New to Deer Hunting

[LineWalker]

I'm a newb hunter myself. Last year was my first time hunting and I learned a lot.

As others have said, if you can find a mentor or another knowledgeable hunter to walk with, that definitely is a plus. I was fortunate to tag along with two hunters last season. Mentors will likely be able to articulate answers to your questions and give you tips and tricks, etc. For example: the guys I went hunting with last year washed their clothes with scent-free clothes washing detergent and did not use any fabric softner sheets when drying their hunting clothes. They also used scent-free soap and shampoo the night before. Extreme? I don't know. Does it mean you're guaranteed to get a deer? Most likely not. However, I never would have thought of the scent-free thing, but it made sense. The guys I went with were pretty religious about it, especially during archery season.

WHERE to hunt varies. Walking into SGL, yes, you're pretty much walking in and waiting once you find a spot. Move how often you want. It's up to you how deep into the woods you want to go aswell. Patience does pay off either way.

Field dress is a must. I got a buck last year and learned how to field dress on the spot. Even learned how to process it too with the help of my mentor!

Mrat phrased it best. Go out and enjoy the scenery. If you don't get anything this season, hopefully you still enjoyed the outdoors and hopefully learned something for next year!

[markshere2]

Invest time in woods soon.

Drag deer headfirst so you are not fighting the hair direction.

Yes gut it asap.

[JAKIII]

I've heard it's traditional for hunters with a newb who misses his first deer to cut off his shirt tail with a Buck knife, (i.e., the newb missed the deer's tail so the deer got his).

[LineWalker]

Also too, as a newb, I would recommend that you shouldn't feel awkward or afraid to ask questions. Again, if you can catch-up with a mentor or some buddies that are willing to teach, awesome. If not, you're not alone. The game commission book is a great resource of information as well (i.e. requirements for sq. in of blazer orange and that stuff).

My mindset last year was, "I'm an idiot, I know nothing...show me." That approach might not be for everyone, but I learned a lot.

Side story:
Last year I used 1 sling I bought from Walmart and alternated it between 3 different tools (1 crossbow; a 30-30 and a shotgun). This year i'm making my own rifle sling.. Just bought a stripe of 2" x 8' brown leather today at a local horse saddle outfitter in the area for @ $20. I might be able to make 2 slings from it, not sure yet. Pics to follow later.

[Karys]

I started hunting later in life myself and it took me a real long time to fill my first deer tag. It took me 12 years mostly because I moved out of state and didn't spend a lot of time in the woods. Once I moved back to PA I was able to dedicate myself to really learning how to hunt.

My advice is to start now. There are lots of places to hunt in 5C and 5D but there's a lot of competition also. Spend as much time in the woods as you can. You can start "hunting" now but you just can't pull a trigger.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. There's a lot of good guys and good advice to be found on the forums here. I'd also suggest joining a local gun club to help find a mentor.

[jthrelf]

Thank you for the advice so far! The small game hunting is a great suggestion for practice and to get a feel of the hunting areas. Also thankfully semi-auto rifles are now OK for small game hunting considering my only .22s are autos. Anyone know if there is a magazine capacity restriction to go along with the new regulations?

Looks like I was mistaken for Evansburg being 5C. I'll try to get a permit for both 5D and 5C this year then.

[scott125]

I want to echo the good advice. The best part of hunting is just being out there. Some days I go hunting, some days I just take my gun for a walk. Both are fine by me.

Good luck

[bigandy1966]

Any confirmation on the "No Semi automatics in Special Regulations Areas"? I see no mention of air rifles in the SRA either. The PAGC might not have updated the SRA sections as Page 8 says semis/air rifles are legal state wide:
Here are some of the changes this year that hunters and trappers need to know:
Semiautomatic rifles and air guns now can be used for hunting small game and fur bearers statewide, and there is no magazine restriction for either.
If the SRAs are exempt from the Semi-Air rifle change then this should be mentioned specifically in "changes" section on page 8
Also in SRAs outside Philly we CAN use semi automatic shotguns for deer:
Remaining Counties – Muzzleloading long guns, 44 caliber or larger, manual or semiautomatic shotguns, .410 or larger, using slugs; 20-gauge or larger, using buckshot
And semiauto shotguns for small game.
Anyone know if the PAGC cleared this up or the difference is just laziness on the part of the PAGC?

[scott125]

I reread both the update and SRA pages and think you are right. The update supercedes the rest of the digest. My mistake. Apologies for the bad info.

The PGC could have made it more obvious. <== ( going to use that as my excuse as lame as it is)

[JenniferG]

If you want to harvest a deer you need to know where they are at what point of the day. They need water, food and a place to rest. Scouting out where you are going to hunt is very important. They move at different times of the day and you need to place yourself in a position where they are going to be. Get some binoculars and spend some time out in the areas where you are going to hunt. Bring a note pad or whatever to take notes at the times you see the deer. Look for places around where the deer are that would be a good place for you to take a shot from.

When hunting make sure you where clothes that haven't been washed in laundry detergent that has ultraviolet dyes and added scents in them. Deer have an extraordinary sense of smell and they can see the upper end of the ultraviolet light scale much better than humans. Once you find the place where you believe the deer will pass by or loiter place yourself in a position where you will be down wind from where the deer will moving with back up against a tree and enjoy the outdoors. These are just a few of the basics.