Hunter's Safety Education

One great way to get ready and excited about the upcoming hunting seasons is to introduce someone to the outdoors! My grandfather introduced me to hunting when I was 16 years old. I shot my first buck with him and shared some great memories just a few short days before he lost his battle with lung cancer. My mother tells me she saw more happiness in his eyes in the weeks right before that hunting season than she had almost the entire time he was diagnosed with cancer and struggling with chemotherapy. Every year, that trip means more and more to me.

So for me, hunting and fishing is personal. And over the years, making memories afield has proven to be a priceless way to spend time with family and share experiences with friends. Not to mention all the joy you can have seeing the wild beauty of nature in Iowa's countryside or the thrill of the hunt when you're in close quarters with some of nature's keenest eyes. But getting started can be intimidating!

The Iowa DNR offers several hunters education and safety courses. I have the link setup on my favorites to the right. The process is quite simple, it just takes a bit of time. You need hunter's safety certification in most states to be eligible to buy a license and this is often the biggest hurdle beginner's need to overcome. So if you're an avid outdoorsman, be sure to help someone out with this process. Here's the link. The course takes a bit of time and isn't offered once hunting season is in full swing (which makes sense because most instructors are avid hunters themselves). Once you have your hunter's education card, you're set for life and only need to pay a small fee if you lose it. Take someone new hunting, and share some of your passion for the outdoors with them. You never know, you might end up with a new hunting partner, and bag a whole season of memories.

Summer's Still Here, but the Clock is Ticking 'Til Hunting Season

It's that time again, time to get ready for hunting season! Dust off the guns and bows, battery up the trail cameras, check the tree stands and scout where you can! The first season is mere days away with Iowa's first Mourning Dove season since 1918 which starts September 1st. Cottontail rabbit and squirrel season is just 2 days later on the 3rd and Youth Deer season kicks off September 17th.

For the rest of us, the big date is October 1st - the start of Archery Deer season. Between now and then there is a lot we can do to prepare and make the most out of the start of season. When it's hot, it can be the last thing you want to do, but preparing food plots and hanging tree stands early can often increase your odds of not disturbing deer patterns. One of the great things about pre-season scouting and early season hunting: deer are relatively predictable.

Diligent glassing and exploring your hunting grounds can really pay off this time of year! Deer are creatures of habit, and they will generally stick to patterns if they are undisturbed. So you can really put yourself in good position opening day if you do your homework now! But Whitetail are also intrepid survivors able to engage their instincts to evade danger. So it's very important to watch how much activity you do in the deer woods during the warm season. Everyone sweats when it's hot, and that can really leave a scent trail, broadcasting to the deer exactly where you've been. To pattern the deer without the deer patterning you, it takes some skillful scent control. I use deodorizing scent sprays, but I also use mother nature. Scouting before, during or after a rain can be a very helpful way of reducing your scent trail!

I'll have much more on pre-season strategy and how this weather effects the deer movements and behaviors in future posts. Until then, it's time to rouse from the summer routine and prepare for hunting season! Happy scouting!