Fall is an exciting time of year for many reasons, least of which is the opportunity to go deer hunting once again. If you’re feeling a little rusty or you’ve simply never had much luck, we’re here to help. It’s true that practice and experience will go a long way towards helping take home a deer, but there are a few specific things you can do to quickly improve your chances.
There are many mistakes that novice and even some experienced deer hunters tend to make. One of the main mistakes made by most hunters at least once is heading into the woods with a strong odor. You should be completely odor-free during any deer hunt, at least at the beginning of the day. Even if you take a shower before heading out, make sure you use soap and shampoo that doesn’t have a distinct scent, otherwise deer will be sure to notice you before you even spot them.
As we move later into the season and snow is on the ground, you will have a few advantages that aren’t available during the first few weeks. Particularly, snow allows you to easily spot deer tracks, but that’s not all. When deer paw for mast in the snow, they will typically leave behind leaves and other debris. Stay on the lookout for these areas on the ground in order to better track deer in the snow.
Simply taking a shot and hitting your target isn’t always enough to take home a deer. Depending on where you hit a deer, it may be able to get away, at least long enough for you to lose track of it. Pay attention to the color of the blood left behind by an injured deer, as pinkish blood indicates a heart or lung shot, while darker blood may mean you hit it further in the back.
Don’t get discouraged if you aren’t having great luck early on in the season. Keep these tips in mind and you should have no trouble finding, tracking, and hitting a deer.