By: BOB HENDRICKS
It’s early in the deer hunting season and this alone presents its’ own challenges and tactics to be successful. Foremost is scouting, and you are way ahead of the game if you have already done this in the pre-season. Not to panic though, it is still not too late to scout your area.
Look for well used trails and in particular intersections of trails. Often times when you find an area where two or more trails intersect it is a great place to set up a stand. Try to get a feel for what the wind will be in this area. IF it is at all predictable set your stand up accordingly.
Look for funnels between bedding and feeding areas. These can be great places to set up a stand on. I however prefer to set the stand closer to the feeding area because the last thing I want to do is spook the deer in their bedding area. This can cause them to vacate the area and find a new bedding area throwing all strategies that you may have planned out the window. A mature wise old buck that has survived more than a couple hunting seasons will simply not let you get by with intruding very closely to his bedding area which may incidentally be well away from the bedding area used by the other deer.
Early season I am hunting primarily feeding areas. The deer have not entered into the rut and are still in their early season patterns. I concentrate on the edges of fields where the deer are feeding. Often this is a good time to take a doe or two for the freezer.
I also like to hunt somewhere near water. The early season can be warm and the deer are going to be using water sources. Speaking of warm temperatures this can be a challenge for the hunter in trying not to sweat and get winded by the deer. Try to dress lightly and of course camouflaged. A bug suit is not a bad idea because early season can spell blood hungry mosquitoes. Face paint helps to break the outline of your face up and is very useful anytime.
Often times using a fawn in distress call will work very well during this time to call a doe into bow range. I have seen them literally come running. Let up on the call if they are running in and work it if they are moving in another direction.
Hunt particularly during the early morning hours or late afternoon hours. The deer tend to not move as much in warm weather as they do in colder temperatures. Cool mornings and Cooler evenings are prime times to hunt trails and food sources. Hunting before storm fronts can spell success as well because deer movements tend to pick up during these times particularly later in the season before major snowstorms and cold fronts.
Be sure to carry a supply of water with you during the early season so that you do not dehydrate in the warm temperatures on stand. A good cover scent is recommended as well. I prefer to spray a couple of squirts of coon urine around my stand. Raccoon are natural to most areas and will not spook deer. It is imperative in the warm temperatures to cover your scent especially in warm weather when we all tend to sweat.
Decoys can be used in early season deer hunting but they tend to be more of a confidence factor than anything else. A decoy in a field lets other deer know that everything is ok and it is safe to come out and begin feeding. Of course later on you can place a buck decoy out and possibly attract the attention of an aggressive buck looking for a fight.
Try not to let the deer pattern you or your stand and let a stand rest for a few days in between hunting. Deer tend to pick up very quickly on what routes you are using and exactly where you are if you are not careful in your movements to and from your stand site.
Early season is one time when the deer are fairly predictable and this gives you an edge on knowing when and where they are. Later on in the season particularly in the rut the deer will not be as predictable though encounters at most anytime and anywhere may be likely.
Take advantage of the early season. Take some does, for the betterment of the herd and as confidence builders for when you draw down on that buck of your dreams. Above all get out there in the early season and enjoy once again being in the fall woods bowhunting. Early season deer hunting can be a great time of the season.
It’s early in the deer hunting season and this alone presents its’ own challenges and tactics to be successful. Foremost is scouting, and you are way ahead of the game if you have already done this in the pre-season. Not to panic though, it is still not too late to scout your area.
Look for well used trails and in particular intersections of trails. Often times when you find an area where two or more trails intersect it is a great place to set up a stand. Try to get a feel for what the wind will be in this area. IF it is at all predictable set your stand up accordingly.
Look for funnels between bedding and feeding areas. These can be great places to set up a stand on. I however prefer to set the stand closer to the feeding area because the last thing I want to do is spook the deer in their bedding area. This can cause them to vacate the area and find a new bedding area throwing all strategies that you may have planned out the window. A mature wise old buck that has survived more than a couple hunting seasons will simply not let you get by with intruding very closely to his bedding area which may incidentally be well away from the bedding area used by the other deer.
Early season I am hunting primarily feeding areas. The deer have not entered into the rut and are still in their early season patterns. I concentrate on the edges of fields where the deer are feeding. Often this is a good time to take a doe or two for the freezer.
I also like to hunt somewhere near water. The early season can be warm and the deer are going to be using water sources. Speaking of warm temperatures this can be a challenge for the hunter in trying not to sweat and get winded by the deer. Try to dress lightly and of course camouflaged. A bug suit is not a bad idea because early season can spell blood hungry mosquitoes. Face paint helps to break the outline of your face up and is very useful anytime.
Often times using a fawn in distress call will work very well during this time to call a doe into bow range. I have seen them literally come running. Let up on the call if they are running in and work it if they are moving in another direction.
Hunt particularly during the early morning hours or late afternoon hours. The deer tend to not move as much in warm weather as they do in colder temperatures. Cool mornings and Cooler evenings are prime times to hunt trails and food sources. Hunting before storm fronts can spell success as well because deer movements tend to pick up during these times particularly later in the season before major snowstorms and cold fronts.
Be sure to carry a supply of water with you during the early season so that you do not dehydrate in the warm temperatures on stand. A good cover scent is recommended as well. I prefer to spray a couple of squirts of coon urine around my stand. Raccoon are natural to most areas and will not spook deer. It is imperative in the warm temperatures to cover your scent especially in warm weather when we all tend to sweat.
Decoys can be used in early season deer hunting but they tend to be more of a confidence factor than anything else. A decoy in a field lets other deer know that everything is ok and it is safe to come out and begin feeding. Of course later on you can place a buck decoy out and possibly attract the attention of an aggressive buck looking for a fight.
Try not to let the deer pattern you or your stand and let a stand rest for a few days in between hunting. Deer tend to pick up very quickly on what routes you are using and exactly where you are if you are not careful in your movements to and from your stand site.
Early season is one time when the deer are fairly predictable and this gives you an edge on knowing when and where they are. Later on in the season particularly in the rut the deer will not be as predictable though encounters at most anytime and anywhere may be likely.
Take advantage of the early season. Take some does, for the betterment of the herd and as confidence builders for when you draw down on that buck of your dreams. Above all get out there in the early season and enjoy once again being in the fall woods bowhunting. Early season deer hunting can be a great time of the season.