- By Rich Miller
With the summer heat kicking and nothing to do but fish right now, my mind has started wandering toward deer season already. Over the last couple of weeks I have been successful in drawing a Colorado elk tag and Kansas bow tag for this fall. All I am waiting on is the Illinois tag that I don’t know about yet. After getting confirmation on the tags, I have to start getting all of my travel plans in order.
The Kansas bow tag isn’t that big of a deal; I have hunted out there for years and most of the properties that I hunt I am familiar with. There are a couple of places that are going to be new to me this year, but hopefully I will get a chance to get out there before November. All I really have to worry about is the weather and whether or not the farmers get the corn and beans out of the field before I get there.
The Colorado elk tag is a totally different situation. So far, my plans are to fly to Kansas City and then drive with my buddy, Mick Bowman, from there. We need to get there a day early to try and get a little acclimatized. Also to do a little scouting before the archery season opens. The plan after that is to hunt for six days if it takes that long. We both have a bull tag, but after a couple of days those might turn into cow tags if the right situation presents itself. Of course, we both want to kill a good bull but we are elk hunting. After the hunt is over we are going to pack up that night and start our drive back to Kansas. Once we get back, we are going to hopefully process our meat there and get it in the freezer. That way – when I drive back out for deer season – I can pick up my meat. After the hunt and getting all of the other stuff we will have to do finished up, we are planning on hanging stands and setting up feeders and cameras before I have to fly out on Sunday.
All of these plans are how we want everything to work out; but they are just plans and we are opened-minded and very flexible because – as you all know – it is hunting. I am sure there will be several things that will change before the end of August, but right now I am trying to get as much ready as I can so I am prepared when the hunt gets here. I still don’t know about the Illinois hunt yet, but if that comes through I will have to start trying to get everything lined up for it, also. We are already halfway through the summer and every week seems to be passing faster than the last. Before we know it, it is going to be opening day of deer season.
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