I'm new here in every way, new to the site and new to deer hunting. I have a piece of hunting property and a 10 year old boy dying to learn, so I took him hunting a few times over the season. We're learning together and learning as we go, but I would like to have some success this year. Is there anything I can be doing on my property to attract deer and see more action?

Corn. Put out lots and lots of corn.

Welcome to the forum.

Welcome aboard. Right now mineral licks are good with the heat turning up.

Welcome aboard! Without more info, such as county and if there is a sustainable deer population, it's hard to answer your question. Lots of folks on here willing to help in any way.

Was gonna say, I'm female and my father did not hunt. Neither did my son's dad, so literally, I know nothing. 😬

Welcome. Corn , cameras and do some scouting by walking

The hunting property is in Perry County, Tennessee...very rural. I have done some scouting out there, and have seen rubs, poo, and found a couple of sheds

Welcome and you found the right place. Wealth of information on here.

Single with hunting property. I'm surprised you don't have several marriage proposals already. Welcome to the forum.

Yep corn will do it. Maybe. We don't have any deer in Alabama any more. The drought and doe days finished them off. You better bring some hip waders to the party because it can get sort of deep here.

😂😂

Welcome to the site, a female that doesn’t know everything....that is refreshing 🤪. Pay close attention to bhamfred and 2dogs and take notes when they speak

Would you be interested in a blind date with a guy named Smells?

Poor Smells. Maybe he should try a anosmia date instead

Wait just a minute!....How much hunting land?

Can't forget the TPs Welcome to the forum.......

This is my last frontier. As soon as I absorb all y'all's knowledge, I will know everything. 😂

New Females are required to post a picture and address.... Of your hunting land.

Plant summer food plots. Get the deer used to coming to your place to eat. Welcome

🤪

Welcome ,

Got to post picture of yourself with a firearm lol.
Welcome to Aldeer and to answer your question corn,salt block would be helpful as well as not over traveling the area. Deer pick up on activity and odors left behind

WHAT THE $^&@! Why is everyone trying to hook me up on a blind date?! I'll get my own date thank you very much!


Now, BP4, how much hunting land was that exactly ? Welcome to the site.

Let’s give this gal some real advice.

With a 10 yr old you want to provide the easiest environment possible until he gets a little older.

I’m not much into summer plots unless you have extra money to blow and time. Start mineral licks and bait spots (corn) now. You’ll only have to add extra salt or minerals about once a year once it’s established. Corn feeders are best to meter the amount of corn put out daily. You can just dump a bag on the ground but it will be eatin in just s few days. Put out game cameras on your bait sites to get a good idea of what quality of Deer you have.

On the actual hunting spots for a 10 yr old, I suggest building a few shooting houses out of wood but you can use hunting blinds and leave them out all season. If you choose a blind, invest in a shooting stick or a Caldwell tripod gun rest. The good thing about a shooting house or a blind is you can invest in a propane heater and keep your kid warm on those frigid hunts.

Make sure you plant fall food plots. There are a variety of mixes. If you have big fields, I would suggest buying seed separate and mixing yourself. Wheat, oats, Austrian winter peas and red clover. If you have smaller fields, you can just buy the premixed stuff at any co-op or seed store. If you don’t have a tractor hire a local to prepare the plot for you. You can fertilize and sees yourself to save money or you can find someone to do it all. Plant in September (guessing for TN). In AL we can plant as late as earmark November. You just want to make sure the plot is up when it gets near your rut period which you can usually find on your state wildlife website, but only experience will show you when the rut happens on your property.

Good luck.

Dear, forgive these roughians and their course talk, bless their hearts.

Please forgive them , they know not what they do. Well actually most do.

Here's the first and most important tip if you are brand new to this. Don't do anything else before you do this. Get ahold of a list of gun safety rules, learn them, learn them again and preach them to that boy until he can't stand it any more. YouTube videos about "negligent firearm discharges" are helpful too I think. Remember the gun is always loaded even when you know it's not. If you have anyone who can help you learn how to shoot you should do that before trying to take game.

As for actually hunting, I'd spend some time finding out what you actually have on property before you start dumping a bunch of money into food plots or shooting houses or anything else. I'd say you're already off to a good start if you've found rubs, poo, and sheds.

Pick up a block of trophy rock. Good excitement for a young boy just getting into would be getting him a trailcam for the TR. He can watch antler growth over the next several months.

The first rule here is we dont deer hunt or turkey hunt. Some may admit to fishing a little. And we never show anybody pictures of the deer or turkeys we dont kill because we dont hunt them. If our property used to have a good population of deer or turkeys they are all gone now. Some of the old timers on here might can advise you on what worked back in the day when members on a deer hunting forum hunted deer, im sure the same tactics will still work. Anyway, welcome and if i confused you any, i apologise but youll figure out what im talking about if you hang around long enough.

Also, if you need to know any good places to eat at the beach, this is the place to ask.

Good advice above.

If you can invest in at least one camera and start keeping some corn in front of it, you can get an idea of about how many deer and how many of them are bucks on your property. Keep in mind that this time of year, you're not going to see much antler on the bucks heads, but as the summer progresses you should be able to get a better idea. By late summer you should know which deer are going on the hit list. If it was my 10 or 11 yo, that would be any legal deer that he wants to shoot. I hope he gets his first one this year, you too. We all love grinning kids with deer or even first deer with grinning mom or dad pictures here.

I have been big on gun safety in my home and have owned them for much longer than I have hunted.. I own a couple several and usually have one with me. I have the time to put out some salt, cameras, and feeders. I have a couple of treestands on the property. I actually had a buck walk within about 20 yards of me while turkey hunting a few weeks ago.
I like the banter. Y'all are funny and it's one reason I decided to speak up.

What's your opinion of wake boats and school write ups? Also do you have directions and a gate key to the 1000AC community hunting club in Pickens Co?

Welcome to the forum and good luck with your son and hunting this season.

Your inbox will probably needs some bleach or penicillin at some point around this crowd

The new and improved Outback is bringing it...

X100

Oh no, you've done it now , you said Turkey hunting.

Good Grief, ma'am. You turkey hunt!?!? Please PM me at once. I'd like to ask for your hand in holy matrimony, sight unseen....

Great advice from all these guys. I think the best thing to do and most fun for both of you being your just getting started is to put out a salt lick and put out some corn. Then put a trail cam over them so both of you can enjoy time together checking the cam and looking at the pics. I want to add, you are a great mom and your child will always be grateful that you took the time to help him learn a sport that is often left up to a male family member. I have several women in my family who love this sport. I wish y'all the best of luck and you've found a place to get some great advice.

I try to turkey hunt. 😂 I haven't ever shot anything except coons that kill my chickens and a rooster that went after my boy. Thanks for all the advice. I'm gonna get right on it!

buzz kill....

Close enough...and all kidding aside. welcome

The first thing I would do is pour Clorox on a stump, then pm Whild Bill further advice

I think a camera or two would be a good start. Personally since you already know you have deer on the property,I would just put them in areas where you think they would be without the use of an artificial attractant. Learn what it is they like about your place and how they use it. Then later on if you have the money you can enhance things with supplementals. Also don't forget maybe doing some small game like squirrels,rabbits and such. Do it on public land or something if you are concerned about over pressuring the deer. Kids that age can get burnt out pretty quick if we aren't careful and sometimes it helps to mix it up. It'll also teach the basics of skinning and cooking . Welcome to the forum.

If these hooligans don't run you off, you'll be the first female in the history of aldeer that they haven't!

There's a few wimmens around. Tambo use to post a good bit but somebody must have put the kibosh on her posting. More likely the shine wore off the "banter"

Put out a corn pile and put a camera on it. That will give you and that 10 year old plenty of pictures to look at over the summer.

True dat.

Also, I sure hope you ain't a democrat. We don't like people who vote that persuasion up in here.

I think there was a few on here that Tambo had under a spell.

If I was single, I would have been one of them too.

What truck tires do you recommend?

I like corn, cameras, mineral licks and blinds. I’d put up a couple 2-man ladders too if I could. Or a ladder and a lock on.

It takes a lot to run me off. 😁 I was trying to put up a picture of the best looking 10 year old kid you've ever seen but I'm not too tech savvy and can't figure it out. As for truck tires, I guess it depends on the truck. 😂

I’m a Tennessee transplant and would be glad to help you out. The good thing about Tennessee deer, especially Perry county is there is a bunch of them.

We're just south of you in Hardin County. My lease is at Crossroads, near Olivehill. Been there, nigh on 20 years now. Y'all should come down sometime and at least break bread and have a cold drank with us when we're up there.

I will take any help I can get. Thank you!!

I know where Hardin County is. Thank you! I'd love to.

Not sure if tennessee has something comparable but it would be worth the drive to participate in a BECOMING AN OUTDOORS WOMAN weekend that is put on by the conservation department. They do a pretty good job.

I have looked into that. It seemed like most of it doesn't apply to me. I can shoot a gun and a bow pretty well, I kayak and fish a lot, and can build a pretty good campfire. It looks like a lot of fun though.

If it's not a cutover create more bedding area, don't over hunt it, and plant year round. Be in the woods when the bucks are on their feet during daylight. Use the wind. Look for natural funnels, terrain changes examples hardwood to pine or pine to cutover, and pinch points.

I think its cool that your wanting to get your boy into outdoor sports. Parents not doing this is whats wrong with alot of these kids coming up now.

That's not true. We got several gals who been with us for many years.
Texas huntress, Maggie, and Irishguy. For example.

Any page count predictions?
I’ll go with 11

Not true Fur, Tambo is here and a big time hunter. Not to mention a fine person, mother and wife. Recently a lady named Alabamahuntress was here too.

It seems like these guys have given you all the info you need to get started so I'll add some more.
Go with ground blinds and a couple chairs, the blinds need to be put a month before season opens and you can leave them out through the season. You can buy decent GB's for less than $100. Trail cams for preseason scouting is a must and very addictive, pull the cards every 2 weeks so your not disturbing the deer much by putting your scent in the area too often. A decent TC can be had for less than $100 I'd recommend the browning TC's and premium sd cards. Don't forget shooting stix, a bipod configuration will be best in a GB and if you want to have one of those Buddy propane heaters in there you can do that I always do. Practice shooting over the summer with that young fella so he'll be confident when he gets a shot on a deer and prepare yourself to be in in that GB more than you want especially after he kills his first one. Be safe and have a good time and a good season

Welcome to the insanity known as Aldeer.

Thanks so much, everyone. I appreciate all the advice. Im' probably gonna head out there after Sunday gathering and do some of the stuff y'all suggest.

Get him some practice but only let him shoot a 22 at a target. Only allow him to shoot the deer rifle at a deer.

I know she's here but she doesn't post much anymore. I've met her a couple times because she contacted me about bee swarms. She is a great lady and a bonafide country girl. I know there are some wimmens on here but they don't post much. Probably because of all the hard legged guys on here.

Yep forgot about those, especially the last one. LOL

That's great advice. 22 only and lots of it. He won't remember the recoil from the deer rifle if he just shoots it at a deer. He will remember it and flinch the next time if shooting it from a bench.

Also get q hunting magazine and have your son show you where to place a bullet im the vitals depending upon the angles. There are literally infinite angels a deer can approach ane it helps a kid ubderstand where to aim by looking at the different deer picw in a mag. My daughter would point out to me where to aim on the way to the hunt. (she was 10).

What caliber rifle will he be using for deer? Hopefully a low recoil caliber or one with reduced recoil loads.

Wow! This is all great advice and things I hadn't ever heard. Thank you! We have a .223 for deer hunting. He has never shot it, but has shot a .22 and several shotguns.

If you been following this place than you know you can't kill a deer with a 223. Need to get him at least a 300 mag.

Ok. I haven't been following long and like I said, I know next to nothing. I was told that I could kill a deer with that, but not by one of y'all I guess I got some bad info. Thank you.

It was tongue in cheek. With the right buller a 223 will kill a deer just fine. Some believe it is to small for deer but my kids have killed deer with mine just fine.

A 223 will definitely kill a deer...but there are better options IMO.

The key with any rifle is placement...and that takes practice.

I'd get him some practice with that .223 over the summer and fall. You said he's shot shotguns so he'll be just fine shooting the .223. Be sure you both wear hearing protection.

You’ve been here long enough to know better. 300 ULTRA mag is the ALDEER minimum!

223 is plenty for deer, as said it’s all about shot placement and using the right ammo.

Federal premium nosler partition 60 grain would be my .223 pick if I had to use a .22 centerfire.

He has learned a lot about placement from shooting a bow and he has a 3D target that he practices on. Y'all are giving lots of great information. Thank you! I originally got the .223 for coyotes, but was told it could take down a deer also. I'm always open to buying more guns. 😁

Earhole shots usually are best with a 223.

Come on, play nice.

Good ammo and a heart/lung shot will do it every time.

Since I'm new, I will be on my best behavior and keep the smart comments to myself for now. 😂

No ma'am let em fly. Please

I'd trust a 223 just as much as a 308, with the right bullet selection.
I shoot a 62 grain Federal Fusion, but there's a number of other selections that are perfect for deer.
Just get the 62 or 64 grain mushrooming bullet.

👍 So get my boy shooting, corn, mineral and salt, cameras, and don't over travel. And maybe go after some small game....gonna be a fun summer! Thanks, guys.

One more question....... do you have a permanent water source, creek or spring on your place? That's a great help for all the wildlife. We have a big creek to play/fish in during the off season and it's year round water for the critters.

I do!!! It borders the Buffalo River, but there is also a fresh water spring coming right out of the side of a hill and winding thru the property. It's clear, cold water year round.

You can walk that creek and look for trails that cross it. A creek crossing can be a fine hunting spot.

BP4...I'm jealous

That's awesome!! Sounds like we may have similar properties.

Welcome to the nut house!!!

I really can't add to the advise already given, it is spot on.

BP4 - I too have a 10 year old. One area I failed is pushing him too hard and almost ruined hunting for him. If he is cold, to home. I would think very hard about not bringing electronics to entertain him in the beginning. As you know this is time you will never get back, make it special. There is a gas station down the road we stop at after every hunt or day in the woods in the off season. We get surplees every time. I go on and on about how they are the best in the world. They arent very good, but I want my son to remember the event. When the good Lord takes me home, I want him to see a slurpee machine and think of all the times we spent together.

BP4 - I admire your passion for your child. Also I have some hunting clothes my son outgrew. Boots, jackets, pants, etc you can have for free. I will even pay to ship to you. Let me know.

P.S. please, please ensure both of you wear a safety harness of you ever hunt off the ground.

Wow!! I love this!! Thank you! I'm not big on electronics and he seemed to inherit my love for being outside even if we're not getting much accomplished. 😁 I will definitely pay for shipping. That is very generous of you! And I love the slurpee story! I may steal that idea.

Practice, practice and more practice. And like Wiley said, use hearing protection, I think everybody on here answers the phone when it isn't ringing.

with young kids, i think its best to just show them how the woods work. How to read sign. Look for tracks and be able to identify them. How to spot trails, rubs and scrapes. To notice the plants that are eaten. Why the went this way or that, identify trees, and the different sounds. All the things that tell a story in the woods. Like jmudler said, snacks. My son probably gets more excited about that then anything else. Killing deer is easy. It can be time consuming though and the young-ins get bored. So, to me, i try to fill that time with education, that will benefit the child for years to come. When he does finally kill one, inscribe his and your initials, date, and sex of deer on the spent cartridge.

BP4 - you should have a blinking mail icon in the upper right of your screen next to your screen name.

Only pay attention to 39% of what these jokers say.

This was prolly true after her first post.

39% seems a little high to me...

Actually it hasn't been that way!! 😂😂

Maybe 15%?

the buffalo is a beautiful stream. oh, and i hear the cald population is burgeoning in your part of tennessee. be aware ...

He's definitely the last person to go easy on...

Cald?

I have a smart mouth, but I can know my place. I'm new here and a female. I'll wait until and if I am accepted. 😂

What's your favorite sammich to make?

Okay. I've resisted the urge up until now.
But a woman who admitted she doesn't know everything AND knows when to shut up?
Will you please marry me?

I can make a mean pb&j 😂, but I love a grilled cheese with tomato

Since I'm new, I will be on my best behavior and keep the
I have a smart mouth, but I can know my place. I'm new here and a female. I'll wait until and if I am accepted. 😂[/quote]
Okay. I've resisted the urge up until now.
But a woman who admitted she doesn't know everything AND knows when to shut up?
Will you please marry me? [/quote]

Y'all are hard on us