Hunting help for a newbie

[oscar3b]

Hey everyone!  I have a loaded question.  I tried my hand at hunting for the first time three years ago and then haven't been again after that first year.  I never saw anything that first year, though I admit I never saw many signs either.  I really want to get serious this next coming season, which means I have 9 months to get ready. 

My question is what do I really need to know and do to be better preprared to get a deer.  I know that practicing with my bow is a definite must, but I don't even know what to look for out in the woods.  Do deer like particular land formations, what do deer signs even really look like etc.  I need to know it all. 

I've done some amount of research now but I still know everyone's input will help me tremendously and it could help others get into hunting as well.  Especially if they are like me and never got the chance when they were young.  I've now done the improbable and built a bow which I never thought I'd do (not to mention started building two more with no hope of stopping).  This is the next thing I want to tackle as well.  Thanks y'all!

[hedgeapple]

Oscar, I read your post and was hoping on of the generous members on this site might take you under their wing share their knowledge and maybe even take you hunting a few times.  Well, I looked at you profile to see who might be close to you--Berea, KY.  I guess that makes me one of the closest PA member since I live near Ft. Boonesborough.

You're welcome to come to my farm and we'll walk around and I'll show you some deer signs, my hunting set-ups and share any knowledge I might have on the subject.

I'm hoping to organize a bunny, bow hunt before the season closes the end of the month.  We were rained out the last time.  I can keep you in the loop if you wish.

[crooketarrow]

  Thats a HUGE question, take up hedgeapples offer. I applaud you for wanting to start out hunting with a self bow. But my advice is buy a gun to start. Just starting out it's a 1000 times easer. Do this and learn to do what it takes to get with in killing distance, learn about reading sign. READ and READ and READ SOMEMORE. After 40 years I still read every book on deer (BUCKS) that somes out.  This well tell you he BASICs. You have all the info at your finger tips. You live in KY theres a nice population of deer there. First thing is simply find a place to hunt. Like here in WV if theres land theres deer on it.
  BUT REMEMBER THIS
  KNOLAGE WITH OUT EXSERANCE IS JUST IMFORMATION. Spend every minite you can hikeing observeing even if you can't hunt there. Heres something I still do with every deer I see. Ask yourself three questions.
 1 WHY he's there
 2 Where he came from
 3 Where's he going.
   The deer will tell you the answer you just have to figer out the answers. It won't take long you'll see a pattern come to life.
   GOOD LUCK

[Dazv]

you need to spend allot of time in the woods. Just watching and listening and i think you will figure it all out.

[oscar3b]

Your awesome Hedgeapple!  I sent you an email so you would have it but also thought I'd take you up on  your offer on here as well.  Just let me know when.  Also anyone have any recommendations for reading materials? 

[crooketarrow]

  I have 100's of books on deer and deer hunting. I'll go through and write you a few down to get you started.

[oscar3b]

Thanks crooketarrow!  I can use all the help I can get!

[Lone500]

Hunting is a lot of... awareness.

First basic thing i can tell you is that you sit and wait usually near a good food source for your prey or near water, or you move about to find prey. Each presents its own problems.

In each scenario probably the most important thing to a beginner is to keep track of the wind. Get used to the way the air moves and keep down wind of animals or where animals could be. if moving you move into the wind. if you get good with your awareness of this then awareness of everything else usually comes pretty easily.

When moving it is usually impossible to move totally silent. No jerky motions.

With a gun its easy. you dont have to get nowhere remotely near the animal. if you can see it then its easy enough to blow a hole in it. with more primitive wepons you have to get a LOT closer. If you want to actually end up with something to show for the whole deal then practice stalking with a gun so when your prey runs then you can usually get them anyway.

And i dont know if this applies to everyone but I have never forgotten my first kill. I was a kid running around in the woods with a 22 rifle and i got a big fat ground hog i could barely carry. I see now i got lucky. I was good at stalking but at the time i didnt really have much awareness concerning the air. still remember it clearly though.

[PeteC]

A lot of good advice here,and if you want to start huntin' with a selfbow,it can surely be done. My son-in -law's first 2 big game kills were taken with a self bow,and arrows, of his own making. Go for it!      Also take advantage of Hedgeapple's kind offer.    JMHO. God Bless

[JO_EZ]

Oscar,
Last Sunday, I watched Steven Rinella's show MEAT EATER and he answered a similar viewer question about getting started. He said the number one thing to do was to hang out and hunt with more experienced hunters from your area. So, you are on the right track by taking up Hedge on his offer. For those of us who have been at it for a little while, these little acts of hospitality are what we need to do to help reverse the dwindling hunter numbers. I was introduced to one of my best hunting, fishing, trapping buddies by asking for help on a trapping forum a number of years back.

Also, watch about 4 episodes of Spong Bob Square Pants a day. If you are going after game with primitive gear, you need to tap into his over the top, glass-always-over-flowing, ridiculously sun shiny, against all reason optimism. Sometimes when you just hang out in the woods with high expectations of good things happening, you "luck" into situations and see things that you never would have guessed you would see in that area.

Good Luck!