September represents one thing for a lot of hunters across the country - the time is pretty much up on planting food plots, hanging stands, and setting up bait sites. If you’ve procrastinated throughout the summer then you might be in trouble. But, I don’t mean to project too much gloom over this month because the reason it seems like there’s no time left for the labor involved in hunting is because many of the seasons are opening up, which is very, very good news. 

Antelope hunters have been at it pretty hard already and several states will open up for mule deer, elk and of course, whitetails during the ninth month of the year. These seasons coincide with a major change in the animals themselves, none that are more evident than in the world of whitetails. Most of the bucks will shed their velvet in the first week or so and a majority of the fawns will lose their spots. Every member of the deer herd will turn their attention toward feeding and putting on weight for the fall. 

If you’ve been getting tons of trail cam pictures over your Record Rack Deer Block or perhaps over a Record Rack Mineral site you can expect the sightings to drop. Deer nutritional needs change in the fall and their focus turns to the right kind of food. Switch to a Whitetail Crunch Block or Golden Deer Nuggets and you should be able to keep the cameras active and your memories cards full. 

There is an important lesson to learn this time of year as well because it often seems that the deer have more food than they need. Apples are dropping, acorns are starting to fall, and agricultural crops are peaking. But, that doesn’t mean supplemental feeding needs to be put on hold. Keep up the feeding sites where possible, and try to maintain them while still trying to spend as much time in the field actually hunting as possible. 

Just like the deer, hunters and their focus change during this time of year. Hopefully you’ve got your stands up, food plots planted, and feeding sites up and running. If you’re running a little behind or just plain skipped out on the work due to the heat or familial commitments, don’t get too down on yourself because you can always go hunting if you want to feel better.