I would recommend reading as many hunting articles in magazines and online as possible. You would be surprised how much you can learn about the basics of hunting. Start hiking in the woods and practice like you were hunting. Begin to train your eyes to spot deer. The outline of a leg, or belly, ears, antlers...I am always surprised how hard it is for people to see deer when I point them out but the realize I've been looking for them my whole life...
The more you learn about deer the better off you will be. Learn their habits, where they eat, bed, etc. Finding the animals is the hard part! Shooting and game handling is the easy part. Apply common sense and safety, move quietly and slow...etc.
Personally I wouldn't waste 1 cent on high tech gear like scent control clothes etc...lots of deer are killed by old rifles and guys in levis. Get an accurate rifle, good boots and enough clothes to be warm and dry. Always have a basic survival kit if you are going to be away from camp. Learn to use a compass and a map...a good knife is a must.
When I deer hunt I carry my weapon and ammo, some water and snacks, a knife, some surveyors tape, lighter, whistle, short chunk of twine, my cell phone and wet wipes. I know the area well so I don't always carry a map or compass or full survival kit because I am not far from camp and the weather is usually mild. I am going to start carrying something for a tourniquit next year in case of a bad fall or a knife slip. But most gear is left at camp. If you are going to be hiking really far you should carry more on you.
call the WDFW office in the region you want to hunt and ask them for some spots to start looking, sometimes stopping by the forest service office is helpful...start chatting up other hunters. You would be surprised what people will tell you!
One last general tip... Patience is key. Don't get in a hurry, don't get frustrated. Be patient, keep looking...eventually you will find deer and be successful. I can't count the number of times I have started moving fast, being loud, thinking "i'll slow back down when I get to that spot..." and then blown deer and elk out of the area.
