This is about the only time during the entire year when I don't think a lot about hunting. Some years have me feeling a little burned by now. I am usually tired from working hard on stands and food plots. Turkey season is over and I am just ready for a break. I used to be a tournament fisherman for Bass when I lived out west. So I am always searching for an opportunity to go fishing and catch some bucket mouths. The days are getting hot, the kids want to be outside doing something all day (usually at the pool), and there are so many things to do around the house.
It is okay to mentally take a break from deer season. Fall is around the corner so take this time to spend some quality time with your family. My oldest son enjoys fishing more than anything else. So I take him fishing when I have the opportunity. If you haven't witnessed a kid catching fish, you are really missing out! Take a kid fishing and see what happens. They are experiencing the same emotions that we have when we shoot a 170" buck.
During the month of July we always take a family vacation up to northern Wisconsin at my grandparents cabin. I usually spend June working as much as a I can to save up money for the trip. I try to take three weeks off from work for this trip so my kids can really enjoy some time at the lake and give them some quality Dad time. Once I return from the trip I usually have my fill of catching fish and I am charged back up for deer hunting.
July and August are always the hottest months out of the year. It can be hard to get motivated to shoot bows when it gets hot outside (usually sweating like a pig) and you have to deal with bugs (mosquito's, chiggers, ticks, flies, etc.). I like to focus my efforts on shooting only once a week during this time of year. My Dad usually keeps the grass cut short where we shoot our bows and this helps keep the bugs down. I prefer to shoot early in the morning when it is the coolest part of the day but I will also shoot in the evenings before dark.
I like to make the shooting adventurous and fun this time of year. We will set up a little shooting course at my Dad's house. We will shoot our bows out of a ladder stand or ground blind, up and down slopes. We will set up multiple deer targets at various angles to simulate different shot conditions. We also practice shooting long range shots at 60+ yards. Occasionally we will shoot from the roof of my Dad's garage but be careful if you do this (not all roofs are created equal). I have seen some guys tape balloons into the middle of old tires and then roll them down a hill. Your partner shoots at the balloon as if the deer is on the run (make sure of your back drop if you try this). Be experimental and try different things to make your shooting sessions new and fun. My brother-in-law will shoot from almost any body position that he can think of (sitting, on his knees, on his back, turned 180 degrees, etc). Try different shooting set ups and try to shoot with a friend. It makes archery more enjoyable.
Summer should be the cut off for making any major equipment changes. If you make any changes in the fall it is going to affect your confidence and probably your accuracy. I always go through all of my shooting equipment this time of year and double check every detail. I want to spend my last shooting sessions at the end of summer to only dial in broadheads. I don't want to mess with anything else. Once September rolls around I stop shooting my field points and switch to broadheads. Our Kansas archery season starts at the end of September and I like to make the switch to broadheads approximately one month before the season begins.
Well, July is almost here so I will cover Step 12 of this 14 step process in August. Good shooting and go catch a big fish this summer!
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