With hunting season in full effect, there are many hunters waiting for the perfect opportunity to take their shot.
The state’s deer hunting season started in October with bow-and-arrow season, followed by firearm season in mid-November. Deer season ends Feb. 10 in Alabama.
For officials, the season is an ongoing focus on both safety and population management.
“Deer management is complicated. Simple, but complicated, because it’s real specific based on your property, your deer density and genetics,” said Steve Maxwell, outfitter with Master Rack Lodge.
Most hunters are looking to shoot a big buck, Maxwell said, but in proper management hunters should wait to shoot a deer until it is 3 or 4 years old. Maxwell said that’s when it’s possible to tell the health of the deer and allow the buck to mature.
Master Rack Lodge’s Steve Maxwell lays out some dos and don’ts of deer hunting from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
Maxwell said the key to having a successful hunt is a clean, well-maintained gun. So is properly storing and caring for ammunition as well as siting scopes to ensure an ethical shot.
Once the gun is ready to hunt, it’s about the hunter and his or her gun, Maxwell said. After making a shot, make sure the safety is clicked and continue to ensure the gun is clear of ammunition when not being used.
“It’s all up to the human being,” Maxwell said. “Guns are guns, and it’s all on how they are handled.”
Most hunters hunt for food, serenity and because it is good for the environment, he said.
“If hunting is done properly, it’s the best thing that can happen to wild game no matter what species you are hunting,” Maxwell said.
How is hunting the best thing for wild game? Maxwell said it has to do with doe population, food sources and does adventuring out on their own. With proper skills, hunting can be successful for the hunter as well as the environment, he said.
If you’re interested in hunting or fishing in the Alabama Black Belt region, visit alabamablackbeltadventures.org/outfitters-lodges to find a great place to book a hunt.
