Deer can be “driven” in many ways and no one size or method fits all situations. Hunting by deer drive is standard practice in many camps and some hunters prefer this active method over sitting in a tree stand or stoically watching a trail from a ground blind or while sitting against a tree. Driving deer has advantages over waiting. First, you don’t have to get up early because keen vision is very important for drivers and standers. Secondly, deer drives can work well on very windy or inclement days when deer typically bed in thick cover or during full moon phases where they may feed at night and move less during daylight. Deer often use the same escape routes year after year and savvy deer drivers make sure that a stander is in each of these likely spots. As Josh Honeycutt points out in this post from the Realtree website, planning is very important in drive success, both for safety and success reasons. First, think small. Two 10-minute drives are better than one 20-minute push unless deer are contained by geographical features such as a creek, river or field edge. Secondly, don’t hesitate to be a driver since seasoned deer will quickly recognize what’s happening and break from the drive even if they have to swim a river or dive over steep country. Consider wind direction as you plan the drive. Pushing deer with the wind is nearly impossible as they will consistently double back to take advantage of their most critical survival sense- scent. If possible plan to push deer through a cross wind or into a head wind, knowing that standers may be scent detected and must be extra vigilant. Deer drives can work for archers as well as gun hunters especially if they are done slowly and quietly so that deer are moved, but not panicked. Three archers took three deer on a late season deer hunt at our hunt club by taking advantage of traditional escape routes and working groups of deer that typically bunch-up in late season past the stander’s location. Hunting in frigid weather can be fun and small, slow deer drives allow hunters to spend much more time afield.
There are many tactics out there that are effective enough to kill a deer. Some are more reserved tactics. Others are more aggressive methods. Deer drives fall among the latter. And while this approach might not be for everyone, it is preferred by some. If you’re a part of that crowd, follow these steps if you’re planning to do a deer drive.1. Safety First — Make a Plan
The most important thing with all deer drives is to put safety first. Don’t put people in danger. It’s probably best if drivers don’t carry firearms. But if they do, they should always be aware of their surroundings. Likewise, the shooter who is setting up for the shot should never shoot toward the drivers/pushers.
