Successful Deer Hunting tips?

[Realtree]

Just wondering what people have had the most success with in their deer hunting around the state.

Do you; make mock scrapes, put out scent wicks, rattle, call (what type of call has worked best for your hunts), or any other things you have tried with any kind of success.

Also, what time of the hunting season has this worked best for you? Pre-rut, early rut, mid rut, late season.

Thanks for taking the time to share...Outdoors_Realtree

[schwinger]

The only thing that seems to work for me with any consistency is to fall asleep in your stand  apparently you omit some very friendly odor when you are sleeping and the deer come running.

[DaveO]

Is what works for me is to walk away from my stand put my gun down and take a pee

[schwinger]

Other than the above proven methods I don't do anything out of the norm. I used to bow hunt but only rifle hunt now and usually just keep it simple. I just look for sign, a heavily used trail system or path with numerous scapes on it. I have tried using some of the scents but with no success. Other than that contrary to what most people say about being in you stand very early and very late I actually see more deer between 10:00 and 2:00 than any other time of the day. Alot of people coming and going for lunch usually kicks up deer, but then again I am not usually in my stand very early and very late  . I basicaly try not to complicate things just keep it simple and enjoyable.

[Realtree]

The only thing that seems to work for me with any consistency is to fall asleep in your stand  apparently you omit some very friendly odor when you are sleeping and the deer come running.

Is what works for me is to walk away from my stand put my gun down and take a pee

Yep, I have used both of those techniques several times with great success. ha ha. I have also tried scent wicks with not much noticeable success versus not using them.

I hunt south central MN and have found that 730-10am and 330-430 seem to be the hottest movement times in my area. We normally just sit and let the deer come to us as we have a pretty large herd in our woods most years that move around to avoid larger hunting parties that hunt other parts of the woods bordering us. Those other parties usually are driving them which normally brings them right to us.

[Mayfly]

Is what works for me is to walk away from my stand put my gun down and take a pee

Are you going to be at the deer classic this weekend giving demonstrations and seminars on this technique??


Honestly though, I think before you start using all the products that are marketed to us rule no. 1 is pre-season scouting!!

Find active deer trails and activity and you seldom will go wrong as long as you are patient and stick with an area or spot. Those deer have to move sometime!

Also scent control is important! Try to conceal your scent as much as possible especially going in and out.

Stick with the basics and your sure to bag a deer

[Realtree]

That is great advice Mayfly.

[buckrub]

  PLAY THE WIND!!!!!

[Realtree]

The one big thing that I did when I first started hunting was exactly what Mayfly touched on; scent control. Make sure you keep your hunting clothes either seperated from your normal everyday clothes in scent lock bags, or wash them and hang them out in the garage or outside for at least a week or so before hunting. Cover scent laundry soap can help in this area.

The other thing I did when starting out was to put fox pee scent on my boots to help cover my scent walking in. Other than that, keep it simple until you have some basics to go off of before adding new "tricks". This way you will have a history to compare it to-to see if your new found trick is helping or hurting your hunt compared to previous hunts.

Anyone else have anything they do for deer hunting that has helped them out?