Looking to maybe deer hunt for the first time this season. Help!?

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tulsanewb

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I've never gone hunting and know very little about the actual practice. I don't even own a rifle at the moment. To be honest I've never thought I could take an animals life; not to say that I don't understand where my food comes from or have a problem with people who hunt for food, just didn't think I could do the deed myself.

That being said, I've been hungering for venison and starting to think I should at least try it and see.

Basically what I'm looking for is tips/help/guidance from beginning to end :doh:

I would want to field dress and possibly process my own deer, I believe if I do something I do it all the way.

I have some people I could ask, my mom's side of the family are all AVID hunters. One retired at 50 to travel the world big game hunting, another occasionally writes for Field and Stream, etc... Problem is I haven't talked to any of them in years so I'd feel bad approaching them for this, plus they live in Vermont.

Summary

Sorry for the long post... basically... anybody got tips for a new hunter?
 

Oklahomabassin

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I wish I could be of more assistance right now, but there are some videos out there on you tube and for purchase of processing deer. I would definitely select a rifle or .25 to .30 caliber and practice shooting. Proper shot placement is key to a good quick kill. If you can find somebody in the tulsa area to go with during scouting and hunting, first hand experience will definitely be better than all the reading you can do.
 

tulsanewb

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I should have mentioned if I buy a rifle it will probably be a Savage 111 7mm Rem Mag. I know it's overkill for Oklahoma deer, but I want an all-purpose rifle, and I spend time in Vermont where the critters get a bit bigger :) and if I do start I'd want to be able to use it up there as well.

I know it's not the greatest rifle, but I think for what I can afford right now it's the best.
 

saddlebum

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a 30-06 or 308 would be more of an all purpose rifle. cheaper to shoot with less recoil and muzzle blast. having a good place to hunt is key. i hunted public for five years without ever killing a deer. started leaseing or hunting private family land and have killed atleast 1 a year for the last 30 years.

and there is nothing wrong with a savage rifle,they may not be the prettiest but they are built tough and they shoot straight.
 

A.J.

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I agree with Saddlebum. I have owned (and own) rifles in many different calibers. My two main rifles now is a Marlin 45-70 that can kill anything on this planet, and my main "meat" rifle, a Tikka stainless 30-06. I use to own a Sako 300 Mag, but the thing was just too heavy to tote around. My Tikka weighs just a skosh over 6 pounds, and is guaranteed under an inch accuracy at 100 yards. I have a multiple reticle Pentax scope on it, making it an honest 500+ yard rifle. I like the 30-06 because with the right premium ammuniton, you can hunt just about anything on this continent (although I wouldn't recommend Griz). With just about any cheap ammo you can hunt deer. The 'ought six' kicks less than the 7 mag, and the ammo is common, plentiful no matter where you travel, and substantially cheaper than the 7 mag ammo. If you'll look at the Tikka Lite series of rifles, you'll be surprised at not only the quality, but the low price as well. BTW...processing a deer is a LOT of work made even harder when you're learning as you go. Just be careful not to bite off more than you can chew, get frustrated, and chuck the whole deer hunting idea. We need as many new hunters as we can get...And join the NRA.
 

DeerCreek

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You should study the hunting regulations for the state of Oklahoma. They are available on the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife website. You can also benefit from the information in a hunter safety course.
 

dlbleak

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tulsnewb,sounds like you have some contacts in the "outdoor" world.you'll find that hunters will help anyone get into the field to enjoy what they do.i say call those relatives and tell them your plans.you'll accomplish two things by staying in touch with lost those lost family members.good luck.got a feeling its going to be a good year!
 

dennishoddy

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Starting out, I would select the rifle that I want to shoot. That would be the rifle that didn't give a flinch, because its too much gun.
Pretty much all rifles are accurate in the calibers they are sold in, for the 9" kill zone of a deer.
I've taken deer with 22-250, up to 30-06.

#1 thing is having a bullet designed to take the targeted animal. You don't want a varmint round on deer, and you don't want a deer round on varmints.

Find a web site that shows the anatomy of a deer. Typically you want a perfect shot just behind the front legs that will take out both lungs, but if the shot presented is a quartering away, or quartering towards, you need to understand the anatomy of a deer to know how to shoot. There is even a shot called the "Texas Heart Shot" that says put one in their backside just below the tail as they are walking away from you that will put them down instantly. Do it wrong, and you'll get your deer, but it will be a mess.

MOST IMPORTANT! When you get your first deer, and you field dress it, get it to your vehicle as soon as possible, get to a place where they sell Ice, and get the meat cooled down as soon as possible. Cover it in ice if possible. A couple of bucks of ice can stop a spoiled deer that will turn people off of eating venison, into people that will eat it because of its healthy qualities.

I don't know if your looking at private land or public.
Private land, you have to find areas that show signs of deer habitation. You would be looking for old rubs this time of year, or fresh rubs when the deer are rubbing the velvet off their antlers, and marking their territories. If you find a large tree with a huge area where the bark is rubbed off, this may be a "marker rub" that deer put on the same tree year after year.

Private land, try to find trails that lead to feeding areas. In my opinion, I never set on the food areas, choosing to sit 100 yds or so back in the cover as the big buck almost never come into feeding areas until after dark. They will stage back in the woods/cover waiting until dark.

Public land, I can't tell you a whole lot about it as I never hunt public unless its a controlled hunt.
What I can tell you is that most people on public never go much further than 100 yds or so from their vehicle to set up, and after an hour or so sitting they want to get up and try to walk one up. If you start out real early, and go further into the woods, sometimes they will drive the deer to you.

In either case, public or private, my personal choice is to find a creek. I try to find a place where the woods thin out, which funnels the deer into a smaller area. Try to find a creek crossing with a nice tree to put a stand into or hunt downwind in a ground blind.

Remember the wind. I've seen deer spook a hundred yds away from smelling a hunter.

Any more questions, fire away. Been going after deer for almost 30 yrs now. If there are any mistakes to make.....I've done them all.:D
 

hunterdeere

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Another thing I would recommend is just get out in the woods and have fun. If you know where you are going to hunt, start getting out there and learn the lay of the land. You will learn about the habits and characteristics of the deer. They will change their habits a lot between now and hunting season, but some of my most cherished memories are when I was scouting deer for hunting, not always the hunting. There is not much neater that getting out and watching wildlife in their undisturbed habitat!! :thumbup3:
 

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