Pre-season and Scheduling

As hunting season gets closer, planning and scouting are keys to keeping your mind off that big buck standing in front of your trail camera already. Without good planning and solid scouting though, that big buck could be sitting in front of your trail camera next  year too. Just like taking a test that you want a good grade on, it pays to do your home work.

So as the summer months slip by, which feels like an eternity, it provides time to plan out the fall hunting trips. First on the stop on the Merky Water Adventures will be a Sika deer hunt in Maryland. This was a hunt that we did last year and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. One thing we didn't like was the high hunting pressure of the area we selected. With that being said, I have plotted a course for a new area, Ellis Bay WMU. Its a bit further south but provides just as much area as the Fishing Creek WMU near Cambridge, MD. We had gone into that hunt last as blind as a pirate with pink eye. So this year, we have studied aerial photos, called local wildlife management offices, and planned an early scouting/hunting trip in September.

The goal here to locate a good hunting area that provides the conditions for steady sika deer population and less hunting pressure. We felt like bumper boats last year trying to the prime hunting spots. If it works out, we will be able to add another hunting area to our armory. We even went low budget and booked a campsite at near by campground. The conditons will most likely be hot, as it falls into the first week of September and mosquitoes will be trying to hunt us down like a prom date. So the thermacells are packed and light camo is a must.

I feel like the hunting season is going to be a blur as almost every weekend is dog earred for a different hunt or area already. So the following week is the soft opening for the PA bow season and my 31st birthday. So it will be slick head hunting at my local spot and birthday cake for me. A little fresh backstrap wrapped in bacon would be a great present for the party.

Once more trail camera pictures come in it will dictate staying local or heading to western PA for antlers. I plan on taking a week of vacation once the rut gets on heavy and spending some time with my uncle and cousins. Then its back to Maryland for a second Sika deer hunt with my co-worker Josh. At this point I will be a 1000 miles on the odometer and climbing. In addition to driving miles, I have found an opportunity to hunt Colorado for elk and mule deer with my friend Jeff and will be putting my feet in the air. This isn't even up to halloween yet either. Pencil your calendars early on and stick to your goals for the season.

So as part of my planning process: area scouting, equipment review, and personal training are on the front burner. I will discuss these in my next post. Until then, make that big buck dream a reality and do your homework folks.