By: Ron Newman

Many people say they "Wish they could hunt Whitetails year-round".

Actually, they can, and should HUNT deer all year, in preparation for the actual harvesting of the deer once the bow season opens.

The more time and effort you put into your pre-season planning, the more successful you will be in anticipating the movements and habits of deer early in the bow season. Still on consistent feeding patterns, and moving about more in daylight than when the Pre-Rut "lull" takes affect, the deer are more predictable and vulnerable to your efforts now, than any other time of the year.

The time you spend studying and planning in July and August can pay-off big on Opening day.

OBSERVATION "STANDS:

Although referred to mostly as, "Pre-Season Scouting", this time should be best described as "LOCATING". Finding the deer and watching their movements from a distance, with the least amount of disturbance possible, is the key now.  This is the time to begin long-distance glassing of feeding areas to determine not only what size bucks you have to hunt, but WHERE, WHEN and HOW they approach and leave these areas, using the wind, terrain and cover adjacent to the access points, to their best advantage.

Set up several hundred yards downwind of the field you want to watch, (If possible from your vehicle, which won't bother the deer at that distance, and may be a more comfortable, cooler, and bug-free "stand") at a high point overlooking the area, so that you can observe the total picture of deer movement. Sometimes, a tree stand placed high on the crest of a hill can be ideal, if it allows you to sneak in/out using the back side of the hill for cover.

This is the time of year when the bucks are still in groups, and most visible during the daylight hours (outside of the rut). Now is the time to pick "YOUR BUCK", and not only study his headgear and identify him for later, but to see where he is coming from to feed, and what routes he prefers. Try to observe these areas in the morning as well as in the evening, to get a "complete" picture.

The "Core Area" of the buck is usually not too far from his summertime feeding location, and his travel patterns will not change dramatically unless the food source depletes or changes, or they are disturbed repeatedly. Although it seems like they disappear in late summer/early fall, the bucks are still there. They are just becoming more unsociable and moving less, as they await the first signs of the long-awaited Breeding period. As long as there is food, cover, and DOES around, they will appear back near these preferred areas sooner or later. Also, later in the season; acorns and apples begin to fall, and corn becomes more appealing to the deer (for both food and cover), which keeps them out of the open areas even more.

PICKING STAND LOCATIONS:

Once you have a grasp of the movements and preferred routes used by the deer, avoid going in and checking the spot now. STAY AWAY until it's time to HUNT! Occasionally spot-check (from a distance) the area for changes, but avoid any disruption. Alert them now, and you can forget about them being there later. Even though once the bigger bucks remove their velvet and become less and less visible, as long as the other deer are continuing to use the area UNDISTURBED, these bucks will be nearby, watching.  Study notes from previous years, topo maps, aerial photos (the best tool) and pre-determine based on your observations, several possible stand locations. Don't forget to consider your approaches and exit routes so not to give away your hard earned ambush location. Avoid crossing deer trails, being skylined, bumping deer in the dark, and most important leaving scent or being scented. WIND management is the only real SECRET in deer hunting. Never try to beat it, or compromise it, you will lose every time!

IN AND OUT:

With the season approaching, you can now use this information to go in with a minimum amount of time and disturbance, and check on these potential stand sites  for visual confirmations. Go directly to each spot and look for fresh buck sign, (BIG tracks, rubs, etc.) make your choice, hang your stand, (or choose/prepare your tree if using a climber) and GET OUT! Avoid entering the woods anymore than necessary, as many times deer will not be too far away this time of year.  Try to avoid placing your stand where a lot of pruning is necessary. If you must cut shooting lanes, keep it to a MINIMUM, and remove any evidence of your clippings away from your stand. AVOID touching any limbs/foliage with bare hands.  By doing this all at one time, you have not disturbed the area repeatedly, hopefully left a minimum amount of scent, (Try to be as scent-free as if you were hunting; Rubber boots and gloves MANDATORY) and can now sneak in when the time and wind is perfect for a successful hunt. By getting out and locating your buck well before the season, you have given yourself an edge by knowing he's around and where he prefers to bed, feed, and travel. You have studied and confirmed his movement patterns and preferences, without disturbing him or the other deer, or the area itself. You have chosen your stand locations based on actual sightings as well as sign, and you have prepared your site before hunting in the least intrusive way.  By "planning your hunt" before the season, rather than "hunting for a plan" during the season (and invariably, being one step behind all the time) you can now be confident that you have the odds in your favor as much as possible. The work is done, and now it's time to enjoy the time a field and reap the benefits.

And isn't it a great way to spend your summer?

Good Hunting-

}}}-----> Ron

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