Prepare to Stick it Out for Archery Deer

Are you prepped and ready to go for archery deer season in the Lone Star State? I’m sure you’ve likely spent plenty of time getting your bow setup fine-tuned and dialed in. You also surely have arranged and stowed your other tools of the trade exactly where they should be. You definitely have hung your stand (or stands!) after scouting out a great location or two that just scream being deer movement corridors.

You may even be the hunter who takes fitness seriously, priming your body to make sure when you draw back and fling an arrow that its flight is true.

While these are all important items on any archery checklist, have you also ensured that you’re ready — I should say ready, willing and able — to cross off one of the most important items on your list?

The traditional approach to deer hunting always has been targeting the high percentages of when they’re typically on the move — both early in the morning and late in the evening — but there also are advantages to hunting throughout the morning and afternoon. If you haven’t considered a longer sit, you certainly should. It could pay off with harvesting the largest buck of your lifetime!

Nothing is more frustrating than sitting in your favorite stand for hours on end when the critters aren’t moving and bad weather decides to set in, making things even more difficult.

However, that’s why it’s called hunting. When you’ve waited all year to spend time in the field, it’s the best way to maximize your chances of bagging a buck, especially the biggest ones out there that seem to morph into ghosts when you’re most hoping to see them.

When discussing all-day deer hunts, there are multiple facets to the pursuit, specifically physical, biological and mental approaches. Here are some things to consider as you head afield this archery season in Texas.

PHYSICAL

The usual deer-hunting routine for most folks — whether in the Hill Country, South Texas or the Pineywoods — involves rolling out early before sunrise, getting into your spot unseen and sitting for a few hours after daybreak. Then they may call it a morning to head back in to grab more coffee and a bite to eat. The midday hours may include a nap or ballgame on TV back at camp, before heading back out in the late afternoon, hoping to catch a buck on the prowl before dusk.

There’s nothing wrong with that approach, but you may very well be missing out on seeing deer that you otherwise never would. “That’s all fine and dandy, but hunting those extra hours can be tough,” you may say. That’s why it’s vital to plan accordingly for your all-day excursions, focusing on comfort and maintaining your strength.

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It’s no joke, sitting all day or for more than a few hours can be hard work. Some tree stands and other elevated platforms are meant to be efficient — not necessarily relaxing — making all-day hunts tougher. It’s not out of the question, no matter where you’re sitting, to get up every few hours if your joints start talking, but the longer you’re able to rest your body the more chances you’ll have at success. Comfort also rests in your gear selection, notably when it’s cold or rainy, or both. Staying dry is key if you’re hunting in the open and hypothermia can creep in — even when it’s not below freezing — if you’re not conscientious about what you wear.

Physical planning also includes staying sharp, which means packing appropriate food and drink. You’d be surprised how quickly hunger and thirst kick in on all-day excursions, especially if you’re moving around at all, going mobile to cover more territory in hopes of finding your buck. I enjoy hearty deer camp food and drink as much as anyone, but I also know you can hunt better by eating smarter. It’s much easier to awake and rise when you haven’t gone overboard on the carbs or adult beverages the night before. Deer camp cuisine should be a good mix of fruits and veggies with good doses of protein thrown in.

BIOLOGICAL

Deer exhibit similar tendencies across most regions, but if you look closer beyond their standard behavior, you will discover that they don’t always do the same things. A case in point is the rut that has bucks searching far and wide for receptive does. There’s no better time than during the breeding season to hunt longer and harder.

Mature bucks simply are tough animals to hunt and pattern. They don’t get old for no reason. During most of the hunting season they always seem to stay just out of range, but during the rut they only have one thing on their minds, which means their behavior will change, and they’re much more likely to be seen and heard.

The rut also makes big bucks do some strange things. I once saw a huge non-typical whitetail bird-dogging a doe that eventually bedded down during a late-morning hunt. The buck stayed right by her side, plopping down well out of rifle range and staying there for more than three hours as the clock moved past noon. The doe got up about 1 o’clock and moved off, the buck staying near the whole time. Had she come my way, the outcome of the hunt very much would have been different, but it illustrates just how much buck behavior can shift and why you should remain in your deer stand or blind as long as possible. You just never know when that one doe may bring by a bruiser of a buck.

Rutting conditions vary from region to region. However, if you see or hear accounts of young bucks chasing does, it’s usually an indicator that the rut is picking up. Older bucks tend to begin seeking suitable mates after the younger ones do and being in your stand around those times could mean the difference in seeing deer you may never see otherwise.

In addition to the rut, you also can bank on Mother Nature to key deer movement, including during different periods of the moon phase or when adverse weather pops up. That’s even true in the early season when the only hunters in the field are toting along archery gear or crossbows.

There long has been a debate on how periods of full moon affect deer, mostly centering on what those timeframes do to feeding activity. It had been respected as gospel that deer fed more and were more active during overnight hours when the moon was larger and were much less active when it was darker at night. However, there have been numerous studies by respected members of the deer-hunting community — including noted biologists spanning multiple states — that show the exact opposite effect. That being said, I personally have found that if I hunt during a full moon, spending more time in the field means seeing more deer. That is particularly true in the early afternoon, earlier than I might typically head for the stand during other smaller moon glare.

It should be noted that deer often do the exact opposite of what you expect them to do, so regardless of whether the moon is full or not, you still should plan to stay out longer than you normally would.

When it comes to weather, the same differing opinions can be found from east to west. Many notable hunters swear by hunting only in good weather, since deer are more apt to bed down and ride out a rainstorm or howling winds. Others preach hunting harder in adverse conditions since it could spur deer movement. Again, there’s really no consensus, which is a good thing since it shows that you can have success at filling a tag even when you may not think your all-day efforts might pay off.

MENTAL

Getting your mind right is likely the toughest part of hunting all day long, and for good reason: It’s not easy. I’ve hunted long and hard without seeing a single deer morning, noon and night, and it’s downright frustrating. It certainly makes you question your tactics, but as the old saying goes, “You can’t shoot them from the couch.”

There’s nothing at all wrong with taking along a distraction or two for those bouts of tough hunting. I’ve finished an entire novel in a deer stand when the bucks weren’t moving, and with smartphones and strong cellular service even in remote areas, you can still stay connected to the outside world, which can break up the monotony on slow days.

It’s also never a bad idea to simply enjoy being outdoors — after all, it’s why you’re there in the first place, spending time and effort at the pursuit. It also could mean spotting an elusive buck that’s skulking through your stand setup. I’ve lost count of how many times a good deer simply materialized out of nowhere, and not far away, too. It’s how they grow old, and they’re great at it, which means you also need to be up to the task.

By hunting longer, with more focus, you can up the ante when targeting one of the most elusive game animals most hunters will ever come across. At the end of the day, each hunter counts success in their own way. I personally revel in being outdoors this time of year, and hunting has been passed down in my family from generation to generation. Most times the reward for my efforts is simply in the “being there” moments. However, I also have had success in filling buck tags the old-fashioned way, with lots of effort and maintaining a solid and easy-to-follow approach. Whether you count your victory by the Pope & Young books, or simply benefit from moments afield, there’s no better time to spend all day doing what you enjoy.

Regardless of the outcome, you won’t head back to deer camp disappointed.