Whitetail Deer Hunting Questions and Answers - Page 2
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..well, thanx I think that will help and I hope it does. What about
doe urine trails, like put it on our boots and walk with it there to leave
a scent, would that help??
It has worked before but not for me, although I rarely do it any more. I
have heard of people walking in a small circle (about 20 ft.) after putting
it on, then walking to their stand. This is supposed to get the deer turned
back around at the end of the trail if the whitetail deer started going
in the wrong direction when it first came to the scent trail.
.. also there are a few bucks that are scared to death
out there because they got ther butts whipped or something because when my
uncle uses doe pee and a 6 or 8 point buck comes into the field they smell
that, tuck there tails walk backwards a little bit and leave at a dead run.
what shold we do about that?
That is a good indication that these deer are not the largest in the area as
you have said. But it could also be they are getting a nose full of
something else that is scaring them. If it is where he has walked (making a
trail) then maybe they are smelling him. Just a thought.
.. also what size horns should you use???
The best size horns are the ones you have. If you have many to choose from
then look for things such as how easy they are to carry, do they mesh well
when you try to rattle with them, how much do they weigh?
There are also a number of options at the stores such as rattling horns
(synthetic), rattling sticks, and a rattling bag (which can be used one
handed). Don't let anyone tell you must use real antlers. That's just bull.
.. Saturday he saw 13 deer (openeing morning),
he saw 4 bucks and 9 does. So there is a lot of deer
there. do you think it is a good idea to not kill does and
raise the population??? that is what we are trying to do.
I don't know if you should harvest bucks only or both. I don't have enough
information to make an informed decision on that one. It would be a good
idea to start weighing and aging every deer you can from your land and your
neighbors (if possible). Record this information in a log book somewhere
safe. Then over time you can see if the weights of your deer start to fall
off. If that happens then that would be a sign that it is time to thin the
herd a bit. You will need more than just a couple of deer to make this
work. So the more deer you weigh the more educated a decision you will be
able to make. You should also be able to get a good idea of the deer in
your GENERAL AREA by talking to the Dept of Wildlife and Fisheries.
.. in response to a rattling question
Tips:
If you use a decoy, never have the decoy setup facing you. When a buck sees
any deer standing stockstill and staring in one direction that usually means danger.
The approaching buck will usually hang up at least for a moment and also
stare in the same direction. You don't want that to be in your direction.
How much you rattle depends on you and how you plan to hunt. If you plan
on moving around then I would rattle a whole bunch after setting up and then
taper off. Wait a few (15 to 20 min) then move quietly to the next spot.
Bucks will often try to circle downwind of the sound, so hunting in pairs
is a good option with the rifle guy 60 yards or so downwind. When by
yourself, try to have the most open area downwind or some form of barrier.
Also remember that you are trying to simulate a fight. So don't be afraid
to make lots of racket.
Only rattle near the rut. Use your grunt and doe-in-heat call in
conjunction with rattling. I usually start off with the call before moving
up to the rattling. And always end a round with the antlers with a round
from the buck grunt often followed by doe also.
.. (in response to a question about getting a picture put in the Photo section)
Hello,
That buck sounds like a monster. If you do get it I will put the picture
up. Best pictures of deer are before they have been gutted and body broad
side to the camera. I am NOT saying I won't put it up if this is not how
you took the picture, it's just that a deer like that is rare and I want you
to have a good picture to look at in your photo album at home. I am more
restrictive of the pictures that I take now so if it is hanging head down
it will be rejected or if it is gross because of being able to see tomuch of
the open (gutted) chest cavity, it might be rejected. But that shouldn't be
a problem.
As to how to get it I do have some advice. Hunt every chance you get. That
is the best advice I can give. But also try rattling around the rut, try
different spots, and hunt thick areas.
Good luck.
Mike Guerin
.. This year will be my first whitetail hunting experience. I'm planning on
hunting in a forest with mainly pine trees. I've heard its better to hunt
somewhere with nut bearing tree's but I'm having trouble finding types of
trees that would produce some type of edible nut in this forest. Do you
have any suggestions for hunt this type of forest? Or, should I be looking
for another hunting ground?
First of all you are right. Mature pine trees offer nothing to a deer. Oak
trees do during the fall IF they are dropping acorns. But after they are
gone they also offer nothing, so people often prefer oak forest over pine
when it comes to deer hunting. But here is something to think about that
is often overlooked. If the woods are full of mature oak trees that are
having a good year (all years are different in terms of acorn production)
then the deer will be scattered using many oaks. Contrast this to woods
that have few mature oaks that are producing. In this situation if you can
find even one oak tree that is dropping acorns then it can make the hunting
very fruitful.
There are other trees that offer deer a mast crop, such as plum, persimmon
and locust. You will just have to scout around on your hunting land and
find the mast trees if any.
If there are no mast producing trees on your land then that doesn't mean you
should hunt elsewhere. Remember this saying, "Deer can't climb trees!"
What this means is that mast producing trees play a small part of a deer's
overall year-round diet. Deer only live in forest because of the
protection. Actually mature forests that block out most of the sunlight
provide very poor deer habitat. The most productive lands for deer are
clearcuts in the early stages of regeneration and forests that have been
thinned (letting light through). Deer for the most part eat foods such as
grasses and leaves and buds that come from vegetation near the ground. So
the amount of green vegetation growing will actually determine how many
deer the land can support. Things like ground vegetation and hunting
pressure should be the things that make you decide to stay or leave.
So again, how's the hunting? That is the ultimate question, not oak vs. pine.
Look for things such as briars, smilax, and others too numerous to mention.
If you aren't familiar with the various vines and shrubs then simply examine
the vegetation and try to figure out what they are feeding on. Tracks and
droppings are the most underrated types of sign. Find the droppings and
you have gone a long way to finding the deer.
Hope this helps.
Mike Guerin
http://thejump.net
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