Fall is almost here!

[Abndoc]

I watched a young buck feed last night in a field across from my house. Got the juices flowing seeing new antlers for the first time this year...What are your upgrades this year? When do you plan on starting to scout? Cameras running yet? Any fawn sightings yet? I played cat and mouse with a very nice 10 pt last year, can't wait to see what he turns into this fall!!

[Scoot]

I'm looking forward to the Fall (as always)!!! I haven't done a thing to prepare for the fall as far as cameras, stands, or scouting. However, I helped a buddy do some work at his place and helped him to build a ground blind. We're also about half done with another ground blind, but I'm waiting on materials to finish that one. There's another ground blind that I built a number of years ago that I need to do some fix it work on too- so I need to get crackin' on all of that sometime in the next month or two. I'll hopefully get a camera out at that same time...

Other than that, all I've been doing to get ready for this Fall is shooting my bow as much as I can and working out. I've got an elk hunt coming in Sep and it looks like we'll be in some really big country- should be interesting. The area we're looking at is big, deep, and steep- it'll kick my butt no matter what. However, I'd like to be able to hunt my butt off and not suffer the entire time, so I need to go from the decent shape I'm in to much better shape. I've been running, biking, and lifting 4-5 days per week. I've also been doing "the hill" on weekends: I load my frame pack up with 70 lbs of sand and climb the biggest hill near my house ten times, then go around it twice each way to prepare my ankles, knees and hips for side-hilling. It's about a 45 minute workout and I'm still sore as heck when I finish it. It's getting better though...

I hope to get a ladder stand up and cameras out sometime in July or ealy Aug. That's it for me...

What else are others doing to get ready for this coming Fall?

[Bear55]

I'm alwasy fired up for the fall! Scouting is complete as I put on a lot of miles in March and April and found some killer new spots. I will scout again the week before season to try and locate a buck or bachelor group.

No fawn or velvet spottings yet but the time is right. I usually start running a couple of cams in mid June. Other than some light scouting or glassing I don't set foot in the woods until it's time to hunt.

[Meat-Run]

Holy cow Scoot, you kind sound like your in boot camp or something but sounds like you're going about it the right way, keep up the great work.

Exercise is my top priority this year the wife has blatenly told me I'm getting soft and loosing muscle mass now that I'm 40yo that kind of stings but it's the truth.

mr

[sticknstring]

My preparation began back in January. The lack of winter really made it enjoyable spending time in the woods hanging new stands and hinging trees. Cameras went up late-March and it's been a blur the past month prepping and planting food plots/screens. Every year is a learning experience. I'll have some more plot work come July, but other than checking cameras and shooting bows, it's time to relax and get projects around the house done. I don't think I've anticipated an upcoming season like this one!

[MattL]

I'm patiently waiting as well. I have a slightly different strategy as I do very little scouting prior to the season and do not rely on food plots. The bow will be coming out late summer and I will be shooting daily until the start of the season. Kind of bittersweet though, 2 bruisers were taken out of this woods last fall. The smaller of the 2 is shown in my avatar, and hanging on my wall . There are no new guys showing up much on cameras, but I have to imagine a neighboring stud will notice the gap and move on in.

[matchset]

i set my cameras about 2 weeks ago over Mineral sites on a few different farms i hunt before i headed out of state to work. i will check them in late july or whenever i am back in town and move them/take inventory of what's running around out there! i have two bucks that i saw late season that i would love to see in velvet this summer.

other than that; i upgraded my Z7 to a PSE AXE! its not the bow; but the hunter right??

i'm going to give the ole PSE a chance to prove itself this fall. hopefully its not just a "doe-bow"

i will hang stands the day before the season in the dark.

Thats my plan!

[paceman]

I adjusted a few stands a few weeks ago. I will shoot about once a week, other than that nothing major for a few months...

[surewood]

Ten stands hung, one more left. Cameras going out next week. I'll srart shooting in august as I have a busy summer ahead of me. Getting a hd Panasonic camera for filming. Sticking with my hoyt vectrix for a couple more seasons.

[Bear55]

Anyone else not hang stands? I hunt 100% mobile, rarely sit the same tree more than twice a season.

[Rippinlip]

I have been shooting the new HeliM alot, just got the HHA slider dialed in the other day. I am still amazed with that bow.

Been working on a new carrying pack to haul the stand, bow and items for the hunt.

Just checked the cameras and made sure all the SIM cards, locks and cables are ready to go. They are going out sooner than later. Love pictures of wildlife.

Needing to start replacing a few seats on the portables and a couple of the ladder stands where the squirrels or coons tore them apart during the hunting season last year. I even took them out last year when done hunting.

I along with others on here and my wife have been working out to get into better shape. We are both feeling a ton better and full of energy.

[bigbucks]

Plowed up a new food plot a month ago. Mostly rained when I could have gone to work it, so it's looking like a late July early August plant. It was nice when I was fishing & turkey hunting. Ready to rebuild my gun stand, creek's too full where I need to drive across & it's not q-u-i-t-e season yet, so I've got time. Been keeping the downed trees off the trails at home, replaced a salt block.

Seeing lots of does, mostly yearlings, a few fawns. Saw a little buck in velvet Sunday night.

Many of my portables are probably going to stay in the same spot, some are down & will get put back in August others will get new spots, but half to wait to see if cattle in the pasture. They're hard on ladder stands.

[DonBo]

Fall? Seriuosly? Come on guys, it's still turkey season! Have to catch a few walleyes too before I start thinking about the woods, please don't rush away summer.

That being said, we won our winter league and I am shooting leagues this summer. The bow never has an off season.

[slimngrizzly]

I put up 6 new ladder stands over winter. Completely redid the trail system in my wood with the chainsaw. Have several new mineral sites I put up in March. I picked up a newer Hoyt and need to get shooting. I will be putting cameras out next week maybe. Im antsy now but its frustrating this time of year where the bucks dont have enough growth yet to be very recognizable... they really dont show themselves much until mid-june for me. I did see a nice buck with growth out to his 2's the other day. Still gonna try for a photo.

I have most all of my food plots in except the beans, and I planted almost 200 trees in the past 3 weeks... couldn't have picked a better spring to plant trees!

Also working on the mounts and bases of last few years bucks! Fun to get them on heads instead of having the antlers laying around the shop!

Im excited for fall but I LOVE the "camera season" during summer growth! I really really enjoy seeing the boys slowly reveal their new crowns!

There is no off-season!

[Bear55]

There is no off-season!

Pretty much this! Alwasy thinking about the bow and bucks. Scouting and shed hunting all winter/spring. Cams, minerals, scouting, planning all summer and then of course there is the actual hunting. I love to fish too but it takes a distant 2nd.

[Gopher_Guy]

Horns are starting to come in nicely. These are from almost 2 weeks ago. 3 different bucks but it's still a little early to tell how nice they will be. I have been checking cameras weekly mainly because it's on my route and not out of the way for me to do so. I hope to have some fawn pictures this weekend when I check.

[Bear55]

You gotta love pre June velvet, the bigger bucks pack on the inches early in most cases.

[Crappie Rage]

I am trying to get my 9 (soon to be 10) year old to shoot his bow more so he can get to 30lbs so we can bowhunt in the back yard together.

Then in KS in addition to 25 stands, I will be putting up 2 or 3 blinds to give me and the boy more options when it comes to the youth season down there.

The little bit of deer and turkey hunting we have done is far and away the best quality time I get with him. It is amazing how nice he is, how much he has to say and how exciting it is when game shows up.

Trail cameras will go up in a couple weeks. Food plots are in and just need maintaining.