Preparing for a Deer Drive

To have a successful deer drive, you must have a knowledgeable leader. This person should be an experienced hunter who is very familiar with the area where the deer drive will take place. The leader is responsible for the safety of all the hunters in the group, and the hunters should listen to his or her instructions.

The leader will appoint the drivers and the standers. The drivers are the hunters who will walk to drive the deer forward. The drivers force the deer to move in the direction of the standers—the hunters who stand ready to shoot the deer moving past them.

In most cases, one or two drivers are sufficient for a successful drive. In the group, it is important to have more standers than drivers. Drivers are rarely the shooters, and standers are often the only hunters in the group who may have a safe zone-of-fire.