We all make mistakes - in life, hunting, etc. However, there are several we make in the deer woods that can easily be avoided.

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Hunting Whitetail Deer

How many times have you sat stand in the morning deer woods during peak rut and, not seeing anything, decide it’s time to head out only to bump a big buck as soon as you open the door of your hunting blind? Or what about that time you had a bead on a super chief but the sharp click of the firing pin upon squeezing the trigger re-reminded you that you have to make sure the clip is all the way up in the rifle?

That stuff hurts and those mistakes can generally be avoided with time and care. But what about some of the other things that are less controllable? Perhaps you’ve invited friends or family to hunt your property and now they’re there every weekend. Or maybe the buck you have on a trail camera hasn’t showed up in a couple days so you give up, not knowing that whitetails typically travel on a three-day cycle. Here are mistakes we typically make without realizing it and how to avoid them.

Dwelling on the Past

A tactic that works one year won’t necessarily yield the same results the next. It’s human nature to go with what has traditionally helped you achieve your hunting goals. But if you find yourself coming away from the woods empty handed time and time again, try something different.

Too Much Company

Uncle Fred and your cousin Rosco came for Thanksgiving, hunted that evening and the next morning, and are now inviting themselves back the following weekend. You know in your heart that the right thing to do is tell them “Hell no!” The peak of the rut is well under way and a quiet property is going to give you the best shot at a wall hanger. Suggest that perhaps another weekend for Uncle F and Rosco would be better for all of you; that you’re going to have a family hunt then anyways.

Rattling the Wrong Way

Don’t tickle the tips of the antlers, bash them together! Have you ever seen two bucks fight? We’re not talking about gentle sparring among young bucks in the pre rut. This is an unabashed fight-to-the-death battle that means simulating it is clacking the rattling horns together with some hand speed. When one bucks high tails it that doesn’t mean the fight is over. The victor will typically give chase. Those suckers are aggressive. Rattle in the same way.

Sit Tight

Patience is the virtue. When 9:00 rolls around on a frosty morning during peak rut, fight your hunger or boredom and hang in there for another half hour. We also believe that far too often hunters don’t give a certain stand the amount of sits it deserves. If you hunt two days in a particular spot but don’t see the buck that’s been raking earth and licking limbs, hang in there for a third day. It’s been documented that mature bucks travel in three-day cycles.

Check Your Equipment

Shoot your rifle a couple times before you begin a weekend hunt just to make sure nothing got knocked off during transport from the safe to the property. Wipe away the oils and powder solvents that will create a lingering smell that can easily transfer to your clothes, which you’ll need to wash anyways.

If you’re bowhunting, check your broadheads and fletchings regularly. Do you have your release? Are there batteries in your flashlight? Remain conscious of the entire process and all the tools you need to make yourself successful.

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