With the return of football and legal hunting seasons alike, August marks the initial transition from summer to fall for much of the country.
Often, it is September that is regarded as the month in which hunting season returns. In many states, that is certainly true. Mourning Dove hunts and early-teal seasons make for exciting mornings for wing shooters in many states come September 1st. Moreover, states like Kentucky and Missouri have archery deer seasons with opening days in September as well.
But, for hunters with an itch that needs to be scratched just a skiff sooner than the 9th month, August offers some awesome opportunities to get into the field before the competition gets too hot - pun intended!
Top Hunts For August
South Dakota Archery Pronghorn
M. Leonard Photography via: Getty Images
Archery pronghorn season kicks off in South Dakota on August 17th this year. Tags are earned via an online application, but success in drawing a tag is usually all but guaranteed.
It is from personal experience that I recommend, with some caution, this hunt to any bow hunter. Personally, I have loved both of my trips to South Dakota for August pronghorn hunting. While I have yet to be successful in harvesting a "speed goat," the experience was both humbling and inspiring.
With some quick research into population maps and an OnX subscription, it is very possible to locate strong pronghorn populations on South Dakota public lands. The trouble comes after finding them. Having been on dozens of stalks each year, I am comfortable in saying that it is no small feat to come into the bow range of a pronghorn antelope. In August, the bucks are not yet rutting, and often, the pronghorn are bunched together in large groups. This of course makes it difficult to remain undetected during an approach.
Regardless of the difficulty in harvesting a pronghorn, the experience is still top-tier. The terrain is beautiful, in a very empty and lonely sort of way. Likewise, as a bowhunter, the practice of stalking is worth the trip in and of itself. I would tell anybody to dirty up the gear, and go chase 'em this August if you have the time! But be wary of anybody out there telling you the hunt is easy, as I would argue it is far from it!
South Carolina Whitetail Deer
Shutterstock / Tony Campbell
South Carolina is not often regarded as a hotbed of strong whitetail hunting. Most hunters, when dreaming of trophy whitetail, think of Ohio, Iowa, Texas and Kansas, to name a few. But, South Carolina offers a very unique opportunity to deer hunters, which makes it an easy choice for this article.
According to the Southern Country Hunting Club's website, on August 15th, deer season opens up in South Carolina's southern half of the state. With such an early opening day, hunters from across the country flood to the state each year. Why might you ask? The chance to harvest a whitetail buck in velvet.
The tags are purchased OTC, but many out-of-staters look to lodges for their opportunities. Lodges like the Southern Country Hunting Club are happy to accomodate out-of-staters in their pursuit of velvet bucks. Perhaps the most shocking thing about the South Carolina deer season is the option for hunters to use a rifle in August. Gun seasons are usually restricted to later in the season, and the rifle option makes the hunt all the more intriguing to hunters from coast-to-coast.
North Dakota's Early-Season Goose
Shutterstock / Steve Oehlenshlager
Changing pace from the four-legged critters, one August waterfowl season has become quite infamous in flyover country!
In North Dakota, an early Canada goose season kicks off statewide on August 15th. The season is in place as a management tool, to control the nuisance that can be caused by untethered Canada goose populations. The hunt is open to residents and non-residents alike.
Opening in the middle of August, the hunt offers an opportunity to decoy birds in the heat of the summer. It is that detail that makes this hunt as highly regarded in the waterfowl community as it is. While many states offer early-teal seasons in September, those hunts feel so different than North Dakota's early goose. The chance to watch a flock of geese dump into a dry field, fooled by the first spread of decoys they have seen all year, is just too good to be passed over without any consideration.
Fast-flying teal makes for an unforgettable morning themselves, but for avid waterfowlers, North Dakota's early goose can make for the perfect appetizer to their season!
So, don't just write August off as a month worth forgetting. For hunters, there exists some unique chances to get into the field, and kick off the fall with a bang!
