Join the Challenge of the Wild: Hunt the Gray Ghost – Part 3

How does a man learn whitetail deer hunting if he did not grow up in a hunting culture?

Recently I was thinking about all the times I had conversations with men that never hunted. They would often express how they would like to start hunting “someday.” These thoughts inspired the writing of this series of articles.

If you have not read Parts 1 and 2 of this series, I recommend reading them to get the background and context to the article below. (Read: Join the Challenge of the Wild: Hunt the Gray Ghost – Part 1 and Read: Join the Challenge of the Wild: Hunt the Gray Ghost – Part 2)

The information included in this series is based upon my experience chasing after the gray ghosts of the North American wilderness. The intention is to give you a starting point for hunting these incredible animals. This is not intended to be a comprehensive plan. There are more aspects to each topic I could have included. But what I did include will give you an excellent foundation to start hunting whitetail deer.

As I have said before, I hope these articles will stir you to join the chase! Enjoy!

Getting Ready on Stand

Once you are on stand, check your equipment. Make sure you are ready. Make sure everything is operational. If gun hunting, make sure a round is in the chamber. Operate the safety off and on to make sure you know how to do this without making a noise.

Simulate taking a shot by pulling up on trees and rocks around your stand. Look through the scope of your rifle. If you have a variable scope, make sure it is on a lower setting. A lower setting gives you a wider field of view. This will make it easier to find your target when it is time to shoot. I recommend this because I have made this mistake.

Usually, when you sight in your rifle, you will adjust the scope to the highest power to draw in your target. After sighting in, it is easy to forget to change the scope back to a lower power setting. If this happens, when the buck shows up, it will be hard to find him in the scope. The higher power dramatically decreases the field of view. This difficulty can add to the adrenaline you must control to make the right decisions and take the shot.

When bowhunting, if you have a range finder, mark the range of objects around your stand. When a deer arrives, you automatically know where you need to hold for the shot. Again, practice pulling up and zeroing in on objects.

Mentally thinking through various scenarios will prepare you. This makes a difference in controlling the adrenaline when it is “go time.” You will be confident because you played it out in your mind several times.

As you simulate possible shots, listen to the noise you make. If, while moving into position, you make noise, address it now. When the moment of truth comes, you do not want to blow it by alerting the deer with some unexpected noise.

Shot Placement

Where are the whitetail deer vitals? How does your weapon influence where you can take a shot? What about the angle of your shot?

There are many ways to get to the vitals of a deer. This is best to think through ahead of time. The more scenarios you think through, the better the chances you will perform effectively when the adrenaline starts pumping. I would encourage you to do your research. There are many useful resources online to teach you about shot placement on whitetail deer.

Here are a few general thoughts. Understand the most effective kill shots. The front quarter of the deer (chest cavity) is where your shot must pass through. In this area are both the lungs and the heart. Typically a shot in either result in a quick kill and a high probability of success. If the deer takes a step with his front leg closest to you, this opens up the chest cavity. This is an excellent time to take the shot.

Understanding a deer’s anatomy, such as the vitals and bone structure (i.e., shoulder blade and bones), is essential. This enables you to make the right decisions regarding shot placement.

Think through the angles. Your weapon plays a big part in this decision. A rifle can get to the vitals much easier than a bow. A crossbow typically delivers more speed and impact than a compound bow. A compound bow typically has more speed, and impact than a recurve bow. Know your weapon, its capability, and your ability to shoot it.

If using a rifle, make sure you understand the rounds you are using. You want good expansion when they strike a target. Expansion makes them more lethal and results in a quick, humane kill.

Do not take a shot if you are unsure. You must have confidence you are going to hit the vitals and put the animal down. The way to confidence is practice. You need to know the capability of your weapon and your ability to hit the target. Never go beyond what you have demonstrated in practice. Respect the animal and only take shots that will get the job done quickly.

Understand that often deer will run when shot, even with a powerful rifle that hits the vitals. Many times they are operating on pure adrenaline. Do not be surprised by this, and be mentally prepared for it.

With a bow, this is the norm. When you make the shot and are confident of a good hit, mentally mark the place where you hit the deer. Look at all the landmarks around that area. Be aware, if you are in a tree when you get on the ground, things will look different. So it is crucial to make these mental pictures in your mind. Mark the distance with your range finder if you have one.

Now you must wait. If you made a rifle shot, your wait is typically not as long. With a good hit, 15-20 minutes is usually adequate in my experience. But if using a bow, I would say you need to wait at least 30 minutes. A pushed deer will travel a long distance, even with a good hit. Many hunters push deer and never recover them. Unfortunately, many of those deer eventually die. Exercise self-control and give them time.

When you go to the spot where you hit the deer, mark it somehow. Use a stick in the ground, pile up rocks, or do something to mark the site. Look for signs of a good hit such as blood, stirred up leaves, broken branches, etc.

Every so often, mark the places you find signs. If the deer stops bleeding or you get off the trail you will be able to backtrack to the last sign. Track quietly. You do not want to jump the deer and push it. Look ahead as you are tracking and take your time. Be ready to take another shot if needed.

When you see the deer, watch for movement before approaching. If no movement, then approach. Approach the backside rather than the leg side of the deer. If the deer still has some life, you do not want to get kicked. When close enough, poke the eye with the end of your rifle, an arrow, or a stick. If there is no movement, the deer is dead. Now you have work to do.

After the Kill

Again do your research and understand how to properly field dress a deer. Countless articles on the internet get into the details, so I will not cover step by step.

Over the years, I have done many things after the kill. I have strung deer in a tree and quartered them and packed them out. I have done the same on the ground. I have gutted and dragged deer to my vehicle and butchered them later. I have used four-wheelers or trucks to remove deer from the field. I have butchered them myself, and I have taken them to a butcher for processing.

No matter what your situation, plan for success. Have a plan that you have put some thought into. Know how you will get the deer out of the woods and processed. Think about what you will do if you shoot one just before dark. Do you have a light with good batteries? What about people waiting for you to return from hunting? Have you prepared them by telling them if you are successful, you will be late coming home? Have a plan.

Essential Equipment

There are several items you will need to get started hunting whitetails. Here are a few. Keep in mind many of these are dependent upon your hunting situation.

Know the safety orange requirements. This usually means you will need an orange hat and possibly an orange vest. You will need camo pattern bibs and a jacket. Think about the material. You want something that will withstand the weather in your area. It also needs to be quiet when you move. Some materials just should not be worn when hunting. They make too much noise when moving. Avoid these materials.

If you hunt in the cold, buying the right materials makes all the difference. Do your research and get suitable clothing. Long underwear should be the synthetic breathable products that will wick the sweat away from your skin. The right stuff will provide warmth for those long hours on stand. If you have a long hike, think about what you will wear into the stand and what you will wear on the stand. I highly recommend you buy detergent designed to wash your clothes and remove scent that might alert deer. After doing this, store your hunting clothes in a sealed container with scent wafers. (Visit my “Recommended Equipment” page)

Other essentials include cover scent or spray designed to cover your scent. Of course, your weapon and ammo/arrows/bolts, a sharp knife, a bone/wood saw, headlamp, drag rope, pulley, and spreader bar if you plan to quarter the deer yourself, plastic bags for packing sweaty clothes and for packing deer meat. A compass, a map of the area you are hunting if it is a large area. GPS, range finder, and a couple extra batteries for these devices. If you are using a stand, you will need your stand and buy a backpack that will easily attach to that stand if you are hiking deep in the woods.

The bare essential/minimalist list:

Weapon and ammo/arrows/bolts

Knife

Light/Headlamp

License and tags

Camo/orange clothing

Boots

Drag rope.

Wrapping Up

Now you have a foundational understanding of how to get started hunting whitetails. It is your time to make it happen. Get out there and join the challenge! Go get your Gray Ghost!

In closing, here are a few websites I have found helpful in learning more about deer hunting. Click and enjoy!

Also, be sure to visit my “Recommended Equipment” page. I will continue to post more products that can help you get started on your journey and join the chase.

In the meantime, just get started. Do your research, learn and begin to apply. The best learning occurs while doing. If you read these articles you have enough information to get started this season. Why wait?

If you do start hunting whitetail I would love to hear about it. If you have questions or comments, contact me by clicking “EMAIL” on my main menu bar.

As always I appreciate your visit to Men of Grit!

In your corner,

“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”