[Gamer73132]

Hello all. I just joined the forum today and I'm looking for someone to help me with deer hunting this year.

I've been hunting twice in my life. Once about 20 years ago, turkey hunting and never saw a bird, then hog hunting about 4-5 years ago and that got disrupted by people showing up. So I've never even taken aim at live game, or even tried deer hunting.

I've got a deep freeze with plenty of room in it. The only suitable rifle I've got for deer is a Savage Axis in .308 with a Bushnell 6-18x50 scope on it. It hasn't even been fired yet.

I'm looking for someone to show me the ropes, a hunting mentor if you will. I appreciate any help you all can provide, and looking forward to hopefully meeting some members to hunt with sometime. Thanks.

 

[Bullbuster]

First off welcome to OKH. Glad you found the place and introduced yourself.

I see your from the NW side of the state. Where abouts exactly?

Do you have any other means of deer hunting (bow, muzzle loader)? Your .308 with be fine however I'd get to a range to send some rounds flying. Not only to sight it in but to also get a feel for it and the recoil. No 2 brands shoot alike so finding one that your gun likes can take some time and a few $$.

How far are you willing to travel to hunt? You have some good public lands on that side of the state.

 

[dennishoddy]

Welcome to Oklahoma Hunter!
Getting started takes a lot of personal dedication. This forum has a ton of information on different hunting tactics. It would be hard to think of a question that hasn't been asked and answered here.
We are always ready to answer more.

 

[Gamer73132]

Thank you both for the replies. I'm in NW Oklahoma City. Travel would depend on the opportunity I suppose. I'd be more willing to drive further if I had an actual hunter going with me that knew the lay of the land. I'll be getting to a range next week to get used to the gun a bit and sight it in properly.

I don't have a bow, and I haven't used one since I was probably 7. It's on my list of things to get within the next year or two.

 

[Bullbuster]

I thought you were in the NW side of the state not NW OKC. I'm live in SE OKC. Several other members in the OKC area as well. Thinderbird, Lexington and Grady are all good places. However T-bird is now only, Lex and Grady are quota only for ML and gun. Grady is the furthest away and it's about 70 miles.

Google earth is great for scouting out areas to hunt.

 

[dennishoddy]

Canton has some pig hunting I know. Not too sure about the deer, but if pigs are there, typically its good for deer.

 

[Gamer73132]

Ok great. I'll try downloading it soon. Anything I should look for on Google Earth specifically? Like identifying marks or maybe trails? What kind of camo or scent blockers should I look into, if I need them?

And for hog hunting, I'd love to try that again. Last time I was only carrying an AR-15, but this time around I can choose between an AK-47 or the .308, which I still think I'd prefer the .308. Are there any places that advertise hog hunting to help decrease population? Basically somewhere inviting hunters out to assist with population control?

 

[Bullbuster]

Walmart sells all sorts of scent control stuff. I've usedstraight baking soda in the wash and taken a couple handfulls of green leaves, sticks and pine neelds in a sock and put in the dryer. They make dryer sheets as well. I keep all my hunting clothes separate from my regular clothes. I have a standup double door cabinet in my attic I keep them in (I have a huge walk through attic).

As far at Google earth goes anyplace you may go and hunt it will show the lay of the land and is a good general scouting tool. Mind you the pics are not up to date but you will get a good idea of what is around. This link will allow you to view the state public lands. You can identify the areas and then find them on Google earth for better detailed images.
Hunting: Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
Also if you have a smart phone download the free app mossy oak scout look. You can see detailed maps of anywhere as well plus leave pin point markers for spots. Also gives weather info like temp and wind direction for any given spot you choose. I really like it.

 

[dennishoddy]

I'll go on record about liking that mossy oak app. I have stand locations from years ago still on there. There is a wealth of information in that app.

 

[okbob]

My dad being a habitual smoker and coffee drinker, didn't know how to take a deer with a rifle or ML without a gert in his mouth and a shiny thermos cup full of coffee sitting next to him. Archery proved a little tougher because his anchor point was the corner of his mouth, and that interfered with his cigarette.........so usually no cigarette was lit during the last hour or first hour of shooting light. I'm not sure how many seasons if any where the man didn't limit out on deer. Wind and wind direction is the hunters friend.

 

[Sasakwa]

Okbob, while I don't smoke or chew I am kind of like your dad..I've never spent one penny on scent blockers of any kind. The only camo I wear is some that someone has left at my house over the years and I really have no idea who left it..I do use a face net while bow hunting and that's about the only thing I do to not be detected by Mr. Bucky..I play the wind and try to be still..That's about it..sometimes it works and sometimes it don't..

 

[samj123]

I agree with the guys above. The wind is definitely the most important thing to play. But I am of the mind that I will take all the help I can get. Usually about $10 in scent control will last me the entire season. Second, going along with scent is not over hunting your spot. Of course that is difficult on public land but you can definitely have success. It will take more work though. Hunt where hunters aren't Last year I hunted the Lexington WMA around 6 times and saw (Didn't have a chance to shoot) deer every time. The downside is that I hiked in more than a mile. I like to try and pick an ambush point on a east west trail so that I can hunt that spot with either a south or a north wind.