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Guide for preparing for deer season
Many experienced hunters know where they want to hunt,
but deer hunting is an increasingly popular sport and there are
also many novices who do not yet know where they want to hunt. Many
hunters are always searching for new and exciting places to hunt
in the same way that mountain climbers are always looking for another
mountain to climb. The United States offers a wide variety of climates
and beautiful wilderness areas where whitetail deer and many other
species of game animals abound.
Because Alaska is the largest state in the Unites States and offers
an abundance of many different types of game animals, Alaska is
one of the finest places to hunt deer. For many hunters, Alaska
is the last frontier, a wild and challenging land where whitetail
deer, elk, and even gorgeous blacktail deer roam a vast, untouched
landscape. There are many hunting specialists who fly people into
remote hunting areas and even provide deer hunting supplies for
visitors who are flying in from other states. Because Texas is second
largest state in the United States and has vast amounts of ideal
wildlife habitat, it is one of the most popular states for deer
hunting. The Texas panhandle is renowned for its large whitetail
deer, and hunters flock to Texas in droves to bag some of the biggest
bucks found anywhere. The Texas Deer Association publishes a newsletter
containing helpful hunting tips and even offers a scholarship program.
Other states that are known for deer hunting include Louisiana,
which is famous for its large population of whitetail deer. Some
of the best public lands in Louisiana for deer hunters include the
Tansas River area and the Lake Ophalia area. Virginia contains many
locations where whitetail deer are plentiful. Because Montana still
contains wild and untamed wilderness, it’s also a great place
for deer hunting. Whitetail deer, mule deer, elk and antelope are
found in this vast hunter’s paradise. Even the forests of
Pennsylvania offer hunters a great opportunity to hunt whitetail
deer. Pennsylvania’s deer management program and special interest
programs for hunters make this state a great place to hunt. Alabama
offers numerous deer hunting clubs and lodges that attract hunters
to this southern state. Almost every state offers opportunities
for deer hunting, so there’s a good chance that you can enjoy
successful deer hunting in your own state.
Deer hunting requires a license so after deciding where you want
to spend your time hunting, the first step is to obtain a hunting
license. Deer hunting is such a popular sport that it is advisable
to obtain a license well in advance of deer hunting season. Deer
population management is a concern for almost all state fish and
game departments. Each state’s wildlife agency provides information
about areas that feature the best opportunities for deer hunting.
Other sources of information include various national wildlife refuges,
the National Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
After obtaining a hunting license, the next step is to scout specific
locations for hunting well in advance of deer hunting season. Deer
spend the majority of their time in either a bedding area, a feeding
area, or on a trail somewhere between a bedding area and a feeding
area. Experienced hunters scout these key locations in order to
figure out how and when deer use them, and then they use that knowledge
to determine the best place to set up their deer blinds or deer
stands before the season begins. Experienced hunters also notice
signs of deer activity such as deer trails and beds or buck scrapes,
and they look for wooded areas where acorns are plentiful. These
are all important signs that experienced hunters look for before
they set up their deer blinds or deer stands. Late summer is usually
the best time to set up tree stands in a forested hunting area where
good visibility of the terrain is available. Experienced hunters
set up their deer stands and deer blinds about 25 to 100 yards from
major game trails that are located between feeding fields and bedding
areas. Their stands are usually at least 14 feet above the ground.
If you are making preparations for an early season whitetail hunt,
you should start scouting locations in mid-August or early September.
One method of determining a good hunting location is to observe
where deer feed during the morning and evening hours. Does, fawns
and bucks feed on ripening agricultural crops, succulent grasses,
wild flowers, and grassy type plants that grow in or near water.
They also feed on berries, fruits and nuts in late summer. Grazing
at food plots is a very important part of a deer's daily routine,
and many hunters set up their deer stands overlooking a clover field.
Experienced hunters also look for look for fresh deer droppings,
fresh tracks, buck rubs on trees, and buck scrapes on the ground.
If you find all of these key signs near one location, you know you
have found a good place to hunt.
If you are not an experienced hunter and you want to learn how
to be successful at deer hunting, hiring a deer hunting guide can
be a cost effective way to get into the sport and learn the important
essential facts about hunting before buying a hunting rifle and
all the other associated deer hunting products. A good deer hunting
guide can teach you the basics while you enjoy a hunting trip and
also show you how to select a hunting rifle that suits your particular
needs. Some of the most useful information a guide has to offer
includes where the best hunting locations are, because the guides
know the best local hunting areas better than anybody else as a
result of being familiar with the local areas longer than anybody
else. Stores where people buy deer hunting supplies are good places
to ask about where to find a local deer hunting guide. You can also
find guides by searching on the Internet or by contacting the many
deer hunting clubs that can be found in every region where deer
hunting is popular.
Hunting ground blinds are a category of camouflage
devices that are designed to be set up on the ground to conceal
hunters of different types game animals. Deer hunting blinds are
devices that have been specifically designed for deer hunters to
reduce the chance of detection by deer, but there are other reasons
to use deer blinds besides concealment. Deer blinds also keep hunters
dry and comfortable in rainy weather and warmer in cold weather.
Some of the most important kinds of deer blinds that are used for
successful deer hunting include:
• Portable deer blinds: There are many different
types. Tent blinds are easy to set up and they protect hunters from
inclement weather. A camouflage net is the easiest type to set up
and it is lightweight, but it is not weatherproof. Climber blinds
are more portable than ladder deer blinds because a climber blind
can be set up in a tree and then moved to another location without
too much difficulty.
• Bow hunting ground blinds: These are easy
to carry through the woods and set up, many have roofs that can
keep out rain and snow, and some are even able to reduce a hunter’s
scent.
• Hunting blinds: This is a general term
that refers to various kinds of covers for hunters that are designed
to reduce the chance of detection by whatever animal is being hunted.
Some are very simple and easy to set up, while others are more complex.
• Heavy duty deer blinds: Ameristep makes
some of the highest quality products available on the market. They
feature spring steel frames that enable the blind to pop-up in seconds,
a water-resistant nylon exterior that protects the hunter from the
elements, and they are lightweight so they can be easily packed
and carried to remote locations.
• Single deer blinds: These are designed
to accommodate and camouflage one person.
• Double deer blinds: These are designed
to accommodate and camouflage two hunters, so they provide more
room and tend to be more comfortable.
• Deer blind accessories: Many hunters like
to have a comfortable chair to sit on while they wait for the deer
to arrive. Other accessories include stands for a rifle, gun racks,
and hunting gear storage equipment.
• Deer blind mats: These are designed for
hunters who prefer some comfort but do not care to portage a chair
into the wilderness. Instead of sitting on hard ground that may
have rocks and tree roots, a lightweight foam mat makes sitting
on the ground more comfortable. They can be easily rolled up and
carried along with other equipment.
• Spring steel deer blinds: Also known as
pop-up blinds, these take a only few minutes to open and set up.
• Hub style deer blinds: These have steel
frames in the base, as opposed to tent styles which sometimes do
not have any rigid frame in the base.
• Box blinds: These are characterized by
a hard ,outer shell constructed of fiberglass, plastic, wood or
metal and can accommodate between 1-4 people. Often times, these
blinds are placed on towers and elevated to improve visibility.
A tree stand is a platform, seat, or other device
that is intended for hunting deer or other game animals from an
elevated position in a tree. Deer stands provide a good vantage
point high off the ground for spotting and shooting, and being above
the deer's normal viewing area helps to disguise a hunter. Safety
concerns and product liabilities have caused the manufacturers to
develop better products that offer superior stability and improved
safety. High-tech, lightweight metal stands with non-reflective
finishes and fabric seats are common. Greater emphasis has been
placed on incorporating a higher degree of comfort into a stand's
design because comfortable hunters stay in the woods longer. The
more time a hunter spends in the woods, the greater the chances
are of bagging a trophy buck.
Deer hunting stands are divided into two general categories; portable
deer stands that can be disassembled and moved, and hunting tree
stands that are set up for more permanent use. Manufacturers also
discount deer stands at different times of the year to reduce inventories.
The two most common types of tree stands that are used for successful
deer hunting are:
• Tripod deer stands: These are useful when hunting in an
open field area, on a power line clearing, or at the edge of a thicket
where there is no adequate tree to put a stand in. They are considered
to be portable because they can be disassembled and moved to other
locations.
• Ladder tree stands: These are intended for a hunter who
has found a perfect location and wants to keep a stand there at
all times. For instance, a location that has produced several good
hunts is one where a hunter would consider putting a deer hunting
ladder stand.
Experienced hunters know that it is very important to own the highest
quality clothing, including hunting jackets, camouflage hats, pants
and boots. The best camouflage clothing is also made to be waterproof
and weatherproof. Other articles of very useful warm clothing include
thermal long john tops and bottoms, wool socks and thermal gloves.
Many hunters prefer to wear a layered system of long underwear,
woolen socks, shirts and pants so that they can easily put on additional
clothing or remove clothing to accommodate changing temperatures.
A camouflage backpack is a very good idea for carrying additional
clothes and other miscellaneous items. Other specialized clothing
related items that are popular with hunters include hunting backpacks
and hunting fanny packs. But perhaps the most important component
of hunting clothes are hunting boots that are warm, waterproof and
windproof. Boots need to be warm and they need to keep the feet
dry at all times because there's nothing worse than hunting on a
cold rainy day with cold wet feet. Other useful hunting accessories
include a deer bag, blood trail trace detection formula, a dressing
tool, a deer decoy, a grunt call, a deer handle, a rangefinder,
buck lure scent, and scent eliminator wipes.
No hunting kit is complete without hunting knives. Buck hunting
knives are very important tools for most deer hunters. Since the
knife will be used primarily for skinning, the handle should be
comfortable to grip tightly. The type of steel blade is very important
because wet weather can cause the blade to rust. The strongest steel
commonly used in knives is 420 steel. Most knives are high carbon
stainless steel or non-stainless steel. High carbon stainless steel
is rust resistant, but it can be difficult to sharpen. Non-stainless
high carbon steel can rust, but it is relatively easy to sharpen.
440 steel holds a better edge and it is easier to sharpen than the
lower 400 series steels. ATS-34 steel is superior when it comes
to keeping a sharp edge and it is definitely stronger than 440 steel,
so breaking the tip on ATS-34 steel will be less likely to occur.
In order to be well prepared for all situations, many experienced
hunters make a checklist of items that they know from experience
they always need and want to have with them on their hunting trips.
One of the biggest mistakes inexperienced hunters make is to pack
the wrong things and end up carrying more than is necessary, or
fail to pack all the right things and end up not having what they
want with them when they need it. Some important miscellaneous items
to include in a checklist for a hunting trip are an adequate supply
of drinking water, camouflage paint or a good face mask, binoculars,
a flash light, sunburn protection, a snake bite kit (a critical
item when hunting in areas with native venomous snake species),
a first aid kit, reflective trail markers, and various lengths of
rope. It is crucial to have all the essential items of deer hunting
equipment with you on your hunting trip. Deciding what needs to
be on a checklist is a matter of knowing what is necessary for you,
what is nice to have, and what is a waste of space for you. Other
items of deer hunting equipment and hunting gear to think about
include many different deer hunting supplies; i.e. hunting coolers,
deer feeders, game calls, hunting dog supplies, hunting decoys,
deer hunting videos, and many other deer hunting products.
In any enterprise, one of the most important keys to success is
thorough preparation. The famous motto of the Boy Scouts of America,
“Be prepared”, is terse and true for every enterprise
from starting up a business to being a successful deer hunter. Many
hunters define success in terms of the number of deer they are able
to bring home, but perhaps another definition of success might be
made in terms of the number of pleasureful moments and happy memories
you bring home with you. All of that can be increased by being thoroughly
prepared and having everything you need and want with you on your
hunting trip.
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