New hunter here in MD, looking for advice..
- Thread starter Rcbrownr7
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Biggfoot44
Ultimate Member
- Aug 2, 2009
- 33,252
Don't limit yourself. Plenty of MDS'ers to be found in petson at gun shows, 2A events, and most shooting ranges
What weapon were you planning on using for the hunt.
CrossBow during bow season and a firearm during firearm season
I'll be hunting rifle season up here in Frederick if you care to join I'm a noob but we can get out there and make mistakes together and learn from them if you're interested
I was in your shoes about 8 years ago. I also had to teach myself to hunt and didn't have access to private land until very recently. I still hunt mostly public land. No one is going to tell you exactly where to go, but just know that there are plenty of great public spots to hunt within a reasonable drive for you. There is some great advice above so I wont' repeat any of that.
Additional suggestions:
*Use the summer to do some scouting. Go out to the WMAs you're interested in (they're all listed on the MD DNR website) and go for some quiet hikes and look for sign.
*Take advantage of the bow season. It starts in mid-September when it can be hot as hell, with bugs and poison ivy to contend with. But you'll largely be on your own on public lands. It's a great time to get to know the land and to some extent the patterns of the animals you intend to hunt. The season runs on/off through the end of January.
*Say hello to the other guy in the parking lot. You never know who you might meet. I got a lot of quality information from just talking to other hunters.
*Remember that Maryland's deer population is incredible and out of control. It's really a whitetail hunter's paradise. People think about going to Illinois or Iowa to hunt great deer. But honestly Maryland should be a destination of choice for people who want to get opportunities on deer. So if you are not having success where you're hunting, it's probably your location or tactics, not lack of game.
*Use a climbing tree stand. I know a lot of guys in the south (including my extended family) use ground blinds, so just wanted to point that out.
*If you're going to hunt small game, use calls. I'm no expert on this, but I've had great success hunting squirrels in October using a simple Primos brand call. I also use a deer call a little bit during the rut.
*Someone suggested Izaak Walton. This is a good idea for you (and any conservation-minded sportsman).
Like I said, I'm no expert. But I figured out how to go from zero deer for my whole life, including my first three seasons trying, to the past few years being able to more or less take as many as I want from a few different public land locations thanks to lots of trial and error. Feel free to PM me if you want some more detailed advice.
Additional suggestions:
*Use the summer to do some scouting. Go out to the WMAs you're interested in (they're all listed on the MD DNR website) and go for some quiet hikes and look for sign.
*Take advantage of the bow season. It starts in mid-September when it can be hot as hell, with bugs and poison ivy to contend with. But you'll largely be on your own on public lands. It's a great time to get to know the land and to some extent the patterns of the animals you intend to hunt. The season runs on/off through the end of January.
*Say hello to the other guy in the parking lot. You never know who you might meet. I got a lot of quality information from just talking to other hunters.
*Remember that Maryland's deer population is incredible and out of control. It's really a whitetail hunter's paradise. People think about going to Illinois or Iowa to hunt great deer. But honestly Maryland should be a destination of choice for people who want to get opportunities on deer. So if you are not having success where you're hunting, it's probably your location or tactics, not lack of game.
*Use a climbing tree stand. I know a lot of guys in the south (including my extended family) use ground blinds, so just wanted to point that out.
*If you're going to hunt small game, use calls. I'm no expert on this, but I've had great success hunting squirrels in October using a simple Primos brand call. I also use a deer call a little bit during the rut.
*Someone suggested Izaak Walton. This is a good idea for you (and any conservation-minded sportsman).
Like I said, I'm no expert. But I figured out how to go from zero deer for my whole life, including my first three seasons trying, to the past few years being able to more or less take as many as I want from a few different public land locations thanks to lots of trial and error. Feel free to PM me if you want some more detailed advice.
Deer ticks...like to hang-out near buck rubs.
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