Deer Hunting 101...Questions and Answers

[Jack Ryan]

Question? What is the best way to make a shooting rail that will work with my lock on, but I can't put any nails or screws in the tree?

Question? Has anyone used the codeblue sents? Arer they any better that tinks 69 which is a lot cheaper?

On your way in pick up a stick with a fork in it. Take it up your tree with you in the stand. With every thing else secure and your hands free, sit where you want to shoot from. Turn the stick fork down so it rests on the stand and break it off above your head or cut it with the saw on your Leatherman.

Now you've got a free shooting stick/rail to use in that spot from then on.

 

[Jack Ryan]

I am going to say no because he uses his scent to define his territory and dominance as well as doe attraction so I think he uses the wind to carry his scent every direction he can.
But you do make a good point that I have never thought about.

No I don't think so.

I do think the use of his nose comes in to play when they lay down or stop moving. I've noticed they most often face down wind so they can SEE what they can't smell.

 

[Jack Ryan]

I've always believed that deer rely on two senses before they will leave the area. That being said it may be that they are tring to get the scent to figure out what they need to do.

I agree 100% unless they have been hunted heavily. Then I belive the quick learners will spook a lot easier.

 

[Jack Ryan]

I have a tip for bowhunters..something you may want to try if you hunt in an area with live oaks,and palmetto's..like where I hunt.

Have you ever had a deer browse on acorns,and it's meandering around just out of bow range?

I take small rocks the size of acorns,and when I see the deer...just barely toss one out and let it fall into the palmetto's.It sounds like a fresh acorn falling,and the rock won't hold your scent.You can also toss one every few minutes if you want closer to dark when you know the deer are feeding,sometimes it will bring a deer in that you never knew was near by looking for fresh acorns.

I have used this a couple of times to get a deer to come my way into bow range before.It's awesome to see a deer look up when he hears it,then start browsing your way.Hope this helps.

That is an absolutely awesome idea. Brilliant.

Thank you.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Could anyone tell me at what distance would you need to be to use a 20 gauge shotgun to shoot a deer?

I know I'm in the extreme minority here but I say a snuff can. It's about the same as a heart and on the range you should be at LEAST twice as accurate as you are going to be in low light from a tree shooting at a live animal that can move at it's own whim.

If you can hit a tennis ball, snuff can, deer's heart with every shot on the range then you have plenty of room for error when these field challenges arise.

If you like to chase them, a pie plate is good enough.

For my opinion, the distance doesn't change and the accuracty required doesn't change with the weapon. If you can't hit a snuff can with every single shot on the range, that's too far to shoot at a live game animal. But then I hate to chase/track/blood trail wounded animals.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Is masking your scent really important? I see plenty out and about near homes, lol.

What is important is that nothing seems out of the ordinary to them.

I've watched deer just stand and chew and watch as group after group walk a trail to the next station on a sporting clays course. Shoot shoot shoot bang bang over and over all day. Every group stinking and sweating in the summer and fall heat, talking, making noise, driving carts, walking, and shooting over and over. The deer never moves, just watches and feeds.

Let one single person step off the trail and he's out of there. Even if they just stop on the trail and look and point if some one happens to notice and he is on full alert.

I've seen it over and over. What they are looking for is something they haven't seen before and percieve as a threat.

 

[Braz]

Wind Direction,

If its not obvious, what is the best way to go about finding it.

Braz,
Never been hunting but will this year.

 

[bull0ne]

Wind Direction,

If its not obvious, what is the best way to go about finding it.

Braz,
Never been hunting but will this year.

http://www.noaa.gov has the latest weather forecast, including wind direction and speed.

Past that..............I ALWAYS keep a 12 inch length of white sewing thread on the end of my barrel as a constant wind direction indicator.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Wind Direction,

If its not obvious, what is the best way to go about finding it.

Braz,
Never been hunting but will this year.

Go to the craft area and get some of that fuzzy yarn in a color you can see easy. Then I tie some to my bow and just pull out a few strands. It really floats on a breeze and you can watch it a long way.

Tonight I just picked up one of those fuzzy seed pods and stuck the stem in my hat. Judging from what I used this evening a couple more pods would give me wind checkers for the rest of the season.

 

[knotsure]

just started hunting a new area in Fl. with bear..
Am I wasting my time were bear travel or eat from feeders?

 

[Scotty G]

For the guys who asked about scents....I've used code blue and tinks with hit or miss results. I've found a new place for my shttp://www.stonycreekwhitetails.com/cents. I by no means get paid for this but they are the best that I've found. They are only available certain times of the year (when does are in estrus) and are shipped with a cold pack to ensure freshness. I ordered the combo last year and it arrived on sat....at my office. I didn't get it till Monday and it had warmed up by then. They sent me a fresh pack free of charge and a hat even though it was no fault of their own. Great CO and I will be ordering again soon. Check out their site for a lot of great info.

 

[elmerspride]

The rut

With the format of questions being open'd, With the full moon in November bieng the 13th and the full moon in December being the 12th,at best guess, when will the rut be in south Georgia this year?

 

[Scotty G]

I have always hunted a ground blind or a ladder stand, but this year I am thinking about getting a climbing stand. The only problem is I am scared to death of falling out of the tree (I have known people who died this way). Which would be the best one to get, I am 5'10" and 265 so it needs to be heavy duty. Also what safety measures should be taken to prevent injuries from falling?

There are alot of stands rated at 300 lbs. Most come with a saftey harness but those are very uncomfortable. Check out the HSS or hunter saftey system. It's a vest and you're safe the whole way up the tree, not just when you get to the top and "tie it off". The best climbers are all around $300 and if you hunt all day, they are well worth it.

 

[nickE10mm]

There are alot of stands rated at 300 lbs. Most come with a saftey harness but those are very uncomfortable. Check out the HSS or hunter saftey system. It's a vest and you're safe the whole way up the tree, not just when you get to the top and "tie it off". The best climbers are all around $300 and if you hunt all day, they are well worth it.

I use a Lone Wolf Sit n Climb and its an amazing stand. I even use the harness that it comes with (a true 5pt harness) and I just wear the harness all day over my hunting clothes... its no bother. Then, when I start climbing up the tree, I'm safe the whole time.

 

[Scotty G]

rut

With the format of questions being open'd, With the full moon in November bieng the 13th and the full moon in December being the 12th,at best guess, when will the rut be in south Georgia this year?

I thought the rut was triggered by the amount of daylight decreasing...shouldn't the question be "how many hours/minutes are in a day when the rut begins". I'm not sure on this but isn't that why the rut starts earlier the farther north you go?? I know in MI it starts in early nov so I would assume it would be mid to late nov for Georgia?? That's just an assumtion though and you know what they say about assuming.

 

[hiawassee1]

NGA rut

Live in the far n/e corner of ga., anybody have any idea when the rut may begin up this way?

 

[Scotty G]

Here you go guys. http://www.gon.com/article.php?id=87&cid=87 This is a good article on the rut. It gives a general time of year but it looks like you need to subscribe to the mag to get the actual rut "map" but maybe someone here has the subscription and can tell us.

 

[elmerspride]

the rut

I have hunted south Al. N.W. florida and in ga. west of Macon and south of Columbus

The rut in sth Al.is just as n.w. florida in late January to early febuary . I have always used the moon for the rut not the ammount of daylight in a day. For as many of you know sth Ga. tends to rut around thanksgiving or should I say mid november depending on the full moon. I'll ask again,:with the full moon in Nov. being the 13th and the full moon in Dec. being the 12th, when is the rut in south Georgia? Think about this a little before answering the question. The moon justifies the rut not the ammount of daylight in a day. Always hunt the 3/4 moon.

 

[snook24]

Does anyone know if german shepards make good trailing dogs...I want to get into this for fun and to stop loosing deer and about to get one of these dogs?

 

[buggs]

what can a fella do to get rid of 2 big cats in my hunting area i'll be honest i'm kinda afraid of going in the woods before daylight i've seen many tracks 2 different sizes mabey a male and a female i dunno but i do know that there is 2 and they do cross through my propertyany info on big cats would help oh and will they adventualy run my deer out of the country