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Hunting tips



SHOOT LIKE YOU MEAN IT

A true-to-life practice session that will have you ready this fall

There's a huge difference between shooting an accurate arrow from the target line and shooting one at an animal over broken terrain clustered with brush, trees, and boulders. On the line, you are standing comfortably and can take your time. In the field, you may be up in a tree or down on your knees, with only a second to make the shot. Here's a better way to practice.

(A) Practice - Develope your form. Maintain a consistent anchor point. Apply steady forward pressure with your bow arm.

(B) From a tree stand- Keep your anchor point and head position the same. Maintain your form while bending at the waist.Concentrate on not dropping your bow arm or raising your head.

(C) On a stalk - On most stalks you'll be on your knees, behind cover.Spread your knees for a solid platform, and lean forward slightly for a balanced, athletic stance. If you must shoot from behind brush, lean and cant the bow while maintaining form.

(STEP 1) Spend a few days just getting comfortable with the bow. Once you get it tuned and sighted in, use only broadheads. No matter what you might have heard, shooting field points is never the same.

(STEP 2) Start shooting on the range from awkward positions. If you do most of your bow hunting from a tree stand, practice from one or a raised platform, like a backyard deck. Don't always face the target perfectly. Twist your body to replicate field conditions.

(STEP 3) Take six bulls-eye and life size 3-d targets and move them off the flat, open range and into areas that more closely mimic hunting conditions.Set up so you'll have to shoot through narrow gaps in the brush, between tree trunks, and over or under limbs. Again, shoot from an elevated stand , from your knees, or while standing. Follow the same sequence you use on your hunt. Sneak into position, nock an arrow, hook up the release aid, pick a spot, draw, aim, and release. Do everything as quickly as possible. In bowhunting only the first arrow matters, so you only get one shot at each. Put an arrow into the kill zone on all six and you'll be ready this fall.

For more on these tips and others visit Field & Stream .com or see Aug addition Field & Stream.

Whitetail I Q
Part II: Deer Biology
This week's installment of the whitetail IQ quiz tests your knowledge of buck behavior and biology. And if that sounds too much like a bad memory from science class, think on this. The best hunters are the ones that truly know their prey, inside and out. Answer these  questions to find out how smart a predator you really are ...
Question 1. When a yearling buck grows just spike antlers, it could be the result of

A. Poor quality habitat
B. Too many deer
C. Poor genetics
D. A late birth date
E. All of the above.

 

The answer is E, all of the above. The cause is never definite, so it's best to let spikes walk.

 2. Bucks that breed the most are

A. Those that have aggressive personalities
B. Those with the largest antlers
C. Those at peak physical form with fully developed bodies
D. Small spikes and forkhorns
E. A and C

 

 

The answer is E, those that have aggressive personalities (A), and (C) those at peak physical form with fully developed bodies. Spikes and other yearlings are too intimidated by larger, older bucks (if they're present) to do much breeding. Big-antlered bucks aren't necessarily the most dominant breeders. Instead, it's the heaviest bucks with the most aggressive personalities

Question 3. Bucks rub trees to

A. Strengthen their neck muscles
B. Deposit scent
C. Shed velvet
D. Leave a visual clue of their presence
E. All of the above

 

The answer is E, all of the above. Research indicates bucks rub for all these reasons and possibly more.

Question 4. Rubs on small saplings about the thickness of your finger were probably made by

A. Yearling bucks
B. Middle-aged bucks
C. Mature bucks
D. Any of the above

 

The answer is D, any of the above. If the sign is on a tree the size of your calf, a big buck left the rub. If the tree is an inch or two in diameter, chances are it was a yearling that marked it. But small saplings seem to draw all sizes of bucks

Question 5. Mature whitetail bucks will rub trees that

A. They've rubbed in previous years
B. Have been rubbed by other deer
C. A and B
D. None of the above

 

 

The answer is C. Research proves that bucks will rub the same tree in different years (A), as well as trees that have been rubbed by other bucks (B).

Question 6. In terms of future antler growth, a spike buck is genetically inferior to a 6-point buck born in the same year.

A. True
B. False

 

The answer is B, false. The spike simply might have been born later, or its mother could have been in poorer condition (tougher winter, insufficient nutrition) than the 6-point's. If the spike and the 6-point were born at the same time in matching conditions, the 6-point may be a superior animal. Only time will reveal the spike's potential

 Question 7. A mature doe that is not bred during the peak rut will enter another period of estrus

A. In three to five days
B. Two weeks later
C. 28 to 30 days later
D. 58 to 60 days later

 

The answer is C, 28 to 30 days later. A small percentage of does will not be bred or conceive during their first estrous period and will "cycle" again about a month later.

Question 8. Bucks bed closer to food sources in winter than they do in the early season.

A. True
B. False

 

The answer is A, true. This is an energy-saving tactic that helps deer conserve calories

Question 9. In which state are you most likely to see rutting behavior in January?

A. Mississippi
B. Montana
C. North Dakota
D. Pennsylvania
E. None - all rutting is over

 

The answer is A, Mississippi. Several southern states have a much later rutting period than northern states

Question 10. Which factor(s) will disrupt daytime rutting activity?

A. A major rainstorm or snowstorm
B. Hunting pressure
C. Warm temperatures
D. B and C
E. A, B, and C

 

The answer is E. Any of these factors taken alone can have a significant effect on daytime deer movement.

Question 11. A "staging area" is

A. A place where young bucks show off for does
B. The area around a scrape where actual breeding occurs
C. An intersection of trails near a bedding area
D. None of the above

 

The answer is D, none of the above. A staging area is an area adjacent to a food source where bucks linger before feeding. Typically marked by dense vegetation, staging areas are usually 50 to 100 yards from a field, though they may be farther away in more open territory.

Question 12. A doe will remain in estrus for

A. One to two days
B. One week
C. Until it is bred
D. None of the above

 

The answer is A, one to two days. Research proves that does are available for breeding for 24 to 48 hours, though a buck may "tend," or follow, a doe as she beds, feeds, and travels in the hours before she allows him to breed her. Tending usually lasts about three days.

Question 13. Offspring from a top-end trophy buck may display just mediocre antlers.

A. True
B. False

 

The answer is A, true. A doe contributes half the genetic code for antler growth. Therefore, a trophy buck may or may not sire large-antlered offspring

Question 14. Unseasonably warm weather can delay the onset of the rut.

A. True
B. False

 

The answer is B, false. The rut is triggered by the decreasing amount of daylight in the fall (the phenomenon is known as photoperiodism). Warm weather can suppress rutting activity, but it will not delay the onset of the rut.

Question 15. Which is true of a short, intense rut?

A. Hunters will see more daytime deer activity
B. Fawn survival will be higher the next spring
C. It indicates a more balanced deer herd
D. All of the above

 

The answer is D, all of the above. In well-balanced herds, buck and doe numbers are more evenly matched and rutting activity occurs in a brief, intense flurry that encompasses daylight hours. Consequently, fawns are born around the same time the next spring, leaving a shorter window open for predators to find them when they're vulnerable

Question 16. The grunt-snort-wheeze is a vocalization made by mature bucks when they perceive danger.

A. True
B.False

 

The answer is B, false. The grunt-snort-wheeze is an aggressive vocalization meant to intimidate another buck. It is frequently used during the rut to warn a challenger.

Question 17. A deer can detect human odor and other scents best in what conditions?

A. A dry day
B. During a rainfall or snowfall
C. A humid day
D. In thick fog

 

The answer is C, a humid day. Fog, snow, and rain tend to knock scent down and keep it from dispersing widely. Dry weather makes it harder for a deer to detect scent.

Question 18. Which color(s) is (are) a buck most able to see?

A. Blaze orange
B. Sky blue
C. Dark red
D. B and C
E. A, B, and C

 

The answer is B, sky blue. Research reveals that blue is the easiest color for deer to distinguish

Question 19. A buck drops both its antlers at the same time.

A. True
B. False

 

The answer is B, false. Some bucks may hold their second antler a few minutes more, others a few hours. Sometimes the single antler will remain for days.

Question 20. Which of these sounds is the most difficult for a whitetail to pinpoint the source of?

A. A human voice
B. Another deer grunting
C. Antlers clashing together from a pair of fighting bucks
D. A rifle shot

 

The answer is D, a rifle shot. The short, sharp, loud report of a rifle is difficult for a buck to pinpoint, and it sometimes will freeze at the sound. This often provides a hunter with a chance for a second shot if needed.

Question 21. In which state are you most likely to shoot a buck that field dresses over 250 pounds?

A. Texas
B. Florida
C. North Carolina
D. Missouri
E. Minnesota

 

The answer is E, Minnesota. Bergman's rule notes that larger-bodied animals occur at the northern limits of their range. These animals evolved larger mass to survive the harsher winter conditions.

Question 22. When a deer holds its tail straight up with the hairs flared out widely, it is

A. Content
B. Alarmed and alerting other deer to possible danger
C. Signaling to other deer that they have entered its territory
D. Interested in breeding

 

The answer is B, alarmed and alerting other deer to possible danger. Deer spread the hairs on their tails and raise them to warn others they sense danger. They may twitch or flick their tails, or flee with them held high, "flagging" back and forth if they become very alarmed. Some bucks, though, tuck their tails back down when they start to run.

Question 23. Scent from the interdigital glands on a deer's feet is left

Question 25. The territory a buck is most likely to defend is

A. His preferred bedding area
B. Anywhere in his core area
C. The perimeter of a scrape
D. The area around an estrous doe

A. Whenever a deer walks
B. When it stomps its hooves in alarm
C. When it paws scrapes
D. All of the above

The answer is D, all of the above. Scent is left by the interdigital glands between a deer's hooves in all three of these cases. The main purposes are to allow other deer to follow its trail and to signal its presence to other deer.

Question 24. Which is true of a mature buck's tracks?

A. Toes will point inward
B. Prints from the back hooves will be placed outside those of the front hooves
C. They'll always be less than 2 inches wide
D. All of the above
E. None of the above

 

The answer is E, none of the above. Buck tracks splay outward, and the prints will be at least 21/4 inches wide. A buck's broad shoulders make the distance between its front hooves wider.

Question 25. The territory a buck is most likely to defend is

A. His preferred bedding area
B. Anywhere in his core area
C. The perimeter of a scrape
D. The area around an estrous doe

 

The answer is D, the area around an estrous doe. Bucks don't defend territory as such, as evidenced by areas with multiple mature bucks that tolerate one another's presence. But the specific real estate that an estrous doe occupies is very important to bucks.
You Stink, the scent blocker to keep from getting busted.

Even if you shower in no-scent soap right before your hunt, the little bit you sweat going to your stand will turn into a powerfull stench to deer.That's why smart hunters compulsively use commercial scent killers. The problem is that their cost can make you apply them sparingly, which is like putting deodorant on only one armpit. Here is a simple homemade scent killer. Hydrogen peroxide kills bacteria and fungi that turn sweat into a deer busting funk, and baking soda deodorizes whatever sneaks by.

STEP 1    SHOP

Assemble the ingredients:

+ 2 cups (16 ounces) 3% hydrogen peroxide.

+ 2 cups ( 16 ounces) distilled water

+ 1/2 cup baking soda

+ 1 ounce unscented shampoo (available at drug or health food stores)

STEP 2   MIX

Gently combine all the ingredients in a large bowl until the baking soda dissolves. Pour this mixture into a one gallon lidded container, such as a milk jug. Let it sit for three days with the lid on loosely to allow gases to escape.

STEP 3   BOTTLE

Fill a plastic bottle that has a trigger sprayer with the scent killer.It must be clean so buy a new one from a hardware store or online. (usplastics.com)

STEP 4  WIPE

To make scent killing wipes, place plain brown multi fold paper towels- the king that come in stacks, not on a roll- in a small plastic tub with an airtight lid. Cover them with scent killer and let it soak in. Pour out excess liquid and replace the lid. Now you can wipe down boots, bows, and stands,and even use a towel or two to neutralize the sweat you produce shinnying up that perfect white oak. COST ABOUT $10

For more on this and other tips go to Field and stream. com or see August issue of Field and stream!