As a deer hunting beginner, you will want to plan for your hunt about
a year in advance. This will give you plenty of time to locate your
hunting area, learn some woodcraft, get to know your weapon and learn
how to deer hunt.
Step 1: Find a Place to Hunt
If
you already live in the country and have your own piece of hunting
land, then this will be an easy step for you If you don't own any land,
the second best thing is befriending someone who does.
If you
have any farming friends or co-workers that have access to private land,
you can probably talk them into letting you hunt on their property. It
might take some work to wrangle access to private land, but learning how
to hunt deer will be easier and probably more enjoyable on private
land.
If access to private land eludes you, you can still find a
good place to hunt by researching public hunting land. Call your local
office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and let them know you're a
beginner looking for a good deer hunting areas in your county. They
will let you know what public land is available and point you to the
correct resources.
Step 2: Get some Good Maps
Go to your
local outdoor store and get some topographic quadrangle maps of the
areas you choose to hunt. Buy a compass and learn to use both of them.
Don't go very far into the woods until you are comfortable reading and
using your map and compass.
When you feel ready, go scout the
areas you plan to hunt. Scout during different seasons, wear blaze
orange if hunting season is on. Mark any deer sign you find, water and
food sources, and deer routes you notice on your map. Scout as often as
you can, this will put you ahead of the crowd when your season rolls
around.
Step 3: Decide on a Weapon
You need to decide
whether you will be hunting with a rifle or a bow. In either case, you
will need to visit a hunting outfitter or gun shop to be fitted for your
weapon. Get to know it well and always follow safety procedures. Do not
go into the woods with your weapon until you have mastered an adequate
level of accuracy, for your sake and that of everything else in the
forest.
You may want to purchase some camouflage clothing and
comfortable boots. I would recommend a blaze orange based pattern,
especially if you will be hunting public land.
Step 4: Get all Your Paperwork in Order
Take
your hunter education class. Purchase your hunting license and tags.
Learn the rules and regulations in your area and stay on the right side
of the law.
Step 5: Go Hunting
As a beginner, the best
strategy for you is to learn to sit quietly and observe. Set yourself up
in a tree stand or on the ground with your back against a tree. Make
sure the wind is in your face, and that you can oversee an promising
area from your earlier scouting.
The more you learn, the more fun you have. Happy hunting!