Hunting season is a good reason to get up early, which doesn’t involve the stress of work. There’s nothing like the battle of wits against some cunning prey and bagging a huge buck filling you with pride and venison like nothing else.
Maximizing Your Hunting Sessions
However, hunting season also brings more than its fair share of missed shots as well as hunting-related injuries and accidents. So here are some of the best tips for going home with a big grin and not rushed to the hospital:
1. Know The Laws
Before planning a weekend of hunting, you need to know first your state’s laws. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has specific guidelines for hunters and hunting and provides links for comprehensive information on hunting laws of every state.
Specifically, you want to know these things:
- Do you need a license?
- Do you need to wear hunter orange?
- Where can you hunt?
- What weapon can you use?
Abiding by the law is important to ensure you’re hunting legally. In this way, you’d be able to conduct the activity without worrying about certain protocols.
2. Maintain Your Gear
Find a successful hunter and you’ll find someone highly proficient and familiar with the equipment they use. You don’t want to spot a huge deer and let it escape just because of a minor malfunction. Any highly successful hunters don’t believe in luck as they work hard to prevent misfortunes. And it starts with the familiarity and proficiency in the hunting gears.
A highly effective and successful hunter knows the ins and outs of their gear and is highly proficient with everything they use. Most of the time, there are no missed shots just because their FN pistols and other equipment are off. They don’t miss a leaping opportunity just because they were a minute late getting on their stand since they couldn’t find their release.
Old gone hunting sign on green doors.
3. Familiarize Yourself On The Hunting Location
If possible, you need to be familiar with the land where you’re hunting before conducting your session. Whether you’re hunting on public lands or get the opportunity to hunt a piece of private property, you need to take the time to understand and learn about the location where you’ll hunt.
Are you familiar with the water sources and feeding areas? Do you know where your prey typically beds down? By understanding the land, you’ll know where to wait and get the highest chance of a kill.
Another benefit is it also allows you to prepare. You can clear paths and remove impassable obstacles hindering your hunting adventure. There’s nothing worse than traveling to your preferred spot only to be stopped by a fallen tree.
Cruising the property you’ll be hunting on and ensuring the trails and roads are clear can create fewer headaches and problems when it’s time to hunt. In this way, you’d be able to maximize the limited time you have.
4. Scent Control
Never underestimate the importance of scent control when hunting deer. Their noses are highly sensitive defense systems, alerting them to predators which include you. And while you may practice good hygiene, for a deer like a whitetail, you’d stink and it’d spook them.
Fortunately, there are a variety of products allowing hunters to stay hygienic without scaring away their prey. Consider showering with a fragrance-free soap before your hunting trip. Also, keep your clothes sealed in a bag or plastic container with leaves. This helps your clothing to take on natural scents from your hunting location.
5. Take An Ethical Shot
Whether with a gun or a bow, taking an ethical shot on your prey is a crucial part of being a successful and responsible hunter. The definition of ‘ethical shot’ has been hotly debated for years, but it stands for the quickest and cleanest kill possible. This requires patience, practice, and the ability to pass up a shot that’s not ideal. It’s part of being a highly disciplined hunter.
Will you always get a quick and clean kill? Probably not, particularly if you’re an amateur or bowhunting. Still, you can always learn from experience. Also, when you made your shot, make sure to watch your prey for as long as possible and quickly find it. Even if you’re bowhunting and using some lighting nocks, the arrow could break off before the prey expires.
Regardless, do your best to learn from your experience and from others to make the most ethical shot possible.
Conclusion
With hunting season now in full swing, the woods are full of overly excited yet anxious hunters stalking and waiting for an opportune moment to take a shot at their prey. Hunting season is truly an exhilarating time for the outdoor enthusiast. And with the tips mentioned, you’d be able to snap a photo wearing a prideful grin and a hard-earned kill on your hands.