It is the first week of September. We are only 3 weeks out from opening day in Kansas and 2 weeks out from opening day in Missouri. If you like to hunt early season, when the weather is still warm and the days are long, then it is time to get to work. Early season deer hunting takes a slightly different approach than hunting the rut. There are positives and negatives to deal with.
Let's start with the negatives. It is hot and difficult not to sweat walking to your stand. When the air is warm it also becomes much more difficult to control your human scent (it doesn't rise as quickly as a cold day). The bugs can drive you crazy this time of year and it is hard to see very far in the woods because the vegetation is thick. Now let's move to the positives. The deer are feeding heavily and are fairly predictable on their eating patterns. The bucks are in bachelor groups which means you may see a couple of shooters together. Their racks have just come out of velvet so they are shiny, clean and not busted up yet. The temperatures are warm so you won't be wearing bulky clothing and you aren't going to freeze out like a December hunt. The bucks should not have any hunting pressure on them and are probably bedded within close proximity to the major food sources or a water source.
By doing some pre-season scouting, you can get on these early season bucks. I try to hang observation stands prior to the season starting. These stands are strategically located to keep intrusion down to a minimum while being in a position to see where mature bucks are coming out into the fields to feed. Try to get into these positions at daybreak or sunset. This is where the spotting scope comes into play. High quality binoculars will work too but a spotting scope can really zoom in on the make up of a particular deer's rack. You should be able to get a good idea where bucks are entering and exiting the fields. This will also give you the opportunity to confirm the buck inventory of your hunting property (supported by your trail cameras).
Observatory stands, hay bails, and old country roads are great for scouting prior to the season opening. Ensure that you don't put any pressure on the deer during your pre-season scouting. The season is almost here and we don't want to tip the deer off that our favorite time of year has almost arrived.
Once the season has started, if you are having a hard time getting on a buck, try your pre-season scouting techniques at first light in the morning. Once you locate the buck you are after, quietly set up a stand inside the wood line where he left the field (getting between the food source and the bucks bedding area for the evening hunt). Chances are he will come walking by you if the wind is right in the evening. This year I am going to have a spotting scope for pre-season scouting, even if I have to borrow one! Good hunting and make sure you are shooting that bow a couple of times each week.
One last thing, take a kid hunting or fishing in the next couple of months (you have heard me say this before). It is just so awesome to see the positive impact on them.
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