Guide on When to Shoot the Deer

Most of the time when we go to hunting wemissing man may have met with an accident and
might have come across many wounded animals,may not be able to travel, but no man should go
and even tried to do their best to help the deerout of sight of camp, in the woods, without a
recover from their wounds, but some time itcompass, and there is no real need for one with a
used to fail. These wastages in deer are also duecompass to become lost.
to when you shot the animal in the evening whenA man doesn't need to be a navigator or a
they are hardly visible. And before shooting thesurveyor in order to be able to utilize this
deer it is always good to check the local laws ofinstrument. All that he needs is a steady mind and
hunting the deer.something to give him a positive general direction.
In the past twenty years, I have failed toAlmost any cheap compass will do this, if the
recover two badly wounded deer and in eachcarrier will only believe it, and if he has taken the
case they were shot late in the day, and badtrouble to notice the direction in which he started
weather the following night made it impossible towhen he left camp at the beginning of the hunt.
follow their tracks the next day. I am quite sureMost hunting camps are on a road, stream or
that both of these deer were killed though Ipond that extends for some distance on each
never found any trace of one of them. Foxside of the camp and it is only necessary to find
tracks led me to the remains of the other.this road, stream or pond in order to find the
The hunter should be very careful while shootingcamp.
late in the day, for, although visibility may appearWhen hunting in strange territory, I usually spend
to be good, the diminishing light can cause slighta part of the first day in familiarizing myself with
sighting errors which may cause a serious woundthe territory in the immediate vicinity of the place
instead of a clean kill. Every shot should bewhere I am staying. I walk the road, if there is
investigated at the time and if there is theone, for at least a half-mile in each direction from
slightest chance that a deer has been wounded,camp, observing any outstanding features which
the hunter should return the following day andmight serve as landmarks. I make short circles or
attempt to recover the animal. If he finds that hehalf-circles near the camp, noticing any unusual
cannot return on the following day, he shouldformations such as trees, rocks, brooks, wood
notify a game warden or a local guide of the factroads, chopping or anything which might be of
that he has wounded a deer, so that the animalhelp in determining my exact location in relation to
may be recovered if such recovery is possible.the camp in case that I should become confused
Before a hunter snoots from or near a road, hewhen re- turning from a hunt. This procedure
should check the laws of the area in which he iswould not help a man that is completely lost,
hunting, for in some states, shooting is prohibitedbecause when he is in that condition, even the
within a specified distance of a road. In placesback door of his own home is liable to be strange
where such shooting is legal, the hunter should useand unfamiliar enough to be unrecognizable. This
caution and not shoot lengthwise or across thedoes not seem possible, but I know from
road, even if this means passing up a chance toexperience that a man who is merely turned
bag a deer. The safety of other motorists isaround can look at familiar objects without
more important than killing the best deer thatrecognizing them and even after he has
travels the woods.recognized them, cannot believe that they are in
Every year we read or hear about hunters andtheir proper place.
fishermen becoming lost in the woods and of theWhen a hunter goes for hunting and makes the
trouble and expense that is taken to find them.shoot and sure that he has shot the deer, it is
The state wardens, the sheriff's department,better if he checks the deer or warns the
guides and other woodsmen all turn out to lookwarden. While going for deer hunting always
for the lost person. Not all of this is necessary.remember to keep your compass with you, so
The search is necessary if a man fails to show upthat you have less chances of getting lost in the
at his camp soon after he is expected, but therewoods. And try to always familiarize yourself with
is no need for the man to be lost in the firstthe places before hunting in strange or new
place. The search is necessary because theplaces.