Deep Hunting Tips : Choosing A Location To Hunt

By John Eagleheart

Being able to properly pick your hunting location is one of the most important factors in deer hunting. Finding the right hunting location can give you the ability to get that trophy rack that you've always wanted, as well as plenty of venison for the freezer. It doesn't matter how good you are at shooting, you won't have a very successful hunt if there are no deer where you're hunting. As a result, follow our deer hunting tips so you can find the perfect spot to hunt.

When you try to pick your site, you should know how deer move and behave. Deer will feel the safest in low light, and during the day, as well as the late night, they'll be resting. In late afternoon, they'll get up from where they were sleeping and start to head to where their food is. Once they've had their fill, they'll go back to where they rest during the day and sleep there.

Find out where you can settle down to hunt at least two weeks prior to the beginning of your hunt. Familiarize yourself with the area you're hunting in. Find out where the deer move the most, and where the largest bucks are located. Find blinds or stand areas and spend time in them as you research where to hunt, so you know what it'll be like when you start hunting. Look for deer signs in the middle of the day. The deer often provide their own deer hunting tips.

Keep your eyes open for deer tracks and trails. Pay attention to the size, number, and direction of the tracks, all of which give information on the movement patterns of the deer. Bucks usually have their own trails, but sometimes use the same tracks as the does. It's common to see buck trails running parallel to the doe trails, but sometimes the two cross.

Try to find the scrapes -- the spots where bucks scratch against the ground or brush. Scraping usually starts about three weeks ahead of rutting season; the scraping lessens as the rutting begins. And locate the rubs -- the areas on trees or posts where bucks either rub the velvet off their budding antlers or mark their territory when rutting. You want to find the rub lines or groups of rubs -- you can find six or more within a 75-100 yard stretch. Most often rubs are on the side of the tree where the buck has stood or traveled; therefore, knowing which sides of the trees have rubs can indicate the direction of the bucks movement. You should also look for bedding spots and note their size.

There is so much more to choosing where you will hunt deer than going out in the morning to pick your stand. Knowing your area in advance will pay off with big bucks! - 31499

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