From my column in The News Journal on September 6, 2012.
Labor Day and the beginning of September are regarded as the unofficial end of summer and the beginning of the school year by many Delawareans.
But Delaware hunters see Sept. 1 as the unofficial opening of the state’s hunting season.
Delaware’s dove, rail, resident Canada goose and archery (vertical and crossbow) deer seasons opened Saturday. Early teal season opens Wednesday, and gray squirrel season opens Sept. 15.
Regardless of the game pursued, early season hunting presents hunters with unique challenges associated with weather conditions, late-summer foliage, bugs and animal behavior patterns.
Although the area received moderate rainfall this week, the weather over the past 12 months indicates that early season Delaware hunters will have to endure hot, dry conditions as they take to the field. While some hunters will argue that hunting on 90-degree days in September is better than hunting on 20-degree days in January, most agree that warm weather hunting requires special considerations.
Whether hunting deer, birds or squirrels, appropriate early season clothing can influence success rates as well as enjoyment and comfort levels. Although most hunting pants, shirts and jackets found on store shelves are geared toward colder weather, early season hunters would be wise to use lightweight, predominantly green camouflage clothing and uninsulated boots. Brightly colored camouflage patterns will match the late-summer woods, fields and marshes. Cooler clothing and footwear will lead to more comfortable hunts, will decrease dehydration and will reduce sweat odor resulting in more time spent afield.
Early season hunters take to the field long before the first frost, so combating bugs (especially ticks and mosquitoes) is challenging. If scent is a concern when deer hunting, hunters can treat their clothing with a permethrin-based insect repellent several days before hunting and let the clothing air out before wearing. If scent control is not an issue, hunters can spray their exposed skin, boot tops, pants legs, sleeve cuffs and hats with a DEET-based repellent.
This year’s abnormally warm and dry conditions also may alter typical game behavior patterns since food, water and shelter sources have changed. Many ponds and marshes frequented by ducks and geese last year are dry spots or mud puddles, at best, this year, so adequate scouting is key. Likewise, this summer’s searing heat and sparse rainfall dramatically have affected Delaware’s corn and soybean crops, so typical deer, dove and goose hunting hot spots may not be productive.
Rather than lamenting the changes brought about by the heat and drought, hunters may want to take advantage of them. While deer hunting, for example, hunters can set up near remaining sources of fresh water where the animals come to drink, such as flowing streams, natural springs and deep ponds. Deer hunters should scout the locations and find well-used trails that lead to the water and then set up stands or ground blinds in strategic locations where they can intercept the deer coming to or from the water.