Early Season Deer Hunting

Play the wind right or don't hunt.

Only feed on the ground and use rice bran.

Game camera is your friend.

Practice shooting similar to what you will face on your stand. Use a range finder.

Practice. You're gonna be sick if you been watching that deer for 2 months and then miss or gut shoot it.

There are a lot of squirrel hunters on my lease, any idea how this might affect the bucks movement? Typically nobody is bow hunting up there so I am not sure what to expect as to how it will affect him.

Aim further back on a deer than what you do with a rifle if you get a chance to shoot one. I've learned the hard way that an arrow will not penetrate the shoulder blade. Lost a cull spike a couple years ago, and a 168" non typical that got killed during rifle season with my swhacker in his shoulder last year.

Early season deer hunting is tricky because of the heat, deer don't have to move far at all to find food and those damn squirrel hunters. Mostly the heat though. I wear very light pants and a light t shirt for the walk to the stand and then put on my light jacket once I get up the tree and settled in. I spray a little coon piss at the base of the tree, on my boots when I get up the tree, and a little on the tree above my head for cover scent. I also spray down heavily with scent killer, idk if it works or not but I still use it. I hunt close to bedding areas because deer usually don't travel far from their bedding area. Remember, they don't have to move. Their goal in life is to survive and reproduce. They will do whatever they can to avoid danger, even if that means laying down all day because they heard you walking in and setting up. As for the squirrel hunters, they're just there to mess shite up in the morning and then they're gone until late evening. Hunt later than them. The deer know when they're gone and will typically move after they feel safe from them. Find where you think that buck is bedding, you know where he's feeding, so hunt in between those 2 spots but not too close to the bedding area. Use a climber and set up with the wind in your favor. If you take a 4 wheeler to your stand, park it a long ways from where you're hunting. You have to be on your game to get those big early season bucks. It's not easy. Good luck.