| Author | Message | ||
     Dan Nelson (D_money)  BOC PROTECTORPost Number: 71 Registered: 9-2002 Rating: N/A |
I have yet to go deer hunting but from the way my buddy talks about it it sounds like something I would love. He hunt with rifle in Nebraska and I was looking to do the same but I was also wanting to get started in archery. I have myself a bow and have been practicing a lot and have gotten pretty good at it. But I was wondering if there is any advice to a new deer hunter that you guys can give. Go big or Go home | ||
| Brian J. mcKee (Brimcowa)  BOC ROYALTYPost Number: 626 Registered: 4-2002 Rating: |
Dan, After many years of upland and small game hunting, my wife coaxed me into purchasing a deer tag last year. I had always passed on the opportunity in the past. I had heard how tough it was to catch a deer in your sights...the knowledge that it required...dragging a buck out of heavy timber didn't raise my interest level and the fact that I was unsure as to whether the darned thing would be worth the effort especially if the wife and kids wouldn't eat it! "It's too gamey!"...was a remark I had often heard... So, to eliminate these concerns I decided to get the tag and decide from there whether I would ever bother with the prospect again. Now that I had made the commitment, I endeavered to gain as much knowledge as possible in the time allotted. First...while squirrel hunting, which I do at least twice a week, I started looking for "sign". I went to the library and picked up some literature to help me interpret what I saw. I started to realize that everything that I did while squirrel hunting transferred to whitetails! I started finding myself tripping over deer as the date got closer. I purchased a couple of books on how to prepare and process game. A really good buy was the book..."The Complete Guide to Game Care and Cookery" I studied it and several other books tirelessly. Books on stalking, habitat, habits, movement, still hunting, stand hunting, tracking, life cycles and the like. (Most of which were covered within the pages of one book at a time!) I didn't have a hunting partner so what I gleaned from the books, I reinforced by going to Huntamerica.com...Normal folks with years and years of harvesting experience for this and other animals in an ethical and common sense format. As opening day got closer, I took all of the knowledge I had gotten and started searching out the most likely spot that filled the peramiters of success. I looked for water, food and shelter which are necessary to a deer's survival. Remove one of these and you will be hard pressed to find deer. After which I looked for fresh sign and determined that my spot would be a ground blind in bottom land right next to a creek surrounded by oak and hickory next to a huge meadow where there was evidence of alot of bedding deer. As the sun came up, I was in place, the buck came out of the heavy cover crossed in front of me toward the creek and stopped. I aimed my Browning and sent the Brenneke Slug on its way. My first buck was in the trunk, gutted and ready to be hung in my garage six hours after pulling the trigger and it was the high point of my life!! I hope this helps. The cleaning process for the freezer was not easy but made that buck that much tastier. My wife and I did it ourselves the next afternoon. "Those that would sacrifice their liberties to gain security deserve neither" | ||
| Dan Nelson (D_money) BOC PROTECTORPost Number: 73 Registered: 9-2002 Rating: N/A |
Brian it sounds like you are really passionate about deer hunting. I can't wait to get started and find my big buck. thanks for the advice. Right now I have been watching the outdoor channel as much as I can and they have a lot of really good programs on deer hunting. And I have already learned a lot from those shows, but I'll check out that website and maybe go find some of those books you were talking about. Thanks again brian. Go big or Go home | ||
| Brian J. mcKee (Brimcowa) BOC ROYALTYPost Number: 629 Registered: 4-2002 Rating: N/A |
Dan, If I can do it, anyone can! It is a passion for sure and once you are standing over your first ever whitetail, you will (like me) thank the good Lord for the hunt, the experience, the lessons learned, the appreciation for nature and the ability to partake in it! Remember that those shows are a showcase for equipment and out of a half hour you might glean 2 minutes worth of useful info. The best show I have found yet is Ted Nugent's Spirit of the Wild(?). He truly believes in what he does and teaches every step of the way...a must see for someone like yourself! "Those that would sacrifice their liberties to gain security deserve neither" | ||
| Bryan Shrum (Whistler) BOC ROYALTYPost Number: 316 Registered: 7-2002 Rating: N/A |
I sure wish my first whitetail hunt would have been that easy! Brian, very good post IMO. The book you spoke of is probably the best for game after the shot that I've read. I would have posted sooner, but couldn't figure out what to say to a first time whitetail hunter. I will say that they are definately the most environment warry animal around. They can tell you are there in so many ways it's amazing. It took me 3 years of hunting whitetails to get the hang of it, if that's what you call it. I hunted from ground blinds that I would go out and build 2 to 3 months early, always in good areas and always upwind of where I thought it most likely that they would come from. It seemed that I just couldn't be in the right place at the right time. My forth year of whitetail hunting I bought a treestand, and everything suddenly changed. The first year I used it, I saw many, many deer. I took 4 during the various season we have in TN. I read everything I possibly could between seasons, and I too went to the library and read many different types of books about deer. I would only add to what Brimcowa said that you should read books written by a few biologists about the deer and their natural habits. Books that are written by people that have nothing to do with hunting. They explain things like why they eat the things they do at various time of the year. Why they seem to go into hiding part of the time. What kind of areas they tend to bed in on a regular basis, as well as how it relates to their food supply. Then when you've read this kind of info, start reading the hunting books that are written as instructional guides and not written with advertising as the main purpose. They will explain how to put all those things that will help you harvest a deer together. Stand location in relation to bedding and feed areas. How water is a factor and why it's important in the early part of the season, depending on your region. Finding the trails they are most likely to use between food and bed is even more important. The name of the game is ambush. That's what we are really doing to them, trying ot get them when they are least likely to suspect anything is wrong. If you follow the guidance that Brimcowa has given you and don't get the idea that harvesting a deer is just as easy as going in the woods and sitting on a stump, you'll do fine. Make sure you read and understand the laws as well, and this is just my opinion, but take a hunter safety course, even if you don't legally have to. You can learn a world of info there too. They teach you how to be visible to other hunters, choose your shots, shot placement, tree stand safety, and many things we don't have the room for here. If you decide to go, good luck to you, Dan! Brimcowa, five stars, my friend! Bryan | ||
| matt carpenter (Southcats) BOC ROYALTYPost Number: 183 Registered: 8-2002 Rating: N/A |
i too watch the great outdoors channel it seems thats the only station that is ever on when im not actually hunting the elusive whitetail myself id have to agree with brimcowa ted nugents spirit of the wild is one of the best shows he not only has a lot of good info but puts a little laughter in whith it you def would not fall asleep while he was on well said on your part whistler i think you guys have covered everything dan should do. hunting is alot more than just killing an animal its a chance to get away from the everyday hassels an spend time with freinds an family doing somthing you love an dont get discouraged if you dont see anything your first time out patience is the key to success i know guys who have been hunting all there life an never actually got a chance to shoot a deer but it was fun trying | ||
| Bryan Shrum (Whistler) BOC ROYALTYPost Number: 318 Registered: 7-2002 Rating: N/A |
It's recharge time! The time of year when I get to go and just be me! Catfishing and hunting, there's not many things better than that. Last year I got to watch a squirrel come down a tree on one side of a creek rut. He got on a big log that went across the rut and started for the other side. When he got about half way there a big bobcat jumped up and tried to get him. That squirrel let out a yell and hauled A** back up that tree. The cat just sat there and looked up for a minute. I'd a swore he shook his paw at that squirrel. When else would you ever get to see something like that except in a tree stand. 20 minutes later a doe fell about 30 feet from the creek rut. I was a little nervous about getting over there too fast. I hadn't seen the cat leave the area and I figured he probably thought the dinner bell just rang. I waited about 30 minutes before I went anywhere near it. Luckily for me or the cat nothing happened. 7 more days, but who's counting? Bryan | ||
| Brian J. mcKee (Brimcowa) BOC ROYALTYPost Number: 633 Registered: 4-2002 Rating: N/A |
Great post, Bryan!! I have read somewhere that pound for pound the bobcat/lynx is the most vicious animal in North America. Next is the badger followed closely by the weasel. I think that I wouldn't have closed on that downed doe without a sidearm and Bowie knife!! Five weeks for me and I am counting!!!! "Those that would sacrifice their liberties to gain security deserve neither" | ||
| Dan Nelson (D_money) BOC PROTECTORPost Number: 81 Registered: 9-2002 Rating: N/A |
When I used to be an avide coon hunter. Me and my buddy were driving down this road and saw something in the field. So he quickly stopped and got a flashlight on it and I started firing. Well needless to say that the thing took off running. And then me and buddy went after him. Well my buddy is a little taller than me and a little faster. He was about ten feet in front of me when he reached the animal. He wound up and kicked that thing right in the butt. and about this time I figured out that we weren't chasing a raccoon we were after a badger. "Oh S*&T It's a badger I sceamed." at him as the badger turned in midair to snarl and growl at my buddy. So my buddy out of shear fear took a shot with his .22 marlin semi auto rifle with one hand and scared the hell out of the badger and got him turned and running the other way. well then me and him made short work out of that thing. We went back to his house and when he was taking off his boots he saw what looked like a bullet had grazed the toe of his right boot. Turns out when he shot at the badger to scare him he shot the toe of his boot. good thing he's a losey shot or he might have hit his toes. Go big or Go home | ||
| John Preston Baze (Jpb72639)  BOC STAFFPost Number: 678 Registered: 3-2002 Rating: |
firing,at night,with a spot light??????? not sure of what you were firing at?????D money,I feel that you need to sit somewhere quiet and rethink what you just described,I have coon hunted many times but have never done so driving down the road with a spot light,and shooting at something you have'nt identified? Lord you have just outlined the worst aspect of poacher hunting and unsafe handling of fire arms scenario that i've heard in years.What you described here would in my opinion be worth the loss of your hunting AND fishing priveledges for a minimum of five years and a manditory hunter education course.And i do not agree with the "Me and him made short work out of that thing" Did you kill the badger for it's hide? Did you skin it out at all? were you hunting the coons for fun? Or were you hunting them to eat and for the fur? Hunting fur bearers is fine in my book as long as it's done properly and legally(which i don't think driving down the road with a spot light is)and the animal is put to some use.If you do not utilize these animals you kill in some way,sell the hides,eat the meat etc. then i abhore what you''re doing and hope you're not just killing them for the fun of it and leaving them laying to waste or throwing them away.IMHO The right to hunt is something that can't be taken for granted and respect for the creatures you hunt has to be present and fair chase rules must be observed,to road hunt with spot lights or flashlights is not fair chase,nor legal in any state as far as i know. what you described here was irresponsable,and illeagle and i really expected better. Tight lines and bent poles my bretheren B.O.C Live and Let Live,Trust everyone but Keep your powder dry--It don't hurt to be a little paranoid either. | ||
| Shane Herzberg (Ozzman02) BOC ROYALTYPost Number: 1128 Registered: 4-2002 Rating: N/A |
dan, that was totally wrong. hunting coons by spotlight may be legal, but you should have been responsible enough to know better than to start firing at soemthing that you didnt even know what it was. at least identify your target, as any SAFE hunter would do. i know i am only 15 years old, but i even know better. things like that are the reason animal rigts activists are all over hunters. in fact, i see you live here in IA, so i took it upon myself to check out the regs. all though you did not do anything illegal (if it was in iowa anyway), you should take a look at page 15 in the trapping/hunting/fishing regs of iowa. it says in big, bold red letters "BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET BEFORE YOU SHOOT" † OZZ † We are strong, we are cunning, we are catfisherman..... We are the B.O.C.! | ||
| Shane Herzberg (Ozzman02) BOC ROYALTYPost Number: 1129 Registered: 4-2002 Rating: N/A |
otherwise, great post brian. i think the most responsible part of being a hunter is proper game care. the animal gave you its life, you can give something in return. IMO, i'd have to say the wolverine is the most feared. it (and this is true) can win a fight against an average sized black bear. that one mean animal! John- before you blow a vein, lol. spotlighting is legal in iowa for fur bearing animals. now, dan, did you shoot from the vehicle, or did you step out first? (Message edited by ozzman02 on November 2, 2002) † OZZ † We are strong, we are cunning, we are catfisherman..... We are the B.O.C.! | ||
| John Preston Baze (Jpb72639) BOC STAFFPost Number: 681 Registered: 3-2002 Rating: N/A |
Thanks for the update on the spot light being legal for fur bearers Ozz,still don't think it's leagal from a vehicle or the road,and spot lighting from a car or truck IMHO is not ethical any time,any place for any reason.Following a hound to a treed animal,using a spot light to identify it and the harvesting is ethical,but not road hunting at night. Tight lines and bent poles my bretheren B.O.C Live and Let Live,Trust everyone but Keep your powder dry--It don't hurt to be a little paranoid either. | ||
| Michael Strawn (Fordman) BOC ROYALTYPost Number: 359 Registered: 6-2002 Rating: N/A |
Well stated John. I read that post earlier and just could not come up with a reply as I was so ticked off. That could have been some kids pet dog they were shooting at. D Money, people and non game animals are killed every year due to lack of gun control, and I don't mean legislation, I'm talking about using common sense when in the field. Be sure of the target, think about the point of impact if you miss or if the bullet passes through, things like that. I'm going to stop right here before I get carried away. "Persistence. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent." Calvin Coolidge (President of the United States) | ||
| Shane Herzberg (Ozzman02) BOC ROYALTYPost Number: 1131 Registered: 4-2002 Rating: N/A |
"So he quickly stopped and got a flashlight on it and I started firing" god forbid it could have been a kid. † OZZ † We are strong, we are cunning, we are catfisherman..... We are the B.O.C.! | ||
| Bryan Shrum (Whistler) BOC ROYALTYPost Number: 327 Registered: 7-2002 Rating: N/A |
Not sure if you meant it the way it was written Dan, but if so I agree with everyone else. Bad judgement call. Five stars JPB. Bryan | ||
| Jerry Trew (Jtrew) BOC ROYALTYPost Number: 2480 Registered: 3-2002 Rating: |
"saw something in the field...and I started firing" Gotta share a story about a deer hunt in Montana. My buddy and I were on our way for 10 days of hunting in the Missouri River breaks on the south shore of Ft. Peck Reservoir when we saw a herd of whitetail deer in a swampy area. We decided to try to bag one for camp meat. Of course, the deer had disappeared into the brush, so we followed them, often crawling along the trails they had made. My buddy and I got separated, but kept hunting. After a while, I noticed "something" moving in the brush. I got ready to shoot, in case it turned out to be a deer, but I didn't point the gun right at the brush, because I didn't know where my buddy was. Seconds later, my buddy emerged. If I had shot at "something", my buddy would probably have been killed. Jerry A stranger ain't nuthin' but a friend you ain't met yet. | ||
| Shane Herzberg (Ozzman02) BOC ROYALTYPost Number: 1135 Registered: 4-2002 Rating: N/A |
jerry, that was me that made the vote, it should be 5 stars, by msitake i accidentally hit cast vote. 5 STARS! great post, that post should remind people how easy it is to take life away. your life can end in less than a second, you should always keep that in mind when hunting. be safe, be responsible, be careful, thats what i was taught and what i will always keep with me. (Message edited by ozzman02 on November 4, 2002) † OZZ † We are strong, we are cunning, we are catfisherman..... We are the B.O.C.! | ||
| Shane Herzberg (Ozzman02) BOC ROYALTYPost Number: 1139 Registered: 4-2002 Rating: N/A |
its got one, in fact, i scored 49/50 on my test.....not a bad idea to take one. one of the first things we learned "Be sure of your target before you shoot!" † OZZ † We are strong, we are cunning, we are catfisherman..... We are the B.O.C.! | ||
| michael Brewer (Brakeless1) BOC INITIATE Username: Brakeless1 Post Number: 72 Registered: 5-2003  Rating: N/A |
shot that bow every chance you get. practice practice practice make's perfect 
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