Hunting deer on the Minnesota opener this weekend? These are five steps to success

Most of the more than 400,000 whitetail hunters who will be afield this weekend on the Minnesota firearms deer opener hope to shoot a big buck. Few will. Everyone, however, can hunt successfully.

Here's how, in five easy steps.

Be safe

Already this fall a friend of mine has cut his face and nearly poked out an eye by walking into a tree branch in the dark while bow hunting — a difficult accident to avoid, and one, together with sprained ankles and similar injuries, that befalls hunters every year.

Such relatively minor mishaps aside, Minnesota firearms deer hunters face three serious threats. One is the gun they tote. Another is their companions' guns. A third is any stand they climb to hunt.

Here are my firearms deer hunting gun-safety protocols:

* I almost never walk with a round chambered in my rifle. Exceptions include if I am approaching a deer I've shot, or tracking one.

* Nor do I walk with others who have rounds chambered.

* Gun loading and unloading must be done not only turned away from other hunters in a party or camp, but separate and apart from them by a number of yards.

* Unless a stand is relatively low to the ground, say 5 feet or less, I use a haul line to hoist my rifle into the stand and lower it to the ground — again with no round chambered.

* I never climb into a stand I don't personally know is secure and sound.

* While walking to and from a stand in the dark, I always use a flashlight or headlamp to avoid being mistaken for a deer.

* I always wear hearing protection.

* I avoid deer drives because they are inherently dangerous — in part because they often involve hunters shooting at running deer and in part because those hunters often don't know what lies beyond the running deer. It could be me.

Know your gun

Accurate rifle shooting (or shotgun shooting with slugs) results from knowledge and practice. Here are tips:

* Sighting in should be done with the same ammunition used for hunting.

* The shortest and least-expensive route to sighting in a rifle or shotgun is to begin at 25 yards before moving to longer distances.

* Most rifle calibers sighted in at about 1 inch high at 100 yards allow hunters to hold dead on at deer ranging from 50 to about 200 yards.

* I've used only cartridges with copper bullets for more than 20 years. With them I've dropped a mule deer at 350 yards and other deer at shorter ranges. Copper loads cost a little more, but I'm willing to pay it to eat lead-free venison.

* Whenever possible, and it usually is, I find a rest or brace for my rifle before aiming and firing. Even the steadiest shooters benefit from this practice.

Deer behavior

Louis Pasteur said, "Luck favors the prepared mind," and this applies to deer hunting. True, some percentage of deer killed each year fall victim to hunters' dumb luck. But over time, prepared, knowledgeable hunters kill the most deer. To that end:

* Remember always to be wind aware, because deer certainly are. Rarely, if ever, will a deer approach a stand or hunter from downwind. Therefore hunters should focus their efforts, and eyes, into the wind for their best opportunity to see an approaching or passing deer.

* Scouting is important because deer movements generally can be patterned, and knowledgeable hunters can position themselves and their stands accordingly.

* Knowledge of deer scrape placements can be important, because Minnesota's firearms season coincides with the buck rut, and bucks regularly visit scrapes to see if does have marked them. Bucks often urinate in scrapes, but does rarely do. Instead, does often lick and rub their faces on "licking branches" above the scrapes. Note: Scrapes often are visited at night, so they don't constitute sure things for hunters. Also: In my experience, bucks often check scrapes and their overhead branches quickly and move on just as quickly, so hunters need to be alert.

* Deer generally aren't alarmed by sounds they regularly hear, even man-made sounds. But a hunter's sudden cough or a footstep that cracks a tree branch can send a deer scurrying. That said, deer sometimes can be stopped momentarily so they can be shot if hunters whistle softly or issue a grunt-like sound.

* Whitetails that are shot and hit poorly sometimes must lose 35% of their blood before falling and dying, which is why trailing wounded deer long distances is sometimes necessary. Similarly: I once shot a buck through both lungs, also striking its heart, and the animal still ran 91 yards before falling. This is why shot follow-up is important, even if a hunter is uncertain whether an animal was hit.

In the stand

Deciding whether to shoot, and when, is a critical component of successful deer hunting. Preparation is key. Once in a stand or other position, a hunter should adjust his or her scope, reaffirm distances to certain landmarks, ensure wind direction and, as previously mentioned, check for ways a rifle or shotgun can be supported, or braced, if a shot presents itself. All of this assumes the hunter won't freak out if a deer shows up — not always an accurate assumption. In this environment, mistakes can be made, and often are, because big-game hunting requires physical and mental skills in combination, as well as self-discipline. Most important: Keep safety first and foremost.

Don't leave home without …

Deer hunting regulations. License. Antlerless permit. Gun. Case. Ammunition. Gun cleaning gear. Rope (or better, paracord). Knife and sharpener. Cellphone. GPS, compass, or both. Charging cord(s). Shoulder-length disposable gloves for field dressing. Cloth bag for deer heart and liver. Blaze orange hat, jacket, gloves and outer pants. Rain gear. Hunting shirt and pants. Long underwear. Handkerchief. Belt and/or suspenders. Extra socks. Warm, preferably waterproof boots. Disposable hand warmers. Day pack. Thermos bottle. Disposable lighters. Matches in waterproof container. Fire starters. Cushion to sit on. Flashlight or headlamp. Batteries. Whistle. First-aid kit. Sunglasses. Hard-copy maps of hunting area. Candy and/or protein bars. Apples or other fruit. Food, including sandwich fixings. Extra clothing. Toiletries, including toilet paper. And don't forget to tell family members and/or friends at home where you'll be hunting.