Deer season inching closer...

[UntouchableNess]

I've been hunting two properties since 1986, the other one since 1991. Over the years, I've come to know the usual travel corridors on these properties and what trees are my go to. I have 14 cameras spread across the 3 properties in two different counties. Most of the cams are "on the fringe", as I don't want to go stomping into the middle of the property until its time to hang and hunt. I'm getting many pics of decent bucks, nothing too huge, but deer that I would be happy to wrap a tag on. If I did see a huge buck, I wouldn't go all in on it. Been burned doing that in the past and it sucked the fun out of the season for me. Also, as I'm working out at the farm, come evening, I glance down to the creek bottom occasionally to see if the bucks have come out into the soybean/hay fields to graze just before sunset.

Last year season snuck up on me, caught me unprepared. I didn't have all my gear rounded up and the first spur of the moment hunt was chaotic. Before season opens this year, I'll have all my gear placed in the tote bag I carry. Last year, I opened the tote and found my spring turkey hunting gear in it. Now, I've got two tote bags, so one will be set up with my turkey gear, the other with my archery deer gear. I did look at my new packet of expandable broadheads Monday night to see if any assembly is required, which they came pre-assembled. So my gear prep is slowly starting, maybe more in my mind than physically.

[Rob loper]

Think i have a few bucks me and nick have our eyes on
My boat is finally ready so some out of the way spots are gonna be checked out with of course being very careful too nit disturb the routines.
Ive been driving around glassing a bit and looking for bucks too add too hit lists.
We cant spotlight here so i dont do any shinning at all.
Just makes it a bit tougher too locate.
Milkweed is podded up and starting too split and drying out, school shopping for the kids, and football starting up. That means one thing too me.
Its almost deer season. Good luck to everyone and be safe out there

[moondoondude]

Down to the wire here! 2 weeks until the opener. Probably going to shoot the recurve all year for whitetail, but will be shooting the compound for the now annual elk hunt less than a month out. So, a bit more shooting than usual going on now. Done with the tinkering, just shooting. Elk are a totally different animal than whitetail - a lot bigger (and easier!). But, they are in some tougher places so I'm teetering on the border of overdoing it with physical prep currently as well.

If it is right for it, I got one I'm going after with the recurve that i may take a gander at on the opener. The mosquitoes in there are absolutely horrifying currently but you just got to act like a monk and meditate your way through it. Honestly the antihistamine buildup about 5 minutes in gives you a high you can ride until you jump out of the tree.

I put my time in 365 so there really isn't any additional prep or specifics to address as the season comes. I pretty much run the same routine right up to and through the opener. Constantly checking cameras and glassing in the evenings take up a chunk of hours every week. Depending on the time of year, different hours are allocated to each. In the spring, I get to really poke around and grind it out looking for their sheds. Outside of that, it is a gentle, low impact, minimally intrusive observance and ideally - they have no idea when I'm in there hunting, if i ever do.

[Autiger]

Have the new bow shooting pretty damn good. Trying out slick trick standards this season and man do they fly great. Contemplating taking the kayak down river tomorrow to see if there is a way to access an island opening weekend in a marsh. I just don't want to push it and get too close. Had to get a trolling motor to mount on the kayak because the river looks to flow pretty quick and I don't feel like fighting it for a mile and a half every night in the dark on my way back. I have one camera that has been out soaking all summer in another location, decided I wouldn't go check it until I first hunt the spot, but since it's a travel route to what is now corn this year I may stay out until late october, getting to the peninsula on the other side of the swamp is going to be interesting but will be necessary since that will lead them to the field that was corn last year and is now beans. I feel like this will be one of my greater chess matches in recent years, but man I can't wait til I lay eyes on a beast!