Hunting Tactics and Tactical Scenarios

Different hunting tactics are required for different land types.

After acquiring a new lease or purchasing a piece of land the hunter should consider getting an aerial photo and topographical map of the land. Following this he can scout the area and note on the maps different features he found that will help in the future hunts. His GPS waypoint numbers can also be placed on the maps.

Flatland gun and bow hunting involves different issues to consider than hill country, swamps or mountain hunting.

Flatland deer tend to wander a lot , they travel different routes. They make many trails to and from bedding, water and food sources. Thus, flatland hunters have to do more scouting and plan to hunt at more sites than the hill country hunters. Here is where a trail camera will be of assistance. I have found and hunted a good scrape or rub site all day day after say  only to find the deer that obviously made them never travels by. Putting a trail camera at the site revealed they only came to the site at night.

Many days deer use the same route to and from but just as many days they will travel to a site and go back a different one. One hunting tactic is, the hunter looks for bedding areas there he will easily see the trails most used. Follow those trails to water and food.

The flat land hunter might find that setting up near a water hole will be more productive very early and late during the day because deer usually bed closer to water than food. When the hunter finds water with signs of visits he should enter the site as a waypoint in his GPS receiver for future bow or gun hunting tactical planning use, the same should go for bedding areas and food sources. While on the subject of GPS's remember to set a waypoint for the location of the car before leaving for the hunt, that way the hunter will never be lost in the woods.

Other hunting tactics include the use of lures and cover scents.