Good Educational Resources For Whitetail Hunting

[1stLand]

Hi Everyone,
I got myself into Grouse Hunting 3 years ago. Self taught. Involved putting lots of miles on my boots before I figured them out.

Now, this year, I am hunting big game for the first time. Specifically whitetail deer on crown land. I have been out twice and the first time yesterday I searched a few areas and saw a glimpse of a whitetail's tail and hind legs jumping across a trail - disappearing in the woods.
I've been focusing on areas such as cut-lines and large trails, following tracks and sitting stationary rattling and using a Doe Bleet Can.

I know it is going to take patience and alot of effort to get a shot opportunity. But I am hoping to do everything I can to learn about whitetail hunting.

Any advice out there on anything else I should be doing? Are there any good online resources to learn whitetail deer's behavioral patterns?

Thanks in advance

[Mountainaccent]

Right now is the time for rattling if I was not working I know I would be out rattling right now

[Desert Eagle]

Find where the tracks are concentrated, right after this snow is a perfect time. Where there is a lot of sign, pick a nice area upwind and get comfy. Sit there all day and you will get your chance.

[obsessed1]

What type of terrain are you hunting?( general area) I agree rattling right now is dynamite, I generally hunt thick timber, I still hunt edges of cuts ( old and new), ridges, and natural funnels. Walking cut lines has also given me many shots at deer. I am not a huge fan of sitting a stand as I'd rather be out roaming but I will rattle for oeriods of time when I get to a ideal location. Often rattling from the down wind side of a cut line watching the opposite side has worked for me

[3blade]

Whitetails: Find the food. There should be deer tracks and crap and feeding craters all over, not just a little here and there. Snow is great for beginners.

Figure out where they are coming and going from.

Get down wind of that spot, where the food and cover meet.

Sit still and be quiet, gun loaded, likely areas pre-ranged, rest/bipod/sticks ready. No phone, coffee, snacks, or other unnecessary BS excuses for movement and noise.

IMO calls, scents, decoys and the like are all things you can play with when you get some experience, but the more experience you get, the more you stick to the basics.

If you can’t sit still all day (boredom or cold) then just go for the evening. Probably have a 9-1 kill ratio, evening vs morning.

[3blade]

Whitetails are easy to ambush, but very difficult to stalk or still hunt. Weather, wind, ground conditions, terrain and your skills all have to be perfect or they are gone before you know they are there. They are just more tuned in than other animals.

If you insist on doing it the hard way, couple suggestions:
- buy a pack of tictacs, empty out all but 3. Put it in your pocket. If the tictacs rattle, you are moving too fast
-buy good 8x40 binos and a good bino harness (AGC or FHF), step, glass everything you can see, step, repeat. Found every single spot and stalk deer I’ve killed with binos.

[1stLand]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I think the first area I stumbled upon by fluke is showing good signs of deer.
There was a huge scrap mark on a tree (need to check for further scrapes) and it was a nice cut line with small poplars and willows I saw deer were deviating 6 feet off trail to feed on. There was a fresh snowfall and I saw fresh tracks everywhere as well as deer scat near the edge of the tree line.

I am going to try and spend a whole day in that area just sitting and waiting, with the wind in my face.

I am exciting for next year as I am going to devote more time pre-scouting and finding good areas and learning about hunting elk as well.