**How to Prepare for DeerSeason This Summer 2025

July 17, 2025

When to Prepare for Deer Season

The dog days of summer are officially upon us. While most people retreat indoors to escape the heat, I still spend my days outside during the somewhat bearable hours, tending to my garden and tinkering with hunting gear. There's something therapeutic about these quiet summer preparations that makes the eventual payoff in fall all the sweeter.

After every hunting season, I compile a list of improvements that could put me in a better position to harvest the deer I was after. Whether it's shifting stands slightly, cutting shooting lanes, or developing more effective scouting strategies, summer provides the perfect window to implement these changes. During this time of year, deer are hyper-focused on feeding and tending to their fawns, making them less likely to be permanently disturbed by the sounds of preparation work in the woods.

Here are several proven strategies to maximize your summer deer hunting preparation time and set yourself up for success when opening day arrives.

Check and Maintain Your Equipment

Hunters accumulate a lot of gear over the years. Beyond your primary archery equipment or firearms, you likely have tree stands still positioned in the woods that need adjustment, trail cameras requiring fresh batteries, and ATVs or UTVs that could use some maintenance after the punishment they endured last season.

Set aside a couple hours each week to create a comprehensive checklist of everything you use during hunting season. Start by locating each item, then systematically clean, organize, and store everything in weatherproof containers. This methodical approach ensures you won't face any unpleasant surprises the night before opening day when you're trying to locate that crucial piece of equipment.

Pay special attention to items that have been exposed to the elements. Check tree stand safety harnesses for wear and tear, inspect trail camera housings for damage, and test all electronic devices to ensure they're functioning properly. A little preventive maintenance now can save you from equipment failures when it matters most

Summer storms have a knack for dropping trees across properties at the most inconvenient times. Before early season arrives, take a chainsaw and systematically travel down all your internal roads and trails, removing any large debris that accumulated over the summer months. This proactive approach prevents last-minute scrambling when you're trying to access your hunting spots quietly.

Maintaining your shooting lanes deserves equal attention. New tree falls and seasonal limb growth can eliminate shot opportunities if left unchecked. Climb into each of your tree stands armed with small pruning snips and methodically clear away any brush that has encroached on your shooting zones. Once you're positioned, scan your entire shot area for anything that needs to be removed or trimmed back. What might seem like a minor obstruction from ground level can completely block a crucial shot when you're elevated.

With your trail cameras restored to working order, it's time to deploy them strategically throughout your hunting area. While deer behavior during summer differs dramatically from late fall patterns, you can still effectively pattern bucks for early season success. Running trail cameras over mock scrapes serves a dual purpose: inventorying which deer survived the previous season and mapping their current travel routes.

Don't overlook the value of old-fashioned observation during summer scouting trips. Bring binoculars and scan the canopy of your oak trees, paying particular attention to white oaks. Look for trees heavy with developing green acorns, as these will become magnets for deer activity once they begin dropping. Positioning yourself under a productive white oak during early season often provides your best opportunity to encounter mature bucks in daylight hours.

Practice, Practice, and Practice Some More

This section might serve as much as personal accountability as practical advice, but consistent practice throughout the summer cannot be overstated. While I shoot regularly during the warmer months, I often neglect practicing the specific scenarios I'll encounter while hunting. Since I hunt from a saddle, I should dedicate more time to taking shots from elevated positions that replicate real hunting situations.

Whether you need to practice shooting your rifle from a prone position or drawing your bow while suspended twenty feet up in a tree, your practice sessions should mirror your hunting conditions as closely as possible. Too many times, I've passed on shots early in the season simply because I hadn't invested enough time practicing for those specific scenarios during the offseason. This year, that changes.