It is that time of the year in Texas where populations shrink in the big cities and grow in the small towns as hunters hit the backroads around the state for deer season.

It’s back. Like the Fourth of July, Christmas morning and just about every other holiday rolled into one deer season is back in Texas for its fall/winter run.

OK, for some the season has already been going on four weeks, but for most Texas hunters it is just beginning. Because of the growth of archery hunting and expansion of hunting under Managed Lands Deer permits opening day is not as significant as it once was, but there is still a major migration from the cities to the country going on this weekend and through the remainder of the year.

Between guns, ammo, clothes, food, feed, feeders, vehicles, gasoline, leases and more, deer hunting is a multi-billion dollar industry in Texas. Economically it is huge to small town businesses who will enjoy some of their best sales of the year in the coming weeks. There once was a time when what business they did in three months kept their doors open the other nine.

Deer season is also important to hunters. As they leave their real world it is a chance to unwind and reset away from cell phones and computers. It is a time for families to reconnect under less-stressful conditions.

Like the beginning of football season for your favorite team, the opening of deer season is full of optimism. You may have let some promising young deer walk last season in hopes that they will be trophies this year. Or that some deer never seen before will walk into range and end up in your freezer and on your wall.

And this could be the year. Statewide the first six months of 2023 were wet and mild, perfect conditions for antler development. Bucks were well into antler growth by the time the heat turned on in August. And it could happen with the last vestiges of a strong 2018 fawn crop reaching 5 ½-years-old this year.

Of course, hunters have to be able to see deer to shoot them, and for many that was a difficult chore last year as a bumper acorn crop and mild fall weather kept deer from moving like they normally would. The good news is that oaks seldom produce back-to-back massive acorn crops, so the odds are in the favor of hunters waiting over feed.

But it is going to have to be feed from feeders because with drought conditions lingering food plots in East Texas are going to be slow to come in, if they do at all.

While deer season is supposed to be a fun time of year, there are some things hunters need to take into account. Hunter safety is always the first, and the easiest thing a hunter can do is make sure their rifle is always unloaded except when they are sitting down in the blind to hunt.

Deer hunting is a relatively safe sport, but accidents do happen every year and when they do, they are often fatal. The primary cause is almost always a rifle someone thought was unloaded or was not handled safely while unloading.

Making sure you rifle is ready to hunt is also important. That includes making sure the barrel is clean, the scope is tight, and the gun is sighted in before hunting. If you haven’t handled the gun since last season it is a good thing to give it a check and to head to the range to fire a few rounds.

Also be prepared for when the deer come out. Carry binoculars to the blind to observe deer instead of using your scope. It is safer, makes less noise to use and reduces movement in the blind so deer are not spooked.

Speaking of movement, deer do check out blinds if it is close enough and situated where light shines through it. If you can, put something over the window that catches the most light to hide your silhouette and movement.

Another tip is do not forget a sandbag to rest a rifle on for a steady shot. It is especially important to help younger hunters and beginners, but chances are every hunter can benefit from a good rest. Oh, and put the front stock on the sandbag, not the barrel.

It is also important to keep your hunt legal. Make sure you have your license. If you kill a deer immediately tag it and fill out the log on the back of your license before you forget.

Back in camp protect your meat by getting it cooled down as quick as possible. If you are going to quarter it before leaving camp go ahead and cape the deer before putting it in the cooler to cool it down quicker.

Do not forget to keep the head for proof of sex if you are not using MLD permits. If you are hunting in an area with chronic wasting disease restrictions properly dispose of the remains.

There is one other thing to think about. Most hunters only take one deer a year because of the lack of freezer space or whatever. However, most need to take more and by doing so they are not only managing their deer population, but can also help those in need by donating any extra venison to Hunters for the Hungry. It is free.

Processors accepting donations can be found at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LVAjjSS53TbW8Mxwr1V3CNnr_n8MiCnewe7ZrLfmDdM/edit?pli=1#gid=2141393240.