Saturday it starts, deer season 2008. I’ve got my ground blind set beside a pond that typically attacts bucks during hot weather. I’ve missed a couple from this spot, but never put my tag on one yet. But this may be the year.
My blind is commercially made and has several ports to shoot through. I must shoot from a stool, which is the biggest issue with shooting well. I’ve got the stool at home and I’ll be practicing this week. I set my block target up beside the pond and did some practicing first hand. My shooting was poor relative to how accurate I am while standing.
After the A zone archery will come a trip to Nevada to hunt mule deer during the Nevada archery season. I can’t imagine how hot it will be, but maybe I’ll know if I hunt the ground blind near home when it’s 105 degrees as predicted.
The Nevada hunt will be via the landowner tag program. I bought a tag that will allow me to hunt archery, muzzleloader and rifle seasons. I’m hoping that other than archery the rest will be irrelevant.
Then comes the California inland season. We were drawn for the X12 zone on the eastern slope (first timeI’ve ever hunted mule deer in California with a rifle). It will be a chance to bag a relatively nice California buck. We know there are bucks up to 26 inches and that would be fine.
As a bonus, we’ve got a few pigs on the local ranch and they’ve been using the same pond where my blind is set, so you never know, I might end up with some pork as well. It will be a fun season and anticipation is half of it, the fun that is. Kind of like opening day in baseball. Everybody’s in first place.
Man, you’re already starting deer season?! In July?! Lucky! We start in a couple months - although I have a rifle tag for deer this year, so that’ll be starting in October, but elk archery starts late August…can’t wait for that!
As for the baseball reference - I like it…so very true. Then after a few weeks there are a few people feeling like the Angels and a few feeling like the Mariners (*sigh* my poor, poor Mariners. *sigh*) I got my tail whipped by elk and deer last year - I’m hoping to make amends this go around, though. Wild meat has been absent from our freezer for several years, now.
Rich, I’m right there with you!
Just bought a new bow and am trying to find someplace where I can get these longer range (40-60) yard pins zeroed in… then I’m heading up to Sonoma County for the second weekend of the season.
It’s weird hunting in 100 degree weather, but I sure am glad we get such an early jump-start on the season.
Wow you are soo lucky! I had no idea that deer season started so early in other parts of the country. We do not start until October. I need to come out west. Until then, I guess I will just look at pictures of massive bucks, just wishing I could be aiming at one.
That must be nice, here in WI bow hunting starts in Sept and traditional rifle hunting starts in Nov. If you own the land you hunt on, why do you use a ground blind instead of a tree stand?
Hunting deer in July sounds good at first look, but the heat is discouraging and deer movement limited. However, hunting over water from a blind or glassing and bedding an animal both work.
We have limited trees in which to place blinds. In particular, it’s often difficult to locate a tree that provides the right distance for a shot while remaining down wind of the approach to the ambush.
The pond where I set up my Double Bull blind has fairly reliable wind direction and the deer like to approach from below the pond giving me a chance to get a shot before they smell me.
You are right. It is very hot and probably a little discouraging, but on the other hand, you still get to hunt while the rest of us can only dream of hunting right now. I would hunt in my boxers right now if I had the chance!
Starts with carefuly placing your shot,no gut shots allowed! and continues with (gutting) field dressing and skinning,dont cut intestines especialy urin sack or colin. While scinning look out for the musk glands!