References for the new Deer Hunter

[hickslawns]

Just a tip since it is that time of the year. When washing up your gear prior to season remember to check your pockets. Remember to check the pockets of your kids' hunting gear twice. Just saying. My son was apparently a little squirrel on the stand last year. Very glad I checked all his pockets this morning while changing the hunting clothes loads. Lol

 

[CJD3]

Just a tip since it is that time of the year. When washing up your gear prior to season remember to check your pockets. Remember to check the pockets of your kids' hunting gear twice. Just saying. My son was apparently a little squirrel on the stand last year. Very glad I checked all his pockets this morning while changing the hunting clothes loads. Lol

Good point Phil.
Milk weed pods (the "fluffy" w/ no seed) are great for checking the wind direction, but do fair well in the washing machine.

 

[MK111]

JBrown turned me on to Deer and Deer Hunting Magazine.

If you get only one subscription, get this magazine. Informative articles, well written, common sense stuff.
Not just a platform for advertisers, these guys are the real deal. Just like their TV show. IMHO

Old post. I've been reading Deer and Deer Hunting off and on for 25 yrs.

Deer & Deer Hunting is running a special on a 30 yr. DVD of the 30 yrs. of the all original copies of the magazine.
It's 35.00 on special regular price was 99.99.
Just received it will do a review after I use it this week.

 

[hickslawns]

Since this thread has been freshened and brought to the top, I will add one. Bear with me. I didn't go back to reread the posts. I feel this is worthy of posting twice anyway.

This time of the year is an excellent time to scout the woods. Not only can we find shed antlers, but the spring "green up" hasn't started (at least this year it hasn't, last year we were starting to mow by late March, this year we have plows on still). The deer trails in the woods are easy to see in the snow. It is probably not great for lightly used trails, but you can certainly see the most heavily used trails and you can also find areas which are used by deer in which you may have never guessed they would travel. I love scouting in the winter or prior to spring green up.

 

[jagermeister]

Since this thread has been freshened and brought to the top, I will add one. Bear with me. I didn't go back to reread the posts. I feel this is worthy of posting twice anyway.

This time of the year is an excellent time to scout the woods. Not only can we find shed antlers, but the spring "green up" hasn't started (at least this year it hasn't, last year we were starting to mow by late March, this year we have plows on still). The deer trails in the woods are easy to see in the snow. It is probably not great for lightly used trails, but you can certainly see the most heavily used trails and you can also find areas which are used by deer in which you may have never guessed they would travel. I love scouting in the winter or prior to spring green up.

Good post, Phil. This is my favorite time of year to scout. Finding trails and beds is very easy. Best of all, there's pretty much zero impact on your deer hunting.

 

[hickslawns]

Good post, Phil. This is my favorite time of year to scout. Finding trails and beds is very easy. Best of all, there's pretty much zero impact on your deer hunting.

I agree. This past winter may have been the exception though as I believe we saw more "yarding" of deer than in most years during the extreme cold spells. I believe you find less human activity in the woods as well. It is cold. Snow on the ground. It is work to walk through the snow and mud. Many guys hunted hard and look forward to taking time off until the antlers start growing again. At this point, they do most of their scouting with cameras or from a distance with binos or spotting scopes. Getting in the woods right now, finding a shed from a surviving shooter buck, and learning the core areas of specific bucks (even if only seasonal core areas) is valuable info. If nothing else, you do find some great travel corridors!

 

[BowCrazed]

I realize the thread is a little old but I figured I would add my $.02. Any book by John Eberhart is a good read. He is a "real world" hunter that hunts on public lands and always manages to find a big buck. The book Mapping Trophy Bucks by Brad Herndon is great tool for showing you how to read topo maps. Caltopo.com is a great resource for getting topo maps. You can print a map to pdf and then have it printed on a 24X36 at Staples for $12. Another great book that focuses more on whitetail behavior is Whitetail Rites of Autumn by Charles Alsheimer. Hope this helps!

 

[hickslawns]

No such thing as an old thread or too late to post in this category. Thanks for the input Bowcrazed. I will second the Eberhart and Herndon books.

 

[CJD3]

If you are new to deer hunting and want a decent "ABC" article on "What do whitetail eat", read this.
And good luck this season!

http://www.foremosthunting.com/Deer/Library/Whatdowhitetaildeereat/tabid/943/Default.aspx#winter

 

[bowhunter1023]

Good link Jim!

I've heard it said that whitetail will eat up to 200 different varieties of plants. Hard to imagine them starving with a range of food like that!

 

[Jake_C]

For anyone new to hunting or maybe just looking to change up a bit from sitting in the same stand every day, or maybe you have to start hunting public or even just new land I recommend any of Dan Infant's videos/book. For my part of Ohio the Hill Country Bucks video was a game changer. Swamp Bedding and Marsh bedding are great as well and can be applied to really any terrain. Also check out the Hunting beast forum. Dan is on there often and answers tons of questions.