Five Questions To Answer Before Deer Season

by
posted on September 12, 2010
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
ot_mind_ah2015_fs.jpg (5)

In less than five days every hardcore Maryland archer will be in his stand when the sun breaks the skyline. We've all been planting, plowing, scouting and practicing for bowhunting's first blush.

But before you get too hyped up—no matter what state you reside in—stop and do a little analyzation. Whether you're hunting an old spot or a brand new stand, it's important to continue thinking about the key factors to early success.

Where are the deer bedding?

A bedding area is usually going to be in one of two places—a thicket or a high elevation. In my case, we've seen droppings and old beds in an acre-wide pine thicket that borders a nearby soybean field. It just so happens we've spied some absolute monsters in said plot.

What are they eating?
Agricultural fields are akin to the all-you-can-eat buffet in September and early October. Crops like soybeans, corn, grain or milo are abundant and available for deer in most of the well-known whitetail states. When you have such a plot on your property, scout it heavily, and find main entrance points.

If you aren't lucky enough to have these farmed areas, be sure to find the trees holding acorns. When they drop, deer come running.

How do they get from their beds to their feeding areas?
This is where stand placement comes into play. Use binoculars to scout from a distance, and try to catch deer moving in and out of fields. Plan your ambush spot based on where the big boys are entering and leaving the buffet. It's also important to find a path into your stand that will have absolutely no chance of disturbing the deer in their bedding areas.

Are bucks still in bachelor groups, or have they split up?
As you'll see from trail cam shots, bucks spend much of the summer in bachelor groups. But in mid-September to very early October bucks begin to shed their velvet and break up from these groups. When this happens they change to their fall ranges and begin to mark new territory. Be very aware of this process, as the bucks you've been seeing on your cams all summer may have moved on to the next field.

Can I make the shot when it is presented?
Practice in the backyard. Practice from your treestand. Practice with every piece of hunting clothing you'll have on during Opening Day. Practice, practice, practice.

Latest

W3570 TAH 1528
W3570 TAH 1528

Hardware Review: Nosler Whitetail Country Ammunition

Frank Melloni gives an in-depth review of this new whitetail slayer from Nosler.

NRA Now Accepting Applications for Public Range Grants

The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is pleased to announce the reopening of the NRA's Public Range Fund. Established in 2009, the NRA Public Range Fund is a grant-matching program that encourages city and county governments, along with state or federal agencies, to work with the NRA to build and improve public ranges across the United States.

#SundayGunday: Browning Citori 825 Sporting

This week on #SundayGunday, we’re checking out the Citori 825 Sporting shotgun, from Browning. A classic over/under, this is a scattergun designed to shine on the sporting clays course.

In Memoriam: Frank R. Brownell III, June 24, 1939 – June 18, 2025

American Hunter sadly marks the passage of a legendary businessman, marketer and friend of hunters, gun owners and the Second Amendment: Frank R. Brownell III, who with his father, Bob, and son, Pete, placed Brownells Inc. and its products foremost in the minds of gun owners everywhere, passed away on June 18, 2025, after a lengthy illness, just six days away from his 86th birthday.

An Ode to the Ruger 10/22

Philip Massaro writes a glowing encomium of his father's favorite little rimfire—the Ruger 10/22.

Grant Deadlines Approaching in Arizona and Michigan

Groups in Arizona and Michigan still have time to apply for grants from their respective wildlife departments.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.