The Summer Lull

It's that time of year again. Turkey season is long past and deer season seems like an eternity away. Summer is upon us, and for those of us whose lives revolve around the hunting seasons, this can be a bit of a depressing time. But it shouldn't be. Despite the fact that deer season may be over 3 months away, there is no better time than now to start preparing for the upcoming season (unless you are one of the die hards that started right after the previous one ended).

For the bowhunter, this is a great time to get out and start a regular shooting routine. Even better, get out and start hitting some 3D archery shoots in your area. There is no better way to hone your yardage estimating and shooting skills than these shoots, as you get the opportunity to take realistic shots at life-like targets. You'll be amazed at how much more confident you are when that big buck steps out at 33 (or 27 or 42, etc) yards if you've spent all summer practicing.

Besides just shooting 3D, this is a great time to start setting up some bait stations (if permitted in your state) with trail cameras mounted nearby. That way you can start to get an idea of which bucks made it through last season and a better understanding of the overall deer quality in your area.

Also, it's not too late to get a food plot in the ground for this fall. I'm not going to get into all the options for a summer planting (that will be a whole other post on its own), but there are numerous plants that can be planted in June, as well as numerous other options for a fall planting come August & September.

While the weather can be pretty brutal this time of year, this is also a great time to go ahead and hang stands for this fall, as well. By the time season rolls around, the deer will have long forgotten any interuption in their routine from summer, and the foliage is on the trees now to give you a good idea of what branches will need to be trimmed for your shooting lanes.

While summer can be a trying time for the diehard hunter, it doesn't have to be the off season. Now is the time to get ready for the fall! So get out the bug spray and a big bottle of water, and head out to the deer woods. It may pay off big (as in big bucks) this fall.