EP13 Starting Equipment For Deer Hunting

Show Notes:

You can get started hunting deer with very little equipment and spending very little money.  The biggest thing to account for is the weather, colder weather will mean more total gear is needed to stay out for long periods of time. There is a big misconception that you need all professional camo gear to hunt with. That just isn’t true.

What you need is gear that is warm enough, offers some concealment, and will enable you to start hunting so you can get some experience and see what kinds of gear you want to invest in down the road. On this episode we talk about the bare essentials, and give some modest recommendations for cost saving entry level items.

The below specific gear recommendations are items that I feel are worth investing in right off the bat. For instance, you don’t need to spend $500 on a top of the line blaze orange coat, you can get whatever warm neutral colored coat you already have or can get at a thrift store and then toss a nice $30 blaze orange camo vest on top of it and you are in good shape.  You can also get by with cheap or existing boots if you have good socks and some warmers to add to them, and if you can stay dry.

Specific Gear Recommendations Mentioned On The Show

General Gear Items To Remember

  • Warm Bootsashlight
  • Camo, Black, or Neutral Pants
  • Camo, Black, or Neutral Coat
  • Sharp Knife
  • Water and Snacks
  • Pen and String
  • Umbrella or rain gear
  • Ziploc Bags, Garbage Bag, Paper Towels
  • First Aid Kit, Including safety whistle and compass
  • Camo, Black, or Neutral Color Backpack

Don’t forget that deer do not see reds, oranges, and browns well or as threatening. Blue’s, violets, yellows and whites can stand out like bright glowing indicators. Never wear blue jeans, never wear white, and avoid anything that shows any of those colors whenever possible.

Staying in the shade, keeping still, and being quiet will do more for you than any fancy high priced gear.  Yes, quality gear can help you, but 100 years ago people were still enjoying white tailed deer hunts without the big ticket brands we have today. No matter what your budget is, you can have fun and be successful.

EP12 How To Scout For Deer | Scouting Basics

Show Notes:

Finding a good place to hunt deer may be the single most important thing you can do to be successful, second only to being stealthy.  For new hunters I recommend pursuing doe instead of bucks. The tactics are simpler, the chances of success are higher, and it is just an easier entry point. If you can take a buck, then great, but I would save that pursuit until after you get your feet wet if you are able.  In much of the country you can get a doe tag, and often doe season is less crowded, so the hunting is easier too.

Here are four approaches to scouting you can use to help you find a good place to get started.

Water – Find streams, lakes, pools, springs, or puddles that deer can drink from. Then walk those areas looking for sign, mainly footprints and droppings. When you find some density of deer tracks, you have identified a travel route or congregation point. That can give you clues about where to setup and start looking for vantage points.

Food – Deer like to graze in fields, on bushes, under oak trees, as well as under apple and other fruit and nut trees as well. Find areas that have food and search around them for sign.

Trails – If you are hiking and exploring an area you are likely to follow the paths of least resistance through the terrain, especially if it’s thick. Deer do the same thing. So as you are walking, regularly look down and you may be surprised how often you find yourself walking in the same place deer do.

Vantage Points – If you have limited options when it comes to hunting areas, you may have to start by looking for the best vantage points of where you could sit and safely take aim. If this is the case, then find the best vantage points available to you, and scout out your shooting lanes looking for sign. Then pick the best vantage point as your spot.

EP11 Why Hunt Deer? 4 Reasons To Get Started

Show Notes:

Deer hunting is a great place to start, they are one of the most hunted game animals in North America and for good reason. This episode is the first of a series dedicated to helping you get started or get better at hunting deer. Specifically we look at the reasons you might pursue deer hunting.

Here are four reasons why you might hunt deer:

An Iconic Game AnimalIn the United States there are few hunting pursuits more widespread and historically celebrated as deer hunting. It is an American past time, even children who do not hunt and are in non-hunting families are often intrigued by majestic white tails.  They are beautiful animals and a joy to hunt.

Good Sport – Deer are challenging and rewarding quarry, they are smart, instinctive, and cautious animals, designed to outsmart predators.  They can be a lot of fun to go after. And there are different levels. Taking a doe may be the easiest. Taking a buck can require more skill and strategy. Taking a mature or even a trophy level animal can be an advanced pursuit that even hunting masters do not tire of.

Culinary Delights – Deer are delicious, plain and simple. I have had venison that rivals the best filet mignon I’ve ever had. I’ve also had lousy deer meat. What you do as a hunter and a chef can greatly improve quality of the meat and the final product. If your first experience with venison isn’t great, don’t give up, it can be some of the best meat you’ve ever had.

They Are Around – Just being real, you can only hunt what lives in your hunting area. Deer cover the continent. Hunting skills you develop in your area can easily translate to deer hunts a thousand miles away. They can also translate into skills that are valuable for bigger game like elk and even moose.

As I mentioned in the show, Paul Harrell has an awesome YouTube channel with some great tips for deer hunting, hunting in general, and smart practical firearms use. Check it out here.

 

EP10 Private Land – Finding A Place To Hunt

Show Notes:

Everyone wants to hunt somewhere that no one else hunts and that the animals are undisturbed and grow big. Private land seems to be that ideal place.  Often it’s not as great as it sounds but there is no doubt that it is usually the best available option.  Getting permission to hunt on a nice parcel of private land can prove difficult.

On this episode we discuss 4 strategies that you can use to get access to private land:

  1. Talk with your game commission to see if they have a hunter access program that lists willing land owners.
  2. Use you maps or OnX Hunting App to find ideal places, scout them, and try to build relationships with the owners.
  3. Train your ears and be more thoughtful with your conversations to identify people you know or meet who could connect you.
  4. Do not overlook the small opportunities that you have not considered or wrote off before you knew better.

 

EP09 Public Land – Finding A Place To Hunt

Show Notes:

Finding a place to hunt can be one of the biggest challenges for people new to the sport. Public land provides some unique opportunities but also has some issues. However, if you know how to find it and how to use it, public land can be a major asset. 

When I first started hunting I did not know about all the public land close to me, I didn’t even know how to find out about it. I asked someone once and they told me about a place and the directions were essentially “east”.  It was maybe a year before I found a way to figure out where that land was. It was two or three years before I learned what was there and figured out how to make use of that land.  On today’s episode I will tell you how to get years worth of learning in minutes. No exaggeration! 

Key Take Aways:

  • You don’t need any permission to hunt on public land, and it’s free.
  • Public land tracks are often larger than private.
  • Public land has more hunting pressure and requires a strategy to use well.
  • You can find public land through the game commission, Google maps, and best of all a good hunting app.
  • OnX Hunt is a must have tool for every hunter, new and experienced. It saves so much time, energy, and confusion. There is no easier way to find and navigate public land. You can learn more at their site www.onxmaps.com

 

EP08 Hunting Licenses – Where To Start

Show Notes:

Getting your first hunting license is easy, if you know what you want to hunt. There are a lot of licenses, tags, and add-ons you can buy that can add up to a serious chunk of money and most new hunters have no use for all of them. In this episode we look at deciding what you want to hunt before you head to the store. 

Key Take Aways:

  • Think about the game in your area, what you want to hunt, have opportunity to hunt, and have equipment to hunt. Then buy only those tags.
  • You can always buy more tags later if the opportunity to hunt something comes up, but keep the cash in your pocket until it looks like you will actually be able to pursue that game.
  • Think about game that requires special tags, like antlerless deer, and handle those right away.
  • How to easily navigate the complex process of antlerless deer tags.
  • When in doubt, ask the game commission questions, they are often happy to help.

EP07 All About The Hunters Safety Course

Show Notes:

If there is one official hurdle to getting started in hunting it is the hunters safety course. The course isn’t hard, but figuring out how and where to take it, and what is the official course for your state can be more challenging that most people think, especially because lots of online education companies claim to be offering something that sounds like what you want. But they are not certified by the game commission in your state to give you the certificate you need to get your first hunting license. 

This episode will help you navigate the hurdles and get you or the person you are helping into the woods quickly and painlessly. Plus it will help you get the most out of the opportunity that taking this course provides, after all, you are in a room full of other hunters and future hunters, you can really benefit from the connections you make here.

Key Take Aways:

  • Always attend your safety course in person when possible, it’s a great opportunity to network, meet local hunters, and try to find information about where you can hunt.
  • Do not trust online hunters safety courses unless they are offered or recommended directly by your state game commission. When in doubt, call your state game commission to ask.
  • Visit this site for links to each state’s local government to search for your game commission’s page 
  • Visit here for the humane society’s list of most state’s game, fish, or conservation agencies. Be warned, it’s not 100% complete, but it will help most people.
  • Enjoy the class, it’s not hard, and it will help you think more about how to hunt and how to be safe and successful. 

EP06 The Worst Rifle For Deer Hunting

Show Notes:

What is the worst rifle for deer hunting? Well the answer differs some depending on your hunting situation but there are some common things to watch out for.  On this week’s episode I share my own personal experience with my “worst” hunting rifle and give some tips to help you avoid the same mistakes I made.

Here are some take aways:

  • A rifle that is too heavy will be hard to carry, hard to shoulder, and hard to be quite with.
  • A gun that is too long will be awkward and cumbersome, difficult to store and again hard to be quite with.
  • A firearm that has been heavily modified may loose some reliability and not function as consistently.
  • A rifle that does not complement your hunting situation will make things more difficult, for example a rifle setup for short range brush hunting will be hard to use well at long range, etc.
  • A gun that you are not familiar with and well trained with can be both a safety concern and something that is hard to use quickly when you need it.

And last but not least, here is a photo of the heavily modified and relatively ineffective Mosin Nagant 91/30 that I talked about in the show.

EP05 Should You Carry A Handgun While Hunting?

Show Notes:

This is a hotly debated topic but there are some simple, practical guidelines to help you get started and make smart decisions.

In this episode George shares about the 90% of the time you do not need to carry a handgun while hunting and the 90% of the time you certainly should carry a handgun while scouting.

The bottom line is safety and practicality. In some situations carrying a handgun ads to your safety and makes you feel safer which helps you to better enjoy your time in the woods, other times it is a liability and is just another thing to manage, not drop, and try to keep dry.

The answer to the debate could be different depending on how experienced the hunter is. Always try to honestly evaluate your skill level and needs.

Also, an important note, be sure to know and abide by your state’s carry laws. Some states require special permits, and some have special regulations. Also be careful to follow the regulations of your states game commission.

EP04 My Story Part 2 – From Non Hunter To Hunter

Show Notes:

After years of relentless research, first hand experience, reading book after book and article after article, talking with experts and attending seminars, and spending many days in the woods pursuing almost every type of game native to his state, he developed a practical well rounded hunting knowledge.  Perhaps even more important than hunting knowledge, he developed a strong appreciation for the outdoors and a desire for more people to share his passion of fresh air and captivating landscapes.

The New Hunters Guide is simply the podcast George wishes he would have had when learning how to hunt; a single place to get practical hands on knowledge about different kinds of hunting, affordable gear, and tips that can exponentially improve your comfort and fun factor in the woods.

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