A good hunter only needs to shoot once, and all hunters try to kill their prey as quickly and humanely as possible. You can learn to track and find deer and shoot them accurately and safely, whether you're an experienced hunter who wants to try deer hunting, or you're a complete novice.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Finding the Deer
Step 1. Get a permit to hunt and bring the required equipment
Visit the Department of National Resources page (if in Indonesia see the page or contact the Natural Resources Conservation Center or PERBAKIN) to find out about the deer hunting season in your area, as well as information on how to get a hunting permit for the season and area you want.. Hunting deer without a permit, not using proper equipment, or out of season is illegal. Usually hunting permits for a season range from 40-100 dollars.
- For safety reasons, wear bright orange clothes to distinguish yourself in the bush, as there may be other hunters in your area. Contrary to popular opinion, deer do not have good enough eyesight so camouflage is not very effective. However, don't move around too much, as the deer can spot you.
- There are many rifles used to hunt deer. A 0.243 to 30-0.06 or 30-30 caliber rifle is usually good enough for hunting all types of deer. Hunting with shotguns is usually less common, although there are special buckshots for hunting deer.
- Arrows are also very commonly used for hunting deer. In many areas, the legal limit is generally a 45-pound arrow, which means you can shoot at targets from 20-60 meters away.
Step 2. Choose a dense forest that is safe for hunting
Contact local hunters and visit your local Department of Wildlife or Department of Natural Resources website (if in Indonesia see the website or contact the Natural Resources Conservation Agency or PERBAKIN) to find out where hunting is allowed. Some national parks are sometimes open for deer hunting at certain times.
- Privately owned land can also be cleared for hunting with the permission of the local landlord. If you know of any land that can be used to hunt deer, call them and ask if you can come next hunting season.
- Never assume that an area is safe for hunting if you don't know for sure. Never enter private property without the permission of the owner.
Step 3. Hide your body odor
While your body odor doesn't seem to be a problem in the woods, it's something to watch out for when hunting deer. Ideally, you should avoid using scented soaps, deodorants, and stay away from strong smells like perfume for 24-48 hours before hunting. Usually people don't shower a day or two before going hunting.
- Store jackets and clothes in sealed plastic containers with pine sticks to keep you smelling like the jungle.
- Don't drink alcohol or eat a fatty meal the night before your hunt, so you don't emit a pungent odor that the deer can smell your presence.
- Some hunters put baking soda between the layers of their hunting clothes to better mask their smell.
Step 4. Look for signs of deer
When you go hunting, people usually walk around for a while looking for the ideal place to monitor deer and camp there. An ideal spot is one with lots of deer trails, and it's best if the trail leads to an open area or grassland, depending on the range of the weapon you're using.
- Look for areas that have food sources for deer, such as apples and corn, and also have water sources where deer usually congregate.
- Ideally, an open field with a diameter of 60 meters is suitable for hunting deer. If you have a long-range rifle with accurate binoculars, a wider range (300 meters or more in diameter) may be more suitable.
- One of the most obvious signs of deer's presence is the scratching of deer antlers on trees, which mark the territory of the stag and indicate their smell.
Step 5. Find hidden places
When you've found the ideal spot for hunting, set up camp and be prepared to wait for the deer to approach you. There are many ways to do camouflage. Tree seats or camouflage curtains can be used where deer usually pass, but some hunters like the sensation of tracking and sneaking up on deer stealthily, so they wear natural camouflage. Everything is up to you.
Make the deer approach you. There are several methods commonly used to lure deer to your position, such as the summoning trumpet, pheromone spray, deer urine, and the sound of horns
Step 6. Hunt together
Hunting alone can be dangerous and difficult, so people generally hunt with at least one other person. Carrying the meat of a single deer can be difficult for even a strong hunter, and things will become easier and more enjoyable if you have the help of other experienced hunters.
- Always tell others where you are hunting and when you are likely to return for safety reasons, especially in areas where there is no cell phone signal.
- Don't take your dog with you when hunting deer. Although dogs are commonly used to hunt wild ducks or other fowl, they are too noisy and will only scare the deer away.
Part 2 of 3: Shooting
Step 1. Before hunting, practice shooting positions
There are a number of different positions where it is possible to shoot accurately, and a good deer hunter should familiarize himself with all of them. Practice in the position in a safe place with your gun empty before you go hunting.
- The prone position is the most stable position, but the most difficult and impractical to move in the wild, while the standing position is the easiest, fastest, but most unstable position. The squat or sitting position is the most comfortable and stable position in deer hunting, if done correctly.
- If you can squat quickly, support your elbows with your knees or thighs for an accurate and stable shot. In a sitting position, sit cross-legged perpendicular to the target, with the knee of the hand not pulling the trigger toward the target.
Step 2. Be patient
Deer hunting is usually done for a whole day, you can't do it in a hurry. Find a good spot and sit down while you're hunting, and wait. Deer are more likely to come to quiet, calm areas, so don't make the slightest noise.
- Some hunters usually wait an hour or two in one place before moving to another, while other hunters like to move periodically. How you hunt is your choice, but the best hunters usually combine the two ways.
- Waiting for the deer is part of the thrill and drama of hunting. If hunting wasn't challenging, no one would want to do it.
Step 3. Wait until the deer is visible from the side
If you see a deer, don't shoot right away. Use binoculars for signs of deer coming your way and wait for one of them to position itself so you get the best shot position. This is the most critical moment in the hunt, and you should not rush it.
- Look at the regulations in the hunting area and the license you have, check for a moment whether the type of deer you see is legal to hunt. Often, only stags whose antlers have grown sufficiently large (usually having six branches) are allowed to be hunted, although regulations vary by region.
- If the deer you saw at first weren't catchable, don't shoot it. Deer usually roam in pairs or groups and it is likely that other deer will appear.
Step 4. Take aim
While you wait for the deer to point at you, get into position and have your gun ready and aim, keeping your eyes on the gun's rim. Usually people shoot the area behind the deer's shoulder, but there are other opinions. The following are some shooting areas and their advantages and disadvantages:
- Behind the front legs, 12-18 cm from the chest is the most common shooting target. This shot will penetrate the heart and lungs, although deer usually don't collapse immediately after being shot, and can sometimes get up again, which means you may have to look for the trail.
- Head, penetrates the brain, can kill instantly, and very few pieces of flesh can not be taken as a result of the shot. Usually, people will aim at the area behind the eyes, which is generally quite difficult to do, and will most likely miss. This shot also doesn't allow us to make a deer preserve, if you want to take part of the antlers or the entire head.
- Neck, through to the spine, is another commonly used and lethal target, aiming at the area behind the jaw when the deer is sideways towards you. This shot usually paralyzes the deer, you have to shoot it again or slit its neck to kill it, so many people don't like it.
Step 5. Remember the BRASS rule in shooting
When you are aiming, you have to take a breath and relax to make an accurate shot. Take off the guard, and get ready to shoot. The most precise and controlled time to pull the trigger is immediately after exhaling, so don't hold your gun too long, or your shot will wobble. Do it quickly, carefully, and efficiently. BRASS is an abbreviation used to help remember this procedure
- Breathe (inhale)
- Relax (relax)
- Aim (aim)
- Stop breathing (hold breath)
- Squeeze the trigger (shoot)
Step 6. Do not shoot when the target is not visible
Make absolutely sure that what you shoot is a deer. Many hunting accidents happen because people don't see clearly what they're shooting. Usually it's too late by the time you pull the trigger.
Observe the area around you, so you know what's behind the deer. Don't shoot at other people, residential areas, highways, or where you don't want to
Part 3 of 3: Looking for Deer Tracks
Step 1. Wait a few minutes
Oftentimes, wherever you hit it, the deer would run away. It's important to wait a few minutes and not chase the deer right away, as this will startle the deer and give off an adrenaline rush, and will make tracking work even more difficult. If your shot is right, it won't run far and will die immediately, so waiting a few minutes won't make much difference.
Try to remember where you shot it and the direction the deer ran away from. Mark with GPS if necessary
Step 2. Look for blood spots where you shot it
Walk to where the deer was shot and look for blood spots on the ground, then follow the trail. You can also check the accuracy of your shots from the marks of splattered blood.
If the blood looks runny, or there's bile on the ground, it means you missed your shot and you'll likely have to track it down quickly to kill it more humanely. A deer that is shot in the stomach takes a long time to die, so you must find it as soon as possible and hasten its death
Step 3. Follow the trail of blood on the leaves
Deer move quickly, even when injured, and there's a good chance they'll run quite a distance after being hit by a lethal shot. You may have to do some cross-country running, but if your shot is accurate you should only need to follow no more than a few hundred yards. Look for traces of blood on the ground and leaves to follow in the deer's trail.
Some hunters like to apply a small amount of hydrogen peroxide spray around the leaves to spot hard-to-see blood. The spray will make the blood foamy and easier to see
Step 4. Make sure the deer is dead
When you find a deer you're looking for, observe it closely from afar before approaching. Observe if he is still breathing or moving. If you shoot him in the chest, his blood will foam. This means it's possible that your shot went through the lungs, and the deer will die soon, or may be dead.
- If the deer is still alive and there is no sign of imminent death, approach it carefully, keeping a safe distance, before shooting it again more accurately at the brain or chest to kill it.
- Be very careful when approaching a wounded deer. Some hunters often use knives to slit the deer's neck and let the blood flow, although angry, injured, and horned deer can be very dangerous.
Step 5. Skin a deer in the open
Once the deer die, you'll need to skin them and cut them up so they're easy to take home, or to bring back to camp. There are different ways to do this, depending on where and how far you're going.
- A good quality and sharp hunting knife will be very useful when you are out hunting. Never go hunting and forget to bring equipment.
- If you are near your home or camp, or have an ATV or other vehicle, you can take the deer whole and hang it at home or camp before skinning and gutting.
- If you have to walk long distances, remove the entrails and all the organs in the chest cavity. Be careful not to leak the stomach or intestines. There are some membranes attached to the spinal organs that you should also remove. Hunters will usually break the forelegs and hind legs, to make it easier to carry, before dismembering them later.
