#dominantstrands

     Deer season has come to a close for most people around the country. So the biggest question now is “What’s next?”.  Well for some it is shed season as whitetail deer have begun to drop antlers in some areas. For others, it’s time to prep for turkey season or even 3D season. For me it’s time to do these things as well, however it’s also the best time to prepare for next deer season. 

     Prepare for next fall deer season? Yes, exactly.  This is the best time to learn about your deer herd.  With no vegetation to speak of seeing through the timber is at it’s peak. This can help you visually pick up deer movements and watch how they react to pressure with out fear of disturbing your hunting. Even if you bump deer at this time of year they will return to normal patterns long before you have to worry about it affecting your hunting.  You can also use recent snowfalls to better track them to their bedding and feeding areas. you can easily tell if a path is lightly used or heavily traveled. By finding where they feed and possibly laying eyes on them.  You can also judge the health of your herd and whether they are being provided with a sufficient food source.

    The other thing I like to do is get into my local pro shop and have my bow serviced.  Have them go over everything and do a full checkup and tune.  The reason for this is it means your ahead of the game.  Most bow shops this time of year are slower than they are in the fall. So, not only will the welcome your business but will also be more likely to get your bow back to you with little to no delay.  This is also a great time to get them to replace your strings and cables even with regular maintenance over time they break down and reduce your bow’s performance. Plus, it will give you plenty of time to settle in with the new ones rather than trying to do it all right before opening day!