Shooting the big buck is, hands down, the best feeling. But there is a catch, you need to know what you are doing first. Here are the basic things you need to know.
"Whitetail Deer - Brady, TX Area" by huntingdesigns is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
There are 5 different deer seasons.
"Deer Hunting Trip 06 065" by John Beagle is licensed under CC BY 2.0
There are 3 different kinds of deer a buck, a doe, and a fawn.
In my opinion you shouldn't shoot one with spots (fawns). Also I don't think you should hunt for sport. What I mean by that is that you hunt for a pair of antlers to put on the wall or you just want the antlers and not the meat.
"Wounded Warrior Deer Hunt" by Savannah River Site is licensed under CC BY 2.0
To be able to shoot a deer you need a tag. I usually have 3 tags, 2 antlerless and 1 any deer tag. That means I can shoot 3 does or 2 does and 1 buck.
You also need a licence to hunt by yourself. But if you know some one who is a licenced hunter you can go with them. Also you have to be 6 to hunt in Missouri.
"1966 Michigan Resident DEER Hunting License Kill Tag" by UpNorth Memories - Don Harrison is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Practice is a key component in deer hunting. You need to know how to shoot the gun or bow before you go out in the woods.
When you aim at the deer it is best to shoot them behind their front shoulder. Their heart and lungs are in that area and it makes for a clean and swift kill. I like shooting them there because sometimes they drop and are dead before they hit the ground and they don't suffer at all.
"Deer hunting target practice" by joelukehinrichs is licensed under CC BY 2.0
There are many different ways to hunt. You can sit in a tree stand (make sure it is attached to the tree), you can sit in a blind, or my personal favorite on a milk crate up against the weeds. Or you can get creative and make your own shack to hunt out of.
"Deer Hunting in Treestand" by MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
If you see a doe walk out and look behind her there is most likely a buck chasing her. So don't shoot the doe (unless you want to), wait, and see if the buck comes out.
"Deer Hunting in Treestand" by MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
In my household if you shoot it you skin it. Skinning a deer is my favorite part (other than shooting it). When skinning a deer you have to be very careful not to puncture the gut. If you do it stinks and will ruin the meet.
When you get the hide off the deer you can do a number of things with it. I give it to my grandpa and he takes it (along with many others) and turns it into gloves for veterans.
"Real Photograph Big Body 8 point Trophy Deer Hanging Sturdy Hunters With Classic Rifles" by UpNorth Memories - Don Harrison is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0