A Beginner's Guide to Deer Hunting

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

It's possible to hide your smell as well. There are any number of cover-up or attractant scents on the market. Many of them probably do work, as long as the hunter and his or her clothing are relatively odor-free in the first place! I suggest washing your hunting clothes with baking soda, then storing them in a plastic bag-along with the foliage of a local evergreen or other aromatic plant until you're ready to hunt. Wash yourself with baking soda on the morning of your outing, too, and don't eat particularly odorous foods (bacon, for instance) or stop to fill the gas tank on your way to the woods. Then even if you are using an attracting scent, I'd still advise devoting at least half of your attention (I'd personally devote 90% of it) to the area upwind of your stand.

When it comes time to take a shot, take your time. Remember, too, that most hunters, even very experienced ones, have no business trying a shot at a running animal. All too often doing so results in a wounded deer that is never recovered. Wait for a shot that you're sure you can make, then go for the high-percentage heart-lung area (Fig. 6). Of course, you won't get perfect standing broadside chances all that often, so bear in mind that if the animal is facing at an angle away from you, the usual rule is to shoot through the deer toward the opposite shoulder (Fig. 7). Once you fire, if the animal drops immediately, reload, and cover it as you approach so you'll be ready for a finishing shot on a stunned or otherwise wounded deer. If the animal runs off, wait for a half hour or so, then thoroughly search the area where it was standing for blood, cut hair, or other signs of a hit. The scope of this article doesn't allow for detailed instructions on tracking game, but if the deer is hit, you are morally obligated to do everything you can to follow the tracks and blood trail and either find the animal dead or find it alive and finish the job.

Meat on the Table

In most cases, people who claim that venison tastes too strong or gamy to be palatable are people who've eaten only meat that was poorly cared for on the way to the table. In fact, though a big buck in the heat of the rut may have a "wilder" flavor than a young, unaroused buck or doe, I fondly remember an old gray-muzzled, swollen-necked hat rack that yielded some of the most delicious chops I've ever chomped down on! The trick is to cool the meat quickly by field-dressing the animal right where it falls.

After affixing your tag, if local laws demand it, the first step (Fig. 8) is to seal off the vent so that feces can't escape. Use a sharp, thinbladed knife to "core" around the anal opening so that you can grasp and pull it out far enough to tie it off with string. Next, cut around the sex organs and remove them (Fig.9), using shallow cuts to avoid piercing the bladder or intestines; try not to actually cut into the body cavity.

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print