An Unplanned Break From Deer Season

Well, deer season is officially on hold for me.

The recent fires in my area, including the Timber Fire and Plaskett Fire, have shut down some of the places I normally hunt. When the forest closes, there's not much arguing with it. You stay out, let the firefighters do their job, and wait until the land is safe to return.

I'm not going to lie, part of me is pretty disappointed. Once deer season gets rolling, it's hard for me to stay away. I'm constantly thinking about the next hunt and whether that buck I've been looking for is going to show up. 

But the more I think about it, the more I figure the timing might not be all bad.

We're still early enough in the season that I feel like a lot of the deer are pretty well bedded down. The real action is still ahead of us when the pre-rut starts to kick in. That's when things can change quickly, bucks start moving differently, and all those hours spent sitting on ridges and glassing country can suddenly pay off.

For now, I'll take the hint.

I'll spend some time in the shop, sharpen some gear, work on a few new leather projects, and keep an eye on the fire closures. It's not exactly how I planned to spend deer season, but hunting has always taught me that you don't get to control the schedule.

You control what you can, and you wait for your opportunity. When the forests open back up, I'll be ready. Until then, the deer can have the mountains to themselves. Probably not the worst thing for them.