Hunting advice you'd give a young YOU
This is advice I'd give a younger me, djb, and is mostly around whitetail deer hunting in KS.
Shooting accuracy, with bow or gun, is the #1 most important skill. You can be the greatest hunter in the world, but if you can't make the shot it doesn't matter.
Don't wait for the "perfect" shot. Take the first shot given by the animal. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.
Let other guys practice doe management and shoot little bucks. Life is too short to drag little bucks and does out, and let's be honest, I don't need the meat.
Don't leave your truck without good binos and 8x32s will do 98% of what you need.
A good quality, lightweight, packable chair, like Helinox, is worth its weight in gold.
A .300WM doesn't kill deer any deader than a .223. A .223 is a lot more fun to practice with while increasing your shooting skills too.
Every deer I've ever killed with a rifle, I could've killed with a 4x scope.
Heavy rifles are fun to shoot at the range, but not for all-day carrying. At the end of an all day hunt I've never thought to myself, "Gee, I wish my rifle was heavier."
If you wear it, pack it, or use it hunting, spray it down with Permethrin. You're welcome.
Just when you think you've applied enough Deet to exposed skin, spray on some more. Never while trout fishing or deer hunting have I said, "Man, I put on too much Deet again."
Stay away from cotton - socks, pants or shirt. Wear merino wool and good synthetics.
Quit [bleep] around trying to find a good "daypack." Buy a good quality backpack with frame and be done with it.
Don't buy into the ol' hunter's tale you have to walk 3 miles from the road to find the deer. I've seen more deer cross the road in front of me, or in fields next to the road, then I've ever seen "way back where the deer are."
