by WayneClark

Created on: October 25, 2008

Out-Smarting The Wiley White Tail

Feeling that cool fresh air of Fall triggers within us the seventh sense built into a hunter; it is close to deer season. If you have not staked out the area that you plan to hunt, don't fret yet. With skillful judgement and aggressive action, you can still have a very successful hunting season. Let's go over some tips to make your deer hunting dream come true.

Before you go any further, before you make one of the most embarrassing and humiliating blunders of your hunting experience, go get your license. States have different rules for having a license. Some states and counties require that you have a hunting license if you are in the field with a fire-arm. It is best to go ahead and get legal before you step foot in the woods. Hunting without the proper license can be very expensive and can ruin a deer season before it gets started. Stay up to date on all hunting laws in the area that you plan to hunt.

Now that we are legal, let's get prepared for the hunt. Scout your area thoroughly. Look for signs of game, such as well traveled trails, deer rubs on trees and bushes, deer droppings, and the most important ground scrape. Knowing that you are in an area that is holding game is critical to your success.

Ground blinds are a great source to hide and take cover as you wait for that golden opportunity to bring home the bacon, I mean venison. I really like the fold up, light weight blinds that you can purchase in most sporting good stores. Locate an area off the game trail, throw up your pop up, and wait. Before taking that step, make sure that you have a good visual site of the trail and that limbs are not blocking your shooting lanes. Once you have decided on an area to hunt, stay away from the site as much as possible. Do not change the natural highway the deer are traveling as they may decide to take another route for their travels.

Have a good, comfortable, quiet chair to sit in. You will probably spend many hours in your deer blind, so you may as well be comfortable. Do not move around much inside the blind, as deer have exceptional hearing and eye-site. Keep in mind, you are in his territory, so anything out of the ordinary can cause a deer to be on high alert. He is already extremely cautious and nervous anyway, so limit reasons for errors.

Wear hunter safety orange as you travel to and from your blind. Believe it or not, we still have people taking brush or movement shots. Talk about putting a damper on a hunting trip, geez. Wear clothing that blends with the surroundings, and leave the cologne at home. Natural scents can be purchased and should be applied when you begin your walk to the deer blind.

Make sure that your gun is sited in and that you know how to use it. Getting to the blind in the dark and trying to figure how to load your gun can be very awkward and un-safe. Have the proper grain and caliper bullet also. I will admit to one time getting to my stand and realizing that my bullets were still in the gun cabinet at home. I did say that I would admit to that one time. Not having bullets can also make for a disappointing hunt, not to mention the chances for a kill are, let's say zero.

There are many other tips for deer hunting success, but I am supposed to be writing an article and not a book, so I will wind this up. Stay safe, have fun, and enjoy your hunting trips. Remember these critical tips for a successful and safe deer hunt

Get your license

Make sure the land that you are hunting on is legal

Locate game trails

Good hunting location

Deer Blind

Make sure the gun is sited in and ready

Obey all safety and hunting rules

Tell someone of your location so they will know where to look for you in case of trouble

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