Deer Hunting Basics

I introduced deer hunting in the last post by detailing the controversy over elitist ideals and Quality Deer Management practices.  This controversy can only exist however if hunters are able to harvest the deer that they are pursuing. There are four key points that a hunter must pay attention to if he wishes to consistently harvest the elusive whitetail deer. A hunter must focus on food sources, bedding areas, trails, and his own concealment to be successful.

Indentifying potential and primary food sources are the most important factors that a sportsman can focus on when chasing whitetails. Knowing where highly valued food sources are located gives the hunter a great advantage over his quarry. This knowledge in turn shrinks the total hunting property into isolated pockets that can be scouted or hunted rather efficiently.

Food sources are divided into two groups soft and hard mast. Soft mast includes fruit, seed pods, or any fleshy product that a tree produces.  These are the most appealing and desired food source by hungry deer. Soft mast usually peaks in the summer and early fall then gradually tapers off as winter approaches.  After the substantial amount of soft vegetation dwindles down during late fall, beginning of winter hard mast becomes the target of the deer nutritional attention. In general hard mast food sources umbrellas oak trees that produce acorns as well as the nut trees such as walnuts, pecans, and hickory.  As a result of the changing preferences that occurs during a hunting season it vital that a hunter knows which food source the deer are converging on at that time.

Just as a deer needs to eat it also seeks shelter by the way of bedding areas. These are places that a deer can rest and sleep in relative safety. Deer usually search for a soft place that offers concealment from predators. These areas usually comprise of tall grassy areas, thick scrub oak, or palmetto flats. Many deer stay in their bedding areas until they are ready to forge for food which is usually around late afternoon.

This mini migration from the bedding areas to the food sources is the best opportunity a hunter will get at harvesting a deer since deer frequently use the same routes or trails. These trails are the third factor that at hunter must key in on to increase his chances of being successful. Deer are creatures of habitat they frequent the same food sources and bedding areas regularly thus navigating the same trails repeatedly. They use the trails in the evening on the way to the feeding area and return to the bedding areas on them in the early morning. If a hunter can locate these deer highways and determine the direction that the deer will be heading he is bound to connect with a deer.

Knowing all this information is useless if the deer smells, hears, or seeing the hunter. Therefore it is imperative that he tries to blend into the environment. A good set of camouflage and cover scents will help accomplish this task and tilt the odds of victory in his favor.

Even with all four of these points scrutinized to the finest detail it is still hunting and unforeseen events will happen making come home empty handed.  However with ample knowledge of the factors list above the odds of harvesting that deer of a lifetime should go up.