First time hunting guidnce

[j_h_smith]

All of this unscented, getting back to a natural smell stuff is bunk. I've pissed from tree stands, only to have a deer come up to me an hour later. I've eaten my ham and cheese sandwich while hunting a ground blind. Both times, I went home with a deer in the back of the truck.

I think most of the deer around here are so used to seeing and smelling humans, it doesn't mean much. I can remember years ago taking my son hunting,who is now 29, so he must have been 14 or 15. We were hunting public land and late in the day, I had to piss so bad, I walked around to the other side of the tree and did my business. While doing so, my son said he was going to walk up a few trees and sit. Only problem was he didn't take the shotgun. I sit down and less than 5 minutes later, a doe comes walking up to me with her nose to the ground. She walked to within 5-6 trees. My son didn't see the deer and I'm trying not to move, but get his attention. I don't know how he could have gotten to his gun, but I eventually scared the deer away.

This all happened with a pint of piss being absorbed into the ground within 25 feet of the deer. I do believe that deer would have walked right up to my piss stain if I hadn't spooked her.

True story, I promise.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

Know this too.

The Indians and Colonials didn't have Deer Hunting Super Centers.

And they still killed the hell out of Bambi.

 

[fidelity]

White-tailed deer populations are at pre-European settlement numbers in the US now too (>30 million), with less land for the deer to live off. Native hunters would be impressed with the abundance. Big change from the early 1900s.

Now there are so many deer, that Bambi is viewed as a threat to Eastern Forests.

No native vertebrate species in the eastern United States has a more direct effect on habitat integrity than the white-tailed deer. There are no hard numbers, but in many states deer populations continue to rise well beyond historical norms. In many areas of the country deer have changed the composition and structure of forests by preferentially feeding on select plant species.

In northern Minnesota, TNC staff demonstrated that decades of overbrowsing led to recruitment failure for many tree species, a shift in subcanopy and canopy dominance towards non-preferred white spruce, and significantly lower forest productivity (White 2012). In New York, TNC scientists report that one-third of New York’s forests are currently compromised as a result of excessive herbivory (see New York Forest Regeneration Study).

...

Indirect effects on wildlife have been reported as well, such as widespread declines of North American songbird populations (Chollet 2012). One study found forest songbirds that preferred nesting in the shrub and intermediate canopy layer declined in abundance and species richness as deer density increased (deCalesta 1994).

White-tailed deer likely impact every landscape east of the Mississippi River. The damage has been insidious — both slow moving and cumulative. Unfortunately, the harm is often overlooked, or worse, accepted as somehow “natural.”

In our opinion, no other threat to forested habitats is greater at this point in time — not lack of fire, not habitat conversion, not climate change. Only invasive exotic insects and disease have been comparable in magnitude. We can argue about which threat is more significant than another, but no one who walks the eastern forests today can deny the impact of deer to forest condition.

Perhaps lengthier hunting seasons with larger limits would be helpful.

 

[jaybee]

White-tailed deer populations are at pre-European settlement numbers in the US now too (>30 million), with less land for the deer to live off. Native hunters would be impressed with the abundance. Big change from the early 1900s.

Now there are so many deer, that Bambi is viewed as a threat to Eastern Forests.



Perhaps lengthier hunting seasons with larger limits would be helpful.

na - deer are where people are and them people don't want people to shot bambi

seen more deer around my house than down eastern shore

 

[HokieKev]

I used to feel the same way until a tick bite put me in Intensive Care for a week with a heart rate of 27, a temporary pacemaker installed and a month of IV antibiotics through a port in my arm. This happened last July.

Now, I'm wearing insect repellent........especially on my underwear. That's where the ticks like to getcha.

One of the areas I hunt is known to have chiggers. A little pemerethrin sprayed on boots and bottom of pants legs totally prevented these. Trust me... you do not want to get chiggers. The bites itch like poison Ivey for many weeks. Nothing to compare to the story above of course. But I never want to get chiggers again. This problem completely goes away after the first freeze.

 

[HokieKev]

Deer Processors

BTW, does anyone know a good Deer Processor in the Ashburn, VA area?

 

[lowoncash]

Just a caution, be careful when gutting a deer in case there is an old broadhead in there somewhere.

 

[K31]

You''ll want a length of paracord to lift your gear up to/lower it from the treestand.

Have a whistle in case you need help and your cellphone doesn't work.

A couple of bottles of water.

Yeah, toilet paper but don't bring a roll, wrap some around a pencil/remove the pencil.

Pencil/pen for filling tag (if they make you do that any more)

Individual handi wipes.

First aid kit.

As mentioned GPS or map and compass if you don't know the area.

 

[RebelYell]

Know this too.

The Indians and Colonials didn't have Deer Hunting Super Centers.

And they still killed the hell out of Bambi.

They also didn't have deer seasons, hunting regulations, daylight restrictions, and 40-60 hour work weeks...

Just messin with you. I agree. A lot of people spend way too much time and money trying to find out what gear (insert TV hunting host here) says you need to have, instead of just getting out there and hunting.

 

[Inigoes]

In addition to the flashlight, get a bright headlamp!

Its easier to field dress a deer with two free hands, versus holding onto a flashlight.

 

[outrider58]

The main point I like to stress to beginner(and some ''seasoned'') hunters. If the wind ain't right for your particular setup that day, then don't hunt it. You'll only educate the local deer of your presence an, eventually kill that spot for future use. Hunt the wind. It's as simple as keeping the wind AND your prey to your face. You can hunt in a turd suit and kill deer if you always pay attention to the wind. As far as camo goes, plain, solid colored clothing is all you really need to go unnoticed in most cases. Most cases.

 

[wilcam47]

Climbing safety harness. Don't rely on the one that comes with the tree stand.

Also practice climbing in a tree close to home a few times till you are proficient....otherwise practicing when you get to your sight area will be noisy

 

[outrider58]

Know this too.

The Indians and Colonials didn't have Deer Hunting Super Centers.

And they still killed the hell out of Bambi.

Not nearly as efficiently though.

 

[outrider58]

Also practice climbing in a tree close to home a few times till you are proficient....otherwise practicing when you get to your sight area will be noisy

...and dangerous. You'll either be going up in the dark or coming down in the dark.

 

[jaybee]

.

take bullits

 

[outrider58]

.

take bullits

Or bolts

 

[wilcam47]

...and dangerous. You'll either be going up in the dark or coming down in the dark.

also let friends family know where and when you plan on getting home and are going to be at so in case you dont come home they know where to look for you.

 

[44man]

and for goodness sakes relax and have fun!!!!

 

[traveller]

As far as bug spray Pemetherin is good stuff.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/sawy...t=Permethrin%2B&search=Search&Ntt=Permethrin+

'Good stuff' as in to treat your pants for chiggers and ticks. Not anything you want to put on your skin.

 

[HokieKev]

I have never seen the need to use any insect repellent, never. Make sure your 'outfit' includes gloves and hood type face cover. All your outer garments should be scent blocking. Scentless boots(rubber). I like boonie hats above all other hats. They gather more sound(like a parabolic mike). Surgical gloves, extra batteries, cell phone, some sort of tree stand hook to hold your bow(you will need this), Fall restraint and accompanying devices, water, zip-lock bags for any food/food trash(to keep scent down), a decent scent elimination spray(I like to keep a small spray bottle in my pack)....and on and on.

I used an under armor balaklava when it got cold. But I felt like it really did make hearing more difficult. I like the idea of trying a boonie hat - but I may be too much of a wimp about the cold to do that when it gets into the 20s!