How to get started in Hunting deer?

[PleaseEatSomePoo]

I've never been, but always wanted to. Where can i find more information on where to get started

 

[BlackBart]

LOTS of good reading out there, Sports Afield, American Hunter ect ect. and the hunter safety course might teach a thing or two.

 

[Bigdtc]

I would start with the hunter safety course and then, the hard part, finding a place to hunt. Public land can be miserable and crowded..

 

[MauiWowie]

I think next year I'm going to give Duck hunting a try then I'll gradually move to Deer...

 

[gtodave]

Get online and find the next Hunter's Safety course by you, and sign up. Take the class, get your weapon of choice and start practicing with it, and start scouting some hunting sites (check DNR's website for public land, and managed areas, such as these: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/allwmabyregion.asp ).

Once you're through with hunter's safety, get your hunting license and get out there.

 

[Redneck]

Plan on kicking out a few bucks to get started if you want to do it right. Weapon(s), bow, muzzleloader, rifle/shotgun, clothing, treestand/climber if you dont want to hunt from the ground, basic supplies we all take into the woods, its not cheap. If you decide to join a club or lease/rent your own land thats even more money right there. Granted I have been hunting for about 15 years so I had my dad buying stuff for me along with getting things over the years. Its expensive, but once you get everything you need you are set for a while.

 

[stevegee58]

Heck if you want, you can go on a guided hunt ($$$). There are outfits in MD that do this.

 

[HardHatMan]

Here's the first two things you need to know:

1. SAFETY FIRST!
2. Respect the land/environment you are hunting in. Whether it be your own, a friends or public.

 

[EVOIXGSR]

Just get a cheap .270 rifle, and drive through loch raven at around 3am. drive away, and then come back after about 30 mins to claim your prize.

 

[jaypark]

get you some nightvision and a suppressed 22. put out some dick lick from cabelas and go to work. corn or apples are also like cocaine to a deer.

 

[MikeTF]

Be sure to tie yourself in with a safety harness if you bow hunt from a tree stand. Also forgive yourself in advance if you get 'buck fever' the first time you have to draw back on one.

I'll admit that I did, when I was in my late teens. I pulled back and suddenly realized that I didn't have a pair. I was shaking like a *****. The deer ran off. I never fired the shot.

The next time, I remembered to bring my manhood with me. I aimed and fired. Then I had that extraordinary adrenaline rush and was shaking so much that I fell out of the tree stand and landed on my back. I wasn't injured, but I laid there for 20 minutes while my friend came up and stood over me asking me if I was ok.

I missed that time too. So the lesson learned is: practice, practice, practice on shot placement (for bow or gun hunting). Oh, and don't forget your manhood.

 

[BlackBart]

Public land can be miserable and crowded..

Nonsense, as I have stated 100 times before here there are TENS of THOUSANDS of acres on the lower shore. Outside of opening day most likely I won't see another hunter. In fact I wished there were more hunters to move the deer.

The State BOUGHT Chesapeake http://www.dnr.state.md.us/forests/chesapeakeforestlands.asp if those 66,000 aren't enough there are the state parks, demo forest and Wildlife management areas. Why spend money when you don't need to?

 

[boule]

there are the state parks, demo forest and Wildlife management areas. Why spend money when you don't need to?

Got three deer this season, all of them on public land. There are enough public areas to find deer if you are willing to drive a little bit and scout before season.

 

[Bigdtc]

Nonsense, as I have stated 100 times before here there are TENS of THOUSANDS of acres on the lower shore. Outside of opening day most likely I won't see another hunter. In fact I wished there were more hunters to move the deer.

The State BOUGHT Chesapeake http://www.dnr.state.md.us/forests/chesapeakeforestlands.asp if those 66,000 aren't enough there are the state parks, demo forest and Wildlife management areas. Why spend money when you don't need to?

I used to hunt Fairmount WMA when my parents had a summer house down there... Too far to travel to hunt now, though. It's like a 5 hour drive for me...
Also, the western shore IS very crowded so, no inpromptu hunts.

 

[BlackBart]

I used to hunt Fairmount WMA when my parents had a summer house down there... Too far to travel to hunt now, though. It's like a 5 hour drive for me...
Also, the western shore IS very crowded so, no inpromptu hunts.

That like Vienna are probably too wet for my taste but there IS a lot of high ground to be had. My offer still stands for anyone who wants to come down during the week and explore some in the afternoon. Mon Tues or wed, bring a gun and your license, rabbit and squirrel are still in so that makes an excuse for shooting a weapon.

 

[BlackBart]

Got three deer this season, all of them on public land. There are enough public areas to find deer if you are willing to drive a little bit and scout before season.

Yup, about a mile drive for me, I hope gas prices doesn't ruin my hunting.

 

[Bigdtc]

That like Vienna are probably too wet for my taste but there IS a lot of high ground to be had. My offer still stands for anyone who wants to come down during the week and explore some in the afternoon. Mon Tues or wed, bring a gun and your license, rabbit and squirrel are still in so that makes an excuse for shooting a weapon.

Yeah, it was wet sometimes. Great hunting though and most years, by November, it was plenty dry. The biggest problem down there was, after opening day, not enough hunters to move the deer. We got some nice, big deer out of there. Thers still good land here, on the western shore. The problem is that it has benn bought up by people who dont allow hunting at all or developed. You can tell where there arent enough huters around here by number of carcasses on the sides of the road in those areas.
This leaves the public areas very crowded. I think, though, that I'll try to find a place on the shore next year and just make the drive. It's worth it now because of the longer deer season(s) and being able to get more than one deer, such as it used to be.

 

[Dreago]

I would thing a hunter's safety course would be the best place to start since you can't get a license in most cases without proving you took one. You get the basics there. After that, you can get good info from hunting channels, magazines, etc. Some of the best info you can get is from someone who has been or still hunts. Just make sure you get someone who knows what's going on. I missed getting shot by about 6 inches one year hunting with a guy I know because his take on hunting is if you see it, start throwing lead at it until it drops or gets away. Not much scarier than hearing a bang and less than a second later, seeing the dirt kick up near you.

 

[lax]

do you have any friends that hunt, learning to hunt without a mentor will take a very long time.

 

[xd40c]

Bow ($400 and way up)
Rangefinder ($250)
Scent Free Camo/Clothing ($300 and up)
Grunt Tube ($25)
Scent Free Soap/Laundry Detergent/Spray ($25)
Blind ($100 and up)
Doe Estrus ($10)
Treestand ($300-Don't go cheap on this)
Vest-Hunter Safety System (~$130)
Knife Kit ($100)
ATV to haul deer ($5000)
Beat up pickup truck to throw carcass in when taking pictures ($250)


For the life of me, I don't know why more people won't take up hunting....