April 08, 2008 by Gildas Paradis

If you're ready to put all of your hunting skills to the test, go after a whitetail deer. These animals are a true challenge to hunt and have challenged many hunters. They can smell you, hear you and are constantly on the lookout for danger. Sneaking up on a buck is a real feat, but if you know a few tricks, it can be done.

Along with experience, you can use a good number of items and techniques on your hunts. First of all, a deer knows what you smell like. If they catch a whiff of what you've touched, where you've walked or where you are, well, game over! The entire herd will bolt with a warning flick of a white tail.

There are pros and cons to many techniques that hunters use during deer season to get close enough to the herds to bag a buck. One of the most common helper items used is the scent masking spray.

The pro side is that the spray will successfully hide your scent. The con side is that if too many hunters use one particular spray too often while hunting, the whitetail deer will quickly learn that the scent means danger.

Rattling antlers is another way to get close so you can get a good clean shot. If you have one or more sets of antlers, then once a year, oil them lightly with linseed oil. It will serve a two-fold purpose. The oil will keep the antlers from becoming brittle and it will also give them a solid and "real" sound.

The deer will hear you rattling the sets of antlers together and will assume it's a couple of bucks sparring. This technique will enable you to get a lot closer to the herd while masking your presence.

You may get some surprised looks when you say you like to take your turkey or duck call when you're hunting. You may even get asked if you're deer or waterfowl hunting; however it's a smart move. Deer are naturally soothed by the call of the turkey and ducks as the birds are absolutely silent when humans and other dangers are in the vicinity. A random turkey or duck call now and then will soothe the herd as you move in closer to take your shot for a trophy whitetail deer.

Another common mistake many hunters make is in how they proceed if they miss their shot. They move on. The herd may have been spooked by the shot and subsequently bolted from the area. However, in some instances they won't go too far. Stay absolutely still for ten to twenty minutes and you may be able to get another chance to bag your buck.

Use these tips to get the most out of your next whitetail deer hunting outing. Whether you enjoy hunting in an open range area or you prefer a deer park, you need more than skill to hunt deer, you need technique as well. Find the ones that work best on the deer in your area and you will raise your chances of bringing home a deer instead of a story about the one that got away.

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