I know, I know, everyone is champing at the bit to get out in a deer stand in the woods of East Texas overlooking a feeder that you have been filling periodically with deer corn at $5.99 a bag for a month or better.

Of course there is always the hill country hunter that has his stand overlooking a deer run and for good luck a feeder will also be there and show all of the signs of being well tended for a few months.

We cannot overlook South Texas, the Boone and Crockett producer of the state, and picture the hunter in his/her stand that looks down a couple senderos, watching feeders and the chance that a big buck will walk out and offer you a clear and doable shot.

However folks this year with the bumper crop of acorns across the state you may have a long wait in your hunting stand and that presents another problem; you can either sit in your stand and wait or you can get out of your stand and in a stealthful manner after the fashion of Daniel Boone and hunt your deer down. Of course there is also the option of relocating your stand to a live oak area and try your chances there.

 Neither seems fool-proof because if you get out of your stand and go gliding through the woods, hills, or whatever the terrain you might be taking a chance of getting shot by some other hunter who mistakes you for a deer, or feral hog if you are like me and have grown a little stout through the years. I am quite proud of myself for dodging the negativity of using the word fat.

Back to the hunting fields; if you intend getting out of your stand and practicing your stealthful prowess at creeping up on a deer let me wholeheartedly recommend you wear Blaze Camouflage so you can be seen at a country mile by other hunters and not mistaken for a deer or ………. feral hog.

Of course the odds are with you if you do decide to get out of your stand and go tromping, excuse me, exercising your stealthful prowess as you stalk the trophy deer of your dreams because since the Hunter Education program was introduced in our great country the hunting accidents involving firearms has dropped by 98 percent.

Not bad at all and it sounds like your chances of getting shot in one of our country’s major cities is far greater than walking around in the woods occupied by a bunch of hunters all carrying high powered, centerfire, scoped rifles most of which have the power to turn over a Chevrolet pickup with one shot. It is a marvel what benefits can come from education.

There are a number of points that the 21st Century deer hunter must be aware of and one is the antler spread. You see in some counties, and Montgomery County is one, there must be a 13-inch spread in the antlers. Upon hearing this new law I foolishly mentioned to game warden Alan Biggerstaff that measuring the spread prior to shooting a deer presented a problem that I could see no way of overcoming.

He patiently told me that the spread of the ears is usually a good indicator and if the horns spread surpassed the ears the buck is likely to be legal. Here again I must admit that it is a marvel what benefits can come from education.

For the folks who wish to try their hand with a crossbow this archery season I would like to point out a couple items and the first is the bow draw weight must be a minimum of 125 pounds. The crossbow must have a mechanical safety and the stock must be no less than 25 inches long. And the TPWD Annual also addresses Arrows and Bolts – crossbows do not use arrows they use bolts – and the broadhead hunting tips must be a minimum of seven-eighths inches wide and have a minimum of two cutting edges.

Now true to the code of Texas the TPWD Annual states in bold type and underlined that you cannot carry a firearm while hunting during archery only season, BUT you can carry a concealed handgun if you have a Concealed Handgun License (CHL).

Our state is a CHL state, one of many, and the state government backs our Second Amendment rights in every arena of life. If your state Government Congressmen and Senators are pro-hunting and pro-CHL you really need to contact them and let them know you appreciate their stand on both subjects. If your elected officials are not pro-CHL and hunting then I suggest you fire them next year at the election.

Back to the archery season and CHL, if you happen to wound a deer I would recommend that when you find it if it is still alive that you not follow the temptation to draw your CHL legal handgun and finish the animal. Leave your handgun in the holster and go to plan B, whatever that may be.

The purpose of your CHL handgun is to allow you the means to protect yourself and family, therefore unless you anger a deer and it follows you home seeking revenge and is a threat to you or your family leave the handgun in your holster during archery season.

Larry J. LeBlanc is executive director of the Texas Outdoor Writers Association and a member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America. Check out his web site at www.larryjleblanc.com.