How to Find a Deer Hunting Strategy That Works for You

Hunting pressure, deer populations, and a host of other variables also tip the scales one way or another. As much as hunting media (and even this article) want you to believe, most deer hunting tips fly around like stray meteors—most of them don’t actually hit. While there’s a ton of solid information out there, you still need to sift through a lot of noise to figure out what works best for you and your situation. We all have different time constraints, goals, and obligations, so here are a few ways to find a deer hunting strategy that works for you.

I think a lot of hunters would avoid resentment and disappointment if they did an honest evaluation of their hunting goals. It would probably make deer hunting fun for them, too. I think everyone should aspire to lofty goals, within reason. That type of work and determination offers a host of benefits beyond just hunting, but we’re not all going to finish on the podium.

For instance, do you really want to kill a 150-inch buck, or are you happy to tag any deer that comes down the trail? If killing a P&Y buck every year is your goal, consider the actual odds of doing so. Do you hunt areas where you might get a reasonable opportunity at a 150-inch buck? Most folks don’t. Unless you can dedicate the time and/or resources to making that goal happen, you might want to lower your expectations.

You also need to consider if your work/life meshes with your current hunting goals and aspirations. If you only have a handful of days to hunt every year, then you should probably have pretty low standards for deer and even fewer restrictions on how you hunt them.

For instance, if you think killing a mature buck with traditional equipment sounds cool because you saw someone on YouTube do it, but you have about ten days per year to hunt, you might go a whole lifetime without getting an opportunity at one. In that situation, you should either happily shoot the first legal deer that gives you an opportunity or pick up a rifle. Otherwise, you can go ahead and hang something else in that empty spot on the wall.

But, if you’re stuck on that goal, you’ll need to rearrange some of your life’s priorities to make it happen. Are you willing to find another job that gives you flexible time off to hunt? Or would you pack up and move somewhere that increases your chances of harvesting a mature buck every year? Can you dedicate the hours before or after work to scouting? These might seem drastic, but there are plenty of hunters who have committed their time, resources, and lives to do so.

From social media amateurs to trusted media outlets, there’s a ton of information out there that ranges from gold nuggets to useless. Somewhere in between, there are solid tips and strategies that you can adapt to your own situation. Discerning that is mostly trial and error.

If you have weeks’ worth of time to hunt every fall, then you can probably hold out for those “optimal” hunting conditions. In that case, saving your best hunting spot might give you the greatest opportunity at your target buck. If you’re limited to an occasional Saturday, you better not hold out for anything short of a pending apocalypse. For this scenario, you can throw out the “saving your best stands” tactic and not worry about burning your spots. So what if you bump that buck? When else are you going to get a shot at him? You can apply this same approach to nearly any hunting tactic.

Hunting companies and media won’t tell you this, but most of us can’t have our cake and eat it too when it comes to hunting. For instance, you can hunt with trad equipment in a ghillie suit, or you can kill a mature buck. Most hunters likely won’t do both. I’m not downing anyone’s abilities, nor do I think that should stop you from hunting the way you want. It’s just the truth. Short of a miracle or a guided hunt, most hunters won’t consistently kill an upper-echelon buck.

This dilemma presents a crossroads. Should you hunt with trad equipment and shoot any deer? Or do you want to have a real crack at a mature buck, even if that means you have to do it with a rifle? If the result of killing a mature buck is more important than how you do it, then you should probably consider rifle hunting or paying for guided hunts. While these options can certainly increase your chances, there’s still no guarantee.

You’ll also need to consider hunting spots that give you the best shot at a mature buck. If you decide to go this route, that crosses off most highly pressured public lands in many scenarios. Again, I’m not saying it’s impossible, but the odds aren’t in your favor. Unless you can afford a premium hunting lease or you have access to prime hunting grounds, you’ll need to take a hard look at your goals.

Consistency is key, but so is fun. If you don’t enjoy the way you hunt or your results, you won’t stick with hunting. This approach applies to dang near everything, too. That’s why it’s important to find a hunting strategy that fits your life and your goals.

Where I live, I’d probably be a lot more successful if I joined a solid hunting camp and solely rifle hunted over bait. While I’m not above toting my favorite rifle through the woods, this style of hunting just doesn’t do it for me. But for those hunters who love shooting from their favorite ladder stands, go for it. Just find something that keeps you in the woods.