10 Tips For Hunting Whitetail Deer

For a successful deer hunt, you need to be involved in the sport year round, and here are 10 tips for hunting whitetail deer to help you have a great hunting season. What you do in the off-season can be just as important as what you do during whitetail deer hunting season. 

1. Scouting is vital, and that tops our list of tips for hunting whitetail deer. Begin in winter or shortly after the previous season has ended. Spend time in the woods where you will be hunting to learn routes deer like to take, and their habits. Leaning the lay of the land will help you figure out where the deer are during the season.
2. Keep records of what you see. Look for patterns in whitetail deer movement or places where they are spotted often. Animals like routine and are likely to do the same thing at the same time every day. They are also likely to stay in the same general area unless there is a compelling reason to move.
3. Hunt for coyotes in the off-season. Many states have open season on coyotes year round as they are considered nuisance animals. Tracking and stalking a coyote takes even more skill than doing the same with a whitetail deer, so it will hone your skills in this area.
4. During the cold winter months, study whitetail deer hunting. Read as much as you can about deer and hunting. Talk with other hunters to learn from them. This is your time to learn new techniques and skills.
5. As the season nears, step up your scouting. Choose where you will put your whitetail deer stand. Once the season starts, you should continue scouting to learn about where the deer are. What you have noticed through the year will probably still be true, but it might not be, so constantly scouting is a good idea.
6. Try something different. What worked five years ago may not work this year, so you need to be open to new ideas. If you are not having success, find out what others are doing and give it a try.
7. Consider wearing a scent to hide your human odor and another scent to attract the whitetail deer. Not all hunters do this, but many do and it cannot hurt. Also get a deer call and work on how to call deer.
8. Give hunting in the middle of the day a try. Most people hunt in the early morning and late afternoon. However, many trophy buck are taken in the middle of the day. It is possible whitetail deer realize when most hunters are hunting and act accordingly. Even more importantly, hunt as often as you can regardless of time of day.
9. Safety should be a primary concern. Always be absolutely sure of what you are shooting at, and that it is in fact a whitetail deer. Sometimes people wander in the woods without hunter orange, so do not take anything for granted.
10. Try to avoid areas where there are a lot of hunters. This can be difficult on public land, but it is worth the extra effort. It is wise to be aware of where other hunters are in general.