Deer Hunting Tips & Information Sharing

[ez bake]

If you're interested in good Duck hunting spots - check out the Wetland Development Units in the interactive maps located on wildlifedepartment.com - they're a good place to start and learn the basics - you can get to talking to the locals about where to hunt, but most Duck hunters won't tell about their honey holes - but deer hunters will tell on Duck hunters all day (and visa versa ).

 

[Bantam510]

I'm going deer hunting this weekend and I am looking for inputs on good public lands close ot OKC. I'm thinking about going to Heyburn WMA, but not sure where to begin after that. Also this is my first time deer hunting. Any inputs would be helpful.

 

[Stillhunter]

I self-started on deer around 2001 when I was still in college, and lucky to spare 125 bucks for a bow so I will say this.

In oklahoma, for deer, if you are just starting out, forget the rifle season unless someone has granted you access to some private land.

Get a bow, maybe one hang on treestand, and head for any number of our public lands that support archery hunting. In the archery season, I found the hunting pressure to be very reasonable, even on Saturdays in the early season. There are few if any trophy bucks, but deer numbers are large. I've had many opportunities to connect with an arrow on public land.

Archery was an easy thing to self teach, modern compound bows are very user-friendly. I could practice in the backyard of my house anytime I had the time.

The other thing you need to do, is make friends with other hunters, network. Have someone to go with. Get together for practice, then go up and camp together while you hunt.

All of my really good hunting opportunities come from having alot of friends that hunt. They invite me do things I wouldn't do on my own. And I invite them to partake in opportunities that come my way. For example, while still in college, I took a few of my friends dove hunting and then later duck hunting on my grandparent's land. Later, someone gave them some acess to some land near our college town for small game hunting and I to come along several times. Even now, my friends and I benefit from the network. I recruited some of my friends for an anual pheasant hunt in the panhandle and a friend from Louisiana brought a friend of his who I really got along with. Now this man has extended an invite to duck hunt with him down in Louisiana.

I'm not talking about freeloading hunts off of sugar daddies. I mean that when you have friends that you like to hunt with, you desire to share opportunities that come your way with them and vice-versa.

Say you don't hunt yet and don't have friends that do, just start bow hunting or duck hunting public land to the best of your ability and it won't be long before you have a slew of friends that hunt. And, if your hunting friends are also just starting out thats even better.

 

[30BulletHoles]

I self-started on deer around 2001 when I was still in college, and lucky to spare 125 bucks for a bow so I will say this.

In oklahoma, for deer, if you are just starting out, forget the rifle season unless someone has granted you access to some private land.

I disagree with this because archery hunting is so much more involved than rifle season. There is a reason that archery last 3 months and rifle season lasts two weeks. Rifle hunting is easier for a novice because you don't have to know as much about deer behavior or hunter behavior (stealth and scent control) to be successful. BTW +1 on the rest of the post.

 

[Stillhunter]

I disagree with this because archery hunting is so much more involved than rifle season. There is a reason that archery last 3 months and rifle season lasts two weeks. Rifle hunting is easier for a novice because you don't have to know as much about deer behavior or hunter behavior (stealth and scent control) to be successful. BTW +1 on the rest of the post.

I aggree, the best way for a guy to start out would be with a rifle, in a spot where he's likely to see some deer. He'd more likely get some meat on the ground and be hooked for life, instantly.

Yes, its more involved, more commitment to learning deer behavior and developing skill is needed. But if its acess to hunting land that is the biggest problem for a beginner, then going the archery route helps with that. And having a season from October to January is just more time to learn how deer act and how to act in the deer woods.

One thing is for sure, they aint going to learn anything from watching guys bag BandC bucks with monotonous regularity on the Sunday morning outdoor shows.

 

[_CY_]

for a beginner, odds of taking home a deer is much greater with a rifle then with a bow.

totally agree with above post that bringing home a deer is what hooks ya... for most bow hunters, shots are taken within 45 yd range vs a rifle can bring down any deer if you can get a clear shot.

for the same reasons, safety is WAY more important during rifle season. especially on public lands. some idiot you don't know could get desperate enough to shoot at anything that moves.

Wear Safety ORANGE top to bottom, don't wear ANY deer colors. especially white.

sure there are a few good public spots... for obvious reasons, unlikely anyone will share on a public forum.

 

[white92coupe]

I'm new to Hunting, and am looking for someone to possibly go hunting with probably on public land. Interested in hunting anything really, deer, hog, varmints. Have limited expertise, but a pretty good shooter, and limited weapons to choose from. 7.62x54 MN, and a Single shot .22 LR.

I can't help you out by telling you any public land spots to hunt, but like others have said go farther than a 1/4 mile or so and you should lose a good part of the hunters. Many hunters don't like to walk very far and will hunt close to roads. I would be willing to meet you and tell you what I know sometime when I'm not working. If you get a bow I will also teach you what I know about bow hunting. (even though I'm still pretty new to it, I've learned a lot by asking an insane amount of questions.) PM me if you would like to meet up sometime. I live in Norman while I'm going to school.

Matt

 

[KBostian]

We are trying to establish a set of articles and how-to videos for beginning deer hunters at the Tulsa World. I think we have a decent start, between articles and videos this year and last. We're working on consolidating this year's videos into an interactive map that should be up soon. For now you can check out the video series and stories by looking for Deer Hunting 101 items on my page posted this week and searching the site for the same title to find stuff from last season. The best item last year was the story and video on how to score your buck:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/outdoors

 

[ruckerduck]

Welcome to the site Kelly. I enjoy your articles. What do you think about our hunting opportunities in OK compared to Alaska?

 

[dennishoddy]

We are trying to establish a set of articles and how-to videos for beginning deer hunters at the Tulsa World. I think we have a decent start, between articles and videos this year and last. We're working on consolidating this year's videos into an interactive map that should be up soon. For now you can check out the video series and stories by looking for Deer Hunting 101 items on my page posted this week and searching the site for the same title to find stuff from last season. The best item last year was the story and video on how to score your buck:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/outdoors

Here is another welcome to the forum. I'll check out your link