Outdoor writers often say how important it is to make a setup well before hunting season and then to let it alone until opening day. If you know the deer frequent that area and will continue to do so from scouting time through the start of the season, that's great advice. One thing hunters often overlook, however, is that the setup itself might change over time, and even throughout each day.
For example, how many times have you gone out scouting in a morning or evening, picked out a great spot and cut shooting lanes. Then when you finally arrive to hunt, the sun, which wasn't a factor when you made the setup, is now shining directly in your face. Test your setup at all the times of the day you intend to hunt it. If that means an all-day vigil, so be it.
The time to find out you need to make adjustments is not when you have a bow or gun in your hand. Lastly, if you live in an area of the country that will see a heavy leaf drop at the start of hunting season, take that into consideration when selecting a setup.
Read Recent Tip of the Week:
• When In Doubt, Find the Water: It's difficult to know where to start when hunting new land or when looking for a new hunting stand in your old haunts, but one sure bet is to start at the water -- particularly creek beds.