Are you interested in hunting Whitetail Deer? Do you own the .450 Bushmaster Rifle? Are you uncertain where to start and need Whitetail deer hunting tips?
If you answered yes to all of the above, you are in luck. Here you will find everything you need to get started from what equipment you need to gear and other gadgets to get you started.
However, before we start with all the information, we want to show you why the .450 Bushmaster Rifle makes for an exotic weapon for hunting deer especially if you are in the market for the best hunting rifle and do not yet have one.
The Rise of the Ruger .450 Bushmaster Rifle
If you do own one of these hunting rifles, you may want to head over to the Whitetail Hunting Gear Checklist instead.
Nevertheless, if you are searching for the best rifle to use for hunting Whitetail stay and read on.
Now, without giving you too much history lessons, Tim LeGendre from LeMag Firearms brought the cartridge to life. The ammunition licensed to Bushmaster and eventually, they turned to Hornady to provide them with a great round based on the design.
So the .450 Bushmaster was born by using a 250-grain and .454-inch SST Flex-Tip bullet and shortened the original .45 Professional casing to 1.700 inches. The rifles well matched with an AR platform and chamber using the standard-sized AR magazine followed by a single-feed.
So why choose a single-action for hunting Whitetail? For starters, it changes the hunting game and adds spice to your hunt. It makes your hunt more challenging, and the price is affordable. Furthermore, the hunting rifles ideal for young hunters starting in the game.
The rifles lightweight and pack a lot of punch with the .452-cal bullet and give a velocity over 2,000 fps. You get accuracy with extreme knockdown power to hunt deer. Furthermore, it is appealing for big game hunting as well. While it offers a robust 200-yard capability, equipped with a riflescope, you get unrivaled performance in the bush.
Things You Need for Hunting Whitetail Deer in the Wild
Now that you have picked up your rifle, it is one of the essential items to have on the list for hunting Whitetail Deer. The second important thing is to have a reliable optic to make sure you can shoot long to short distances if needed.
With the hunting rifle equipped with a 450 Bushmaster scope, you will get the best performance out in the bush. You get the best magnification power, quality lens, illuminated reticle, and it can withstand the recoil of the .450 Bushmaster cartridges. Therefore, no need for making corrections for bullet drops holdovers, elevation, parallax, and first focal plane.
With these two powerful devices combined, you are ready to start preparing the rest of the important items you need as follow as you do not want to forget anything:
Hunting Equipment
- Ammo (the .450 Bushmaster cartridge will do)
- Game Camera/Binoculars/Rangefinder
- GPS (not to get lost in the bush)
- Scent Killer and Cover Scent
- Tree Stand and Ground Blind
- Gun Hoist and Cleaning Kit
- Rifle/Shotgun Muzzleloader
- Shooting Bipod and Climbing Sticks
- Shooting Glasses
- Deer Lure/Scent
- Backpack
Hunting Accessories
- License Holder (great to have for the authorities)
- Hunting Knife and Knife Sharpener (for after the kill)
- Compass (if you do not have GPS available)
- Beverage Holder (you need your hands free)
- Flashlight
- First Aid Kit and Flares (for emergencies)
- Lighter/Matches, Rope, Water
- Deer Cart Drag, Folding Saw, Grinder, Game Bags
- Knife/Multi-tool
- Gutting Gloves, Game Scale, Processing Kit/Knives
- Vacuum Sealer Bags
Tips to Make You a Better Deer Hunter
Whether you are hunting deer or any game in the woods the following tips can help you be a success.
Human Odor Spooks Animals
Before you go on a hunting trip, prevent contaminating your clothes. Keep clothing apparel sealed in plastic bags with debris such as leaves, ground and more. Bath with a scent-free soap before heading out to hunt as it gives your clothes and skins a naturally occurring fragrance that fits in with the hunting location.
Check out Buck Scent Instead of Estrous
During peak-rut using a drag drenched in doe estrous will help, but will not work during the early season. You need to use the bucks territorial instincts will not kick in with the estrous fragrance, but buck scent might help.
Take Odor Eliminator with You
Instead of spraying yourself before heading to the tree stand, take it with you. When reaching the tree stand spray the odor eliminator over your body, especially the hair and hat.
The Deadliest Scent Set-Up
Look at long strips of timber or cover blowing along the length of it in the wind. Meaning it will blow from the one end to the other. At the end where the wind is blowing pour, the deer scent in several areas. Now set your tree stand up high on the edge of the timer. If you are, high up the odor flows above the smell of the deer and will attract the animal for a perfect shot. Always remember to practice putting up and taking down the tree stand before you go hunting. Furthermore, make sure you conceal yourself well.
Do not trim Shooting Lanes
Never disturb your hunting area the best time to do this is during the summer. Those wise old bucks can smell freshly cut trees a mile away and will associate the smell with humans.
Final Thoughts
These are some of the necessities you need to take with you on your Whitetail hunting trip, and we hope it helps you do get organized. Before you head out to the woods, go to Google Maps and look at the hunting area with aerial photos to scout out the region.
Always remember to dose that tick repellant on during summer to early fall to prevent getting sick. Furthermore, never underestimate how important it is to get that tree stand undetected by using a cover from the forest. Always wash your gear with non-scented soap.
Lastly, if you see that buck on adjacent land and it does not cross over to your area until after the shooting time lures it to your side with a deer decoy or calling. By now, you should have taken the shot and see brown hair with pink blood and bubbles you shot the heart or lung.
However, if it is white hair with water blood, the likeliness is the shot was terrible and hit the stomach instead. Happy hunting and bring back that Whitetail deer.