1. Place to eat
   A hideout
2. Safety stash
   Main camp

Deer blinds are designed so you can do a stakeout on a spot you’ve figured is perfect for deer to go through. Blinds can be anything from a camouflaged tent, to a full-on “natural-looking” bunker-like depression.

1. None!
   Their environmental range
2. The feet of their offspring
   The size

Yes, it’s true that elk and moose are also part of the deer family, but your clue will be in the size of the animal. Around 300 pounds is about right for a deer, but once you hit 500, that’s an elk! And let’s not get to the moose, since they can weigh in as much as 1,200 pounds!

1. Smelling their scent
   Tasting the water in a watering hole
2. Feeling the soil in a possible path
   Hearing their calls

Listening for deer is important on two levels. First, if you hear deer going through a path or bleating, you know you’ve hit a good path or foraging area. Another is that you can identify what the deer is doing, or even identify individuals, by the sounds they make.

1. Music
   Simple game
2. Map
   Productivity

If your hunting area has some cellphone coverage, or if you have GPS functions, you can load your smartphone with map apps. These can tell you the boundaries of the hunting area, and you can also find out what’s ahead. Just remember to put it on silent mode.

1. Early afternoon
   Lunchtime
2. When the sun rises and sets
   Midnight

Deer usually prefer to do many of their activities around the time when the sun rises or sets. This is helpful if you want to camp out and not waste a whole day in the same place with nothing happening. This fact also makes them somewhat predictable, which is good for hunters.

1. To make deer curious
   To get them in heat
2. To make them angry
   For friendlier terms between the hunter and the hunted

Many hunters use small devices that are known as deer calls. These are either specialized whistles or specialized recorders, and they can imitate the sounds that deer make. If a deer becomes curious and comes closer, the deer call has done its job.

1. Infrared guns
   Recording microphones
2. Mini-satellite dish
   Wireless cameras

This technology is controversial for now, but some hunters have taken to using standalone, powered wi-fi cameras. This allows them to have a better view of their hunting grounds, with the help of a second person at basecamp armed with a laptop. Alternatively, they can also use these cameras to observe the hunting areas off-season, so they know what to hunt for beforehand.

1. Improve your health
   Get a better gun
2. Map it
   Practice your deer call

Mapping the hunting area you’re going to use is important since it will make you familiar with all the details of the place. It’s also a good time to check on where you can set up camp without disturbing the hunt.

1. Food and water
   Thick bush
2. Open Fields
   Breeding grounds

Most people think that deer bedding areas are usually well-protected and out-of-the-way. That depends on the general area, and what the experiences of the deer are. However, they are usually near food and water, or are near deer trails leading to food and water.

1. Bows
   Pitfalls
2. Drugged meat
   Bear traps

Bows are the usual weapons for deer hunting aside from rifles. In some areas, they may be the only allowed weapons aside from rifles. The relative silence of a bow is the main advantage when using it.

1. Sight
   Hearing
2. Touching or vibration
   Smell

Deer have a very sensitive sense of smell, and this is the reason why many experienced hunters have come up with ways to mask their own sense of smell. And, yes, that includes not taking a bath with soap and other chemicals that have an “artificial” aroma.

1. Flies
   Cockroaches
2. Ticks
   Ants

Tick repellent is probably the most important kind of insect repellent you need, since this makes sure that you won’t get sick for the rest of the season. This is particularly true if you are checking a hunting area out or hunting in the summer or fall.

1. Padded human clothes
   Scarecrows
2. Stuffed dogs
   Deer mannequins

If anything will get a buck angry, it’s seeing a strange buck enter their territory. Thus, hunters use deer mannequins to anger bucks and make them come closer for this very reason.

1. The hunters are picky
   Wildlife unspoken rule of thumb
2. Forest fire management
   Population control

Hunting season is primarily to control the deer population, one way or the other. It keeps them in stable, controlled numbers that keep the environmental balance. It’s no surprise that the length of the hunting season changes in some places.

1. Deer urine
   Female deer pheromones
2. Deer waste
   Male alpha pheromones

Some hunters have used pheromones, or scents, taken from female dear in heat. It’s usually used during mating season, primarily to attract bucks. One should check, though, if it’s legal to use in the state where you plan to hunt since regulations vary,

1. Fur
   Hooves
2. Teeth
   Antlers

Deer cast off their antlers every season, and this process is usually termed shedding. Areas where deer cast off their antlers are sometimes known as shed areas or shed spots.

1. Lots of acorns
   Near open fields
2. Near forests
   Close to resting spots

Deer can be very picky about their food sources, so this could be a useful fact for hunters. The animals will sometimes even choose the longer path to a distant food source than go for a nearer one.

1. Covered areas
   Food drops
2. Salt licks
   Irrigated pools

If you have property that has potential as deer territory, you should first provide areas where they have adequate cover or safety. That way, you can establish their patterns of where they rest and where they forage. Do take note that sometimes this doesn’t work, so your shifting of details on your property should always follow the habits of the deer who go through it.

1. Summer
   Spring
2. Winter
   Autumn

Deer love warm weather so it’s no surprise that winter is probably the worst time for them. With the lowered temperatures, they are more likely to hole up in a warm and well-hidden bedding area than go outside. It may even extend to having as little foraging time as possible, which lessens the chances of hunters finding them.

1. It can be a long wait.
   Not noisy
2. Fits in your pocket
   It's healthier than beef jerky

Even if a hunter has already prepared the hunting area beforehand, and has a great hiding place, it’s still up to the deer to walk into the kill area. That can take a really long time, so hunters should be prepared with some food, and trail mix is the best kind of food to bring – easy to munch on, and requires no immediate preparation.

1. To give respect to the deer
   To prevent it from biting back
2. To watch out for other predators
   You might be surprised by a sudden run

Deer that have been shot sometimes go into shock, and from the hunter’s point of view, this can look like they already dropped dead. A hunter who approaches the “carcass” too readily might be surprised, as the deer could suddenly jump up and still run away.

1. Stay downwind
   Don’t move
2. Stay upwind
   Lie down fast

Being upwind or downwind are hunting terms that have become part of normal language in many places. Simply put, if you’re upwind, that means that the wind is going towards you, so you’re safe to go near the deer. But if you’re downwind, that means the wind is coming from your back, going towards the deer, so just hope that the deer won't smell you.

1. It’s their “hyper” drug
   It tastes different, and they are curious
2. It makes them hungry again
   Minerals their bodies need

Deer, like all living things, do need certain minerals if they are to stay healthy. To that end, their natural impulse is to lick anything that can provide them with the necessary minerals. Do remember, though, that in some places, salt blocks left out for the purpose of hunting are not allowed.

1. They live high up in the mountains
   They hate daylight
2. They are very picky eaters
   They’re fidgety

Deer are very cautious creatures, and they seem to know when they are being watched. The truth, however, is that they are very fidgety because it’s in their best interests. Many hunters practically stay still and silent for hours.

1. Round
   Square
2. Star
   Hearts

If you see heart-shaped tracks in the woods, then you may have stumbled onto the tracks of a deer. If you see many tracks around a watering hole, it’s a good idea to camp out for a day or so, to see if it’s an active watering hole.

1. Good to have firewood for the year
   Prevents dear from tripping and being injured
2. Cleans up the hunting area
   Makes for good hunting hiding holes

Hunters usually remove “tree junk” like branches and deadwood pieces from hunting areas because these can interfere with hunting. A balance has to be struck, however, since if an area looks too clean, deer may not use the place at all.

1. It gives that “Hunger Games” feeling
   No lead poisoning from bullets
2. Arrows can be reused
   It's lighter to carry around

Once you’ve trained enough to use a bow effectively, you can reuse the arrows that were used to take down deer. It’s important to remember, though, that one must be careful with taking them out. Theoretically, a hunter with good archery skills won’t need more than a quiver of arrows.

1. Don’t move
   Whistle
2. Crouch
   Shoot where you think the deer is

Since deer vision is optimized for seeing movement, experienced hunters train themselves not to move for very long periods of time after making unnecessary noise. For some, they can freeze in place for minutes before deciding it’s okay to move again.

1. Be very quiet
   Set up away from the hunting area
2. Make sure it doesn’t smell like a tent with gadgets
   Don't use mosquito spray around it

When you set up for hunting, it’s a given that your base camp should be far away from your actual hunting area. This way, you won’t scare away deer by making noises or even having food smells come from your cooking area.

1. They identify themselves before they shoot
   They wear loud colors
2. They use an identifying whistle
   They have radio transmitters

Hunters are now required to wear gear with loud colors, such as orange. It’s too easy to be mistaken for a deer when everybody’s camouflaged to make sure that deer won’t see hunters, so it's best to wear something visually obvious.

1. Good for marking territory
   It helps with hide preservation
2. It makes bucks randy
   It can mark off a base camp

Some hunters believe that it’s not only the scent particles that are important, but all the urine itself, when it comes to female deer urine. It’s even more attractive if the female deer the urine comes from was in heat, as it will attract similarly "heated" counterparts.

1. They spray urine on trails
   They leave hoof marks
2. They leave droppings
   Rub their horns on trees

Male deer leave antler marks on trees, leaving behind peeled bark and scratch patterns to mark their respective territories. If a hunter sees these bark marks, it’s a good sign that there’s deer in the area.

1. It might spoil the watering hole
   It looks ugly
2. Other predators might come in
   It prevents hunters from concentrating

Watering holes can easily be tainted by nearby carcasses, even if they aren’t near the pool’s edge. Once the water becomes undrinkable, deer will stay away and there goes a fine hunting ground.

1. Depends on the season
   It depends on the type of dog
2. Only if they're neutered
   They have to be licensed

Dogs can be used for hunting deer, but not all U.S. states approve of this move, so it's best to check regulations per state before hunting. There have been controversies about stopping the use of dogs in hunting deer since it is seen as a longtime tradition in some states.

1. It’s great for exercise
   You can hide emergency stashes
2. You’ll get to know the deer in the area
   You can get away from urban stress

Hiking in your chosen hunting area can help you familiarize yourself not only with the lay of the land, but also with the deer. Just like people, deer have individual preferences and habits. If you can figure out the preferences of the deer that are in the area, your next step is to just find the right spot to wait for them come hunting season.