Bow season is just around the corner

The Huntress

Ilooked at the calendar the last few days thinking about the important dates for the school year.

Cooper starts kindergarten on August 14.

I looked further and marked Thanksgiving break, teacher in-service dates when students are out and of course, report card dates.

I also marked the parent-teacher conferences and Christmas break.

I looked through my hunting season dates and realized bow season starts in just a little more than two months.

I saw a post on Facebook where the first day of autumn was just 11 weeks away.

I began to get excited thinking about the temperatures dropping and the leaves changing colors.

I have been shooting my new bow and getting it ready for late September.

I figure I will wait until it is a little cooler in October before I hit the woods.

It is hard to get excited about hunting a deer when it is 80 degrees outside.

Sitting in a tree about 20 feet off the ground and wearing a t-shirt isn’t too comfortable while you sweat profusely.

I also started thinking about the laundry list of things that have to be done in the next few weeks.

Brush thinning, trail clearing, stand moving and hog control are all of vital importance.

A couple of stands need to be moved to different spots and some feeders need to be set up in new spots.

Cameras will be set up to watch for predators such as coyotes and hogs.

If a spot has too much predator action, you will not see a deer.

Hogs can be taken anytime but coyotes will have to be taken during deer season.

Wild hog meat is very lean and I usually give them away to anyone that needs meat.

Even a small 100pound hog can yield 40-50 pounds of protein that can feed a family of four for a week.

Hams, shoulders and tenderloins can be baked in an oven on low heat to avoid drying out and toughness.

Pulled pork sandwiches, crock pot roasts and pork medallions can all be harvested from a wild hog.

A wild hog is nothing but free-range organic pork that people will pay $10 a pound for when you can get one for free in the woods.

No steroids. No growth hormones. No antibiotics. No excess fat.

Just pure lean meat as fresh as you can get it.

This time of year, a nice watering hole or creek bottom is the most likely place to find a pig cooling off in the heat. Just sit and wait.

Obvious signs of hog activity can be seen on trees and bushes where they will scratch themselves.

Mud smears on trees and hair will be stuck in the mud.

Wallows where they have been laying will be obvious as well.

Tracks and droppings are easily identified as well.

Rooting is the most recognizable sign.

They will dig for roots, bugs, and snakes as a food source.

Rotten trees with beetles and bug larvae are also a favorite.

After checking for predator activity, our cameras will be able to tell us how plentiful the deer are and let us identify ones that may be injured or sick.

Those are usually eliminated from the herd to prevent reproduction and we will put one down that is suffering.

Broken legs, malnourishment and gangrene are all red flags that an animal needs to be put down.

Bow season is the best time to take down the injured deer before the rut, or mating season, begins.

Last thing on the list is check equipment and make sure you are shooting correctly.

Some people want to brag about how their sights are set for 30, 40, 50 and even 80-yard shots.

A lot can happen to an arrow before it travels 80 yards.

You lose velocity, accuracy and a small gust of wind can change an arrow’s impact point.

I personally prefer to see just how close I can get.

Being able to fool an animal’s sense of sight, smell and hearing is something to be proud of in any hunting situation.

I like to get close just to take pictures of them.

I would rather have a deer walk within 15 yards of me than attempt a questionable archery shot from 40 yards away.

I usually hunt thickets and stay in the brush.

Bucks prefer plenty of cover.

My bow spots only give me up to 40 yards of clear shots with a bow.

One hundred yards with a gun is easy. Anyone can do that.

It is a real test of ability to place an arrow perfectly at just 30 yards.

Pictures? Questions? Comments? Send them to katiem@eldoradonews.com.