, or a modern firearm. All have their benefits and their pitfalls.
Archery seasons typically are long and give plenty of opportunity, but mastering a bow and arrow can be somewhat difficult and require a lot of time. For aspiring archers, crossbows are legal during archery season in many states and have a shallower learning curve.
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Primitive firearms, typically called muzzleloaders, are super fun to use and are shot much like a conventional deer rifle. They can be difficult to load for newbies, and understanding exactly how they operate can cause some confusion. Still, they are typically accurate and effective on deer.
Modern firearms present the easiest learning curve. If you can put the crosshairs of your scope on a deer’s shoulder and squeeze the trigger without moving the muzzle, you’re likely to have some venison in the freezer. There are many different caliber choices and action types. Do some research before deciding what to start with.
Here’s a hint: a bolt-action rifle chambered in .308 Win. and topped with a 3-9x scope won’t let you down anywhere in the United States.
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Regulations, Access, And Safety
Once you are outfitted, it’s time to figure out where and when to hunt. Each state publishes its own set of deer hunting regulations, and some are many pages in length. Study them carefully for open dates and areas where you plan to hunt. They’ll also have lots of important information about legal methods of taking, antlered/antlerless considerations, check-in requirements, and more. Before setting foot afield, always make sure you know the regulations where you plan to hunt.
Finding a place to hunt can be somewhat challenging. If you’re lucky enough to have a friend or family member who is already a deer hunter and willing to take you, jump at that opportunity. Access is difficult in many states, and lots of hunters lease property in order to have a place to chase whitetails.
Many states have public areas open to hunting, and in most, they tend to be quite crowded. In my state of Oklahoma, it seems like each public hunting area has its own regulations. You’ve got to be very careful when hunting public land that you don’t run afoul of the law.
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As with any type of recreation dealing with firearms, safety is the most important aspect of deer hunting. The cardinal rules of gun safety are especially important in the deer woods.
When hunting, always treat every firearm as if it is loaded, keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, be sure of your target and what lies beyond it, and keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot at a legal deer. Follow these safety rules, and you, along with anyone else in the deer woods, will be sure to return home safely at the end of the day.
Sage Advice
Focus on Fun –Some deer hunters get so serious that they don’t have fun anymore, constantly judging the size of bucks to see if they meet some personal standard they have set. Start deer hunting for the fun, with the added bonus of nutritious venison. You can get serious later.
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Hunt From Above –The majority of white-tailed deer are killed by hunters in tree stands or elevated blinds. These put hunters up where they can see well and take a good shot, without being on the ground where they are more easily spotted by deer. The majority of hunting accidents are deer stand accidents, so study and practice tree stand safety.
Commit to Camaraderie – For many deer hunters, hanging out in deer camp with friends is equally or even more important than the hunt. Consider hunting with a friend or two, and you’ll likely build a bond that lasts a lifetime.
Find A Mentor – This can be the most important advice of all. Like most aspects of shooting and hunting, you can accelerate your learning curve with deer hunting by finding an experienced mentor. Most hunters love to pass down what they know, so don’t be afraid to ask a friend or relative who is an avid deer hunter to give you tips or even take you along on a hunt.
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