I was talking with a friend who had been deer hunting and he was very excited because he had just “snagged an 11-pointer.” Although I have relatives that hunt and even a sister that has shot a deer, I am not familiar with deer hunting terms. I assumed that an 11-pointer was good and congratulated my friend.
I decided to go online and try to find out more about deer hunting so that I could not only contribute to conversations with my deer hunting friends but also to impress them with my deer hunting knowledge. I found thousands of websites; however there was not one that had all the information in one article that I could use to help in my quest for understanding this outdoor sport. It seems that every state has different requirements, hunting dates, and laws when it comes to deer hunting.
One of the first terms I came across and had heard mentioned in conversations was primitive weapons season. I thought this meant a bow but it also means crossbows and muzzleloaders. The dates for using these weapons are different from the dates assigned for shooting deer with guns. Each state has different start and end dates for each type of deer season.
Licensing is another confusing part to me. There is a hunting fee for state residents and a different, usually higher fee for non-state residents. There are also deer tags that have to be purchased and these also vary between states and whether the person is a resident or non-resident. A person’s age can also determine a different fee, and even the size of the deer can a determining factor in the amount of a tag.
I know that some hunters sit very still, disguised in their camouflage clothing in trees and wait for the deer to approach, which is referred to as a tree or deer stand. Some hunters stalk the deer by following deer signs, paths, and tracks. Hunters may also use a camouflage deer stands which is tent that allows the hunter to lie down and take a nap without fear of falling out of tree. Baiting deer is prohibited by most if not all states, but using deer urine to attract them is widely used. Some states allow hunters to use trophy rocks, which is a type of mineral, salt block that attracts deer.
When a hunter states he has bagged a seven point or ten point deer, he is referring to the points on the deer’s antlers. Determining how to count the points differs from state to state. Some states count all the points or tips on both antlers, some count only the points on one antler, and some will only count the points that are a certain length.
I found out that there is a huge variety of the type of gun a hunter may use. There are rifles for short distance 200 yards or less and rifles for longer distances. There are also many different models and manufactures of these rifles such as Browning, Remington, and Kimber. There are 10, 20, and 30 gauge shotguns, and even handguns are used to shoot deer.
Most hunters process the deer they kill into steaks, sausage, or just grind it up. Most sell the hides and some will have the heads stuffed and mounted, if it’s a true trophy kill. I do like the deer sausage and steaks, but tend to pass on the ground deer meat.
Even if you don’t participate, understand, or even approve of what your friends do, like deer hunting, it benefits your friendship to be a good listener; and one way of doing that is to be knowledgeable on what they are talking about.
Sources: Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Sportsman’s Guide, deer huntng friend
