I may be too new to hunting to be a valuable part of this forum. This is my first deer season. I went out for this past spring turkey season and turned up empty handed.. Going out on Wednesday (just a one day deal) for my first deer hunting trip. I need tips and advice, when to grunt, do I use doe urine or not, etc.... HELP A NEW GUY PLEASE!!!

what does the land look like that your hunting?

Location?

I would say find a trail and sit by it and watch. Out of calls scents etc. rattling has been the most effective for me followed by a doe bleat can.

if you use scent intended for
the rut too soon, you may
spook more deer than you draw.
if you're not sure, don't use any
scent. same applies to calling.

sorry guys! I will be hunting in clay county. The landowner has corn going year round in the feeders. The ground blind I'll be in has a potential to shoot at 2 different feeders (just me and one other guy out there that day and he's on the other side, landowner said it was ok) the closest feeder to me has thicker trees, etc... and a clearing where the feeder is, there is a berm to the right that has a pond on the other side of it. then a thinned out kind of thicketed pasture area behind me with a bit of a clearing and a feeder as well. It's a 5 deer county (2 bucks, 3 does) also would like to try to get a turkey while I'm out. I am just such a newbie I dont want to ruin the hunt by doing or not doing something.

Go early, stay late. The longer you are in the blind, the better.

I plan on being there SUPER early, and staying ALL day

Clay county has antler restrictions. Be crystal clear you understand the antler reg's before shooting a buck.

from what I understand it has to have at least one unbranched antler, or have an inside spread (is that at it's widest point?) of 13 inches. I also read that the ears in an "alert" position are approx 13 inches. Is that a good guide? Also, how do you pick what doe to take?

Inside spread is the widest point between the main beams.

When I still shot does, I always too the oldest one I saw, or if paired with fawns/yearlings, I took the one with the oldest looking fawns/yearlings.

The ears area a fair gauge, if he is "past his ears" Your gtg

Since your in a blind, just sit and watch the feeders, try to keep the noise to a minimum to none.

Good luck!!

I'll be holding my breath in a box ground blind for sure. Thanks for the advice guys. Being this new I know that I will be asking A LOT more than answering, but I really appreciate the help and am ate up with this! I feel like a little kid at Christmas!

It gets ahold of you for sure...Welcome to the club, and the forum!

That's called "buck fever" and there isn't a cure, so,,,,,

Ohhh boy. Well, I hear that it really hits hard after you get your first one, so I am REALLY hoping that happens!!!! Plus, I think these dang turkeys are still on my mind since they got the best of me in the spring, if I see one, it's going down. Just don't want to scare off a deer in the process!!!!!!!!

Good luck.

make sure and take some snacks and drinks. It may be tempting to get out and go see what's moving in other areas, but your more likely to just scare off any deer in the area. Make sure and find out when the feeders go off.

trust me I am still some what new to hunting but I ask and they tell and I learn so do others by reading the post.

so just remember others can and will learn by you asking things, but you can do what I did and still do and look up stuff in the search, like I said I am still new and I still use the search a lot. it is a great friend of mine.

Not really very accurate info....right now most of east tx deer are in rut or at least prerut. So urine scents wouldn't spook them. Also,not all doe come in heat at exact same time.
As for calling...I've rattled and grunted in bucks at the end of sept all the way til end of season. Usually they'll pay no attention to the calling or they will come. Just don't call or rattle when there looking your way,as that will spook them.

What is the significance in the time that the feeders go off? Do they get used to eating at a particular time, or the sound or something like that? thanks guys. I just can't wait to get out there.

The sound of the feeder turns into a dinner bell to some deer. They will go about their day as usual, but when the dinner bell sounds, they will come a runnin' or be there already. Do it long enough, and they set aside that particular time of their day to be present at the feeder to make sure they are there when the feeder goes off. When that's the case, they are much easier to pattern.