As you get older you begin to see who you really are. You notice those things you are good at and those things that are difficult.

It's amazing how deer are transformed from summer to fall and winter. In the hot months my trail camera's pictures are of deer that look like they're about ready to die.

At the beginning of deer season my senses are heightened. There's no doubt the main reason is because I have been absent from the tree stand for several months.

Hunting can be hard. I have witnessed this many times. These last three days were another example.

I'm trying to pace myself. I know the deer season can get long and tiresome. It can also really mess with work and family... and life.

I'm glad that, every now and then, everything comes together. The stars are in order, Jupiter aligns with Mars, and the light at the end of the tunnel is actually a light.

It seems that this time of year I get a hunting and fishing catalog or sales paper in the mail about every other day. When you think about all of the stores that sell the equipment we need, it's easy to see why they are vying for our dollar.

I was determined to locate a good place to put my tree stand; away from any other hunter. I was hunting on private property but others hunt there as well.

I've learned over the years, to keep a watchful eye when I travel to a treestand in an unfamiliar place. I especially do this when I'm hunting in another state. I've been lost a few times.

I have to admit I can't stand going too long without checking my trial cameras. This is true especially this time of year. Even though the experts tell me to leave them alone until hunting season, I know I'm probably not even going to hunt some of these spots until the November rut anyway.

I'm not one of those professional archers who shoot their bow year-round. I am a hunter who has to wipe the dust off of it during this time of year. I know this is the period where I have to begin shooting in order to feel comfortable in various hunting situations when deer season comes about.

My early season deer scouting is different now than it was when I first started hunting them. In my early years the plan was to slowly move through the woods while looking for any signs of deer activity.

I know no one wants to think about it since we are in the sweltering summer, but deer season is just around the corner. South Carolina's season actually begins in the middle of August.

It's July and I feel a sense of pressure. I'm thinking of food plots and practice shots. I'm thinking we are two weeks from August and August is thirty days from opening bow season in Kentucky. I'm thinking I'm not ready for this. I'm thinking no one cares if I'm ready and time doesn't stop or even slow down for anyone, no matter what the circumstances. I'm thinking how do others do it? I'm thinking I'm wasting time thinking.

For the deer hunter there's nothing like each years scouting period. Right now it gets serious. Right now the placement for tree stands must be exact. If the stands are not already up, they are going to be shortly

One of my favorite topics to share with young people is on the subject of time. While it is hard for them to grasp the concept of the brevity of time, I try to help them begin to see its value. And the older I get, the more valuable time becomes.

I've noticed lately how the lake levels are at peak summer height. For dock operators and recreational lake lovers, this makes for a great summer; for fisherman not so much. It's far easier to catch fish when there are fewer places to look for them

In the outdoor world, not every lesson has to come from hunting and fishing.

For years I have plodded up to the barn to hunt deer. It is my favorite place to take a youth or someone new. It has also produced a good harvest for me as well.

When I was young our summer break from school was three months. It wasn't until September that we returned. Today, there is serious discussion about going all year long.

It's been several years since I was too busy to hunt. I can remember one year when I was opening a business that deer season had to be skipped. I never remember missing much of a turkey season until this last year.

Turkey hunting, where I live, is not for the faint of heart. Even though there are some easy places, much of the hunting I do is in the mountains. Our mountains are not like the Rockies but they are also not like the Deep South.

Thomas Paine wrote, concerning our freedom; "That which we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value." That statement could be applied to many things in our lives, whether it's our freedom to own a gun and hunt or our freedom to worship and have free speech.

Fishing is a great sport that millions of men and women participate in each year. Most of the country boasts of its places to fish and each area has its specialty.

I've taken some time out of the last few days to fish the river. This is my sport of choice during this time of year.