Dad with one of many buck harvested over his years

Mom and I enjoyed our hunt

Larry's 4x4, a beaut as he would say

Dad listening to the hunting stories

Packing up our harvest, the hunt is over for the season

Deer Hunting Tips

A few things about deer. Deer are nocturnal animals. Nocturnal means that deer can see at night, which is one of the reasons they are more active at night. A deer will spend more time looking for food and less time eating food on a dark night than they would on a clear night with a full moon. Deer tend to be least active on days following a clear night, because their stomachs are usually full and they are content to stay near their bedding area until sundown. As sundown approaches the deer will start the feeding cycle all over again.

Deer travel to their feeding area from their bedding area in the last minutes of daylight. On the reverse trip they travel from their feeding area to their bedding area in the first minutes of daylight. In most areas you are allowed to hunt from 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset. This one hour time period is usually the most productive time of day to hunt.

Their behavior is easily altered by several factors. The most common of these factors are precipitation, wind, hunting pressure and the rut. Deer will usually stay in their bedding area during times of heavy rain or snow. When the storm stops, deer will start moving for a couple of reasons:

* The trees and brush are usually dripping with rain or snow, this noise make the deer nervous, so they will move about.

*They will also start moving if the storm lasted through their feeding period. They will be hungry and out looking for food.

Deer hunters roaming through the woods will cause the deer to move from their bedding area. If other hunters are in your hunting area, this might be a good time to stake out a deer trail or crossing and let the other hunters chase the deer to you.

Be extra quiet as you approach your deer hunting stand. Being extra quiet that last 50 yards is very important when hunting bedding areas.

After you have shot your game, approach it carefully, making sure it is dead. Validate your tag, attach it to the carcass immediately. Start field dressing it at once with a good, strong bladed knife. Be sure your knife is sharp, maintain a fine edge blade as you work.

The rut is the period of time when bucks mate with does. The rut usually lasts about a month. During the rut all deer are more active, especially the bucks.

Don't think that when fall comes, or hunting season arrives, that the big bucks and big bulls leave. Whitetail deer bucks especially, simply hide. They hide very well. Mule deer bucks may leave a little. Bull elk may leave, but don't assume they do. Where would they leave to? Just another place where, for the most part, they would be hunted.

The animals you saw scouting are still out there, get out there and look for them. Hunt where the typical hunter do not hunt. Hunt the overlooked. Stay at it - you'll find 'em - and you'll be amazed when you do.

After you shoot your animal (deer, elk, etc.), get your camera out!

You track it, and when you find it, you field dress it. Then get it back to camp, hang it, skin it and bag it. If it is hot out you take it to a cold storage to hang.