- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
New to everything hunting would love advice
Posted on 11/19/23 at 10:42 am
Posted on 11/19/23 at 10:42 am
Hello,
I am new to everything hunting. I've been taken by family when I was younger a couple of times. I went for my first solo deer hunt opening rifle day for Louisiana this year. I've learned I know nothing, and looking for help/advice anyone is willing to give.
What are some good areas for me to learn? My first solo hunt was at Sandy Hollows. As you probably know after my first day I've learned this was a bad location for me to choose. I chose this area because it seemed dry. ( I don't have a boat of any kind to use for bayou hunting). It was also somewhat close, I live in the Metairie area. After reading some forums Ive seen a lot of WMA's to go to but some of these are Bow only or require a small boat. Which I don't own or have the funds this season to buy or the time to learn to usr correctly in the season.
What are some great ways to learn where to hunt once I find a good area? I've purchased a subscription to onX to learn land layout. It is massively overwhelming. So I started looking into how to learn about deer characteristics and how to use the maps correctly. Which leads into my next question.
I've been reading and watching anything and everything. Is there any platforms or educators on YouTube or sites any of y'all recommend? It seems so many people have thoughts. However, I need some basic info. Sometimes these sources skip things that I feel everyone knows, but I don't.
Thank you in advance. I appreciate all advice.
I am new to everything hunting. I've been taken by family when I was younger a couple of times. I went for my first solo deer hunt opening rifle day for Louisiana this year. I've learned I know nothing, and looking for help/advice anyone is willing to give.
What are some good areas for me to learn? My first solo hunt was at Sandy Hollows. As you probably know after my first day I've learned this was a bad location for me to choose. I chose this area because it seemed dry. ( I don't have a boat of any kind to use for bayou hunting). It was also somewhat close, I live in the Metairie area. After reading some forums Ive seen a lot of WMA's to go to but some of these are Bow only or require a small boat. Which I don't own or have the funds this season to buy or the time to learn to usr correctly in the season.
What are some great ways to learn where to hunt once I find a good area? I've purchased a subscription to onX to learn land layout. It is massively overwhelming. So I started looking into how to learn about deer characteristics and how to use the maps correctly. Which leads into my next question.
I've been reading and watching anything and everything. Is there any platforms or educators on YouTube or sites any of y'all recommend? It seems so many people have thoughts. However, I need some basic info. Sometimes these sources skip things that I feel everyone knows, but I don't.
Thank you in advance. I appreciate all advice.
7
Posted on 11/19/23 at 10:45 am to acaulking
Find someone that is willing to show you in person.
Posted on 11/19/23 at 10:49 am to Outdoorreb
Acaulking, don’t take this as a smartass response. This is spot on. You will learn way more from someone than any book can teach you.
Posted on 11/19/23 at 10:52 am to Outdoorreb
quote:
Find someone that is willing to show you in person.
This is better than anything you can get on the internet.
There’s a wealth of information available now for new people thanks to the internet, but it can certainly be overwhelming.
I’ve hunted all my life and it feels overwhelming for me to try new areas. The best thing you can do is put boots on the ground, especially with someone who might know the area. The more familiar you become with an area, the more comfortable you will feel when trying to do homework on the internet.
Edit: You may be able to find someone to help on the internet, and this board is a pretty good place to start. But you could also luck out and run into someone helpful out on public land. Just don’t plan on them being very helpful if you walk up to them while they’re in the stand
This post was edited on 11/19/23 at 10:55 am
Posted on 11/19/23 at 10:55 am to Outdoorreb
quote:
Find someone that is willing to show you in person.
Yep. And make it known to your friends that hunt you want to learn and are willing to help pay for things. Gas, lease dues, etc. Even if folks are hunting public land they have expenses and helping out with those will go a long ways. If you know someone in a private lease make it known you are looking to join and you will help with all the work that goes into one. You may have to find one that’s far from home at first, but in the end you will save years of trial and error by spending time with people that have been doing it for their whole lives. Many of us take pride in helping developing young/novice hunters. You very well can learn a lot from reading and watching videos, but the value of walking/talking hunting with an experienced person is invaluable. Best of luck to you.
Posted on 11/19/23 at 11:34 am to acaulking
Do you bass fish?
Deer relate to cover similar to bass. Deer are edge animals. An edge is where two types of habitat meet. When you find where three types of habitat meet, you’ve found a gold mine.
Many deer hunters in your area drive two hours or more to hunt. There’s a reason for that.
Deer relate to cover similar to bass. Deer are edge animals. An edge is where two types of habitat meet. When you find where three types of habitat meet, you’ve found a gold mine.
Many deer hunters in your area drive two hours or more to hunt. There’s a reason for that.
Posted on 11/19/23 at 11:44 am to acaulking
I suggest taking up squirrel hunting. Can learn how to hunt and scout places you’re interested in deer hunting.
And it’s fun and they’re good eating.
And it’s fun and they’re good eating.
Posted on 11/19/23 at 2:49 pm to acaulking
It’s really very easy, just google whitetail deer preserve and go “hunt” there and shoot a cull deer that’s 150in. Jk
You’re starting off rifle hunting deer in louisiana which is probably the hardest thing to kill in North America other than turkeys in louisiana.
As others have said if you do not have someone to help you that you know (coworkers,friends , fantasie football team members )
Then it’s gonna be a long learning curve .
If you have the means look at trying to get into a deer lease there are FB groups dedicated to hunting in louisiana and they post they are looking for members every year 1k-1500k can get you into a club that while it may not be a prime place you can kill a deer in.
If you’re dead set and can’t then look at the wmas you can or will hunt , look for pockets of the thickets nastiest places on it. Places you can’t see farther than 50yd get there and jack up in a tree with a climber focus on pinch points or areas where a small creek of thick stuff is wedged between some big uncut timber make sure you know that the wind is not blowing your scent to the area you Expext a deer to be. Public land areas are very productive mid day because deer get bumped by people leaving and coming in.
Develop a routine everything from when and how you pack your bag or stand to how you set up and place your gun and then load it and always make sure your scope is on the lowest power. If you see a deer plan on shooting it don’t check it with binos I’m not saying to use you scope for observation but when it’s a deer point your gun at the first clearing you have in front of it and be ready to either bleat or shoot it walking . You probably will only get one or two spots to shoot a deer in the thick stuff don’t waste them.
You’re starting off rifle hunting deer in louisiana which is probably the hardest thing to kill in North America other than turkeys in louisiana.
As others have said if you do not have someone to help you that you know (coworkers,friends , fantasie football team members )
Then it’s gonna be a long learning curve .
If you have the means look at trying to get into a deer lease there are FB groups dedicated to hunting in louisiana and they post they are looking for members every year 1k-1500k can get you into a club that while it may not be a prime place you can kill a deer in.
If you’re dead set and can’t then look at the wmas you can or will hunt , look for pockets of the thickets nastiest places on it. Places you can’t see farther than 50yd get there and jack up in a tree with a climber focus on pinch points or areas where a small creek of thick stuff is wedged between some big uncut timber make sure you know that the wind is not blowing your scent to the area you Expext a deer to be. Public land areas are very productive mid day because deer get bumped by people leaving and coming in.
Develop a routine everything from when and how you pack your bag or stand to how you set up and place your gun and then load it and always make sure your scope is on the lowest power. If you see a deer plan on shooting it don’t check it with binos I’m not saying to use you scope for observation but when it’s a deer point your gun at the first clearing you have in front of it and be ready to either bleat or shoot it walking . You probably will only get one or two spots to shoot a deer in the thick stuff don’t waste them.
Posted on 11/19/23 at 9:04 pm to bobdylan
quote:
I suggest taking up squirrel hunting. Can learn how to hunt and scout places you’re interested in deer hunting.
Good advice here.
Posted on 11/19/23 at 9:13 pm to acaulking
I don't have much to add, but don't get too up on size and trophies. You can find a wealth of content on YouTube to learn about hunting, but be prepared to see countless videos of people taking large trophies. At the end of the day, figure out why you're hunting first. Set out to get some meat on the ground and then work your way up from there.
Posted on 5/23/24 at 11:41 am to acaulking
Just wanted to say thank you all who posted. This past season I went hunting 7 times, and saw 3 bucks while out. I was able to tag 2 mature bucks both over 200lbs on public land. I took the advice yall shared and information I could find online.
Posted on 5/23/24 at 1:14 pm to acaulking
quote:
season I went hunting 7 times, and saw 3 bucks while out. I was able to tag 2 mature bucks both over 200lbs on public land
Saw your question about escouting, you should look at the areas you saw deer/bucks and focus searching for the same type areas if I was you.
What type of areas did you see success in? What were the deer doing? Feeding/cruising/chasing?
But just as a gen statement if I looked at a 1000ac block of terrain on a escout view I would focus on any terrain changes, edge changes old growth new growth, forks or wide bends in a creek or waterway tbat will channel or focus deer crossing.
Ohh by the way tell the story and show the deer don’t tell a location even part of the state if I was you
This post was edited on 5/23/24 at 1:16 pm
Posted on 5/23/24 at 1:31 pm to acaulking
Posted on 5/23/24 at 1:35 pm to bobdylan
quote:
I suggest taking up squirrel hunting. Can learn how to hunt and scout places you’re interested in deer hunting.
And it’s fun and they’re good eating.
This. Most WMAs in Louisiana also have hogs on them so you have the chance at those while squirrel hunting. It doesn't have nearly as steep of a learning curve as deer do so you'll be successful early on and won't get discouraged.
ETA: just saw your follow up post.
quote:
Just wanted to say thank you all who posted. This past season I went hunting 7 times, and saw 3 bucks while out. I was able to tag 2 mature bucks both over 200lbs on public land. I took the advice yall shared and information I could find online.
Hell yeah! That's freakin' awesome.
This post was edited on 5/23/24 at 1:36 pm
Posted on 5/23/24 at 3:27 pm to acaulking
quote:
acaulking
That is great! Congrats! What are your plans for this season?
Posted on 5/23/24 at 3:32 pm to acaulking
Congrats
Page 1 of 1
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News