Deer hunting can be very exciting. But it’s not an easy task. You will need lots of patience and know the right ways of spotting deer. You might have to wait on hunting blinds or elevated stands for long hours before you can spot a deer. The basic trick of deer hunting is to how to stay undetected with a proper hiding place and the right clothes. In this article, you will learn how to find deer in the woods without getting caught.
How to Prepare for Deer Hunting?
Deer hunting is very challenging. If you are a last-minute hunter, you won’t get much advantage. You should plan well ahead before you go hunting. Here are some things you should keep in mind.
How to Find Deer in the Woods?
If you have good knowledge about the land and deer’s preferred food sources, then it will be easier for you to locate the animal. Here are the steps you should follow to find deer.
Use a Map
You should look at the map to understand the land. You should locate the ridge lines, saddles, field corners, etc. you should go on scouting and find out the water, cover, and food in the land. You should then select a location for your stand. You should look out for bedding areas. These are places that are covered with hollows and ditches. As they like to keep themselves warm, they bed along the bottom of the stream or on slopes facing south.
Find Food Sources
You should know what type of food the deer prefer. Acrons and apples are common food. You should find out browse, which consists of shoots, leaves, stems, and twigs. These are also preferred food of the deer. You should go on scouting and find the food spots. Deers are also attracted towards the water. So, you should look around small ponds. You should choose the right time for hunting deer and feeding times are the best. So, you should look for deer in the morning or at dusk. It can be difficult to hunt during the night.
Find Covers
Covers for deer include places that are thick with tall grasses or low-growing coniferous trees. So, you should search in those areas too. Deer tend to look for dense cover rather than open spaces.
Move Deep Into the Woods
Instead of putting your tree stand near the field, you should go deep into the forest after dark and place the stand there. It increases the chance of spotting the buck.
Look for Signs
As you go deep into the woods, you will notice various signs. You will see depressions in the leaves and ground, small brown droppings, ‘rubs’ on the trees, scrape marks, hoof prints, blood trails, etc.
Make Deer Sounds
By making deer sounds, you can lure the bucks. This trick may not work if there is no deer in the hearing range. After you have made the sounds, you should wait for at least 30 minutes before repeating the sounds.
Find Watery Hideouts
During the hunting season, many mature bucks move towards the water. You may find big bucks wandering in the swamps. So, you should try to find out these wet places.
Use Decoys
You can use decoys so that the bucks can move at easy. Doe decoy is most effective. You should place the decoys in visible areas.
Don’t Make Any Noise
You should be as quiet as possible. Deer have a very keen sense of sight and sound. So, they will be aware of your presence at the slightest sound. When tracking through the woods, you should thus remain still.
You should hunt in an area which is not crowded with hunters. You should choose a couple of properties that have a forest with food resources, water supply, and shelter. Deer are always very alert to human movements. From a very young age, they are being exposed to threats, and so they are well-adapted to living in any place. The mature deer often disappear when the deer season starts. You should always plan and be well prepared before you go for hunting deer in the woods.
