Deer Hunting Basics

Staying unnoticed by the deer is, of course, very important to a successful hunting trip. It is important that the hunter keep his or her movements to the bare minimum, and he or she must make the least noise possible while getting to the tree stand or blind and especially after the hunter is in the stand.

But most important is the hunters scent. The scent is what, more often than not, gives the hunter away. You have very little control of your scent, and no control of the wind, so it is nessicery to try to stay downwind from any possible venison activity. The most valuable weapon nature has put in a whitetail's defensive arsenal is it's ability to pick up the slightest scent. Because man has a very distinct odor, a whitetail can pick up on a hunter presence very easily.

Many products are available to hide or cover the human scent while hunting. But these products can only do so much. There for it is still important to pay attention to wind direction while hunting deer or any other wild game. Wind direction can change, therefore a hunter or huntress must keep track of the wind direction. Even the slightest change of the gentlest of breezes can mean the difference in bringing home a trophy whitetail buck and going home with your head hanging and your tail between your legs. There are many ways to determine wind direction, some hunters use a butane lighter, others use a orderless powder that floats in the wind, while some tie a feather to their bow with floss. Practice and experimention will determine which method is best for you, just make sure it requires little movement and will not cause any scent that might be picked up by the venison.

Also, try not to over hunt your hunting areas. It, as well as over scouting can and will have a bad effect on the hunting quality of the area. Every trip to and from your tree stand or blind leaves scent, no matter how well the scent product you use is, some human scent is left behind that deer can and will pick up on. Plus too much activity such as one hunter making too many trips to the hunting area, or too many different hunters can scare your quarry out of the area or make them go nocturnal. Try to have multiple areas to set up your stand or blind. If one area is used all the time, deer will associate it with humans and avoid it. They will also alert other deer to the presence of man in that area as well. Try to stay away from areas that have often been hunted by others, and always keep your scent to a minimum. Never cross a game trail on your way to your stand or blind, if need be, walk parallel and as far away as possible from the game trails.

And a note on what some may think of as a bit of a nasty subject. But it happens to us all. The need to relive oneself. Often mother nature calls on us, and often when we really don't want her to. It is all too easy for some hunters, mostly those of us that are the male persuasion, to go behind a tree or bush. DO NOT do this anywhere near your hunting area. This can alert deer and affect the hunting negatively for miles. Try to do your business in the proper rest stops on your way to the woods, by all means wash your hands and then use the appropriate scent cover product.