Ep.123 Deer Season Prep That Works

Send us Fan MailDeer season doesn’t sneak up on you, it exposes you. If you wait until September to figure out access, wind, and where deer actually travel, you end up hunting memories instead of patterns. We sit down with Mike Mason to lay out a practical early summer deer hunting prep plan built for real woods, not perfect food plot country.We dig into how Mike scouts new ground using Google Maps and HuntStand, then confirms it with boots on the ground. Pinch points, funnels, saddles between ridges, hardwood ridges, transition areas, and small natural openings all become high-percentage places to start. In thick timber, he likes walking creeks and brooks to find repeatable crossings, and he explains why mature bucks often use less obvious trails that stay tight to cover.From there, we get tactical: setting stands for your prevailing wind, avoiding the “wrong wind” sit that blows up your best location, and choosing between ground blinds and ladder stands based on sightlines and scent control. We also talk shooting lanes, quiet entry and exit routes, trail camera timing, and why summer photos don’t always translate to fall movement.Finally, we hit the most overlooked prep of all: your weapon and your shooting setup. Sight in early, practice with the same ammo you hunt with, and make sure your rest and angles work from the stand you’ll actually use. If this helps you, subscribe, share it with a hunting buddy, and leave a review so more hunters find the show.Check us out on Facebook  Hunts On Outfitting, or myself Ken Marr. Reach out and  Tell your hunting buddies about the podcast if you like it, Thanks!