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- 12
-
- Notes:
- ----------
- Plan your hunt with the "Deer Expert" - get latest version
- Check weather conditions as hunt approaches to make sure you have
- a good plan and the right equipment - have lakes frozen?
- Put gun deer season on work vacation schedule
- Get up to hunting area early for pre-hunt scouting
- Reserve hunting lodge early
- Get deer license early and send in doe/extra deer permit in time
- Eat a more high carbohydrate meal the night before; easy on the
- heavy steaks
- Go to spring deer shows
-
- Make sure to sight in
- Use the right grain of bullet for proper expansion when you hit the deer
- Scout deer in off season
- Ask locals (farmsers,postman, deliverymen, etc) where they see big bucks
- or other deer
- Call outfitters, sporting goods store owners, taxidermists, hunting
- clubs, wardens, biologists, and forest managers to see where good
- deer hunting and big bucks are.
- Check all equipment ahead of time for proper working condition -
- especially check tree stands and safety harnesses
- Review deer cleaning procedure
- Make map of stand locations for different wind directions and approaches
- Sign up yourself and kids for hunter education and safety courses
- Use orange marking tape to mark areas where you find blood sign
- from a wounded deer so you can find them as you search or find the
- sign perhaps the next day. Remember to take these down when you
- find the deer and return.
- Sometimes a whistle will cause a running buck to stop.
-
- Shooting notes:
-
- When standing or with other techniques use some sort of rest - a branch,
- rock, ground, pack, tree - to get a steady, supported shot when possible -
- especially at longer distances. A sitting position with elbows on knee
- may also work. Set up a bipod from a forked branch if you can.
-
- (For a right handed shooter) - pull rifle butt securely
- into right shoulder with right hand. Left hand supports rifle weight and
- helps aiming. Do not grip to tightly - this causes less control.
- Press cheek firmly to stock. Take a deep breath, exhale part of it,
- keep remaining breath in lungs as you sight in so that breathing does
- not cause sight picture to wobble, squeeze off shot when satisfied with
- the sight picture. When you hold breath for extended seconds, it increases
- your heart beat causing wobbling. Squeeze the trigger smoothly without
- jerking.
-
- If possible get your shot ready and shoot when deer cannot see you or is
- looking away from you. The deer will not hear you take the safety off
- when you are downwind.
-
- Best shot when deer is broadside to you:
- Aim at deer just behind the front shoulder (up and a little right of the
- front leg of the deer). This gives you a fatal lung shot which is
- quick and merciful on the deer with no lost meat and a larger margin
- for success on the shot.
-
- When deer faces you, shoot for where neck joins body.
-
- When deer angles away from you place shot so it will eventually get
- into the lung area. e.g. when quartering away from you, shoot behind
- rib cage so bullet will go into lung area as it travels through the deer.
- This depends also on the speed of the animal.
-
- Shoot when deer stands still when possible. Lead deer more when they
- run faster; less or not at all when they move slowly.
-
- Practice allows you to master these techniques. At least practice them
- when you sight in. You can also practice the breathing technique
- before hand.
-
- You may want to simulate shooting beforehand at a minimum to get the
- feel of how to properly shoot and as a warm up exercise.
-
- Shoot only at a distance you have some confidence at.
-
- ** In freezing weather be careful of bolt "freezing" when shooting
- causing misfires. Dry bolt and firing pin (in addition to
- barrel) before going out. This prevents oil from acting like
- molasses and slowing bolt which requires a certain speed to
- cause ignition of the round. Also be careful of condensation
- caused by going from warm cabin or car to outside. Keep rifle
- in trunk during season.
-
- Added magnification on a scope may exagerate wobble