first are you inside minnesota........in or out of the whats considered the tree line.......in the praire region of the state -any draws or creek beds with brush or overgrown vegetation is a short cut to finding trails........fresh water draws deer.......any field with crops.........look for geese during the day feeding and scout the brushy edges at night for deer.....stay back and use a good set of bino's.......watch where they enter and exit.......
inside the tee line........look for mast crops.........falling acorns for example....
logging roads just walk until you hit a trail crossing........another example.....
with the falling leaves do some ground sweeping and look for soft cuts in the topsoil......brushout any tracks and recheck the next night.........shows active feeders........as the frost takes its toll trails to bedding and water sources or weather cover will start to show on the forest floor.......dont walk in the trails but walk along side.........when you notice a change in canopy or brush or ground cover stay alert........these are transistion areas.......they may stop eating and now are looking to bed down or headed fro water after feeeding...
watch the prevailing winds.......
im no horn hunter.........to me a deer is a deer.........big bucks are not my specialty.......
with a youngster.........get a map.........as you walk.......put your finger on the map and show them the stream your crossing for example.......have them run the compass.........terrain assocation will relax them in the field......one less thing to ponder.......
one last thing......if your taking a fourteen year old hunting.....my hats off to you......good luck......thats irish luck by the way........tw
if you have the opportunity to go to any field in the evening let them eyeball all the deer the can.......dont overhype headgear........target practice on the off nights.......keep the hunt a wide variety of fresh things to think on......
good safe warm clothing........it will make for a happy hunt........no matter what.......stay with the little ones through the entire season.......talk about after the shot.......this is what you and i will do......take them through the house so to speak........ |