-Don’t push the property. You’re much better off letting the deer feel at ease and move around on their own.
-Pac boots +1 your normal size, wear heavy socks over light socks.
-Practice shooting when you are dressed up like the Michelin Man. Practice shooting at a target from a stand/blind before trying on an animal.
-If you hunt a stand, make it comfortable. Seat cushion, back rest, wind break, roof, weapon and pack hooks, etc. Invest in a decent fall arrest system. Have a rope to hoist your gear and weapon up, after you climb up.
-Don’t be shy about cutting generous shooting lanes
-I like to bring binos and bird and squirrel watch, helps pass the time. Also, play a game of trying to identify every little sound in the woods. Or small game tips to try and arrow a squirrel…extra challenge to try and hit one on the ground - they usually jump the string.
-Set a couple game cams in alternate stand spots to keep tabs on deer movement in places you can’t see from your stand.
-The odds of seeing a deer are high…if you set up in the right location. I like to set up between doe feeding and bedding areas. Does are creatures of habit and tend to walk the same route day after day. I like to hug the bedding areas and catch them in staging areas. They often stage just inside cover, and then venture out in the open after dark.
-Staying warm is doable. I wear a heavy puffy over a light puffy, puffy pants, fur hat, chopper mittens with thin liners and hand warmers. I’m good to about -10, as long as I’m out of the wind. My nose runs, but I bring Vaseline and a handkerchief.
I’m a dark to dark sit hunter, but most people can’t stand the boredom. If you do get down and take a break, 10 AM to 3 PM is a good window. The first 3 hours of light and the last 1 hour of light have the most movement during the rut.
