The culmination of properly tuned equipment, shooting practice, and precision scouting. The One-Eyed Hillbilly with son, Jason Bass and his 10 pt bow kill buck.
I believe kindred outdoor souls gravitate to one another. Whether it is the first time crossing paths with new friends or a reunification of old friends after a long separation, warm and friendly conversation about the common bond of the Great Outdoors is always the result. Both of these scenarios played out last week while I was down in Clearwater Lake country. As for old friends, the last time I had a conversation with Alan Chitwood was just before I walked out of the Doe Run Lead Smelter for the last time in August, 1991. Other than brief passing glimpses at two funerals, I hadn’t seen Alan since I spray-painted his work boots pink (for the 2nd consecutive year) as I left the smelter heading back for my last fall semester in college. I was told he threatened to …”steal the handle bars off that little one-eyed *†#!@*!#’s Harley-Davidson the next time he comes to the smelter!” I never went back.
Last week I drove up to his house in Ellington, MO, not on a motorcycle but rather in my old hunting and trapping jeep. He was standing at the carport and as soon as I exited the jeep we exchanged ornery grins, shook hands, and struck up a conversation about fall hunting season just like it was 1991. Food plots and the upcoming Missouri archery deer season were the topics of choice. This year Missouri archery season begins Wednesday, September 15th, and extends through Saturday, January 15th, 2011, with an intermission during Missouri firearms deer season from November 13th through November 23rd. The season limit on the archery tag is two deer with only one antlered buck legally taken before rifle season. There are bonus antlerless tags available after you’ve filled your first tag. It has been my experience that success during archery season entails early preparations including three important steps.
The three steps for beginners and old seasoned veterans alike are equipment tune-up, shooting practice, and scouting. Purchasing new equipment or taking your existing equipment into the local archery pro shop for a tune-up is critical. The last thing you need when that 180 inch buck-of-a-lifetime comes walking by is for your equipment to malfunction. If you don’t have the time or just can’t do an adequate job yourself, do yourself a favor and let your local professional provide 30 minutes of disaster prevention in order to avoid a lifetime of ‘what-ifs’. After proper tuning, get to shooting. Practice from every conceivable angle. If you hunt from a tree stand shoot from an elevated position. If you hunt from a ground blind, practice from inside the blind. If possible, shoot at 3-D type targets. Every ounce of realism you can incorporate in practice will provide better success in the field. Finally, scout like a mountain man with the fine-tuned preciseness of a watchmaker. Proper and precise scouting and stand placement will determine whether that buck crosses by your stand in range at 30 steps, out of range at 85 steps, or beyond your sight all together.
As far as deer patterns are concerned there are three distinct phases of archery season. Early season (Sept. 15 through approximately Oct. 15) is a time that a hunter can capitalize on eating and sleeping habits of the deer herd. The deer activity during this phase is a continuation of what the deer have been doing all summer long. Finding travel lanes between feeding and bedding areas are very productive. A hunter has to fight off the bugs but it is really the last chance to catch a buck in any kind of repetitive cycle before the rut starts and his travel habits turn helter-skelter. After the hormones fire-up and the rut gets in full motion, hunting rub and scrape lines as well as travel bottlenecks are good producers for mature bucks. The rut, including the span of time through the second rut in December, is the 4-6 week window when the big bruisers who would not generally make an appearance during daylight hours start making mistakes. With proper decoying, scent and scent control, and calling, this is a very exciting time of the season. Finally, during the late season phase the deer tend to mimic the habits of the early season. They become focused on high calorie food sources to store fat through the winter. Travel routes between food sources and bedding areas are once again in play. Be aware during the late season that while the habits are similar, the food sources of choice can be very different from the early season.
As Alan and I wrapped up our conversation planning an October fishing trip on Clearwater Lake, it occurred to me that the outdoor spirit is alive and well in the Ozark Hills. We talked of hunting, trapping, and fishing seasons past as well as the old days at the smelter. There were just 30 of us working in the plant back then and we all shared at least a few common bonds between us. Besides the workplace, the great majority of us were active participants in the Great Outdoors. And, after 20 years that bond is still alive. I hope you try to pass on to a young person that same Ozark outdoorsman spirit. It generates dividends for a lifetime even if you paint your buddy’s boots pink (he didn’t get my jeep’s steering wheel either). So says the One-Eyed Hillbilly.
Greg Stephens is a 35-year veteran & life-time student of the great outdoors. His column appears weekly in print & online publications. You can email him at gregstephens@one-eyedhillbilly.com. For more columns go to www.one-eyedhillbilly.blogspot.com.
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