EARLY SEASON BOW HUNTING TACTICS

The early season can be an outstanding time to get out and study the heard before the breeding season starts. If you’re anything like me you could use some much needed tree stand therapy by this time. The early season however comes with many challenges. In some areas bugs can be downright horrendous at this time of the year. We will talk about this in a later section. Deer are also going through a series of changes at this time of the year. Patterns change throughout the year and the paths they take in the early season may be completely different then the late season paths. There is plenty of food available in the early season as well which makes pinpointing a food source in some areas next to impossible. I think its fair to add every hunting property is unique in its own way so no one shoe fits all. It is important to scout out your property to see what you are working with and the lay of the land. Take the time to learn how the deer cross the property. Even take some time to view it from an aerial view on google, we will talk about this later in the article. Many professional hunters will say the same thing, do not burn out your prime hunting spots in the early season. Be mindful of this when you are planning your attack. I am not saying, “don’t hunt these stand locations until the rut.” The best way to learn about your areas is to spend time hunting them and studying how deer move in that area but be mindful of this. You can certainly burn out a hunting area if you hunt it to hard before the best part of the season. I believe deer are dumber in the early season before they experience elevated levels of hunting pressure and if you have the deer patterned on camera then it can make your hunting season short lived. Here are some tips to help you close the gap and will hopefully help you find success out in the field.

In some areas it can be really hot in the early season. We thought water deserved its own category because it is a major staple in a deer’s life just like it is ours. I found often times in the hot early season months that areas containing water can be a good area to check out if there aren’t many other sources in the area. Deer do get water from the plants they eat but when it’s hot these water sources can be a hot spot as well. This is why some people dig watering holes in there hunting areas to try and draw deer in.

I have said in another article, follow the food. Deer run on a rhythmic pattern feeding cycle which means they will feed 5 times a day, once every 4-5 hours. Likely they will feed once or twice during daytime hours all season long. In some areas you don’t have much versatility but in areas with options follow the deer. For instance, in the early season the soybeans my still be green and lush. Deer will still utilize this food source but once they turn yellow the nutritional value leaves the plant making the plant less attractive and the activity may taper off on the trails leading to the field. When I was younger I remember hunting bean fields just like this wondering why the deer weren’t flocking to the field. This is why. Deer are smarter then we give them credit for. They know what they need and when they need it. In some areas white oak acorns will be a staple food in a whitetails diet once they start to drop. Acorns can make up 80% of a deer’s diet. They contain protein but nowhere near the levels of a well done food plot or ag field. They are however high in carbohydrates which are needed for energy for the strenuous breeding season yet to follow. Acorns also help them fatten up for the winter. Some of this is covered in other sections so I will try and keep this article unique. The topic of food is such an important topic and it applies throughout the season as deer will go where they feel safe and where food is available.

I may contradict myself a little in this topic, but sometimes the travel routes during the breeding season can be better then the food sources themselves. Whether that be the paths the deer take to get to the food sources or the paths they take to get from one bedding area to another. I have gotten a few bucks this way over the years. The lay of the land often creates natural pinch points that may be worth setting up on. If you are chasing that smart buck who has been around the block a time or two he may not step foot in your food plot till the nighttime hours. This could be tied to a magnitude or reasons. He could be weary from hunting pressure in the area or the plot may be over hunted or improperly set up. In this case you must improvise and try and catch him off guard. Set up on crossing trails or pinch points that lead to those food sources and always be mindful of the wind directions. You can learn more about travel routes and food plots in the deer management article.

Weather can play a big roll in the success of the hunt. First and foremost I will say, you can’t get them while you are sitting on your couch. You can have a great deer hunt on any day but your likelihood of seeing deer can improve greatly when the weather conditions are right. If you understand the weather and how deer react to it it can help you better understand their movement patterns and will help you make the most of the hunting time you have at your disposal. Apps like Hunt Stand offer you a map that shows you wind directions which can be a huge help when planning your hunts. I added a few pictures below, they have a wind direction bubble for deer hunting and also a model to show waterfowlers which direction the birds will likely land in. As many waterfowlers know, the birds will often land into the wind to help slow down their landing. Cold fronts can really help to get deer up and moving, keep an eye out for temperature drops of 10 degrees or more. A cold front can impact the timing of deer movement and can also entice them to travel further from their bedding areas in search of food during daylight hours. Barometric pressure is also another variable scientist claim could influence deer movement. Some hunting experts claim between 29.90 and 30.30 inches is ideal, the higher the pressure the better the hunt. Many scientist determined that temperature was the most important variable that can control deer movement but that is based off of who you ask. There are also hunters who claim moon phases can play a major role in hunting success. Some apps like HuntStand offer a section where you can look at moon phases to determine when the best times may be for peak game activity. On a clear full moon night deer may be out for prolonged periods throwing off feeding times the next day. By looking at these variables it may help you use your vacation time wisely during the hunting season.

Trail cameras can be a huge asset to your hunting season. They can help you gain an inventory of the deer you have in your area and it can be used to help you better understand their travel movements. Mineral site locations can help you with this as well if its legal in your area. There are multiple types of cameras available on the market today. You have your standard old school cams that save your pictures to an SD card and you also have other cellular options available. These options are great for watching areas without having to check your cameras periodically and potentially putting scent in your area. Its also nice for hunting areas that are far in or further from home. The plans can be fairly expensive if you have multiple cameras though and they only send pictures when a cell signal can be reach. This is something to be mindful of before making that purchase.

This is a big one and can actually help you massively out in the field. We may take the time to make a video on this topic in the not to distant future for that very reason. Deer like diverse environments with a lot of change and are very good at adapting to these changes in environments. Areas with thickets where they feel safe and areas with some clear spots where they can browse and feed. You can see some of this from an aerial view in the comfort of your living room before even stepping foot in the woods. There are also many of cool apps on the market like Hunt Stand and onx that give you more capabilities. In the picture below there is a noticeable difference between the dense mature hardwoods and the 15-20 year old saplings that were planted on this tree farm in Virginia. This transition point along the outskirts of that edge may be a great place to check and as I said earlier, check for creeks and other water sources. Also be mindful of the natural pinch points which can also be seen at times from an aerial view. Changes in elevation and changes in terrain can also create natural travel corridors which can create an awesome area to hunt. This area pictured below just so happens to be close to sea level so there is water everywhere. Pinpointing a main water source would be rather challenging in this area so food and the bedding areas are the next best options to look for and that can only be done on foot typically. If you know where these areas are located then it will help you better understand how they travel the property from point to point. I know from experience that this area has tons of blueberries and browse that they can utilize throughout the season and that can only be found while out scouting on foot. This area being located on a tree farm consist of mostly pines and there aren’t many hardwoods but if you can pinpoint hardwoods in that section of mature trees you may be able to find mature oak trees that drop acorns at higher rates throughout the season. I have hunted this area for well over 15 years and I know it produces and holds big bucks but many areas I have hunted just like it have been found by digital scouting. I will post a video from onX below to help you better understand this tactic in the meantime till our video is produced. Hopefully these tactics will get you closer to finding your new hot spot.

I know this doesn’t apply to deer at all but when hunting in warmer climates this is an important topic for many so I figured I would add some of this info to help other hunters not only in the pre season when you are out preparing your stands, but this can help in the early season as well. This section may not be as important for some people but if you ever hunted areas like Maryland and parts of the eastern shore you know that bugs can be a pain to work with at times. If your anything like me you understand that comfort is also imperative at times while out in the woods. Especially in the hot early season months when shorts and a t-shirt would be nice but your sitting there drenched in layers of clothes that are a necessary shield from bugs. I have spent over 15 years of my life dealing with chiggers and mosquitos in my hunting area’s and I learned a few ways to keep them to a minimum. For those who are not familiar, chiggers are little bugs, like ticks, who bite you and secrete salivary enzymes that break down your skin cells from the inside. They feed on these broken down skin cells. This creates a small bump almost like a mosquito bite or poison that itches to high heaven. Chiggers live in weeds and tall grasses close to water and they are about the size of a pin head making them almost impossible to see. They are much smaller then even the smallest deer tick and their bites take 2 to 3 days to show up meaning you usually wont know there is a problem till its to late. Here are some options to help prevent chiggers and other bugs from ruining your hunt.

Ryno Skin Bug Suits: Ryno Skins are like nylons for men. They create a skin tight barrier between the outside world and you preventing chiggers, ticks, and even mosquitos with their newer versions from biting you and even reaching your skin. This is much needed in some hunting areas as the mosquitos are so bad they can basically carry you away. As you would imagine, this can make your hunting trip miserable. Ryno Skins work wonders when preventing mosquitos if you have their full setup (Pants, shirt, and socks).

Permethrin: If you don’t have access to Ryno Skins or you prefer not to wear layers of hot clothing there are other options. I don’t think these options are as effective but they certainly work! Permethrin is a bug killer and insect repellent that they claim kills bugs and prevents them from crawling up your pants and reaching your skin. This product works not only for ticks but works wonders for chiggers as well in addition to taping your boots which we will cover in the next section. Keep in mind, it is said that permethrin can cause cancer, so be mindful of this when applying the product. Do not apply to base layers, only apply to your outer garments.

Thermocell: From one hunter to another, if you hunt in areas with a lot of mosquitos or black flies this product will be a life saver, even when using other forms of bug control. Mind you, we have no ties to any of these companies and they earned our shout out by simply producing products that work. I have used Thermocells for well over 10 years and they have made every early season hunt much more desirable in these bug infested areas.

Bug Tamer Bug Suits: This method will not help you against chiggers but for mosquitos you will be golden. Bug tamer plus technology from Shannon Outdoors can be an awesome addition to your hunting gear line up. Not only do they make regular clothing but they also have 3d leafy camo options available that are made specifically for keeping mosquitos and biting flies at bay while breaking up your overall shape making your less detectable out in the woods.

Get the latest deer hunting news, tactics, and tips in your mailbox every time we post!