Focus on Water Sources for Your Hot September Hunts

In Colorado, as in many states, archery whitetail season begins on October 1. Still, in many locales across the country, and particularly West of the Mighty Mississippi, whitetail seasons kick off in September.

Before September 1, 2025, I'd never hunted white-tailed deer before October 1. Living in Colorado, September is typically reserved for elk, but I discovered my fascination with Odocoileus virginianus causes me to break established norms.

Fate smiled on me, and I drew a Wyoming archery whitetail tag. My hunt dates were September 1 through September 5. Elk were far from my mind, and the opener couldn't get here fast enough.

Water Wins

Concerning September whitetails, food was the focus of nearly every article I could digest. I agree with the idea of hunting early-season deer on an established green source. My first morning of scouting put the lenses of my Leupold binos on eight different bucks—three legit shooters—and more does and fawns that I could count.

The problem, though, was twofold. First, the field was miles, not acres, and the most likely entrance/exit route wasn't suitable for the forecasted north wind.

My guide, Mikey, whom I'm now proud to call a good friend, and I put our heads together and formulated a plan. Anyone who's read my bowhunting articles over the years, from pronghorn to elk to deer, knows how much emphasis I put on water. My largest whitetail to date was harvested on October 24 over an artificial water source. I've shot elk on wallows, and 15 pronghorn bucks have fallen to my arrows while slaking their thirst. Water wins, friends.

Although north winds were forecasted, daytime temperatures rose into the high 80s. We hoped that area bucks—some in bachelor herds and some running solo—would drink before heading out to the alfalfa for the evening.

Night One: Time at a Tank

Mountain deer are different. The Ponderosa pine forests these deer call home are full of dips, valleys, ridges, etc. The weatherman called for north winds, and for the most part, he was correct. However, too often the wind would change for several minutes or worse, swirl and seem to carry my wind checker powder north, south, east, and west, all at the same time. Mountain winds are remarkably frustrating.

Our best option was a wooden box blind tucked inside the timber set over a tire tank. We kept all the windows closed but one, and I set my gaze on the 12x20 opening for six solid hours.

It was a slow night. At 6 PM, two does and two fawns walked less than 5 yards from the blind, which lifted my spirits. Then, at 6:41 PM, a two-year-old eight-point slurped water before jumping a fence and disappearing into the timber.

I knew the alfalfa field was teeming with deer, and as exciting as it is to see lots of deer, I wasn't here to see them. I'd come to Wyoming to earn a close encounter with a mature four or five-year-old buck. I knew, based on the area I was hunting, that focusing on water was the right move, and so did Mikey.

More Water

I call them my spidey senses. It's childish, I know, but spidey senses are a real thing. When they start to tingle, trust them. My spidey senses, from my toes to the tip of my head, didn't tingle but vibrated when we topped the ridge and spied the lone waterhole.

Thirty yards long and 25 yards across, the shallow pond was surrounded by prime bedding. The monstrous alfalfa field was 50 yards to the west of the lock-on treestand, and the muddy banks were pounded with tracks.

During the early season, even well into October, most archery deer hunters start to expect movement between 6 PM and the last legal shooting light. I agree, but sitting on water is different. I climbed into the lock-on stand at 2:20 PM and never sat down. Bedding was close, and there were too many places a big buck could use the timber and pop out in bow range without me spying them ahead of time. I knew if I sat down, chances were good that I wouldn't be able to stand up without tipping my hand in favor of the deer.

Another thing to keep in mind when hunting water, regardless of what animal you're hunting, is that animals drink when they're thirsty. The first deer of the sit, a lone doe, drank water from the pond at 3:10 PM. From 3:10 PM to 5:00 PM, four more does with fawns and one 115-inch 8-point buck drank from the pond. From 5:00 PM to 7:21 PM, no deer drank.

I noticed every doe and the younger buck paused on their way to the water source. All put their mouths to the ground, and soon I could hear the unmistakable sound of cracking acorns. I'd failed to realize that several of the trees around the pond were dropping acorns. Acorns are deer candy. Now I had food and water; the perfect staging area for a deer before heading out to the larger ag fields for the evening.

I mention time a lot in this article. As a runner, time is something I track, and over the years, my hunting journal depicts many encounters and kills, often at times far from the "prime time" hours hunters typically focus on.

A Sure Thing is Never Sure in Bowhunting

His head was down, and his gate was long, a sure sign of a thirsty animal craving refreshment. His compadre, a respectable 130-inch 8-point, had a different demeanor. I've learned to pay attention to animals' body language. It tells you a lot about what is about to happen.

When hunting water, any animal with a quick, steady gate and nose tilted toward the ground is thirsty. The animal isn't on alert and will come straight to the water. An animal that walks, pauses, looks the water over with a careful eye, may want to water, but will not have a problem circling the water out of bow range to get the wind and make sure everything is kosher before committing. Keep these things in mind. They will serve you well when hunting animals over a water source.

The thirsty buck sported a 150-inch rack, and his body dwarfed his three-year-old partner. Unfortunately, the buck took a trail that went directly under my treestand. Thank God for good rubber boots and scent-free precautions. The wind was fickle, and though the buck was less than 20 yards, I had no shot. He was facing away.

It was ever so slight, but I felt it. He didn't, but he smelt it. The wise buck caught just enough of my stink to cause him to blow and run to the east. Thankfully, the smaller 8-point had no idea what was going on, and when the 10-point looked back toward his buddy, I got a quick range and sent a SEVR-tipped Easton 5.0 arrow from 50 yards.

I held on the buck's heart, expecting the already on-alert deer to duck. He didn't. The arrow splashed through his heart, and his death sprint was short—a rollercoaster of emotions flooded over me. Bowhunting is hard. The best way I can explain it is with the number 10. In bowhunting, nine things can go perfectly, but if the 10th thing goes even slightly wrong, you won't get your animal. When hunting mature white-tailed deer, I feel like 9.9 things have to be right.

On this beautiful evening in the Wyoming mountains, the stars aligned, and my buddy Mikey and I told stories late into the night as we celebrated a fantastic evening in God's creation, chasing one of my favorite big-game animals.

Final Thoughts

Friends, if you've read my work, you know that roughly 80 percent of my hunts are DIY. However, I have already reserved my spot with Ralph Dampman and his operation, Trophy Ridge Outfitters, for 2026. Ralph, his amazing wife Lenora, and the entire team make you feel like family. It's a fantastic destination where you can unplug, relax, and focus on having fun and enjoying the outdoors.

I'll conclude this article by telling you that the night I shot my 150-inch five-year-old Wyoming giant, two other bowhunters in camp shot mature 10-point bucks. I'm not aware of many places in the world where that happens. Just food for thought!

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