Deer Hunting Tips from a Master Naturalist: Listen to Other Wildlife

By Elizabeth Kligge – National Deer Association

Earlier this year, I sat down with professional naturalist and Maine guide Dan Gardoqui. He practices a technique, familiar to indigenous people worldwide, called bird language. This practice develops a deeper awareness of the environment than most modern hunters are accustomed to. I wanted to see how being trained in this way had impacted the way he scouts and hunts for deer. Our talk was punctuated by laughter, animal mimicry, and some great stories.

“Bird Language” is About Awareness

Dan: So I Googled you last week and saw that you’re also a vegetarian that became a hunter. That’s my story too!

Elizabeth: Oh, really? How did you get into hunting?

Dan: Growing up, I had a sense that we weren’t taking care of the land [with factory farming]. I didn’t know anything about wild meat, so I went vegetarian. Then when I moved up to New Hampshire for grad school, people were always talking about hunting, and I got curious.

I took a hunter safety course, and I’ll never ever forget it. I raised my hand and said, “What if you don’t have a firearm?” And the whole place turned and looked at me like I had two heads. I think I almost blew out my shoulder from trying so many different guns that day. But as a teenager I got excited about getting close to wildlife, and deer were one of the first animals that I felt a real strong connection to. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL STORY