Deer are a lot more in tune with the outdoors than we could ever wish to be. They seem to be able to slip by you just out of range, or walk by the stand you sat in yesterday as you watch it pass from the ridge above.
For bow hunters especially; most find it near impossible to get a deer into range their first few years afield. The plethora of possible mistakes compounded by a deer’s heightened scenes can make it hard at best. The only way to excel as a hunter is continuing to ask questions and learn. Years of experience can easily be side stepped by a single question sometimes.
Learning from deer has its ups and downs, but cagy old hunters tend to be straight shooters and tell you like it is. I learn so much yearly about deer that I can’t believe there is anything left sometimes. Then, I get schooled by a buck again, or meet another old school hunter that passes on his bag of tricks.
If you are lucky enough to have a friend or mentor take you afield, consider yourself blessed. Without the assistance of an experienced hunter, it will likely take you ten years to learn what they can teach you in a single season. For those not so lucky, I recommend reading a lot about deer and deer hunting, and asking questions of other hunters along the way. I have to be honest and say some hunters enjoy pulling the chains of a greenhorn. You may find the advice given has exactly the opposite result. I feel this has a bit to do with people wanting to be looked at as a great hunter. If they give out all of their secrets, then anyone can do what they can. I also have to admit it crossed my mind before agreeing to take on the role as an outdoor writer.
I take pride in the hard work and years of struggling that it took me to get to where I am now. I had no teacher and had to learn the hard way how to get the job done. It also seems unfair to just give away a secret and allow someone a free ride. They may never respect the road to success if it’s too short. I then thought of how great it would have been to have had access to such secrets on my path. I felt it selfish to withhold what I have learned and not give someone a better chance at becoming an accomplished hunter.
I guess I’ve grown up as a hunter, because most of the time you get the best and most truthful advice from the older fellers. The ones that don’t hunt anymore tend to be the best from my experience. They often feel the need to pass on what they know and are typically happy to share.
The best place to find someone like this is a home for the aging. While working at such a facility I walked into a room and greeted a longtime friend named Art Farrell. He had just become a resident and as sad as I was to see him there, he was equally as excited to see me. Art lived just down the road from me and I fondly remember his gun shop and spending time there with him. He and I would talk briefly every day as I made rotations and many times I stayed for hours talking to him after I had punched out. He was happy to answer any question I asked and I don’t remember a single one he didn’t answer. He, like many others, was a backwoods piece of gold. They shined nearly every season and shared what they had learned from others’ past.
My only regret knowing Art was not spending enough time with him. It would have taken years to talk through all of his experiences and helpful advice. If you ever meet someone like Art, I recommend spending as much time with them as possible. I also bet there are many retired hunters in local homes for the aging that are just itching to pass on their years of experience. Many of these facilities are happy to connect you with someone like this; all you have to do is call and ask. When they find someone that would like to talk, they will call you back and give you a date and time to meet. I promise they will get just as much out of as you do out of them. You may very well learn the best hunting secret ever, and you are guaranteed to make the day of a local senior citizen.
You see, to stack the deck in your favor, you must first learn to do so. I recommend starting with the most experienced teacher you can find and be sure to thank and reward their generous gift. You may just be the icing on their cake of life.
Good wishes and remember, you only stop learning when you choose to do so.