Quick Hunting Tips

Some helpful handy tactical tips to aid you in the outdoors.

When hunting over feed, don’t use a feeder-the deer will fight for the food. Spread the food out and the deer will browse in a more calm manner providing more opportunities for a better shot.

When you’re behind on your scouting and have but a few days before the hunt, try dragging a cover scent behind you while you search the area. Obviously this will not destroy the human scent but it will suppress it… possibly keeping that buck in the area for you to hunt.

Try to put your treestand in a tree with plenty of background cover, keep the prevailing winds for that time of the year to your face, and take care of those pesky noises your stand may have developed while sitting in the shed. A good treestand lube can be made by heating petroleum jelly until it reaches a liquid form. Some hunters have reported success by including a cover scent in this mixture before applying it to their stands.

A spray bottle filled with Hydrogen Peroxide is a good tool to have when tracking a wounded deer. When the blood gets sparse or to determine if it is actually blood you’re looking at, spray the Peroxide in the area in question. The Proxide will foam up as it reacts with the blood leaving no doubt if you are on the right path to finding your deer. It also doubles as a cleansing agent for wounds you may encounter in the field.

It has been proven that a deer has an attention span of about 3 minutes. If you have made a mistake, and you can hold your composure and be silent, all may not be lost. The deer may resume his natural activities.

Many times a hunter can stop a moving deer by using a deer call or a short sharp whistle. This could provide the hunter the needed time to get the shot off.

Just because it’s hunting season doesn’t mean you should pack all your fishing gear away. A fishing creel packed with deer tracking equipment: (batteries, survival kit, first aid kit, etc…) makes an excellent tote bag for all those needed items.

A cheap masking scent can be made from a solution of warm water and baking soda. You can also wash your clothes in baking soda to eliminate odors. The baking soda also makes a good powder for checking wind direction.

Practice shooting from an elevated position, preferably sitting down. Many people climb their stands and miss or worse yet wound a deer, only to find out they shoot different from the elevated and sitting position.

Why wait for that perfect broadside shot. Take the first lethal shot you feel comfortable with. How many times have you watched the deer walk away, only to think later, I could have taken him if I hadn’t waited.