How To Hunt Early Season Deer

How do you hunt early season deer? What one must remember is that the early part of deer season is actually the end of summer. In most areas, the early part of deer season is warm, hot even. Foliage is also thick at this point so visibility is not what it will be later in the season. But, even with these things to overcome, the well prepared deer hunter can be successful.

Items the hunter might need:

  • Light hunting clothing
  • Scent free soaps
  • Topographical maps
  • Deer calls
  • General hunting gear
  • Scent free bug sprays
  • Face nets

The strategy of early season deer hunting might go as follows:

  1. Find the deer. Preseason scouting is important. Deer do not like heat any more than we do, and they will travel as little as possible. Therefore, the hunter needs to know where they are. They will often bed closer to food sources than they might later in season. The hunter will want to find out what food sources are available and where. Crop yields change year to year so the only real way to find out is investigate beforehand. Topographical maps can help you here before you get out into the woods. By studying them, the hunter can often find hidden folds and tunnels the deer may bed in. They may also find ways to get into and out of hunting areas with the least disturbance to the animal's routine.
  2. Scent control. One of the whitetail deer's biggest defense mechanisms is it's sense of smell. Hot weather and moving through thick foliage is a sure way for the hunter to sweat. Controlling this scent through the use of light clothing and good hygiene is important. The use of non-scented soaps and deodorants can go a long ways towards controlling scent as well.
  3. Try calling. Calling can work occasionally in early season. Does have had fawns all summer and they might come if a fawn in distress calls. Bucks are, well bucks are bucks, and occasionally they will come if a doe calls hoping to find a little early season romance. It can be worth a try.
  4. Stay patient.  With the heavy foliage, it can be hard to see deer unless they are right on top of you. This means you will see less and have less incentive. Staying patient and staying on stand will increase your odds of seeing deer.
  5. Deal with the bugs. One of the big things that you will have to deal with early in the season is bugs, especially pesky mosquitos and flies. They can drive you insane getting in your ears, nose and mouth, or biting you. A head net is indispensable, plus it can camouflage your face. On occasion, you can use scent free bug sprays but do so sparingly because scent free to the manufacturer may not mean completely scent free.

Those are some tips we have learned for hunting the early deer season. No matter what, be patient and remember, you are out in the woods hunting, so enjoy that time.

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