I have only been deer hunting once and that was with a party 1st season about 8 years ago. I shot a nice doe and have always meant to do more of it. I bought my deer tag last week for 2nd season. This time I plan to go by myself, more than likely on public ground. Just wondering if anyone has any good advice that might help me get broke in to the relativly new (to me) sport of deer hunting. Thanks!

Get out before the season and scout out several spots for stands. If you're hunting solo and a novice, I think hunting from a stand will be easier than stalking deer. (I hunt by myself, and I do both.) For details on what to look for in a stand site, check out the Deer forum in hunting.

There are two reasons to find several potential stand sites: one is wind direction. The other, if you are hunting public ground, is so you have alternatives if you get out opening morning and find someone has already set up close to you. Iowa public ground tends to get crowded during deer season.


I would also recommend getting a portable stand that can be carried in and out with you if you hunt public ground. I've heard way too many stories of people's stands disappearing from public ground when they leave them out. I don't want to discourage you; I'm just telling you what you need to do if you're hunting public land.

2nd season may be the golden ticket this year with so much corn still in the fields. Find some public land that borders standing crop fields. Scout, scout, scout. I would look for trails along shallow waterways or grass patches leading to the corn. When the hoards of pushers come through, and they will, these low spots into standing corn will be the escape routs. The deers routine we see today will be out the window after 1st gun season. Hunt the travel routes.

Thanks for the advice. I didn't give a stand alot of thougt, I always thought a tree stand was more for the bow hunter. Nibowman, I will do the things you mentioned. Think its worth doing some scouting now or would it be better to wait until after 1st season?

I would scout now. Find yourself a nice funnel on the edge of a cornfield and plan to sit tight. The party hunters will push deer to you.

Just make sure if you're out there by yourself on public ground that you wear as much orange as possible.

Thanks steve