[Llywelyn]

Hey everybody,

I am hunting whitetails up here in eastern Canada for the first time this year. I have been out for some time every evening and most of one saturday, unfortunantly I have only seen a couple does and jumped one that is unidentified. I know the woods pretty good, and can move pretty silently, I prefer stillhunting to anything else I think.

Mostly I move through the woods, but maybe this is a mistake, maybe I should be moving from field to field only going through the woods when needed? Any advice?

My other question is in regards to calls. I have a grunt and bleat call, and a doe in heat call. Not really sure if I am doing the grunts right. How often should I use these? in what situations?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Llywelyn

[aakoksal]

Hi,

I'm hunting around Fox Creek area for the last 3 week end, and I hardly saw a few does...

It snowed last weekend, but still animal was not walking and feeding on open areas. I saw lots of step marks though.

I do not know what to do? I'm frustrated. I know there are animal in there, but how am I going to have my bullet meet one that I do not know.

I'll get myself a tree stand, some game calls and scents and try a two day hunt this weekend... Hope I'll get lucky this time...

Regards

[Cougfan2]

I prefer setting up a blind. I don't know if tree stands are legal in Canada, but it is my preference when I have the option. If you have the time and opportunity, pre-season scouting is your best friend. Try to identify areas where the deer are moving too and from bedding areas when they are going out to feed. Early in the morning and dusk are the best times as deer are mostly nocturnal feeders and will most likely to be moving at that time.

With regards to calling, just remember that less is more. Most people call far too much and too often.

Happy hunting. :)

[Polishrifleman]

As to your calls, are the deer in rut yet? If not I wouldn't call at all unless to stop a deer for good shot placement. If they are in the rut use the grunt about once every half hour, but if you do so you will need to sit and wait because you are trying to get the deer to come to you.

The wind is your friend remember to hunt with the wind in your face or move that direction. Typically at this time of year the whittails are hanging out in the thick stuff so it is tough hunting. Once the rut is on they get more stupid and move more.

As Cougfan mentioned especially if you are hunting foodplots set up and sit. If you are hunting timber, don't be affraid to move a little but get comfy and sit a fair amount too with good traffic and firing lanes.

If there are logging roads or old skid roads keep an eye out 20 to 50yds on either side of these. They tend to bed down off of the roads for good visibility and ease of escape. Move slow and keep your eyes open. I had a 4pt buck stay bedded down as I side hilled (making noise for yards) and got right above him before I saw him shot him at 40yds as he stared at me not leaving his bed.

Hope that helps a little, and good luck.

[pete f]

With modern technology use Google earth to find aerial photos of your hunting area. Now look at the areas that will draw the animals, Water, cover, and feed. Sometimes they can get it all in one place, sometimes they cannot, look to find where they are going to be at certain times of the day, and try to sit yourself so they walk into you. Look at prevailing winds as well, and use that as a indicator of where you should be setting up.

In most places, when you look from the air, you will see "choke points" that is, places where the cover all but runs out, and the deer must cross open places to get from one area to another. Powerline clear cuts, "islands of trees" etc give you places to look. If you google up your land and post it, I am sure we can give you some hints as to where a good blind or tree stand spot might be.

[phantomak47]

Less calling is more, I would highly recomend getting Greg Miller's hunting books which go into great deal about Northern Deer hunting with regards to calling and deer in general.

[stevereno1]

scent control, visual control "sit still", sit for as long as you can before getting out of that stand or blind. Deer see movement better than they see anything else. sit still, and only raise the gun when they have their head down or are looking away. Aim for the shoulder 1/2 way down from the back. enjoy everything that you see and hear while in the woods, cause you don't get that every day!