We all know how hot Georgia is at this time of the year so I try to squeeze in as many morning hunts as possible just for comfort. I make sure I get in quite a few afternoon hunts though because these have proven to be more successful for me despite the heat.

Prior to the season I check my compound bow to make sure everything is in working order. There is nothing more frustrating than having an equipment malfunction when your sights are on a big buck. I make sure to wax the strings on my bow and check all allen screws, nuts and bolts. I also check my arrows, my personal choice being carbon arrows with muzzy broad heads. I also spend a few hours a day practicing shooting to hone accuracy a few weeks before the season opens.

I find that lock on stands work very well for bow hunting. These stands are easier to camouflage. I always have my stands set up at least a week before the season opens so I don’t disturb the area before hunting. Keeping safety in mind I highly recommend using a safety harness while in a stand. No one wants to get injured during hunting season and paying attention to even the smallest details can prevent you from getting hurt. My choices for stand locations are on pea patches or small corn patches. When hunting in the woods setting up near acorn trees or persimmon trees is always a smart choice.

Mosquitoes are a biting, irritating nuisance at any time but especially in a deer stand when noise and movement are not acceptable. I haven’t found many successful hunters who slap mosquitoes when they are in their stand. Suffering from these insects is now a thing of the past. If you haven’t used this already I highly recommend using ThermaCell mosquito repellent. Odorless with no noise and man oh man, does it keep the mosquitoes away! I always wear light, but long sleeve cameo as well as a mask to further prevent insect bits, even when the weather is warm.

We all know that no matter how hard we try not all shots with a bow are perfect every time. I recommend to all of my hunters and in my own personal hunting to try and give a deer that has been shot with an arrow at least 2 hours before picking them up. Deer that have been shot are full of adrenaline and coming up on them too soon will often cause them to run further and increases the chances of losing their trail.

As always I encourage everyone to follow all hunting safety rules and practices. Most importantly make sure someone knows your hunting location every time you go out.