Deer are the hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae, one of the healthiest animal protein sources. Deer Hunting is a unique experience whether or not you bag a big one.

“To hunt successfully, you must know your ground, your pack and your quarry.” __K. J. PARKER

So, to increase your chances of success, you must consider some essential pointers for your deer hunting adventure. 

This article will help and guide you about

• Preparation before the hunt

• Necessary steps during the hunt

• How to make the perfect shot

• After the hunt

Preparation Before the Hunt:

The following steps will help you to get ready for the adventure

• Learn the laws and get your necessary permit

• Take some proper equipment

• Learn how to dress properly

• Find the best location to hunt

• Bait your area

Learn the Laws and Get your Necessary Permit:

Visit your local law enforcement office and apply for the permit you need for bow hunting or shot hunting accordingly. A permit should cost anywhere from $40 to $200, depending on your location. Do what is required of you to obtain a firearm, as it is the most popular form of hunting deer.

Take Some Proper Equipment:

Aside from your weapon, you're going to need some equipment essentials when you go on your hunt. These can change according to your personal preferences.

• Binoculars:

• Rangefinder:

• Fanny Pack:

Your fanny pack must have the essentials for hunting as a bug repellent, compass, lighter, flashlight, knife, small first-aid kit, etc.

Learn how to Dress Properly:

“You can have anything in life if you dress for it” –Edith Head  

Your dressing is more important than you think; while dealing with other hunters trying to blend in, sitting for long periods, what you decide to wear is a crucial decision.   

• Camouflage: 

• Orange:

Deer can not see orange color well. Check state regulations for how much orange you need to wear.

Find the Best Location to Hunt:

• Here are some pointers on where to look for deer:

• Bigger bucks tend to bed and rest in shady, thick creek bottoms.

• Choose the old swampland, dense cedar thickets, most inhospitable places.

The places where men are most unlikely to tread. Such sites are best to find deer.

Bait your Area:

If you have your private land for hunting, it is preferable to plant a food plot and bait your area correctly. Baiting is an excellent idea to attract the deer, deer particularly like

• Apples

• Sugar beets

• Carrots

• Mineral licks

• Corn

Many states won't let you hunt within  300 yards (274.3 m)  of bait so stop baiting a week or ten before hunting.

Necessary Steps during the Hunt:

You should take the following steps

• Keep in contact with your family

• Entice the deer

• Conceal your odor

• Observe signs in the woods

Keep in Contact with your Family:

Hunting is enjoyable and memorable with responsible friends and family, if you want to enjoy hunting alone, then you must keep a fully charged extra battery with you and must stay in contact with your family and must follow the time to return that you have already decided.

Entice the Deer:

Seasoned hunters use myriad techniques to lure the deer over their waiting area. You can try more options as

• Doe estrus scent:

• Use deer calls:

• Rattling antlers in the early season:

Rattling antlers send signals that other bucks are dueling; use this to lure the bucks from far away.

Conceal your odor:

Deer have a unique smell and hearing sense, so use cover scents to conceal your odor. Masking your odor is a good sign that you are going to make a perfect shot. Suppose you do not have a cover scent, use  “baking soda”  instead. Baking soda is a cheap scent cover for all manner of hunters. Mix it with your soap and have a bath before you leave for hunting.

Observe the Signs in Woods:

Rubs, game trailers, scrapes are signs of deer frequenting a particular area. Choose your location within the shooting range from the signs.

How to make the Perfect Shot:

To get the perfect shot you must

• Be patient

• Don’t make any movement

• Stand up as soon as you get the chance

• Aim the neck shoulder or brain

Be Patient:

"Patience is the first weapon you need for hunting."__Pritam

After you are done with the preparations described earlier, the only thing left to do is wait for the deer.

Don't take a far-off shot; shooting to kill is a lot easier when your deer is within  20  or  30 yards (18.3 or 27.4 m).

Don't Make any Movement:

It is important to stay quiet and still as much possible as you can; otherwise, you risk spooking the deer. Your quietness also depends upon the kind of weapon you are using.

• If using a bow and arrow, be very methodical when you load your arrow in the draw.
  

• If using a gun or crossbow, have your weapon fully loaded with the safety on.
  

Stand up as soon as You Get the Chance:

Try to stand up when the deer is not getting close enough, but be careful if you are late, you may spook the deer.

Keep in mind that shooting in standing position is very unstable so try to shoot in sitting and kneeling position.

Aim the Shoulder, Neck or Brain:

Place your shot  6 inches (15.2 cm) up from the chest, right behind the front leg it will help to kill the deer humanely. You can also aim at the neck and brain.

After The Hunt:

After you hunt the deer you may

• Inspect the blood spots

• Follow the blood trails

• When you find make sure deer is dead

• Learn how to field dress a deer properly

Inspect the Blood Spots:

As a responsible and professional hunter, you must know how to kill deer, and it is your most important duty to hunt humanely; look at the blood on the ground to know what kind of a shot you make

• If the blood is pink with brown hair, then it means you've probably hit the heart or lung, so the deer is somewhere close.

• If the blood is thin with white hair, you shot in the stomach, and you probably missed the one-shot kill, follow the blood trail and deliver another kill shot to eliminate it humanely.

• If the blood is dark red with brown hair, you've probably hit the deer in the liver.
  

Follow the Blood Trail:

Follow the Blood trail it takes you to your deer

• Use fluorescent light; it will make your job easy, especially at dawn and dusk.

• In a spray bottle, use hydrogen peroxide and mist it on the ground; it will foam the blood and help you to follow the trail.

When you Find make Sure Deer is Dead:

Make sure the deer is dead so you may easily drag it out of the woods with your friend.

Learn how to Field Dress a deer properly:

You can master it with practice and experience, as handling meat in the field is a craft you can’t learn it from the directions. Try to find an experienced hunting partner, and make your hunting trip memorable.