Deer hunting help....

[Maverick1911]

So I have been here 4 years now and still can't find someone to take pity on me and take me hunting for deer and show me the ropes. I have gotten some good advice on where to go but truthfully, I don't feel comfortable rolling out somewhere and just figuring it out. So, any chance some seasoned hunter(s) want to take me along for a hunt? I figured i would ask before the season starts to give some notice....I have guns, bullets and a desire to learn!

 

[garret01]

I've had a similar situation before. This will be my first year to hunt public land in Oklahoma. I just got into hunting a couple of years ago with my brothers down in Texas. So far I've only hunted rifle. This year I will be sitting with a bow on public. Just get out to a WMA and start scouting. All you have to do is shoot one. After that is when the real work will start.

If your worried about cleaning... Try the link below. I have only cleaned a deer when hanging from a tree with help. This will be my first time to try it solo. I can't find any hunting buddies in my area either. Just go solo and figure it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7AH...UlrJ7kt1KkxESwn6OZc7HPMuTUbzTD&has_verified=1

 

[Davs2601]

What are your concerns? I learned most of what I know from okshooters and hunting.net

If it cleaning deer the best way is to watch a few vids then go for it. I now prefer the no-gut method of cleaning. Just bring a cooler to transport your meat.

For public hunting you will be far better off with archery. Ive taken a lot of deer on public land sitting on a $5 tripod stoll feom academy.

 

[garret01]

In agreement with the above... Don't set foot on public land during any type of firearms season. Unless you have nerves of steel and can deal with the sound of bullets flying over your head. I know this may seem a bit exaggerated but it happens to guys all the time. My firsts posts on OSA were about how I was going to hit up public for rifle season last year. Naïve. No way I would set foot on them during firearms season now.

 

[Bulls eye]

What are your concerns? I learned most of what I know from okshooters and hunting.net

If it cleaning deer the best way is to watch a few vids then go for it. I now prefer the no-gut method of cleaning. Just bring a cooler to transport your meat.

For public hunting you will be far better off with archery. Ive taken a lot of deer on public land sitting on a $5 tripod stoll feom academy.

I generally don't gut mine either. I killed a doe last season on opening day about 3:30PM. dragged her to the truck, laid her on her stomach and butchered her out. Got both shoulders, both hams, and the tenderloins. Put them in the cooler on ice and headed home. Got home and sliced the tenderloin, wrapped it in bacon put it in a pan with onions and potatoes and baked it up. Yummy. She was in my stomach within 4 hrs of being killed. Now that's fresh!

 

[Maverick1911]

What are your concerns? I learned most of what I know from okshooters and hunting.net

If it cleaning deer the best way is to watch a few vids then go for it. I now prefer the no-gut method of cleaning. Just bring a cooler to transport your meat.

For public hunting you will be far better off with archery. Ive taken a lot of deer on public land sitting on a $5 tripod stoll feom academy.

I really don't have any experience with this....I am a rookie for everything from time of day to go to positioning in the woods to shooting, cleaning, etc....really just the entire experience would be much more enjoyable if I had a seasoned hunter guide me. My son is really wanting to learn it I can't teach him if I don't learn first.....shooting paper and metal is easy....animals, I would imagine, is a whole different ...well, animal. Lol

 

[The German]

I think with minimal reading you could answer all your questions. For the most part everyone will have a different opinion on everything from when to get there, best times, scent control, shot location and on and on and on.

Cant wipe your butt for you, just get out there and do it.

If you are doing public land then you might look at investing in a bow. Might also consider joining a club, that way you have land and people that might help you. People on here are willing to answer any questions, but not many are going to hold your hand if you are not willing to give it a go on your own. You have been sitting around for 4 years waiting on someone to hold your hand...

Another thing you might consider is to pay for a hog hunt, that would give you a little experience in a controlled environment.

 

[deerwhacker444]

I really don't have any experience with this....I am a rookie for everything from time of day to go to positioning in the woods to shooting, cleaning, etc....really just the entire experience would be much more enjoyable if I had a seasoned hunter guide me. My son is really wanting to learn it I can't teach him if I don't learn first.....shooting paper and metal is easy....animals, I would imagine, is a whole different ...well, animal. Lol

I didn't grow up in a hunting tradition. I started hunting small game and trapping by myself when I was in Middle school. I had to learn most everything on my own from books and magazines, as there weren't any TV hunting shows then and the internet didn't exist. I know where you're coming from.

First thing,..you're not going to learn anything in the house. Get outside in the woods where the deer are. Even if you just go to the trails around lake Arcadia to watch for deer, that's a good start. Take some binoculars, find a high spot, relax and watch..

Find a place to hunt. Use all your resources available as its getting tougher and tougher to find a place to hunt. Ask all your work acquaintances, people at church, PTA meetings, inlaws, outlaws, everybody you can think of for leads. It might end up costing you $$..

You might get lucky and get access to a piece of ground around Edmond that might be open for bowhunting. If that's the case, learn to use a bow or crossbow. You'll have to go further out to find a place to rifle hunt.

Once you have a piece of ground you've got to find where the deer are hanging out. Easy way is go out after a Rain and look for tracks. That will tell you where the deer are and show you were they're going. Look for bedding areas. Check creek bottoms for stands of Blackjacks or Black oaks that are putting out acorns. Look for shards of busted up acorns on the ground.

The best time to go see deer are usually early in the morning and evenings, but the deer are in the woods 24/7. If you want to learn about deer, that's where you gotta be.

You want to try to figure out:

1) Where the deer are, do they stay on my property or do they just use it as a travel route.
2) Where are they getting food and water, is it on my property or are they using my property to get to it.

Deer usually don't wander all over a piece of property. They generally stick to the same areas, thickets, trails, etc.

Once you find out where the deer are and are traveling it gets easier. You'll want to hunt those areas, but always use the wind to your
advantage whenever possible. You don't want the wind blowing your scent in their direction, giving your location away. They will change their
routine/habits if they get spooked enough.

Once you find where the deer are, it's simply a matter of putting in the time. You might spend many many hours or days. on stand in a location before you see anything. You might not see anything at all, it happens to the best of us.

Once you're seeing deer, and they're not seeing you, it's pretty easy to kill one.

Cleaning can be overwhelming the first time, but it's totally doable. You just have to commit to seeing it thru before you pull the trigger.

Lots of vids on Youtube showing how it's done.

I could type for hours. First thing is find a place and then spend as much time as you can in the woods. Everything will become self evident after that...

 

[dennishoddy]

I didn't grow up in a hunting tradition. I started hunting small game and trapping by myself when I was in Middle school. I had to learn most everything on my own from books and magazines, as there weren't any TV hunting shows then and the internet didn't exist. I know where you're coming from.

Same here, but we couldn't afford magazines. Bought a .410 when I was 11 from mowing yards and the journey started from there.

Had an uncle that didn't hunt but owned land, so with no knowledge of game laws, I went on a killing spree, but it was only what I could eat. I was enamored with books about the Mountain Men from back in the day that I could read at the library. Learned primitive trapping from the Boy Scout program.
My dad did fish when I was young, but quit for some reason when I was in Junior High. Never asked why, just went on my own.

Now with the internet, you can learn just about anything, and although I've been in the hunting thing for about 50 years now, I still learn from this forum, and reading.

 

[Bulls eye]

Maverick 1911 and garet01 pm sent