Deceiving August
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Deer hunters across the United States are watching the bucks in their hunting areas, and have been since the spring. The dreams of giant racks, and mounted trophies have been growing their excitement all summer. With deer seasons getting ready to open, the excitement has grown into buck fever. That’s all we deer hunters can think about.
The month of August is a great time for deer hunters, and really anyone that just enjoys watching deer grazing in the fields. Some states have deer seasons opening this month, but most will be in September, or even October. For those that open in August, the deer are still on a feeding pattern. This makes for easier planned hunts. Choosing stands that work with wind directions, and weather conditions is more simplified. Knowing which deer are hitting each food source is information that you have known for a while. There is still some fortune, or blessing to being able to harvest these mature early season bucks however. They didn’t get that big by being dumb after all.
While most deer will shed their velvet in September, some deer will shed velvet in August. When they shed their velvet, the size difference in the visual mass can be night and day. What looked like a huge 6-inch base may only be a 2-inch base causing your excitement to be diminished. This is much like the faith that we have as humans. Most of us have expectations that will disappointed us when they do not come to fruition. But, for those of us that have strong faith in Christ that His will is the best way for us, then the disappointment is absent. 2 Corinthians 4:18 says, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”.
When the bucks shed their velvet then they tend to change their patterns. The testosterone is growing in their system, and the bachelor groups break up. They are sparring, making scrapes, rubs, and establishing their pecking order. Now is the time that they are starting to pack on the weight for the rut. Feeding sources are still a great spot to set up on, just know that the bucks are severely unpredictable. You may have a target buck hit a food source multiple days in a row, then vanish for weeks. They may have vanished for weeks, then show at random times.
With the heat in August, this is also the worst time for the deer herds that are combating CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease), and EHD (Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease). Water sources tend to become stagnate since the water flow is low. We experience less rain, and dew which allows the bacteria’s and viruses to grow in standing bodies of water. These diseases can wreak havoc on deer herds. Losing deer to these diseases can leave hunters wondering where their target bucks have gone, and whether or not they will see them again.
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Experiencing the deceiving month of August as a hunter can take a toll on the average deer hunter. Remembering that most of the deceit that we experience is of our own doing, and misunderstanding of the situations can help keep your spirits high. Have faith in Christ our Lord as His plan is far greater than ours. Proverbs 3:5-6 Tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”. Until Next time, hunt hard, and pray harder.
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Written by,
Evan Gersper Created Outdoors Staff Writer