Deer hunting question

[MNguy4eva]

So here's the story. My brother wants me to join him in deer hunting this fall. Neither of us have any experience in hunting, but he has it in his head that the only way to enjoy hunting is to walk. He has no interest in tree stands. I have no illusions that we'll actually come across any deer if I decide to join him, I'm certain we won't. I'm will not be joining him with a whole lot of desire to get a deer, but would enjoy being outdoors and enjoying our lovely state.

My question is this: Is trudging through the woods, wearing as much blaze orange as I can, in the height of a very short and competitive hunting season going to get me shot at by some reckless guy in a tree stand? I worry that it might. I also have concerns about wandering through or near tree stands and pissing other outdoorsman off.

Is there any sort of hunter's etiquette? Your thoughts and advice are needed!

[stesch_s10]

welcome to the forum.

If I was in my tree stand and i see and or hear two yahoo's walking through my tree's.. I'd be a pissed off person.

1. you didn't have permission to walk/hunt onto my land.
2. you didn't give anyone a heads up to let them know your walking through a set of tress.
3. I've never hunted while walking through trees because you will kick up the deer and they will run
-Thus taking a running shot, missing it and not knowing exactly who or what is behind that running deer.
4. If you or your buddy have never been out deer hunting then find someone who does hunt and go out with them at least once.

Id say your chances of getting shot while walking is better then just sitting in a tree stand.
Id say your chances of finding a deer is 50%
Id say your chances of actually shooting and wounding the animal is 80%
While shooting and killing the animal is down to 15%.

If I were in your shoes.. let your buddy go walking around and then ask him how his day was. How many deer he saw, how many shots he took, how many hunters he saw and or talked to.

[yuppiejr]

Welcome to the forum!

Hunting is about a lot more than just finding/shooting a deer... you need to understand safe firearm handling, what type of permit to buy, what kind of land you can and cannot hunt on, how to safely interact with other hunters, how to spot good posting spots or track likely deer habitats and other field craft, a good vs bad shot on a deer (one likely to kill in one hit at the appropriate range vs "throwing some lead out" and wounding a deer you have to track...), etc...

Bottom line, I don't think either of you has any business going into the woods without taking a hunter's safety course and the guidance of an experienced hunter who can teach you the proper and safe methods for doing so (ideally in the section you will actually be hunting). I'm not discouraging you from hunting but I am suggesting that, as you described it, you likely represent a significant danger to yourselves and other hunters if you casually wander into a given section with a couple of firearms and go wandering around.

[yuppiejr]

I prefer active party hunting (pushers/stalkers + posters) over tree stand hunting so I'm on your friend's wavelength... it's also more dangerous and requires more knowledge of the surrounding area and constant awareness of any other hunters in the area. I suggest you consider trying to hook up with another group of hunters AFTER you've taken some time to demonstrate you are safe and capable with the firearm you're hunting with, have taken the time to learn the regs inside and out and are prepared to work as part of a team (you may flush a deer so someone else gets to shoot it...).

[EJSG19]

1. Ethically, you owe it to your prey to do more than just "show up and hunt". If you think taking a shot is a possibility, you really ought to get to the range and practice, from realistic shooting positions. (Therefore, shooting from a bench should only be used to determine how accurate your gun is. Sight it in on a bench, then sight it in in a realistic hunting position like standing. The two methods of shooting will likely have your bullet landing differently on the target. Etc.) Also, this includes shooting more than 5 rounds before the hunting season and calling it good. Nobody gets proficient with a firearm even after 10 times that many shots. Food for thought.

2. You need to do a little research (which you already are, so Cheers!). If you are under a certain age ( I forget what it is, but its up in the 50-60 yrs old area) you are required to take and obtain a Hunters Safety Course/Card before you are able to purchase a valid hunting license. So be aware of that, as I'm sure you probably already are.

3. If neither of you has any experience hunting, you should at the very least, ask for instruction, take an experienced guy along, or do your own due diligence in learning how to handle the animal once you shoot it. Please, for the reputation of responsible hunters everywhere, do not make the rest of us look bad by wasting a carcass or hunting it in a manner that is not sportsman like.

Otherwise, you are right. Getting outdoors that time of year is great, and the experience can be wonderful. Please ask as many questions as you can think of on the subject going forward.

[DeanC]

If you want, you can go take the MN Hunter Safety course on-line for free. You only pay if you decide you want a certificate. http://www.huntercourse.com/usa/minnesota/ It takes between 6-7 hours to complete.

[MNguy4eva]

Thanks for all the great responses.

I've sent a link of this thread to my (hard-headed, stubborn) brother and will push him to tagging along with some family friends for our first outting.

I needed some experts (anyone is more expert than myself!) to chime in to make my concerns and arguments more valid. And to alleviate any further concern, we're both pretty good shots!

Appreciate your input and would welcome any others that would like provide advice.

[1911fan]

First off, welcome

Second Congrats on having the willingness to try hunting.

Third, some background on you. Have you shot or hunted anything very much at all?
In your last post you posted having friends who hunt, let's hope they are willing to include you or at least give you some first hand help. However do not be surprised if your friends are less than enthusiastic about extending an invitation. For some deer camp is a very closed deal. For some it's wide open, but some it's the core group and no others. Sometimes it's space based, if you only have a forty acre plot to hunt, adding a few folks is pushing it.

If you and your brother did not hunt with them, do you have land to hunt on? If so that changes a lot of factors.

Still hunting can be very effective. In many weather patterns it's much more effective than stand hunting. And, no, most of your shots will not be at a running animal if you do it right. The objective is moving slow, moving at irregular intervals, and being prepared to just stand or sit for quite a while.

Still hunting requires different approaches to gear as well, a nice light rifle that carries easy is a must. Clothing that breaths and is not too warm, but warm enough is hard to figure out. Where a stand hunter wants a sleeping bag with arms almost to stay warm, the still hunter sticks with lighter boots, thinner gloves and lighter jacket so one can move along without breaking a sweat.

Pace is hard to describe but my brother compared it to going to the mall with a woman happily spending your money. It's stroll along, stop look around, window shop, stroll along, stop, wait, walk around a little this way, stop listen, walk a few more steps, stop, look. Listen.

Over the years I have shot several deer using this style. About half were shot in their beds. Most of the rest were shot standing or sneaking, only one was shot running.

If you hunt public land like a state forest be aware that people can be nuts but if they are realistic, two polite hunters who keep their distance, don't go stomping and yelling through the woods etc, are actually doing them a favor by causing the deer to move about. For every deer that gets startled and takes off running for a quarter mile there are five or six who are sneaking away from you and hoping you'll never see them.

[JJ]

Sound advice from all of the above.

You did not mention what area you would be potentially hunting. There is thousands upon thousands of acres of State and National forest land available in the northern half of the state. Most hunters seldom seem to venture more than 1/4 mile off of an established road or trail. Do some scouting, get you feet wet and start looking for high percentage areas that are a bit off the beaten path.

Expect that if you hunt close to roads and trails you will more than likely be in areas that there are other hunters. Don't be that guy that comes moseying under someones stand. If you see someone on stand do your best to steer clear and move around them.

Personally I have found still hunting to be difficult in extremely large stands of timber. If you have access to areas that are a mix of fields and woods still hunting is a more effective technique. But it takes a while to master, and you will see many white flags before you actually get a good shot. Personally i would reccomend stand hunting the first and last 2-3 hours of the day and then still hunt during the middle of the day trying to catch them bedded down. Trying to still hunt in low light makes the likelyhood of a poor or dangerous shot more likely as you most likely will not be able to see well past your target.

If you will be hunting in farm country where timber is sparse, often times deer will bed during the day in cat-tail stands (often where I see the biggest bucks when pheasant hunting).

Like the posters above, I would strongly reccomend you find a group or person experienced in the sport.

[stesch_s10]

And, no, most of your shots will not be at a running animal if you do it right. The objective is moving slow, moving at irregular intervals, and being prepared to just stand or sit for quite a while.

Haha I was just saying that because from his original original post, it sounded like he would go running through or walk at a fast pace and never stop to listen or check ahead to see if they are laying down.

[1911fan]

I should have phrased it--"if you take your time and pay attention, then most shots will not be at running deer. "

We was both right and both wrong but the idea was there.

The biggest ethic in the woods is " don't dick up another guy's hunt!"

[FJ540]

And, no, most of your shots will not be at a running animal if you do it right. The objective is moving slow, moving at irregular intervals, and being prepared to just stand or sit for quite a while.

Haha I was just saying that because from his original original post, it sounded like he would go running through or walk at a fast pace and never stop to listen or check ahead to see if they are laying down.

Don't forget to check behind you too! Deer are inquisitive critters, and will often circle back to have a look at what startled them. This is within reason of course. I've never found a deer following me on my atv, and don't think I ever will.

If you want to park your butt, but not do it in a tree, a ground blind is a good option. Not knowing where to put it, from lack of experience is going to hinder your success either way. Now's a good time to start reading up on deer's habits, habitat, and how to find and think like them.

If you still want to go walking all the time and not likely see a deer, I can offer you both a job hunting opportunity for the whole rifle season - all you need to do is patrol my borders and keep the neighbors honest. I'd likely reward you in fresh venison.

[rugersol]

If you want to park your butt, but not do it in a tree, a ground blind is a good option.

Last I heard, most guys who die deer-hunting die falling from a tree! If ya can't practice in daylight a few times 'fore the season, I wouldn't try a tree-stand ... 'specially morning of, in the dark!

I've never used a ground blind, but I've heard from others usin' one fer turkey ... they get deer comin' right up to the thing to check it out ... throwin' **** at 'em to get 'em to go away!

I've gone a few times with jest 'nother guy ... we'd always have one set in a tree, and the other comes from 'bout 1mi - 2mi away towards him ... don't know that there's been a year we didn't at least see one, doin' that. Last time I shot one that way, I shot two ... after the first, the rest had no clue what was happening, so they stayed put ... remarkably stupid creatures!

Best to scout a couple different areas a few weeks ahead of time ... if ya see orange flags or fresh tree-stands, ya know someone's gonna be there ... find someplace else! Otherwise, I like to bring some reflective tacks and mark a trail ... that way, at 'o dark thirty, one of us can start walkin' towards the tree-stand, w/o endin' up in swamp 'er some other guy's set-up. Print a Google satellite map of the area and take it with ... try to follow tree-lines ... once the first shot goes off, deer don't like to venture outta the trees.

Ya can combine what 1911Fan says 'bout stalking ... I'd doubt ya'd see anything ... I never have ... but my buddy almost always did. Anyhow, what's not to try?

If ya meet up with a 2-3 other guys in an area ya like, ya can offer to help 'em out ... post 2-3 guys on one end, and the others spread out from the other end ... one on each corner, anyone else in 'tween ... make sure ya all keep a steady pace ... slow, but don't stop ... no shooting more than 45° from straight ahead ... or, ya could jest say no shooting at all ... let the posted guys shoot 'em. If there's lots of shooting around ya, ya could try it again later in the day. Whenever ya do it again, trade places.

[MNguy4eva]

Great advice all! Keep it coming!

[SAM]

#1.You've never done this before.
#2. Deer live in the woods 365 days a year.
#3. Someone stumbling through the woods for 3-4 days a year is not very likely to even see a deer.


There is no quick fix to your question. Starting today, you need to find a place to hunt and learn everything you possibly can about that area and the surrounding areas. Cover--day trails--night trails--escape routes--food supply--water supply--etc. You need to know every square inch. You also need to know your prey--how well they see--hear--smell--taste the air. How fast they are--how high they can jump--what they can go through at a dead run--how well they can backtrack and how still they can lay as you walk by--and all the little tricks they seem to pull out of their hats when they are wounded.
You have about three months to learn what it takes most successful hunters years to put together. Good luck.