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By early July you should be able to get a good idea of the antler potential of the bucks in your area by checking the fields they frequent on late summer evenings. By this time, most bucks have developed the basic configuration of their racks for the upcoming fall. Certainly there is much growing still to be done, however, by now the spread and basic frame of the bucks rack will be well defined. Tines will grow longer and he will add mass, and some beam length but glassing fields should reward you with the first sightings of a good buck in your area. At this time of year, bucks are mostly concerned only with feeding and resting. They travel in bachelor groups, and in good areas of the state, it’s not uncommon to see several real bruisers feeding together in the same field. Spend a few evenings a week riding back roads and glassing the fields, even if they are not areas you can hunt, there is much you can learn by observing deer behavior as they go about their routine in relaxed, unhunted conditions.

Whether you are glassing your current hunting area’s, or looking for potential new spots for the fall season, avoid spooking the deer whenever possible. Observe them from a distance. I have found that bucks most often enter fields at different times and from different locations than doe family groups. Sometimes they will use the same trail, but when they don’t, they are giving you clues as to where they can be found once the season begins. You can bet that a buck’s bedding area is not far from where he is feeding in late summer. He will likely relocate as the rut heats up, but for the first few weeks of the bow season, the information you learn in July and August will help you the most. That is one of the best times to gather information and formulate a plan to waylay an early season buck. As August draws to a close, mature bucks will become less visible. They become more reclusive and give you fewer opportunities to learn their travel patterns, so brave the heat and bugs as often as you can tolerate them to put together an early season plan.

If you had elected to establish mineral licks in the spring, by now the deer should have found them. The minerals benefit the deer most through the summer growing months, but they will return to them occasionally in the fall. Check your mineral sites, and if possible you may want to place a trail camera over the site. Another key element for all deer in the early season is water. In especially dry years, hunting over water sources can be very productive. Deer will come to water daily in hot, dry conditions, and recently we have had exceptionally hot and dry weather during the first few weeks of season. Any water you find in the typically dry month of August should still be there in early fall.

By the end of August the preferred food sources for deer in your area may be changing. In good mast years, acorns will start to fall in early September. Apples will also be ripening at this time of year and deer will be adjusting their travel habits accordingly. Check the tree tops of the oaks for acorns. With a good pair of binoculars you should be able to see the highly desirable whitetail snack hanging on the branches, ditto for beech nuts. This is also a good time to go back and check on any isolated apple trees or persimmon trees deep in the woods you found on past scouting missions. Locating a persimmon tree in heavy cover can be your ace in the hole for nailing a reclusive buck unwilling to feed in open areas during daylight hours.

Hunters who have control over a considerable amount of property, and elect to plant food plots will be very busy at this time of year. Even a plot as small as one acre, located back in the woods, can be a tremendous draw for deer. If you have the capability to plant food plots, and there is a water source on the property you plan on hunting, plant your food source as near the water as you can. Concentrating food and water in a small area back in cover increases you chances of seeing deer, and seeing them during daylight, even in heavily hunted areas.

Now is a good time to go over your stands and other equipment. Check for loose nuts and bolts, worn cables, weak or broken metal supports or stand grating. Check your safety belt or harness for frayed or torn spots, and make sure the buckles are not cracked and function properly. I also break out my hunting clothes and check the zippers and snaps, and go over my boots for problems such as split soles, or shoe laces that need replacing. The time to get the things you need to replace these items is now, not opening morning. You can add to the list any other equipment you take afield: including grunt calls, rattling antlers, binoculars, backpack or fanny pack, headnet, knife, etc..

**** For those who hunt zones where bow season starts in early September, be sure to have your stands set a full month before season opens. You should also be practicing with the equipment you will hunt with, and in your hunting clothing for one month before the opener as well.****

After going over your stands to ensure they are ready for the season it’s time to hang them. I usually start hanging my stands at the end of July, and I like to have them all in place by the end of August to allow the area to settle down. As you hang the stands, be sure to trim any new growth obstructing your entrance trail and shooting lanes. Take a bottle of water with you. The heat and humidity at this time of year will take its toll on your body, and you will need water to prevent dehydration. I also buy chains and locks for my stands to deter theft. Check your entrance trail for your markers if you use them. Now is the time to discover if your trail will get you to the stand, not the predawn darkness of opening morning.

Last but certainly not least, your practice regimen should be stepped up now. For those who like to buy the latest gizmos on the market, try them out during the month of July and before. By mid August you should be settled on what you are going to hunt with, and you should be practicing with that gear every day possible. Even if it’s only 5 or 10 minutes a day it will be helpful. In fact, it may be more beneficial for you to limit your practice sessions to just 10 minutes a day this time of year. The heat that normally accompanies the month of August can lead to fatigue more quickly than usual. Limiting your practice sessions to just 10 minutes a day will reduce the risk of bad shooting habits arising from fatigue. Bad shooting can lead to frustration, which leads to more bad shooting. Many of us are determined to get off just one more good shot before we quit, and in the process, we are forming bad habits that may not be so easy to shake.

That first arrow you shoot is going to be more representative of your performance under hunting circumstances than the next 100 arrows that follow. The only shot that counts on game is the first one, so use your first shot to gauge your shooting performance. If it takes you 6 or 8 arrows to get into the groove and start hitting the bull’s eye, you need to concentrate more on your first shot, and forget the follow-ups. One trick I’ve used to help me focus as the season gets close is to carry only one arrow to the practice range. When I’m shooting, I know I have only one shot, so I had better make it good because I have to climb down and walk to the target to try again. Other good ways to improve your shooting skills this time of year are to walk a trail and shoot stumps, or take a few hours in the evening to hunt groundhogs (when and where legal). Groundhogs can provide a great preseason warm-up, and most farmers are more than happy to grant permission for hunters to take them, even if they will not let you deer hunt their ground. Many archery clubs host 3-D shoots this time of year. If you aren’t sure of what is available, keep checking with NJHUNTER.com for the latest listing. Many events are profiled in our spotlight section, and others may be listed on the events calendar. Events are constantly added to this section so keep checking and find a shoot to sharpen your skills for the Fall.

Doug Vicari