The cool weather and frost warnings have started to help knock down the undergrowth of tall grasses and annual woodland plants.

I can peer into the woods and see that trails are much clearer and squirrels are scampering all about the under story as well. This only means one thing to a bow hunter: Archery season begins this week.

The reports of heavy racks and healthy deer sightings are frequent discussions whenever hunters meet. General discussions are the norm as the specifics are kept close to the vest as hunters don’t want to completely give away their favorite hot spots for archery.

Bucks are clearly reaching their antler potential by now as they have been polishing the velvet against the saplings and young trees. Rub lines are sure to get hunters in the mood as they wonder what made that rub.

Big rubs generally mean a decent buck and all hunters learn that lesson at an early age. However, the law has specific rules for a legal buck and for an adult hunter it is the “Three Up” rule.

This means that the buck must sport three points or more on the main beam to be legal. The brow tines are forgotten and can not be used to determine a legal rack in the new rules.

If nothing else, hunters use this wonderful time of the year to get reacquainted with their favorite areas and to determine how the deer are running. Trail cameras have been out and a lot of hunters are going high tech as they scout out the deer trails.

For myself, I still like to be surprised with the next buck that comes by me. The need for immediate gratification and no surprises doesn’t work for me. The guys who consider themselves “bone collectors” are all over the search for the one.

Sporting good stores and archery shops have the full array of hunting gear in stock right now. From head to toe, including under clothing, is a specialty item. Scent control and camouflage clothing is a must for the archer.

Bow hunting requires the archer to be in close proximity of the target game. Shots can range from point blank to 50 yards with today’s modern equipment. Some archers are just exceptional shots and they can routinely hit a bull’s eye on a consistent basis. Placing themselves above the deer or in a ground blind can really increase the proximity factor early in the season.

Later on in the season, from Halloween into November, the rut will change things drastically.

Early in the season, bucks are still on feeding routines and likely to be in areas that have good food sources and water. Later in the season, the tactics change as bucks go into the mating ritual known as the rut.

The rut really turns the woods into an anything goes time of year for the bucks. They start making scrapes, follow does around at all times of the day and at times are oblivious to hunters and automobiles.

We have all seen a buck with his nose to the ground like a beagle wandering down a trail or roadway. This can be a dangerous time of year as well as the bucks often end up in sparring matches for the fair does in the area.

Many hunters will use the rattling technique to bring bucks in for a better look at the challengers squaring off in their territory. Hunters will use real or man-made antlers and smack them together. The sound is like two bucks going head to head.

The use of scent is at its peak at this time as well. There are two primary camps of scent use; one camp uses scent covers that mask human odors and make you neutralized in smell, the other camp uses scents that will lure deer into range of your hunting stand.

Some scents that are popular use doe in heat, buck in rut or a popular food scent like apple or acorn. No matter what camp you go with, remember to be safe and successfully bring that big buck back to your camp!