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Deer
036 Make a clean kill. There is only one shot to take, and that is the lung shot. It offers the largest target and it is always fatal. D.E.P., July 2001

037 Hunt a crosswind.
The standard advice is to still-hunt with the wind in your face. But this isn't always best. Bucks like to bed at the edge of cover, with the wind at their backs, so they can see what's coming in front of them and smell what's behind them. By hunting at right angles to the wind, you have a better chance of getting the drop on a bedded buck before it either sees or smells you. Keith McCafferty, November 2004

038 Walk like a deer.
Moving whitetails generally stop on odd-numbered steps-three, five, seven, and so on-an irregular cadence that you should try to duplicate when tracking over crunchy snow, tricking deer into thinking that the intruder has four legs instead of two. K.M., December 2003¿¿¿January 2004

039 Find his bed.
When a buck track turns downwind and begins to move uphill, assume that the buck is going to bed down. He will probably stop at the edge of heavy cover, on a high spot that offers a view of his surroundings and permits him to sense anything following on his back trail. To approach his bedding site without being seen or winded, circle away from his track for roughly 100 yards and then move cautiously, parallel to the track. Jerome B. Robinson, July 1999

040 Study scrapes.
A series of scrapes made in the same direction tells you which way the buck was traveling when he last came by. Notice the direction the buck was facing as he pawed the ground, throwing debris to the rear. You can assume he'll pass in that direction again, so look around for a place to put your stand. J.B.R., June 1997

041 Look him in the eye.
If the rack of a deer is obscured by brush, check out the circumference of the antler base. If it's about the same as the buck's eye-about 4 inches-then counting points is beside the point. K.M., August 2003

042 Cool your buck.
To keep your deer from spoiling at camp during warm weather, put it in the shade and let it chill overnight. Then in the morning, before the sun reaches it, wrap it in anything available-extra blankets, canvas, even your sleeping bag. This will keep it cool until night when you can chill it again. You can keep a deer like this for several days. T.T., September 1974

043 Act indifferent.
Fred Bear thought that deer were quick to react to hunters who skulked through the woods but often stood still for humans who appeared to be out for a walk. The trick to fooling deer, he said, was to avoid eye contact and wait until you had passed the deer before turning smoothly to draw your bow. It works with a rifle too. K.M., November 2004

044 Block their way.
Find a well-used deer trail, block it with some fresh-cut brush, and wait nearby. Deer approaching the unfamiliar roadblock will stop and sniff and slowly pick out a new way around the obstacle. Totally preoccupied with this change in their world, they are oblivious to a hunter waiting near the trailside. An even easier way to create a similar diversion is to hang a slip of bright-colored cloth or shiny foil from a branch within good range of a trail, rub, or scrape. Norman Strung, February 1993

045 Don't overhunt.
The most carefully wrought blind won't work if you hunt out of it unceasingly. Alarmed by constant activity, wildlife will quickly learn to avoid the spot. Don't use the same blind more than once a week and never more than twice. N.S., September 1991

046 Read the snow.
When tracking a deer in the snow, look for sign other than hoofprints to judge if it's a buck. A rutting buck will often stop and sniff at crossing deer tracks and may leave the impressions of his antler tips in the snow. Al look for antler impressions where he drops his head to feed. K.M., September 2002

047 Make your move.
When a deer suddenly appears at close range in response to your grunt call or antler rattling, don't be afraid to move slowly to shoulder your gun. Deer coming to calls will usually just stop and stare at you, mistaking your movements for those of the deer that they were expecting to see. J.B.R., October 1999

048 String a trail.
Before the season starts, spend 50 cents on a spool of sewing thread and stretch it across deer trails at dawn. Check the threads at noon and again before nightfall to pattern deer movements and determine where to put your stands. K.M., December 2001

049 Keep the sun at your back.
A low sun behind you makes it harder for deer to see you, but easier for you to see them, improving your chance of seeing deer when you are still-hunting. H.G.T., December 1984

050 Carry an extra layer.
Roll your additional clothing into a 2-foot-long bundle, and tie the ends to a 5-foot-long deer-drag rope, leaving enough slack to slip your head and one arm and shoulder through the resulting loop. Wear the bundle on your back with the strap over your nonshooting shoulder. J.B.R., November 1994

051 Bring your turkey call.
Deer are often reassured by turkey sounds. An occasional feeding call made between bouts of deer grunts and antler rattling gives nearby deer a sense of confidence that your area is safe. Turkeys don't talk when they feel endangered. J.B.R., July 2001

052 Watch your back trail.
Deer are curious about where you have been. That's why you often find deer tracks on top of the ones you made earlier in the day. You can take advantage of the deer's tendency to follow human tracks by doubling back on the downwind side of your own trail before choosing a place to wait and watch. Pick a spot that overlooks an area used by deer and also gives a good view of your track from the downwind side. J.B.R., March 2002

053 Judge a trophy.
The best way to tell the length of a deer's antler tines is by comparing them to the length of its ears, which typically measure about 8 inches. If the first or longest tine appears longer than the ear and the second point is only a little shorter than the ear, you have all the information you need to make your decision. Shoot. K.M., August 2003

Survival
054 Survive in three steps.
If forced to spend an unexpected night in the wilderness, you can save yourself, no matter how bad the weather is, by following three steps: first, admit you're lost and stay where you are; second, use whatever materials you carried or that nature provides to shelter yourself from the wind; and third, build a fire. K.M., September 1997

055 Practice a worst-case scenario.
Make yourself spend a cold night without much gear. It won't be comfortable, but it's a great confidence builder. Plus you'll discover if your gear is adequate. i

056 Follow the road.
Logging trail systems branch out like tree limbs from the main stem. The sharp angle formed at their junctions always points to the route the loggers used to haul the timber to the road. J.B.R., November 1994

057 Get found.
Make an impression with your hunting boots by stepping onto a sheet of tinfoil and leave it at home before a hunt. This will help searchers isolate your track should you become lost. K.M., February 2003

058 Make tinder.
If you're without tinder, use your ingenuity. Paper money, the coveted elk license that set you back $500, shaved body hair, and even the lint in your pockets will burn. K.M., February 2003

059 Avoid grizzlies.
Stay out of places where bears feed in early autumn-berry patches, whitebark pine stands, mountainsides with cutworm moths. Always hunt with a partner. Use a flashlight when walking to hunting areas before dawn, and never investigate a carcass. K.M., September 2000

060 Build the perfect lean-to.
A Whelen tarp shelter is often all you need for shelter, and it packs much lighter than a tent. The sloping back wall reflects light and heat from a fire, and the side walls provide protection from crosswinds and space for gear. To make one, use grommets, lightweight stakes, and a nylon cord strung between two trees to set up a 12x20-foot piece of water-repellent ripstop nylon as a lean-to, with the open side facing your fire. Line the floor with pine boughs. K.M., August 2003

061 Save your dog's life.
Hunting dogs are bitten far more often by venomous snakes than dog owners are. Because many bites occur out of sight and the dog's hair may cover fang marks, it's vital to recognize secondary symptoms. Look for rapid swelling of the nose, face, or limb, vomiting, wobbly walking, seizures, pale gums, and a rapid heart rate. If you suspect your dog was bitten, try to keep it calm. Immobilize it and hurry to a vet. Administer an antihistamine to help the dog breathe. K.M., June 2004

062 Fight like a lion.
If you are attacked by a cougar, fight back. Lion attacks are predatory, not territorial like those of bears. Playing dead will just make you into a meal that much sooner. K.M., December 2003¿¿¿January 2004

063 Don't overload the boat.
Duck hunters favor unstable craft such as johnboats, sneak boats, and canoes, and tend to overload them. When they lean over the gunwales to retrieve a decoy line or a retriever jumps into the water, the boat capsizes. Pack carefully. K.M., February 2004

064 Build a fire.
In a survival situation the ability to build a fire could prove the difference between life and death. A simple dexterity test can tell you when you've reached the critical juncture: Try to touch one thumb to the little finger of the same hand. When your hands become so cold that this is difficult, drop whatever you're doing and build a fire. In a few more minutes, you might not be able to. K.M., November 2001

065 Drink the water.
Boiling is the surest way to eliminate all dangerous microorganisms. Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to boil water for 10 minutes for disinfection. Just bringing water to a boil will do the trick. K.M., May 2002

066 Find your way home.
If you get lost in flat country, make right-angle turns after hiking increasingly longer distances until you hit a familiar landmark. K.M., July 1998

067 Don't swim for safety.
If you capsize or fall overboard, stick with the boat if possible. Swimming exposes more surfaces of the body to cold water, hastening the onset of hypothermh cutworm moths. Always hunt with a partner. Use a flashlight when walking to hunting areas before dawn, and never investigate a carcass. K.M., September 2000

060 Build the perfect lean-to.
A Whelen tarp shelter is often all you need for shelter, and it packs much lighter than a tent. The sloping back wall reflects light and heat from a fire, and the side walls provide protection from crosswinds and space for gear. To make one, use grommets, lightweight stakes, and a nylon cord strung between two trees to set up a 12x20-foot piece of water-repellent ripstop nylon as a lean-to, with the open side facing your fire. Line the floor with pine boughs. K.M., August 2003

061 Save your dog's life.
Hunting dogs are bitten far more often by venomous snakes than dog owners are. Because many bites occur out of sight and the dog's hair may cover fang marks, it's vital to recognize secondary symptoms. Look for rapid swelling of the nose, face, or limb, vomiting, wobbly walking, seizures, pale gums, and a rapid heart rate. If you suspect your dog was bitten, try to keep it calm. Immobilize it and hurry to a vet. Administer an antihistamine to help the dog breathe. K.M., June 2004

062 Fight like a lion.
If you are attacked by a cougar, fight back. Lion attacks are predatory, not territorial like those of bears. Playing dead will just make you into a meal that much sooner. K.M., December 2003¿¿¿January 2004

063 Don't overload the boat.
Duck hunters favor unstable craft such as johnboats, sneak boats, and canoes, and tend to overload them. When they lean over the gunwales to retrieve a decoy line or a retriever jumps into the water, the boat capsizes. Pack carefully. K.M., February 2004

064 Build a fire.
In a survival situation the ability to build a fire could prove the difference between life and death. A simple dexterity test can tell you when you've reached the critical juncture: Try to touch one thumb to the little finger of the same hand. When your hands become so cold that this is difficult, drop whatever you're doing and build a fire. In a few more minutes, you might not be able to. K.M., November 2001

065 Drink the water.
Boiling is the surest way to eliminate all dangerous microorganisms. Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to boil water for 10 minutes for disinfection. Just bringing water to a boil will do the trick. K.M., May 2002

066 Find your way home.
If you get lost in flat country, make right-angle turns after hiking increasingly longer distances until you hit a familiar landmark. K.M., July 1998

067 Don't swim for safety.
If you capsize or fall overboard, stick with the boat if possible. Swimming exposes more surfaces of the body to cold water, hastening the onset of hypotherm