"That's especially true if you're uphill or downhill from them, because they forget uphill or downhill shots are shorter distances than what their fancy range finders tell them. The steeper the angle, the shorter the distance; and nine times out of ten, they'll shoot right over you.

"Sixth, stay bedded all day. Humans are soft creatures. They get cold, tired, hungry, and they cramp up after just a few hours of hunting. Bugs really annoy them. Before the sun even reaches its highest point, most of them are back at camp telling lies about all of us they saw who were out of range.

"If you find a good spot to bed down shortly after sunrise and don't come out until dusk, they might never see you. Few hunters have the stamina to stay out all day waiting for you to blow your cover, as a good many deer do around midday, when they stand up and stretch. Still fewer are willing to hunt until the last daylight is gone, when they know there's a warm fire and a good meal back at camp."

THE RUT
"Next, try to stay away from the ladies."

At this, the young buck looked up sharply, about to protest. But the glare in the old buck's eyes was enough to make him fold his ears back and stay quiet.

"I know, I know," the old buck said. "This time of year, the does are irresistible, but try to keep your hormones in check until it's dark. As summer starts to turn to fall, almost every hunter in the woods knows that if they see does, they're sure to find a buck or two. I've collected whole harems by watching other bucks follow one of their does right out into the open, only to be dropped in their tracks by smart hunters. Also, does move around a lot more and they'll constantly give away your location.

"If another buck tries to challenge you for your does, I know your ego will insist you fight for what's yours. Just remember that there's a good chance that one or both of you will end up dead. For years I've been trying to get bucks to listen to this advice, but they don't. If one thing helps tip the scales in favor of the humans, it's that not one of us uses his brains when our does are in season.

"Also, don't go rushing in to the sound of other bucks fighting. A lot of humans have figured out that smacking a pair of antlers together late in the season is a great way to draw bucks out of their cover. It sounds like two bucks fighting, and that might mean a whole bunch of girls are unattended. My advice to you is to ignore that sound, unless it's dark out. Again, stay away from the ladies during daylight and you'll stay alive. If you just can't resist, at least stay downwind from the source of the sound as you check it out. Maybe you'll catch a whiff -- a warning -- of something strange before it's too late; it goes back to using your nose. If a hunter's done a good job of blocking their scent though, and you charge in at the sound of rattling antlers, you're probably done for."