Bow season is near, and oh what a glorious day that will be! Our passion is aroused, the anticipation is building, and the day cannot arrive soon enough. But to bring you back to reality, there’s one thing you cannot ignore: come October 1st in southern Louisiana, it’s going to be hot—usually extremely hot, and as an extra added bonus, the dreaded mosquitos should be in full force as well!
The bowhunters that I know are pretty hardcore guys. But there are still some who tell me that they don’t want to fight the heat and mosquitos of early season bowhunting. They say it’s just not worth it. I would have to disagree with that notion. While the fact of the intense heat, humidity, and ridiculous mosquitos cannot be denied, there are precautions you can take to lessen their effects and make your hunt much more enjoyable.
Let’s start with the hunter himself. It is to his benefit to be in shape when opening day arrives. That means walking, jogging, swimming, exercising, lifting weights, going to the gym—in short doing whatever you can do to be in the best possible shape for hunting season. It’s a good idea to get a physical or consult a doctor before starting any exercise program to make sure there are no health limitations to what you can do. Hunting is great, but it is not worth a heart attack!
Strength training goes beyond being physically fit for the hunting season. It boosts confidence and improves psychological well-being.
You shouldn’t be beginning this regimen now, the week before the season, and hope to be ready. There’s a strong possibility that you could injure yourself and have to sit at home while all of your buddies are out having a great time. The best plan would be to NOT get out of shape, but if that’s not an option, the next best plan would be to start as far in advance of the season as possible. Start slowly and build up your reps as the weeks progress. You will be glad you did once you find yourself walking deep into the woods on a sweltering-hot afternoon, or an even more arduous task—dragging a big buck out of the woods! Being as physically fit as possible will greatly benefit your body in dealing with the intensely hot days of early October.
Another good way to help beat the heat is to, while scouting, keep an eye out for where the sun is at during different times of day in particular areas. The first thing is to find the perfect place to set your stand, but if it’s possible, set up where the optimal amount of shade will be available for the time of day you plan to hunt. This could help you to stay in the stand longer and more comfortably. Personally, I have been in my stand in unobstructed sun at near-90 degrees for several hours, on occasion. The only reason I chose to endure those conditions was because the spot was so promising. I would definitely not recommend that strategy if it could be avoided.
Obviously, scent control becomes a huge issue in these conditions. There are several techniques available for hunters to use to help eliminate the odors that are caused by excessive sweating. The first thing you can do is wash your clothes with one of the many non-scented products available for hunters. Next, would be to spray on an odor neutralizing product while you’re still at your truck or your boat, before heading into the woods. At the stand location, some hunters change into fresh, unscented clothes that they’ve brought with them in a Zip Loc bag. Others will reapply the scent neutralizer or use a nature scented cover up spray or tab. If you choose the latter, use only those scents that are natural to that area. For instance, you might not want to use pine scent in a cypress swamp.
