Baseball season. Football season. NASCAR season. Hunting season. Other than popular sporting seasons, nothing brings more excitement than when hunting season starts. All over the US, hunters gear up and ask for work off so they can partake in the first hunt of the year.
Before getting into the hunt, there are several things that hunters need to consider including when the hunt officially starts and what to bring to make it successful. They need to look to their safety and the safety of other hunters. They also need to consider what type of hunting they plan to do – whether firearm, youth hunts or bow hunting.
As the wait gets shorter, are you prepared for the event of the year? Do you have all of your hunting gear ready to go? Are you aware of the time that the hunting season starts in your community? Do you know where to go to get the biggest game? Do you know about the latest safety gear to protect you and the other hunters? The following paragraphs will help you get ready to get out there and start hunting safely and legally.
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Table of Contents
Hunting Season Starts in Michigan
Michigan is one of the most popular places to hunt whitetail deer. To meet the needs of every hunter and ability, there are several start dates in this state. The earliest hunting dates are for the youngest hunters and hunters with disabilities.
They have the third weekend in September dedicated just to them. Archery hunting opens the first day of October and regular firearm season is open from November 15 until the end of the month.
If you prefer to shoot a muzzleloader, you get to hunt in early December and the late antlerless season runs from December 19 until the first day of 2021. The Michigan DNR provides free guides to help you find the best places around the state as well as information about licensing during the different hunts.
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Hunting Season Starts in Texas
Texas is big and so are the hunting seasons. There are seasons dedicated to several animals from whitetail deer and turkey, quail and pheasant, and alligator and goose. However, the biggest season in Texas is for whitetail deer.
And, there are plenty of them out there. Since the weather is warmer in Texas, the hunting season starts later than it does in Michigan. Youth get to shoot during the last weekend of October while the archery season gets started on October 1st and runs through November 4th. The general season starts the very next day and runs until the 1st of January.
Hunting Season Starts in Kentucky
Surprisingly, Kentucky is one of the best spots to hunt for whitetail deer in the US. The season is long and there is a good amount of deer with plenty of public lands open to track and shoot them. There are spots in the state where hunters can buy as many permits as they want so they can shoot as many deer as they can.
Before hunting in Kentucky, it is important to look at the zone you are going to visit. The zones are broken down by counties and they have different dates for hunting with different weapons. The entire state does have the same dates for youth hunting, which happens to be the second weekend in October. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife has all of the information for whitetail deer start dates and regulations.
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Hunting Season Starts in Iowa
Iowa may be one of the smaller Western states, but it doesn’t mean that hunting isn’t good. There is plenty of deer in Iowa and plenty of time to get busy hunting them. The hunting season starts officially on September 17, when the youth and disabled get to start chasing the deer.
Unlike many other states that only give a weekend to youth hunting, Iowa dedicated three full weekends to young hunters. As soon as October 1st rolls around, the archery season begins. Muzzleloaders get the next start on October 15. Then, on the first weekend of December, hunters with shotguns get their turn. There are plenty of late hunting dates and even holiday hunting dates.
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Hunting Seasons Starts in Missouri
Along with Texas, Missouri is another southern state that offers prime whitetail deer hunting. Their hunting seasons are different than other states, simply because there are plenty of other critters that have their seasons – like frogs, crows, badgers, geese, and raccoons.
There has to be time for all of the hunters in Missouri to track and shoot their favorite beasts. Deer hunting in Missouri occurs in the late fall. Young hunters get the last weekend of October and November to learn their craft. Firearm hunters get a few weekends in the middle of November.
Before racing out to your favorite hunting spot in Missouri, check out the regulations established by the state Department of Conservation so you know the exact times and places that you can go.
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Great Safety Gear for Hunting Season Starts
No matter when and where you choose to hunt, it is always appropriate to reevaluate your gear and look to the newest items available to make hunting safe and successful. Since most prime hunting times are when the sun is just coming up or just going down, hunters should have their very own headlamps so they can better see where they are going.
Of course, it is important to turn off the headlamp during the actual hunt, but the conveniently placed lights are helpful when trekking back to the truck after getting the prized deer. Try the Mifine Waterproof LED Headlamp.
This quality lamp is extremely bright and uses LED bulbs that last a long time. The front of the light will guide your way, but the back has a red indicator light so other hunters can see you as you make your way out of the woods.
Another good product to add to your hunting gear is a powerful bottle of insect repellant. With all of the dangers regarding insects like mosquitoes, ticks, and mites, you’ll want to protect yourself in any way you can.
Sawyer Permethrin can be used on your hunting clothing without damaging it in any way. The powerful insect repellant will last for up to six washings or over a month in the woods. It is odorless so you never have to worry about scaring away your targets.
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Conclusion
As hunting season ends, it is the perfect time to reevaluate your experiences in the field. Think about your successes and failures. You can also look to your gear to decide if you need to add more safety or if you are ready to add a new firearm or bow.
Was your insect repellent doing its job? Was your headlamp powerful enough to help you maneuver your way to your blind before daybreak? Is it time to try hunting in a nearby state or to gather up the boys for an epic trek to another time zone? Share your experience below so your fellow hunters can decide what to do when the next hunting season starts.
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