FSD Outdoor Blog

Great content for the great outdoorsman.

#huntingtrip

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Halloween is for Hunters

It doesn’t have to be all ghouls and ghosts this Halloween for hunters out there.

Instead of roaming the streets covered in sheets and cheap plastic masks, let’s go back to where we want to be: the woods.

Hunting in late October and early November is a unique time that requires unique actions if you’re going to bag the deer of your dreams.

Here’s a few tips to make it happen.

Find The Right Target

Depending on your area and the weather, you may want to target something else this Halloween.

Nowadays the weather is warmer so you often have bucks on the move earlier in the day. At night, it’s smarter to figure out where all the does are hanging out and hunt there.

Obviously this can change if you are experiencing a cooler period than normal so you should do a little research to figure out the proper movements and activity levels of deer in the morning so you can respond best at night.

Find Water

If you’re hunting in the evening, try to find a source of water to set up near. This is useful if you can’t find any clear transitions or just aren’t comfortable hunting from them. (We’ll get to transitions in a moment.)

Water is going to be very important during these times for both bucks and does. This is even more important with the warmer than normal weather during November.

Bucks and does are simply more active during this time and thus require more water. But don’t just look for any water, look for the signs of movement near the water. The more signs you see the more the deer use this water source.

Find Food

We already talked about finding water. But you also want to find where the deer are eating. Once you find the right water source with signs of action, you’ll want to look for the same signs of action but near food. This will usually be in a place that is higher than the water source; deer tend to want to eat acorns and such higher up so they can see threats, like you, better.

This leads us to…

Transitions

Deer are going to be on the move a lot around Halloween. Often there will be the spot they feed, the spot they drink, and the spot they hangout.

When you find the place they eat and the place they drink, you have a huge advantage over them.

Instead of taking a shot at one of these spots, find the places that connect them. Deer will travel on safe, high ground areas between these spots often. If you’re set up in these transition spots you’ll have access to both groups.

Sleep In

You don’t need to be up and out by 3 am to have a successful hunt this Halloween. At night, the bucks and does are very busy. This usually means the mature ones you want to bag will rest up a little bit before going on the move again, like 9 to 10 am is when they’ll start. This means if you don’t want to waste your time, you too should plan for a later day.

This Halloween, when others are out ghost hunting, we can be real hunting. And it’s a special time, hunting during Halloween. It is a moment between two types of seasons and you must adjust for both in order to have your best chance to catch a buck. It’s a truly fun experience if you’ve never done it.

But it is safe to say, once you start hunting on Halloween, you won’t be trick-or-treating ever again.

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7 Tips For Planning A Deer Hunting Trip

If you’re planning a deer hunting trip for the first time or are trying to plan one that was better than last year’s disaster (it happens) then you’re in the right place!

Planning a trip takes a lot of effort, research, and thought. What might work for one person may not work for you. It’s important to take in account your own preference and skills and apply them when applicable.

After all, only you can truly know exactly what you want from a deer hunting trip. But these 7 tips should help!

Not All States Are Equal

The first thing most people do when planning a deer hunting trip is pick the state to visit. Which state? Well, usually it’s Illinois, Iowa, or Kansas. Why?

Because those states are renowned for having big bucks and great places for hiking and camping.

You know what else they’re renowned for?

Big prices!

If you can find a good deal for a week’s stay in these states, that’s great. But for most of us we should look at Indiana, Kentucky, or Wisconsin. These states have comparable bucks, comparable feel, but a very different price tag!

For some of us though, the things that makes a state expensive aren’t important to us. If you can find yourself a great plan in a state that is absurdly cheap, then it’s even better!

Crossing The Border

If you want to cross the border and do some hunting in Canada, you’ll need to do a little bit of extra planning.

First off, you’ll need to have all the proper paperwork, like your passport and a Canadian Firearms Declaration Form. You can save time by printing this off at home and filling it out. But do NOT sign it at home, you’ll have to do that with the right people as witnesses.

And you’ll also need an Export form for bringing home anything you bag. These are pretty easy to fill out and only have a small fee attached.

Get Permission

You’ll also need the right permissions, whether it be a permit or verbal, to hunt where you’re hunting. Every state and every location is different, so you’ll need to do a little bit of digging first.

Hunting in an open area in one state will require different permissions than hunting on your friend’s private property in your home state, so much sure you know exactly what you need before you head out.

Pack Accordingly

Every single state during each season will warrant a different collection of gear, clothes, and food to enjoy it as much as possible.

If this is your first time going to this location during this season, make sure you do some research to figure out what kind of weather, temperatures, and landscape you can expect.

Some might be tempted to pack for all occasions, just in case, but you will quickly find yourself with way too much gear and nowhere near enough room, or muscle, to carry it all.

Also, you want to make sure you’re prepared to bring home your big buck should you score it. It would be a real tragedy to make your shot only to realize you can’t bring it home.

Hire A Guide

A lot of popular places will offer guides you can hire. This obviously has pros and cons. A few pros are you’ll be better prepared, have a better chance of bagging a big deer (especially if you’re new to this), and you’ll feel safer the whole time.

A few cons would be it’s more expensive, you’re now sharing your vacation with a complete stranger, and you won’t have the freedom that many of us desire.

It’s up to you, of course, whether a guide is worth it. In general, if this is your first time doing a hunting trip like this, a guide might offer you a safe way to experience it and then, after this, you won’t need to hire another one again.

Practice

No matter what you’re using for hunting; gun, bow, crossbow, etc. you’ll want to make sure that you’re practicing before you go. 

Nothing is worse than hitting the trails, camping for days, and finally lining up a shot to bag a big buck and then you miss.

You’re never going to 100% sure you’ll hit every shot, but hunting is a muscle. The more you work that muscle the better you get at it, so make sure you practice.

Exercise

Much like practicing for your big shot, you also want to make sure you have plenty of time to exercise before your trip. Sometimes the best spot to bag a big buck is miles and miles away from where you’re camping.

If you’re not in proper shape, this can ruin your trip completely and reduce your accuracy when you do finally try to take a shot.

Every hunting trip will be unique. The location, the season, the people, the game, the mood, and so on will always be a little bit different. But planning the right amount will allow you to enjoy this unique experience without missing out or stressing.

So allow yourself to take the time to make a good, solid plan, follow it through, and then have yourself one hell of a vacation!