Terri Ramsey Beavers With the fall season just a few weeks away, the cooler temperatures have already begun hitting some areas, signalling the start of the cold weather. Apart from being a little over three months away from Christmas, fall also triggers the start of one of the greatest hunting seasons of the year.
With a bunch of different animals to hunt and multiple ways to do that, all you need now is this mini guide to hunting in the fall. From small game animals like rabbits to big stags, fall is the best time to get some of your best trophies.
1. Good Deer Hunting
One of the best tips you will ever receive for hunting deer is to learn to read the blood. That doesn’t mean drinking a cup of blood tea and letting the dregs tell you your fate – that would be weird. It means to learn to read the blood trails after you’ve shot a deer.
These trails don’t only tell you what direction the wounded animal is moving, but it also provides you with more details on where you shot it and how quickly you need to go after it. As a general rule – bright red blood is often from the lungs, and dark purple is usually from a gut shot.
2. A Game Of Feathers
Many new and experienced hunters prefer to hunt birds in the fall. Birds offer an easy option and get found in greater numbers than the larger game and predators. Game birds and waterfowl are found all over during the fall, and so are quail and doves.
All you need to get started is your small game license and hunting clothing for the cooler season.
3. Follow The Moon
Many hunters don’t realize this, but a full moon is almost always a hunter’s best friend. If you live close to a decent stretch of forest, you can put this tip to the test without your rifle. Many whitetails call the forest home and get triggered by the full moon.
Use this time to follow them with your quality hunting gear and track their movement from the late afternoon. Most of the time, they don’t bother to wait until dark before they begin to forage.
4. Find An Unusual Spot
Rookie hunters often make the mistake of bunking down where there is an abundance of deer droppings, rubs, and trails. Just because there are loads of signs pointing to deer congregating in that spot, doesn’t make it a good spot to hang your stand.
The more time a deer spends in an area, the more sensitive it will be towards unusual sounds and smells. Multiply that thirty or forty hyper sensitively times and you’ve got yourself an unsuccessful hunt.
5. Skin Elks Quickly
The last great tip for hunting in the fall – skin and quarter your elk as soon as possible after you shoot it. Elks have massive bodies, and they don’t lose heat quickly enough after death to prevent their meat from spoiling.
Ask your mentor hunter buddy for tips on removing the hide because it isn’t an easy job. Other than those tips above, have fun and be safe out there.