The Reflector

For many Magnolia State hunters, tomorrow is their version of New Year's Day. For most of the state, Oct. 1 is opening day for the 2008-09 archery deer season. For the obsessed, eight months of waiting and trying to find something to pass the time are over, and the chance to chase Mississippi's favorite game animal is here to stay for the next four months.

Students unfortunate enough to have class Wednesday are stuck with a "difficult" choice: take advantage of these deer before they start getting educated or go to class.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I make sure to save my absences for the right reasons.

Fortunately for MSU students, there is an abundance of quality public hunting land all around the campus. Although the Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge and the wildlife management areas nearby are heavily hunted, you can use this use this to your advantage.

One good tip is to be there first and to leave last whenever you have the chance. Hunters coming in and leaving will get the woods stirred up, and if you do your homework with your stand site, action should pick up at these times. Also, the weekdays are hunted much less than the weekends.

For most of the state, the mast crops are in great shape. I've checked several white and red oaks, as well as persimmons, and the majority of them were loaded up. In addition to the plentiful acorns and persimmons, the browse conditions are in great shape for most parts of the state as a lot of the state experienced a semi-drought early in the summer. Overall the temperatures were mild and rainfall was plentiful enough for ideal browse conditions.

When hunting large sections of hardwoods, an overabundance of acorns and lush green undergrowth can aggravate hunters. When trying to get deer within bow range, it can be hard to pinpoint them to a certain area.

To up the odds in your favor, try to find the deer's most preferred browse between their bedding area and the closest dropping oak trees. Most of the time deer will leave their beds and browse their way into the nearest stand of hardwoods. By locating these preferred plants, you increase the chance of catching deer on their feet during daylight.

With north winds and below-average temperatures predicted for this week, I anticipate we'll have a very productive beginning to the season. Hopefully you've done your homework and already have your opening day stands prepped and ready to hunt. For a lot of us sleep will be limited tonight, and hopes will be high tomorrow. Remember to be safe and shoot straight.

I would love to hear from you about your hunting stories and the conditions in your neck of the woods. Send me an e-mail with your stories and any pictures of animals you may harvest.

Brandon Parker is a senior majoring in Communication. He can be reached at bfp2@msstate.edu.

Visit mdwfp.com for information specific to hunting in Mississippi, including season dates, zoning and bag limits.

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