what are some general tendencies of deer?

[SlowBowke]

Most deer have a tendency to hang at the edge of thick cover eyeballing the direction they want to go. Often just back far enough in it that you wont see them except a flick of an ear or tail.

They also trust their nose over even their eyesight. They often freeze not sure what I am seeing me, but "normally" but not always run first and ask questions later if they discover me coming in downwind.

They also have a tendency to be GONE before your arrow gets there if you shoot while they are looking at you. LOL.

They also "tend" to be individuals and while the rules of thumb are great, watch out. Many will break every one of those rules. Expect them when and where you wouldn't think they will be or should be.

They are so much fun to hunt, I cannot imagine not doing so. No missed shots or lack of shots ever converts to a "failed" season for me.

Oh yeah, they have a tendency to "get in your blood" and you can't stop hunting them too.

God Bless and best of luck.

[Mo. Huntin]

right on b.glass just when you think you got it figured out they come from any other direction.

[lpcjon2]

TTT

[LongStick64]

Try hunting locations that most hunters would avoid due to difficulty getting there.

[DennyK]

They will die in the deepest clay ravines they can find.

[VictoryHunter]

Hunt food, hunt saddles in ridges, hunt trail junctions, hunt inside corners of fields. They tend to pretend as if they are going to put their head down then fake you out and try and catch your movement. They like acorns, and persimmons where available. As far as weather goes cold is king the colder the better. Other than that I see deer no matter if it's cloudy, sunny, a little rain etc. My least productive times are when it's really windy and really rainy because they tend to bed them up however they have to get up to eat sometime. The most important thing though is to always hunt with the wind in your favor because they will smell you and may potentially blow a spot for the whole season if you stink it up. Even though I hunt with the wind in my favor I am still meticulous about washing myself and my clothes to remain as scent free as possible. I use scent free laundry soap and once my clothes dry I put them in a scent free trash bag. The I shower with scent free soap then put my clothes on and spray my boots down with scent killer spray which are kept outside before I enter the woods.

[VictoryHunter]

Hunting just before a storm or before a major cold front is about to move through is probably my favorite time to hunt because they know what's about to happen and it really gets them up and moving. Also if you are blessed with a shot and hit one. Unless you see it fall and take it's last breath make sure and give them plenty of time to expire before taking up the blood trail. Once a wounded deer is bumped it's very difficult to find them a second time. I like to wait at least 30 minutes and that is the minimum if I am positive of a lethal hit and if I know it's a marginal shot I may wait an hour or back out all together and come back later in the day just to make sure.

[blackpenny]

Deer spend their entire lives looking for something to run away from!

[Eric Sprick]

If you're on your stand or blind and your thinkin'  "I havnt seen a thing, I'm moving..."  Give it 10 or 15 minutes more. I've made that mistake a bunch.....

Eric

[Stephengiles]

Haven't killed a deer with my bow yet but I know from my gun hunting days that if you hunt on the ground practice shooting as far back behind you as you can.at least half the deer I've ever seen that's where they've been. didn't matter what kind deer sign was in front of me  

[KSdan]

Scent free stuff; clothes, soap, etc. works great until you put your clothes on. . .  then you smell like a human wearing scent free stuff.

[Slickhead]

Im only familiar with what their tails look like  
But others offer great advise

Especially the "front" movement
Deer are the best barometer

[LookMomNoSights]

they tend to not come around when they know you are frequenting an area!  

[RC]

If the last 30 minutes of daylight lasted 3 hrs I`d kill a lot more stuff....RC

[Biggie Hoffman]

RC, if we gave you an extra 3 hrs of twilight, the herd would be decimated.

(that means to Kill, destroy or remove a large portion of)

[nineworlds9]

definitely hunt areas where several types of habitat/terrain features all intersect, you're almost guaranteed to encounter some deer that way.  I have had my best luck so far when several types of habitat/vegetation all intersect near a water source.

[Gerry]

They have a tendency to avoid me    

[RedShaft]

honestly is not spoken of much but if you get the book from bob Kirschner called.. The art and appreciation of trophy bowhunting, it will flat out set your learning curve from asking what you are now to answering all your questions and then some. i promise you. its a great book for general deer hunting knowlege from dropping fawns through the rut till the late season. scouting, food sources, game care, scents, it has it all.

like you i was always trying to learn and i have read allot of books and it takes the cake.

[Hoyt]

The ones I hunt have a tendency to be real lucky.

[Roadkill]

I have not hunted whitetails for years, but brothers I feel your pain.  They can make you nuts.  How does it go, "a plesant sort of misery"
Cannot wait to get back