If you've followed the posts here on the website or all the check-ins on Facebook (Small Acre Hunting) you know this year has gone 100% wrong so far for us. Not necessarily that the deer haven't cooperated, but other hunters (stolen cameras and stands). As I type this it is the evening of October 9th, and I've only hunted 3 afternoons...all of which due to wind have not occurred on our best property, that however will change tomorrow.
The first hunt at the Swamp Property was supposed to occur there last Saturday, but due to the unexpected stand theft issue we lost all mindset needed for a hunt and left that day.
So here we are...heading into the 2nd weekend of the season and no doubt many of you feel the same as me; your heart is saying hunt your prime spots while your head is saying be smart! Often times a lot of us fail to remember just how long our season can be and while yes we waited nearly 9 months for the season to start...we cannot be over zealous and have our actions now ruin our hunting later.
So tomorrow instead of hunting the Oak Flat Stand (high traffic spot in middle of oak flat) or the short new stand near the sanctuary/corn (wind isn't quite right enough)...I am gonna set up at a stand that isn't a spot deer will linger around and is a pure transition spot before the bedding area at the Swamp Property. Is it where I want to be? No, but it is where I know I should be. There are a select few oaks in the stand location that will hopefully slow a deer down long enough to judge and shoot if mature enough...otherwise the hunt will be kind of a temperature test of the property and the deer. Are things starting to heat up? Are they scraping yet? Rubbing? Yearlings chasing?
All those questions will tell me a lot if answered to how intensely I start hunting in the coming weeks...so while it will be tough to get up for the first morning hunt of the year; it is going to hopefully yield a lot of answers for me about what is going on with the deer currently at the Swamp Property.
Stay tuned as I continue to bring you updates on the season, food plots and stand choices as the season progresses.
God Bless and good luck out there!