A Review of the Whitetail Hunting Guide

  by Darrold Persson

Vice President, Minnesota Deer Hunters Association

We deer hunters know that there is so much to learn. So much to experience. So much to enjoy. Although we are all deer hunters, we are all diverse. Each of us appreciates different aspects of the preparation, the camp, the hunt, and we each have our own definition of what constitutes a successful deer season. What we do have in common, however, is a passion for the outdoors and a love of the time of year that deer season embodies. Some of us have hunted for decades while others have only just begun to experience what deer season is all about. Some of us prepare for deer season all year long, while others wait to ready themselves until two days before the season starts. The whitetail is a fascinating animal and the time we spend pursuing it is priceless. The longer we have hunted, the more apt we are to become a mentor and bring new hunters into the sport. In so doing, we look for ways to pass this knowledge on and hope the new hunter shares our enthusiasm. In that regard, the "Whitetail Hunting Guide - Fast Track to Whitetail Hunting Success" [hereafter referred to as "The Guide"] written by whitetail hunting veteran Mike Wock, may be just what we need whether we are a mentor or a student.

As deer season approaches, many of us have that inexplicable urge to purchase the newest product that will give us an edge over the wily whitetail. A new grunt call; scents that attract or cover; the newest fabric; the latest item in food plot development and the list goes on and on. The next time that you get that desire to purchase something to give you an advantage, pick up a copy of The Guide. It is a wonderfully useful tool that will increase your deer hunting knowledge and thereby your success, all for less than $20. It's an on-line, or eBook, that allows the author to continually update it and offers you the option of reading it on your computer or printing off a hard copy to study.

The Guide is full of facts and tips that will make everyone a better hunter. Indeed, Wock discloses the "Five Biggest Mistakes Whitetail Hunters Make" and then sets out to tell you how to avoid these mistakes. The Guide warns that not everyone will benefit equally by reading this book. For more seasoned hunters, it will be somewhat of a refresher, yet likely add to the arsenal knowledge those hunters bring to the woods. Moreover, The Guide is a wonderful resource for that young or inexperienced hunter complementing what they have learned or been taught. Wock emphasizes that there is no reason for those hunters to "reinvent the wheel" and learn through trial and error as others have done. By studying this book, those hunters can achieve in a few hours what it took other hunters years to discover.

This book is like an interactive seminar. Each chapter starts out with "objectives" and ends up with review questions. But don't be misled-while reading the book may give you the potential to be a better hunter, it is not a substitute for actual experience. Used properly, it is another resource that will make each of us better hunters, mentors and students. 

The Guide contains graphs, charts and photographs, but it does not just recite facts and figures. It weaves them in with personal experiences, tips and techniques. Neither does The Guide answer all the questions. For example, the chapter on attractant scents asks more questions than it answers. Considering the multitude of attractants on the market and the lack of regulation and oversight in this field, one really can't expect more than that. Rather than dwell on the effectiveness of scents, Wock acknowledges the dilemma and wisely moves on to a bigger issue. He goes on to emphasize that while minimizing human scent is important, proper deer stand location is paramount.

It is understood that Wock took on a huge challenge in writing The Guide. Minnesota is a very diverse state when it comes to whitetail hunting habitat. The nature of the hunt in the agricultural areas of Minnesota is vastly different than hunting in the thick north woods or the bluff areas. Nonetheless, Wock attempts to provide universal tips for everyone in this book.

It is apparent that a big part of the underlying impetus for writing The Guide is the challenge that faces all who love hunting, i.e. "How do we generate interest in deer hunting for today's youth and how do we maintain that interest?" As each generation evolves, things get simpler. Many today seek that which is prepackaged, easy, and instantaneous. Deer hunting is not that way. Simply reading this book will not, alone, make you a better hunter. Just handing this book to a new hunter will not make you a better mentor, nor will it make the new hunter more proficient or passionate. The prescription The Guide offers both today's and future hunters is to read and re-read and practice what you have learned. It is an ongoing educational process.

An example of the content of the book is displayed by the section that addresses the three primary defensive senses of a whitetail - smell, hearing, and sight:

• Smell is the primary way deer detect predators - it is their best defense.
• A whitetail's sense of smell is 100+ times better than humans.
• Deer have an uncanny ability to spot motion. Movement is what does hunters in.

Wock maintains that the advantages the whitetails have are strongly countered by our own human qualities. Deer lack visual acuity that we have and have difficulty focusing on one spot. Researchers have found that deer have 80 percent less visual acuity than humans. That combined with our superior intelligence gives us an advantage, provided we appreciate the whitetail's nature, habits and defenses. 

Like most of you, I have read a lot about deer and deer hunting and after forty-five deer seasons in the woods consider myself an experienced hunter. Nonetheless, I learned (or re-learned) a number of things the first time I read this book. The same was true the second time I read it.  Wock explains that this is a virtual tool and unlike a traditional print book, it will be updated and supplemented as time goes on. In fact, if a reader was to dispute or othewise comment on anything stated in the book, they can call or e-mail Wock and if merited, corrections or additions will be made.

The upshot of The Guide is that it is a learning tool. It allows readers to walk a trail broken by other hunters, rather than blazing their own. While there is no substitute for actual experience, you can nicely complement that experience with the knowledge acquired from reading this book. A lot of what you will read, you may already know, but even a seasoned hunter will learn something. Moreover, The Guide is certain to be an invaluable tool to help send that new or less experienced hunter in the right direction.