Nelson Alexander has a few rules he follows when he’s getting ready for deer season — scouting, locating a stand and setting up for that big buck.
• Check muddy roads in the morning after it has rained to judge by tracks the size and number of deer that have crossed.
• Step on these tracks to erase them and check later in the day to see what activity has happened since your last visit.
•Tie a string across a deer trail three feet off the ground to check on activity on the trail. The direction the string is pulled will dictate the line of travel of the deer that broke it.
• Locate probable bedding and feeding areas. Set up your blind or stand between these two spots at a “pinch spot.”
• Locate oaks that are currently dropping acorns.
• Climb 20 feet high or more to drastically reduce the chance of a deer smelling you.
• Cut shooting lanes well in advance of the opening of deer season to let deer get used to the change.
• Pick out avenues of approach you expect deer to appear from when you reach the height you plan to climb. This gives you a little more time to make a shot on an incoming deer.
• Keep movement to a minimum while in your stand.
• Zero your rifle in 50 to 00 yards further than your normal shot to cover situations where a long shot presents itself.
• Always use a “rest” when shooting. This will drastically improve accuracy.
• -Hunt downwind or crosswind from where you expect deer to show up.
• Check the zero of your rifle several times a season. This will build confidence in your ability to be able to hit where you aim.
• Scout any time you are in the woods. You might be turkey hunting in April but keep your eyes peeled for shed antlers, rub lines and deer trails.
• Be sure of your target, and concentrate on EXACTLY where you want to place your bullet.
Editor’s Note: This story appears as part of a feature in South Carolina Sportsman’s November issue. To ensure you don’t miss any information-packed issues, click here to have each magazine delivered right to your mail box.
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