Any tips for first time hunter?

[Moving2thecountry]

I am going to be hunting muzzleloader on some private land of a friend, on a river.  He says he sees deer cross his land everyday.  It sounds like it will be easy, says I could even shoot from his deck, though I plan to put up a deer stand the day before.

Any tips for a first time deer hunter?  Aside from be quite? 

I am using a stand with a 16' stick lader I bought at Menards ($60 total).  How far from a trail should I place it? 

What sort of deer call should I get, if any?  Will the deer still be in rut in northern Minnesota?  Will "the can" still be effective?  Or something else?

I am not looking for a trophy, just some good eating.  I really don't have the money or the room in the house for a mount anyway, though if I see a giant, I may take it anyway and ask for my wife's forgiveness later.

[Cody Gruchow]

i dont know if the deer up there are still in the rut or not. im assuming they are, because there is still post rut. when certain does didnt get bred so they come back into heat again. be quite and still, use your eyes to pick out the smallest detail and look for even a twitch of the deers ear if they in the brush. if you hear a noise behind you dont turn around just move your head that way slowly. use your eyes to scan the area rather than moving your head back and forth. "cans" can be effective but dont over use it. if you found a really well used trail set-up just off of it like 20 yards and make sure you still have shooting lanes, no branches in your way. good luck if the property dont get much pressure then im sure your going to be in for a treat.

[Moving2thecountry]

Thanks cody.  Do you think I need any scent kill?  Should I hang my outerwear outdoors now?  Should I put them in the smoke of a bon fire?

[Cody Gruchow]

i always use scent killer but im a bit of a freak when it comes to that, just because i like getting so close to the deer that i can practically jump from my stand onto there backs. i would let your hunting clothes hang outside for a few days and spray it down with scent killer. but if it rain or snows dont let it hang there because the colors will fade. did that one time and wasnt to happy. it all comes down to how much human contact the deer have had. did anyone rifle hunt that property?

[Moving2thecountry]

Nobody was supposed to hunt the property but if there were any hunters tresspassing they would have gone undetected this year.  Also, one of his neighbors doesn't hunt, the other does from from time to time but he doesn't know if they were out this year.  In general, he does hear gun shots during deer hunting season but the property owner is not a hunter. 

There are some public opportunities to hunt in the area.  How many days should I give the land before I give up and go look for a different landscape?

As for scent killer, a friend of mine just gave me a recipe using distilled water, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda.  He says mix 3 quarts of water with one quart of hydrogen peroxide and 1 pound of baking soda, let sit in a bucket for 2 days, and then mist on to outerwear.  I am leary about the peroxide bleaching, though.  I think maybe the baking soda neutralizes it. 

Anybody heard of such a recipe?

[beeker]

you can buy scent cover pretty cheap why mess with making your own? just be patient, don't force a bad shot. also calm and cool gets the deer. after you shoot it watch where it goes and give it time to die, or you'll push that thing and never find it.

watch for deals after the season most chain stores will mark everything down and you can stock up for next year...

[Moving2thecountry]

Okay, so I bought some scent away, soap, and scent masking laudary detergant.  I'm felling more like a smuck.

So, should I use deer call this late in the season, or do what this guy does:  [youtube]U8QzVkQ5otQ[/youtube].

[stevejedlenski]

haha i do what the guy in the video does. calls rarely work for me and being that your new, i would focus on just being patient and trying to sit as long as you can. the other guys on here had great advice, and when you have your stuff outside and it starts to rain just put them in a plastic tub that has been left outside as well or if you dont have one put them in the garage as close to the door as possible. and go easy on the scent killer this time of year if you put on too much you may get cold early, it can let the wind through the fabric alot easier. also it sounds like you have a good piece of land and i would give it some time before going public, public just isnt as good