Hunting Tips Learned The Hard Way

aya28ga

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
We all have them; experiences that taught us (the hard way), what not to do when deer hunting.

Since the season is underway I thought it would be a good read to hear what everybody's "learned in the school of personal experience" was.

Mine is: don't assume the deer you just shot is really down & dead.

I learned this the hard way when I was 16, sitting in an old abandoned barn looking out a window that overlooked a small field. A deer stepped out at about 100 yards and gave me a broadside shot, so I took aim & let fly with the 30-30 bolt action Savage - Stevens that was pretty ancient even back then. The deer went down, and I thought that was all she wrote. But as I was climbing over the windowsill congratulating myself, that deer suddenly came to her feet and bolted, never to be seen again.

So my tip "learned the hard way?" - Get that second round chambered and ready to go immediately and be prepared to shoot, even if the deer is down and not moving.
 
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JJWise

Twelve Pointer
I have several, but 2 really stand out to me. The first was while bow hunting opening day this year. I misjudged the distance and hit a doe in the spine, dropping her. I knew it was a spine shot so I put another arrow in her, but her back was towards me so there really was no good shot and I'm not entirely sure what the second arrow hit. She didn't move at all for 10 minutes and I assumed she was dead, but once I got my climber stand about halfway down the tree she took off. The blood trail wasn't great, so after looking that night, most of the following day and the evening of the day after that, I still never found her. That one taught me that if your first shot is iffy, make SURE that second shot is good.

The other was in December 2015, during one of WVs antlerless firearms seasons. I walked out to a point on a ridge overlooking some finger ridges and a holler. Directly infront of me was a small group of does on a ridge about 100 yards away. I took a few more steps then got down on a knee and realized they were all behind trees from my angle. I was impatient so instead of waiting on one to move and give me a clear shot (which they all would've done sooner or later) I tried taking a few more steps to get a better angle. My first step was on a dry stick and they all bolted without giving me a shot. This taught me that patience isn't always about sitting in a stand for hours, sometimes waiting just a few more seconds can make all the difference.
 

beard&bow

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
If you have a gun rest on your stand, and are hunting with a bow, don't forget the gun rest is there when a deer steps out. In 2002 I was sighted in for my first bow kill. I released and the bottom cam/wheel pinched the gun rest, pulling my bow down. The arrow went in the ground a couple feet on front of her and she bolted off into the woods.
 

Papa_Smurf

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
As soon as you have identified your target....remember to disengage the safety ☺

Sent from my LG-H871 using Tapatalk
 

FishHunt

Old Mossy Horns
Always...and I mean ALWAYS make sure you weapon is loaded. Otherwise you are just setting in the woods enjoying God's handy work with a very frustrating surprise ending in store. That's what I've heard anyway! ;)

<>< Fish
 

shadycove

Twelve Pointer
We all have them; experiences that taught us (the hard way), what not to do when deer hunting.

Since the season is underway I thought it would be a good read to hear what everybody's "learned in the school of personal experience" was.

Mine is: don't assume the deer you just shot is really down & dead.

I learned this the hard way when I was 16, sitting in an old abandoned barn looking out a window that overlooked a small field. A deer stepped out at about 100 yards and gave me a broadside shot, so I took aim & let fly with the 30-30 bolt action Savage - Stevens that was pretty ancient even back then. The deer went down, and I thought that was all she wrote. But as I was climbing over the windowsill congratulating myself, that deer suddenly came to her feet and bolted, never to be seen again.

So my tip "learned the hard way?" - Get that second round chambered and ready to go immediately and be prepared to shoot, even if the deer is down and not moving.

This would be the best lesson by far and the second would be after the shot and you are blood trailing the deer, go slow with very few people helping track.
Leave one [or flagging tape/TP] at the last blood and DO NOT let anyone go ahead of the track to just see if they can "just see the deer".
When the blood trail gets thin, STOP and get a dog.
Never, ever grid search for a deer until you have tried a dog.
Several folks on here have lost deer this year by not following this plan.
Remember, NEVER GRID SEARCH FOR A DEER UNTIL AFTER A DOG FAILS TO FIND YOUR DEER.
Buy a dog, train your housedog, use a friends dog or hire a pro tracker. Just give a dog [any dog] a chance before you fill the woods with folks.
 

Mossyhorn17

Guest
Do not forget to chamber a round once you get in the stand ....
 

Putt

Old Mossy Horns
zero your gun every week. 1 shot, cold bore. If it doesn't hit exactly where you aim, go to the range.
Learn to sleep with out snoring.. :) or making a sound when you wake up, and by all means if you do in the late afternoon set your watch alarm. Ain't fun waking up with people calling your name in the darkness..
Don't hunt with certain people on this board specially if they taking a canoe..
IF you touch or think you touched a tarsal gland, busted gut or POOP while cleaning your deer, wash your hands, your knife and then go back to cleaning.
 

josh

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Always make sure gun is loaded. I worked a tough gobbler one spring for almost two hours, I was finally presented with a shot only to realize the shells were in my vest . I did not get the turkey.
 

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
Check your gear/bag twice!!!! Last year got to my stand and got set up..... got my bow knocked and hung......then realize that my release is NOT in my bag


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

shaggy

Old Mossy Horns
Do not forget to chamber a round once you get in the stand ....

This happened to a friend of mine I took hunting wit me. Decent 8pt steps out 75 yds broadside. He pulls the trigger and its just "click" the deer looks at us and as he moves to chamber a round the deer is gone.
 

nc35hunter

Four Pointer
Put 3 rifle cartridges (for each caliber you hunt with) in your treestand pack/bag at the beginning of the season. In the rush to get out, it's easy to grab the wrong box of ammo, leave it at home, or leave it in the truck. Hard to forget your entire pack.

I strongly second the "secure climber with rope" tip posted above.
 

Thomas270

Ten Pointer
I'm not an old pro, but I have been looking at deer through the crosshairs for 20 years. Still to this day i have to tell myself not to rush. it is very important not to rush the shot, whatever weapon you are using. It becomes second nature and it's very easy to "jump the gun". Great tips so far, My tip is just take another millisecond and settle those crosshairs, it makes for a long evening if you don't!
 

NCST8GUY

Frozen H20 Guy
Tie off the bottom of your climber!!!! Too long to post why, but around 14 years ago I posted the story.

Make sure the deer is dead before draggin it!!! Also a long time ago, also posted.

Tie off your canoe to shore when you row to shore to poop! Also a long time ago, also posted.

Bring Toilet paper with you!!!

Sprinkle mzl caps ALL THROUGOUT your hunting gear!! All pockets, all orifices etc!

Make Sure your Cousin brings his Cell Phone with him hunting!!!

Strap your treestand to your ATV VERY well!! And carry some side cutters on your ATV in case the cables wrap around your ATV axle when it falls off!

Bring More Sammiches, in case the guy with you makes fun of you for making them, and then asks for one hours later!

Don't shoot if your brain says "it's too far"!!!

sigh.
 

ksherb

Six Pointer
Contributor
Same one as every year:

Never, ever, ever - under any circumstances - trust a tree stand fart.
 

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Learn to read the situation. Learn when to wait and when to get to a deer quick. Ive been with multiple people looking for a poorly shot deer that should have been waited on. Ive also dropped a deer in a bean field only to have it get up and take off 10 mins later. Biggest one i bave ever shot. I think if i would have went to it, i would have been able to shoot again.
 

Greg

Old Mossy Horns
Make careful note of all landmarks where the deer was standing when it was shot and the direction it ran after the shot.
 

Helium

Old Mossy Horns
Make sure the 209 primer for your muzzleloader hasnt been shot before. (Pulled trigger twice 2yrs ago on a doe on a VA snowy day..no bang)

Make sure (triple check)you have your gun in truck before heading to hunting land
 

Tipmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Never ever trust the cheap scope, rings, and bases that came with your muzzle loader. Ever.

Replace them and rezero.
 

Cootmeurer

Six Pointer
Load your gear in the truck the night before, I a slow and logical manner.

This saves you from scrambling in the dark at "way to early" trying not to wake everyone.

It also saves you from making a 30 mile drive to your duck hole with everything but your gun, sitting back at home, at the kitchen door!
 

ScottyB

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
When you grab a buddy to go help you retrieve your deer.....take a gun or knife with you....We had a WWE match with a large buck I shot on a golf cart.......no knife and no gun between us

First deer ever brought to the skinning rack alive......also first one to get up and run out of the barn after a 40 caliber heart shot......it was a night to remember
 

ScottyB

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Put 3 rifle cartridges (for each caliber you hunt with) in your treestand pack/bag at the beginning of the season. In the rush to get out, it's easy to grab the wrong box of ammo, leave it at home, or leave it in the truck. Hard to forget your entire pack.

I strongly second the "secure climber with rope" tip posted above.

The three shells in pack worries me from a safety standpoint.......have you ever seen what the wrong shell in a rifle can do? Things quickly can turn deadly. Buy a shell holder for your stock on each gun ....hard to forget them that way......
 

JONOV

Old Mossy Horns
Double check your thermacell.

Make sure your thermacell is working well.

Make sure you have about 2 dozen Thermacell lighter fluid bottles.

Think hard about your digestion before a hunt. Don't eat a ton of cheese pizza washed down with 4 beers the night before a hunt.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Corn trumps all.

dump enough of it out and dont over hunt and you cannot help killing a deer.

i wish it werent so easy but there it is.

all you need for nc private land success.
 

Dolfan21

Ten Pointer
If your headlamp takes AAA batteries, dont bring AA batteries for backup when it dies. They wont fit.

Toilet Paper - you cant have too much.....because leaves in October don't hold up.
 
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30/06

Twelve Pointer
Don't swat skeeters with your release on your wrist. Ouch!

Your seat cushion isn't going to help if you leave it on the 4wheeler. Sitting directly on ladder stand grates hurts. Ouch!

You'll see deer during turkey season and turkey during deer. I saw one little buck this weekend and 25 turkeys.

Always have at least 3 flashlights with you with good batteries. Was tracking a doe last year, used hat light to mark blood in dark. Found more and used my other light to mark it. Went to retrieve my hat light and almost broke my ankle falling in a hole. Later realized my phone had a flashlight.

Never tell other club members where that big buck pic came from unless you like company.
 
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