Posted: Thursday, November 30, 2023
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The signs are here, and the mornings and evenings start to carry a cooler breeze. The dove fields cool down both in temperature and action. The days are still warm, but the cycle of Autumn is upon us. Soon, there will be a changing of the leaves along the plateaus and mountains and a cooling of the south. The waters around us are cooling, stirring some of us to chase fish that are now places they were not before and without the heat of summer. The hues from the leaves burst from green into a sea of yellows, reds, and oranges, reminding us time is marching on in its beautiful symphony. As we transition from summer, many look to the woods, the fields, and the bottomlands that hold the Southeastern Whitetail Deer. The first opportunity to hunt the most traditional large game in the south starts with bow season and primitive weapons such as muzzleloader. The bow-hunting traditionalist can be almost fanatical this time of year; the leaves are still green, and they have prepped for an opportunity to hit their precise planning for an up close and personal experience.
Joe Miles is an avid bow hunter and President and CEO of ASIO hunting gear:
With the South Carolina deer season approaching, it is time to switch gears and get back in the game. Since January, it has been constant gear testing, scouting, learning new properties, training, trying to develop new relationships, and gaining access to new big buck hideouts. Now, however, it's almost time to go! This time of year, the anticipation starts to really hit…a couple of good bucks found that you can't hunt yet, and strategizing on how to kill them all while keeping the fingers crossed they don't change up their patterns between now and the opener…it's actually a little stressful right now because you can't actually hunt. It will be here soon enough, and the time to grind will be here in the blink of an eye! Couple more weeks of glassing, prep, and moving a few cameras to fine-tune, and we will be hunting… it's what we live for!
The planting is done for waterfowl season. Now we wait for the rain, but not too much rain. As farmers, we pray often in the Southeast for everything to line up for every season. We watch the progress of the corn, millet, and beans. The season also brings some of the best fishing—the mountain streams pickup for trout and smallmouth. The coast is more enjoyable, and chasing redfish and speckled trout in the brackish water brings back a lifetime of memories. The lakes and ocean see fewer crowds and better angling.
Then deer season begins in earnest, stands are in place, some in the same spot for generations, food plots are ready, and a chill is regularly in the dawn and dusk air. Generations of family, lifelong friends, and new friends all come together around a bonfire in deer camp. The smell of smoke and the familiarity of this season take you over as adventures are lived, stories are told, and traditions are passed along. Discussions take place around when the rut will happen, a very localized event depending on the location and terrain in the south. You and likely, along with your friends and family, have spent hours over the year preparing, planting, working on stands, and putting cameras out. Your best-laid plans to catch that old wily buck are set, and the game begins—your heart pounds at the sound of branches breaking or leaves crunching reaching your stand. You wish a local squirrel did not seem to be announcing your presence as you strain to keep your eyes peeled yet make as little motion as possible. You see grandfathers and grandchildren connecting in ways unavailable outside of this outdoor setting. Watching traditions pass as young men and women get a chance at their first harvest heals a soul. You probably know the cuts of venison, sausage, jerky, and everything else you intend to make of your harvest. Venison is clean, lean, and delicious in the right hands. In many places of the south, this also means it is no longer too hot to hunt wild pigs, a fun and very adventurous undertaking for all ages. Also delicious in capable hands and hunted through spring.
As bow season rolls into rifle season, Autumn is here in earnest. The leaves begin to start their annual seasonal transition, and Thanksgiving is just around the corner. This brings to mind again the families and friends that gather around deer camp, around a tailgate, or the television for some college football. We take the guns back out that we used in Dove Season because quail season breaks up an afternoon. Even the dogs know what time of year it is, noses to the air and tails eager to get afield. Grandfathers and grandkids alike push fields watching dogs do what they love to, diligently working for a Covey to point and retrieve, assuming you do your job! Often, these hunts break up a day in the stand with something done together. It is, after all, the "Holiday Season" is about family and good times, good food and fellowship. The fall season brings the best gifts of the year in the Southeast in the opportunities from the leaves changing into beautiful patch quilts that cover the mountains to deer season. Now winter is coming, and old men and children alike dream of waterfowl season. The passion calls us to the woods and water and our career as stewards of the land at Fay Ranches. We are here for you in any season of life and pursuit.
I often include a recipe; after all, being conservation-minded means you eat what you harvest and pass that tradition on. Try this wonderful Grilled Venison with Chimichurri recipe from the National Deer Association.
Happy Hunting!
