First time out deer hunting

[HoLeChit]

So I figured I’ll try my hand at deer hunting next week. First time ever. Gonna go out on public land. I could use some pointers on where to set up. I’ve always been told that you gotta sit and wait for deer, but I’m at a bit of a loss as to where I should set up. In my mind, I have t options:

one: take the 17lb 308 target rifle out, find somewhere to post up, and wait for a doe to come out. I’m comfortable with making an ethical kill out to 3-400 yards with this platform, and I have two large clearings to choose from, both have multiple sources of water, and enough elevation change that I can see 7-800 yards from one or two of the vantage points I’m considering. It’s backed up to a river, but I feel it gets moderate pressure from other hunters and it was burned this last year. Lots of tracks and signs, but in my last two trips out chasing birds I have seen exactly zero deer.

option two: take out either the 357mag lever gun (75yard range in my opinion) or my trusty 762x39 bolt gun (200 yard range is what I’m comfy with) and do more of the spot and stalk, creeping around hoping I see a doe before she sees me. I could go further back and have more walking “range” but I’ve yet to be able to see and sneak up in a deer like this approach would require.

option three: take one of the two shorter range rifles out, walk a little over 2 miles, get in close to where I have seen the deer bedding on scouting trips. Post up in a small clearing and hope someone shows up. I would then have to drag the doe all the way out to the truck, which is gonna suck.


what would you guys suggest? I don’t have a ton of fancy camo or scent killer stuff, but would really like to give this a good try and give myself the best chance possible to take my first deer.

here’s where I’m wanting to go. The large field was recently burned in the past year or so, it is pretty bare for the most past. The red dots are areas I’m thinking of posting up, the yellow squares are where I’ve seen deer sleeping during the day. There is also a ton of hog activity in that bedding area, I don’t know if that affects the deer or not.

 

[makeithappen]

This time of year, food and bedding are key (water as well, given the temps). I don't suspect you'll see a bunch of deer out in the open on pressured land, so unless there's food in the top pic, I'd skip it.

The bottom pic is more promising. I put orange dots where I'd check out. 2 on the right with your lever action, left with scoped bolt gun overlooking the bedding field but also in the choke point of trees by the river. Your bottom red dot there looks good, as well. All depends on wind directions as to where you go, to me.

bottom right orange dot looks possibly marshy to the right of it and likely to funnel deer as well as beeding / food.

Good luck!

 

[SPDguns]

FYI gun season (holiday antlerless) ends Sunday....

 

[HoLeChit]

FYI gun season (holiday antlerless) ends Sunday....

I read that it goes until the 31st, has there been a change?

 

[HoLeChit]

This time of year, food and bedding are key (water as well, given the temps). I don't suspect you'll see a bunch of deer out in the open on pressured land, so unless there's food in the top pic, I'd skip it.

The bottom pic is more promising. I put orange dots where I'd check out. 2 on the right with your lever action, left with scoped bolt gun overlooking the bedding field but also in the choke point of trees by the river. Your bottom red dot there looks good, as well. All depends on wind directions as to where you go, to me.

bottom right orange dot looks possibly marshy to the right of it and likely to funnel deer as well as beeding / food.

Good luck!
View attachment 242078

The top of the map is north, and according to the weather channel I’m gonna be dealing with a 5mph wind from the north or northeast, depending on the day; so wind at my back as I approach. That’s definitely not ideal. But if I move all the way south and then work my way back north along the east side it might work?

 

[HoLeChit]

This time of year, food and bedding are key (water as well, given the temps). I don't suspect you'll see a bunch of deer out in the open on pressured land, so unless there's food in the top pic, I'd skip it.

The bottom pic is more promising. I put orange dots where I'd check out. 2 on the right with your lever action, left with scoped bolt gun overlooking the bedding field but also in the choke point of trees by the river. Your bottom red dot there looks good, as well. All depends on wind directions as to where you go, to me.

bottom right orange dot looks possibly marshy to the right of it and likely to funnel deer as well as beeding / food.

Good luck!
View attachment 242078

This is another spot I have seen, didn’t do much scouting, but perhaps I could check the yellow areas? Am I approaching this right? Wind would be in my face on my approach. My reservations about this is that I’ve seen two deer stands in the area and it’s a much easier/shorter walk than the previously discussed spot

 

[swampratt]

dry weather and leaf litter on the ground you will not walk up on a deer and be able to get a shot off before it bolts out of sight.
The reason you did not see deer when bird hunting is because you get noisy when bird hunting.

Noise and movement will be the first giveaways.
Smell is easy to cover if you need to do that.
Make a small smudge fire before you enter the woods and walk in the smoke.
Put the fire out fully before entering the woods.

My buddy smokes pot and that always brings the deer to him with their noses up in the air.

I wizzed 40 yards from where I was hunting to see if it brought deer in.
It did and they walked right to the spot and sniffed around.. less than 2 hours and I had one.

You can try to mask your scent but it will not happen.
Just wash clothes in scent free like free and clear and get in the woods.
But I have hunted many times with clothes smelling good with Gain or Cheer.

 

[makeithappen]

An easy walk doesn't mean you won't see deer. I've seen plenty right next to parking areas. They're more likely to be spooky though.

I like the area a bit west of where you're looking. Further from easy waking and likely further from the stands you saw.

 

[undeg01]

I read that it goes until the 31st, has there been a change?View attachment 242087

You are correct. It runs through the 31st. That said, check the regs for hunting on public land. I was thinking some/most public land was closed to antlerless hunting.

 

[SPDguns]

I must have read that wrong...