The Best Time, How to Bow Hunt Whitetail Deer, Archery Style in the Midwest

Mid to late July and into the biggest part of September, the whitetail bucks are in their bachelor groups. The mature does still have their little button bucks following them around, but this will soon come to an abrupt end.

Curiosity not only kills the cat, but many a button buck has fallen prey by mistake to the trophy archery hunter, just looking to fill their antlerless deer tag, and put some venison in the freezer. You see, momma deer, unlike her human counterpart. When her son, the button buck, starts into all that puberty craziness, the mamma doe kicks his ass out of the house, all the while, constantly, reinforcing the fact he is not welcome back.

For most of the old or should I say seasoned bow hunters, the early archery season is either too hot and humid or buggy to hunt. As for the rest of us, we avoid the heat by staying in the shadows and carrying plenty of water. Yes, I said water, not a soft drink with all the sugar and the artificial flavor smells. The caffeine will just make it harder to sit still, the sugary syrupy taste in your mouth will just make you want to drink more, and that just makes you need to pee in a bottle, or water a bush. This lends itself rather nicely to affording you the much-deserved opportunity to be caught with the wrong thing in your hand, at the best time for Mr. Wall hanger.

Let the bugs bite; anyway, that is what my DI on ParisIsland always told my fellow maggots and me. Yeah well, for a few little mosquitoes I can endure, but for those 747 sized, blood sucking S,O,B’s, with an appetite from the dark side, not in this lifetime. For the most part, the hunting gods have blessed me. That is to say, when it comes to biting bugs they leave me alone. Except, that is just before and during prime shooting time, and at that moment in time every biting bug on the planet decides I am their own personal smorgasbord, and comes calling ready to dine.

Times like these call for breaking out the ole trusty Thermacell. All I can tell you, they really work as well as anything, and they are better than putting insecticides on your body.

While we are on the topic of our bodies, remember what you put in it has to come out. Eating your fill of hot and spicy foods the night before a hunt, may just backfire on you, if you know what I mean. I am reminded of a situation where a good ole boy, which shall remain nameless, before heading out to get into his tree stand, had one of those I got to go now pains hit him, while crouching next to the bumper of the truck, and his laundry around his knees, what to his wondering eyes should appear. Oh yeah, the Mack daddy of all Mack daddy’s, a huge let me say that again, a HUGE monster bull of the woods whitetail buck.

What goes through a hunter’s mind at a time like this, I cannot attest to the before mentioned good ole boy, but I can imagine that it went something like this.

Oh crap, my bow is on the hood of the truck. Which is just behind me, look at the rack on that wall hanger.

Oh crap, my release is tethered to my right wrist, where is my arrow?

Holy shit, they are in my quiver.

The quiver is attached to my bow, which is on the hood of the truck.

Ok, breathe and think about, oh crap how can I get off a good shot at this monster?

All the while this is taking place in our good ole boys mind, the monster buck is walking down the ole logging road. His head is down with his nose to the ground. His rack is out past his shoulders, with the main beams as thick as a beer can.

Ok the buck is walking straight at our good ole boy deer hunter.

The range, 60 yards, our good ole boy thinks to himself.

Holy crap, I think I can get my bow if I move slowly.

Ok, now if I can only get an arrow out of my quiver and nocked on my bowstring.

The buck is now at 30 yards. Oh shit, he sees me, quick before he spooks. Draw and anchor.

With that little maneuver, the buck crashes into the underbrush.

While at the same time, our good ole boy, which just happens to be under the considerable strain of drawing his bow to full draw and anchoring, lets loose of the spicy foods, filling his pants which are now around his knees being held up by his rubber boots.

This is one of those time, an extra set of hunting clothes, and a large tub of those non-scented diaper wipes. Do not forget an extra pair of hunting boots will come in handy. As a side note, you just might want to avoid the Chili the next time someone offers.

To Your Bow Hunting Success, Mike

The author of this publication, Mike Teddleton owns the copyright to How to Hunt Whitetail Deer, Bow Hunting Archery Style in the Midwest The rights to publish this article in print or online can only be granted by contacting me the author in writing. You may use the intro and link back to the article directing the reader back to my post here at HubPages where they may find the story in its entirety.