Bow Hunting in Hot Weather

That first week of Deer bow season had beenquarters, your deer stand needs to be back far
tough for me. The temperature is always up theenough from bedding areas so deer will not see
mid-80s in Western Arkansas. Needless to sayyou entering or leaving your stand. An average
one does not have to wear heavy clothing orfood crop year is just that, average. There will be
even long sleeves while hunting during this time. Iareas with considerable amounts of acorns while
arrived at one of my stands around 5:00 a.m. Myother areas will be lacking in food sources. Finding
stand was located on the south side of a 140the food source areas during hot weather will
acre farm, facing north about 15 feet from onegenerally allow you to locate the deer. Keep in
of the most heavily traveled deer trails on themind you are looking for areas you can get into in
property. From my stand you could see an openthe mornings and evenings without spooking the
field and a beautiful pond on the other side. Ideer in the area.Also consider the water source
settled in and was ready to do what deer huntersfor deer in the area. This is the other ingredient
do best, patiently wait, and wait A little more.needed by the deer for their ability to survive and
Fifteen minutes later to my surprise a beautiful 9function.
point buck strolled right past me. I released aIt might be noted that the noise of the running
beautiful shot hitting him right above the rightwater can cover a hunter's approach. While on
shoulder. I had that buck checked in and wasthe subject of water, I have not found that
eating my breakfast at the coffee shop by 8:00positioning my stand near a water source will
a.m. Bow hunting in the heat is something one hasgreatly improve my chances of harvesting a deer
to get accustomed to if they don't want to givein hot weather. Deer gain sufficient moisture from
up a good part of the early season.the foods they eat during the early part of the
Early-season hunts require some strategies weseason. Heavy food production in hot weather is
can use to succeed when the temperatures arereally a benefit for deer. Deer will be moving even
far better for sunbathing than stick-and-stringing.less in hot weather with an abundant food
The most important thing to remember whensources. Reports of deer sightings during such
bow hunting is deer are wild animals that have toyears are pretty low and thus the harvest
eat to survive, sooner or later every evening andnumbers tend to drop. This is when the game
morning they will have to move to find food. Itchanges and the bow hunter has to put in that
sounds a bit silly, but in these conditions you reallyextra effort to be successful. The best option for
benefit when trying to consider how deer willthe hunter is to become mobile, flexible to the
react in sad conditions. Deer do not like overlyconditions. The best deer attractant is a fresh
warm weather, just like a lot of us don't. Afterfood source. When you begin to look for freshly
shedding their summer coats, deer are preparedfallen acorns, you're thinking like a deer. That is
for colder weather, even if the weather is still hot.just what they're looking for also. If you chose a
Deer are a lot like humans, they are affected byspot and don't have any luck, time to move on.
high temperatures and humidity also. The moreFind a new area that looks promising for your
they move around in these conditions, the morenext trip to the woods. You shouldn't expect the
uncomfortable they become. It is a fact that deerole' reliable stand area of years past to work in
will bed very close to food sources in this type ofconditions like these in early season bow hunting.
weather. When food is scarce and the weather isRather, search for those fresh food sources and
hot the deer will bed as closely to fields as theydeer droppings. Those are the things you want to
can. Even though you might be hunting in closerlook for in these conditions.