Packing up the swim trunks and pulling out the Camo; it’s almost time.

Sunset will officially hit before 8pm this week; which means the days are getting a little shorter, the nights a little cooler, and Fall is beginning to creep into the air. For North Carolina bowhunters, we feel it in our bones. We're packing away the beach chairs, and pulling out tree stands and saddle gear.

We enjoyed the lazy days of summer. Fishing on the coast, grilling out with friends, and enjoying long evenings. But for bowhunters, summer's end is a call to action. It's the signal to start shifting focus and preparing for our favorite season: deer season.

August isn’t just back to school; it’s final countdown preparations for deer season.

If you haven’t had the time to prep for deer season, now is the time to get serious. Scouting your land, checking trail cameras that have been watching food plots all summer, looking for scrapes and rubs in main travel corridors and putting out deer mineral.  

And if you haven’t already, now is the time to get reacquainted with your gear. If your bow has been collecting dust since last year, it’s time to get busy! Inspect your equipment for damage and then head to the range and start shooting. Practice from different distances and angles. If you’re hunting from a saddle, climb a tree and shoot from there. You are quickly running out of time to find out if your sight is off or your arrows aren’t flying like you remember.

So, as we wrap up another North Carolina summer, excitement for bow season and opening day is settling in.  The best time of the year is almost here. Bow season is just around the corner, and the deer are waiting.