Archery season in Missouri begins September 15^th.  I’m practicing with my bow almost daily and thinking about stand locations.  In fact, I think about stand locations year around.  I consider what has worked and hasn’t worked in years past, and what stand locations should I select for future hunts.  I believe and attempt to practice the advice of “don’t do the same thing and expect different results.”  Hence, if a stand location hasn’t produced the desired results in the past, then I need to change something.  The “change” may or may not be the location.  It may be how I approach the stand, the time of day, time of season, etc.

I’m also a huge fan of using M.R.I. (Most Recent Information).  Currently the most obvious MRI at The Proving Grounds is the drought.  Most of the creek that runs through The Proving Grounds is dry.  Several of the ponds are dry.  Water is a resource that deer currently must have daily that is in limited supply.  There’s no doubt in my mind that a stand location at or near water that can be approached without alerting deer is currently a great location.  The question is will it rain enough to fill other ponds, to allow some springs to yield water, etc., or will the locations with water continue to be visited often by mature bucks during the opening of archery season?

I’m going to place some stands/blinds near water now, and also hope that it rains!  I’d rather the deer and habitat have the benefit of rain!  However, I’m a predator and will pattern deer using that limited resource if the opportunity occurs.  As a predator with good observation skills, I’m most successful when I use those skills to identify limited resources and plan my hunts accordingly.

Growing (and hunting) Deer together,

Grant