Planning for a new season in 2009

Now is the time to start planning for the 2009 hunting season. You can start the planning with five major items: (1). If you are planning a hunt out of state, get a copy of their hunting regulations, tag applications (if needed) and research the best hunting areas. Apply for the necessary tags for the animals and areas that you plan to hunt.
(2). Plan your vacation and start a savings program for the hunt. You need to figure one-half to twice the amount needed to cover the variety of costs, to cover unexpected expenses. You may need to work overtime or work a second job, to pay for your hunt.
(3) Get in shape for the type of hunt you are planning; and shoot your weapon of choice frequently before the hunt. Get familiar with your weapon, shoot from a variety of positions and ranges, so you will be prepared for your hunt. Familiarize yourself with the anatomy of the animal(s) that you plan to hunt, so you can make an ethical shot and clean kill.
(4) Obtain a quality pair of optics and learn how to use them. Practice by spotting game and bird watching during the off season at home.
(5) Contact booking agents and outfitters. I would highly recommend that you contact Howard Gulick with OUTDOOR CONNECTION at hgulick@msn.com or Neil Summers with Bowhunting Safari Consultants at Neil@bowhuntingsafari.com to arrange the hunt of a lifetime. This will be money well-spent and save you a lot of heartaches fro a bad hunt.

End of Season

Well, it's the end of the season. I never had a shot at a deer this year. I saw very few deer on public land, and the outfitter that I work with is under a QDM program. All bucks have to be 8 points and the rack spread has to be outside the ears. I saw 33 deer one day, 9 were bucks. But, none met the requirements for his QDM program and he doesn't allow does to be shot.
Now is the time to plan hunts for 2009. I am researching material for articles on choosing an outfitter and a booking agent; and why you need to consider using both. It's been interesting, interviewing these guys for the articles.
I hope to do a deer, bear and wild boar hunt in East Tennessee this fall, if my vacation plans don't get screwed up due to family issues. Time will tell.