How to Hunt Deer in Hardwoods
- 1). Choose a gun that is short-barreled and easy to maneuver in the kind brush that often grows up with hardwoods. Most of your shots will be close; select a caliber made for close-range shooting, such as a 30.30 or .308, rather than a caliber more suited for long ranges, like a .270. A shotgun bored for slugs is also a good choice.
- 2). Stalk through the trees using a method known as "still hunting," where the hunter moves slowly and quietly among the forest, searching in all directions for deer. Move a few feet at a time, then stop, look, and listen for movement in the leaves and brush. Take your time and cover the area thoroughly.
This method is useful during the time of the year when the trees still have their leaves and deer are difficult to spot from far away, or during the winter, when the ground is wet or covered with snow and your footsteps will be muffled. - 3). Either just before daylight or two hours before dark, take a stand and watch for deer moving to and from their beds and feeding grounds. Select a place to sit or stand where you can see for a good distance, preferably in several directions. Remain perfectly still and watch for deer to come to you.
- 4). Sit on a hill overlooking open meadows, fields, or logged-over land and study the area through binoculars. Move the binoculars slowly, covering every foot of your surroundings. You are looking for deer off in the distance. If you spot one that is out of your range, move in closer.
- 5). Build a tree stand in a tree that provides a view of a wide area of open country, or put your stand in a tree over well-used deer trails. Watch from above for any movement among the trees.
This method is popular in the Midwest and in the eastern states. It is also a good option for hunting when the forest floor is covered with still-dry, freshly fallen leaves that make it impossible to take a step without causing a crackly racket and scaring the deer away.
Tree stands work whether the leaves are on or off the trees, though you'll be able to see farther when they're off. You can build your own stand out of lumber or purchase one and set it up in the trees.
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