>>1722835Okay this is gonna be a long one.
To get started with deer hunting, you need to become a legal hunter in your state or country usually by taking hunter's ed. You also learn the basics about ethics, shot placement, etc.
To be successful you need to find a place with as many deer and as few other hunters as possible. For some, this means private land that only they have access to. For others this might mean walking a long ways into public land where others wont put in the effort.
Once you find a good spot, understand that deer behavior changes with the season.
Before the rut, the bucks are generally solitary and reclusive. During this time, security is the top priority and they are difficult to kill. They are trying to stay out of sight and hang out in thick cover near a food source. You might try to ambush one on a trail at dawn or dusk.
During the rut, usually in November (or later in the south) becomes the number 1 priority and bucks will drop their guard. This is the easiest time to kill a buck. They will often come in to rattles or grunts and are active throughout the day.
After the rut, it is usually cold and the buck is worn out from the rut. During this time food is the top priority and the cold often makes them be active in the beginning of the day. During this time waiting near a food source is the best bet. In Iowa this might mean a corn field and in Colorado this might mean a forest fire burn area.
Whitetails and Blacktails generally live in heavily wooded areas and if you are hunting them, sitting in a blind or tree stand or doing a coordinated drive are the most common methods. Mule deer live in more open country and spot and stalk is more effective.
You can get away with making a little bit of noise, and sometimes you can even get away with them seeing you, but you can never let them smell you or they will run. Always make sure the deer are upwind of you.
