Looking to maybe deer hunt for the first time this season. Help!?

[RidgeHunter]

First off, don't worry too much about weapon selction. Get whatever fits you, it is just a personal choice. And .24 -.35 caliber centerfire rifle, .45-.54 muzzloader and 45#+ bow is just fine provide you are proficient with it. Besides your weapon is the least used thing in deer hunting, you spend hours waiting then use your weapon for a few seconds.

Now a piece of advice I have (worth what it costs, nothing) is to get yourself a bow and/or muzzloader as soon as funds and time allow you to practice (especially if you are new to archery).

If you buy a muzzleloader you will have a gun you can use in both muzzleoader and modern gun season, thats a twofer!

The reason I suggest this is you will learn TONS more about hunting in the weeks prior to rifle season than you will during rifle season, especially in a heavily hunted area. You can usually only learn to "intercept" deer during rifle season in a pressured area. During bow and muzzloader you can learn to "hunt" them as they go about their activities of feeding/breeding/sleeping without the outside influence of hunting pressure altering their behavior. Late October- mid November is a magical time in the woods.

If you can't get a bow or muzzloader this year, just get out and scout in October and November, start learning to recognize good sign and take camera with you to the treestand a few time before rifle opens. Anytime spent in the woods is educational, you don't need a weapon in your hands to learn to hunt!

Good luck! If it is in your blood it will soon become an obessi...no... a compulsion.

 

[tulsanewb]

First off, don't worry too much about weapon selction. Get whatever fits you, it is just a personal choice. And .24 -.35 caliber centerfire rifle, .45-.54 muzzloader and 45#+ bow is just fine provide you are proficient with it. Besides your weapon is the least used thing in deer hunting, you spend hours waiting then use your weapon for a few seconds.

Now a piece of advice I have (worth what it costs, nothing) is to get yourself a bow and/or muzzloader as soon as funds and time allow you to practice (especially if you are new to archery).

If you buy a muzzleloader you will have a gun you can use in both muzzleoader and modern gun season, thats a twofer!

The reason I suggest this is you will learn TONS more about hunting in the weeks prior to rifle season than you will during rifle season, especially in a heavily hunted area. You can usually only learn to "intercept" deer during rifle season in a pressured area. During bow and muzzloader you can learn to "hunt" them as they go about their activities of feeding/breeding/sleeping without the outside influence of hunting pressure altering their behavior. Late October- mid November is a magical time in the woods.

If you can't get a bow or muzzloader this year, just get out and scout in October and November, start learning to recognize good sign and take camera with you to the treestand a few time before rifle opens. Anytime spent in the woods is educational, you don't need a weapon in your hands to learn to hunt!

Good luck! If it is in your blood it will soon become an obessi...no... a compulsion.

Thanks, I definitely can't afford to get into bow/muzzle loader this year. But I do like the idea of getting out there with a camera and just observing. I love camping, so might start combining observing deer with camping.

 

[Bird1976]

I live in BA and hunt nothing but public land in NE and W Oklahoma. The only reason I haven't killed deer on public land is totally my fault, have seen lots. Read, read, read first. Get all the info that you can. And hooking up with an experienced hunter helps as well. Scouting out places is something I start doing in mid August. Just my opinions.

 

[tulsanewb]

I'm glad to hear that I'm not condemned to a bad trip because I can't afford a private lease.

How many days do most of you devote to a hunt? A 3 day weekend long enough? Does anyone camp during their hunt?

 

[dennishoddy]

I'm glad to hear that I'm not condemned to a bad trip because I can't afford a private lease.

How many days do most of you devote to a hunt? A 3 day weekend long enough? Does anyone camp during their hunt?

I deer hunt 30 days or so. Most of my vacation each year goes to deer hunting.

 

[tulsanewb]

I deer hunt 30 days or so. Most of my vacation each year goes to deer hunting.

I would love to do that. But this year I'll have to just use weekends for scouting hopefully and can take a few days off for the actual gun season.

 

[shady]

and my main "meat" rifle, a Tikka stainless 30-06. I use to own a Sako 300 Mag, but the thing was just too heavy to tote around. My Tikka weighs just a skosh over 6 pounds, and is guaranteed under an inch accuracy at 100 yards. I have a multiple reticle Pentax scope on it, making it an honest 500+ yard rifle. If you'll look at the Tikka Lite series of rifles, you'll be surprised at not only the quality, but the low price as well. And join the NRA.

 

[cowboyhaiokc]

I like deer hunting with a 270wsm or 308.

 

[kdlong]

first of all ridge hunter is right about a muzzleloader. you can use it during muzzler loader season,riffle season,and the special doe season at the end of dec.you can get a decent muzzle loader for less than 250.00. the cva line has several to choose from.after buying the gun you will probly spend about 50.00 to 75.00 on powder, sabbots,primers,and cleaning supplies.then you will have enough ammo for the seasons and to practice.but as for a regular riffle you might look around and find a used marlin 30-30 for less than 250. and a 30-30 has probly taken more deer than any other gun except for a 22lr.i have 30-06,25-06,22-250,303,and a 30-30 i carry the 30-30 more than any of them. i've killed several trophy deer with it (not trying to brag) but it is a cheap riffle to start out with they are pretty light also.as for as processing a deer my dad ,brother and myself have always done our own.the main thing it to clean and strip off any fat and silver lining.besure and cut the meat accross the grain. its easy to tell when you make the first cut if you see long lines then you cut with the grain just change directions. we usually cut up about 8 - 10 deer yearly between the three of us.we now have an industrial grinder and meat tenderrizer that makes it quicker.as for as hunting places we hunt public and private land. the private land is our cousins place about 1000 acres.and we do camp some.i was raised in southeast oklahoma in the kiamichi mountains so down there you never now what you will see.i hope this helps some.by the way we start hunting oct 1 and hunt through the whole season including archery, muzzleloader,riffle and i get to hunt the special doe because i live in northeast oklahoma now thinks to my buddies i work with.just go out and have fun.i would love to help someone learn to hunt or get started hunting.

 

[dennishoddy]

A good MZ might just be the way to go.
I have the savage smokless. Its a whole lot less maintenance than a Black Powder model, and you can use it like has been said during both seasons. If you ever go to a state where they don't allow smokless powder in a MZ, then you can use pellets or whatever.