Do you hunt whitetail deer during the hunting season? Would you like to take more whitetail deer home during the season? Hunting deer can be challenging but with the right tips and tricks, you can successfully take more home. In this article, we discuss tips to help you hunt whitetail deer like a pro.
- The Rut
When hunting whitetail deer, learn when the rut occurs. The rut is simply the mating period when domineering bucks fight and compete for the few does. There are three main parts of the rut: the pre-rut, the rut, and the post rut.
During each phase of the rut, you can target bucks as they become more aggressive and less careful as they go after the does for mating. This presents a good opportunity to target the bucks, making it easier to take home a trophy buck. - Hunting Public Land
If you hunt whitetail deer on public, go to the hunting area to gather information on the days most hunters will be hunting. Drive around the hunting area and observe where most of the hunters have parked their cars and set up their hunting spots.
Take note of all of these positions. This will help you to find less concentrated areas that have less hunting pressure. These areas may be where the deer will seek refuge when the hunting pressure is very intense.
Look for inaccessible or hard-to-reach areas that most hunters are not trying to reach. These are also areas that deer may seek cover from the hunters. With this information, come back on days when many hunters are not present and set up your hunting spots in those areas that deer may use as refuge or cover. You might be greatly rewarded. - Insecure Bucks
When you are sitting in your hunting spot or a tree stand waiting for a buck, don’t be quick to aim at the first buck you spot. Take some time to observe it. If it appears to have it tails between the legs, have a hunched back and stiff legs, there is a possibility that it is being pursued by a more dominant buck. Don’t take aim a t the insecure buck. Wait for the dominant buck that may show up in a few minutes. You can learn how to take home more whitetail deer during the hunting season by reading the best whitetail deer hunting tips. - Predator Calls
When hunting for whitetail, learn to master using predator calls. There are many calls that you can make to lure deer out of cover and into your shooting range. During the rut, you can make doe-in-heat calls which will almost always bring a dominant buck out looking for the doe in heat to mate with. The buck will respond quickly as it doesn’t want another buck to get to mate with the doe.
Grunt calls can also be very productive as they are made by a young buck that is tending to a doe. A mature and dominant buck will respond and come charging to ward off the young buck and attend to the doe. Fawn calls will also signal the young in distress and will get does and bucks coming out to help out their young.
- Targeting Scrapes
When you are scouting for bucks and discover scrapes, look for a standing tree and then quickly leave the area. Return to the area when the wind is good and set up your tree stand. Get in your tree stand and wait patiently for the buck. When you see one that comes within your shooting range, take a good aim and take it down. - Downed Trees
When you are searching for deer, keep your eyes open for downed trees especially during the hot summer months. Bucks like to use the cover created by fallen trees as cover and will sit there to avoid the sunlight. They feel secure in the cover of fallen trees and the vegetation around the trees such that they will not flush. - Reading Rub Lines
Learn to read rub lines. There is a lot of information you can gather from rub lines such as what time of the day the buck travels and which direction it travels. When you find rub lines, get down on your knees to align your vision with that of the buck that made the rub lines.
Rub lines indicate the routes the buck use to travel to and from feeding and bedding areas. They are usually made on the same side of the tree which indicates the direction the buck travels using the route. - Hunting Downwind
Always approach the area you want to hunt deer from downwind of the area. This will prevent your human odor from reaching the deer. Deer have a very good sense of smell. If they detect your human odor, it will alert them to danger and they will immediately leave the area. - Tail Erect Doe
While waiting for a buck and you see a doe with her tail erect, that is a sign that she is ready for mating. This will be a signal to bucks and one will show up in a few minutes. When you see the doe with the erect tail, remain in position, stay quiet and still, and ready to take a good shot when the bucks is spotted and is within your shooting range. - Transition Zones
When you locate a transition zone, look for signs of deer activity. Transition zones are areas where two or more areas of different vegetation meet. Deer likes these areas and switch from grazing in one field to eating twigs, buds, and other plants in another field.
Set up your tree stand close to deer trails that are adjacent to scrapes or rubs in transition zones. You just might be surprised how many deer you spot in the transition zones.
Conclusion
Hunting whitetail deer can be challenging as it is exciting. There are many tips and tricks that you can use while hunting to successfully take down the trophy buck you always cherish. In this article, we discussed tips to help you hunt more deer. If you would like to get more hunting information, then click here.