What North Florida Deer Hunters Should Be Doing in May and June
For many hunters, deer season feels a long way off in May and June. Turkey season is wrapping up, the weather is heating up, and fishing is calling your name. But if you want success in the fall, especially in North Florida, this is one of the most important windows of the entire year.
Early summer is when serious hunters separate themselves from everyone else. Bucks are recovering from the previous season, does are preparing for fawning, antlers are growing fast, and properties are changing daily with new vegetation and food sources. The work you put in now can pay off when opening morning finally arrives.
If you hunt private land, public land, or both, here’s what you should be doing in May and June to set yourself up for a successful deer season.
Start Scouting Before Everything Gets Overgrown
North Florida changes quickly once summer hits. By July and August, trails disappear into thick vegetation, briars take over, and the woods can become almost unrecognizable.
May and early June are ideal for scouting because you can still see sign before summer growth gets too thick.
Focus on:
- Funnels and travel corridors
- Creek crossings
- Bedding cover
- Oak flats
- Pinch points
- Transition edges between timber and thick cover
You’re not necessarily trying to hunt these places tomorrow. You’re building a map in your head of how deer use the property throughout the year.
On private land, mark:
- Rub lines from last season
- Old scrape areas
- Trails entering food sources
- Areas with heavy browse pressure
For public land hunters, use this time to find places most people avoid:
- Walk farther than the average hunter
- Find overlooked corners
- Identify difficult access routes
- Scout areas near water or thick cover
Remember: pressure changes deer behavior as much as habitat does.
Summer Scouting Looks Different
Many hunters make the mistake of trying to scout in summer exactly like they do in October.
The problem?
Deer patterns in May and June often look very different than fall movement.
Summer deer are focused on:
- Food
- Water
- Shade
- Security cover
They’re feeding heavily to recover body condition and support antler growth.
Instead of diving directly into bedding areas, focus on observation scouting.
Good methods include:
Glass from a Distance
Use binoculars during:
- Last hour of daylight
- First hour after sunrise
Watch:
- Agricultural fields
- Power lines
- Clear cuts
- Peanut fields
- Soybeans
- Natural browse areas
You can learn a tremendous amount without putting scent all over the woods.
Use Trail Cameras Carefully
May and June are excellent times to inventory bucks.
Place cameras:
- On field edges
- Mineral sites where legal
- Trails near summer food sources
- Water sources
The goal isn’t just pictures.
Pay attention to:
- Direction of travel
- Time of movement
- Buck groups
- Growth progression
Inventory now helps create a game plan later.
Scout Midday
This sounds backward, but summer heat can actually help.
Scout between late morning and early afternoon when deer movement is lowest.
Advantages:
- Less chance of bumping deer
- Reduced impact on future hunting spots
- Easier to investigate bedding cover
Bring:
- Plenty of water
- Lightweight clothing
- Snake boots if needed
- GPS or mapping app
North Florida heat and humidity are no joke.
What You Should Be Doing with Food Plots Right Now
May and June are prime planning months.
Many hunters wait until September and suddenly panic.
Don’t be that guy.
Early summer is when you should evaluate:
Existing Plot Areas
Check:
- Soil condition
- Weed pressure
- Drainage issues
- Areas needing lime
Take soil samples now.
Too many hunters spend money on seed while ignoring pH. Poor soil means disappointing plots no matter what you plant.
Plant Warm Season Plots
Depending on your goals and property size, warm-season options can provide nutrition throughout summer.
Popular North Florida options include:
- Iron clay peas
- Cowpeas
- Alyce clover
- Sunn hemp
- Soybeans where acreage allows
- Joint vetch
These help:
- Build nutrition
- Improve body condition
- Support antler growth
- Attract deer during summer patterns
Even small plots can become inventory tools for trail cameras.
Maintain Existing Areas
May and June are ideal for:
- Mowing
- Spraying weeds
- Disking
- Clearing shooting lanes
- Repairing plot equipment
A little work now prevents chaos later.
Prepare Your Stands and Access Routes
Opening week is not the time to discover:
- Broken ladder steps
- Dead batteries
- Overgrown trails
- Missing straps
Now is the time to:
- Trim shooting lanes
- Hang stands
- Check safety harnesses
- Practice climbing systems
- Clear quiet access paths
North Florida vegetation grows fast.
That perfect trail can disappear by August.
Start Preparing Your Body for Deer Season
This part gets overlooked.
Deer hunting can be physically demanding.
Dragging deer through palmettos, climbing stands, walking public land, carrying saddles, sitting long hours in heat—it adds up.
If you wait until opening day to get in shape, you’ll feel it.
Start simple:
Walk several times a week.
Add:
- Light strength training
- Mobility work
- Core exercises
- Hiking with a pack
If you bowhunt, begin shooting regularly.
Not marathon sessions.
Just build consistency.
Twenty arrows a few evenings a week beats cramming in August.
Prepare Mentally Too
Success in deer hunting often comes down to mindset.
Summer is a great time to evaluate:
What worked last year?
What failed?
Ask yourself:
- Did I hunt too aggressively?
- Did I burn out spots too quickly?
- Did I play wind direction correctly?
- Did I scout enough?
- Did I spend enough time learning deer behavior?
Great hunters aren’t always the best shooters.
They’re often the best students.
Read. Watch maps. Study properties. Learn from mistakes.
Fall Success Starts in the Heat
Most hunters think deer season starts in the fall.
In reality, successful seasons often start in May.
The sweat, bug bites, trail camera checks, food plot work, and long scouting walks in the North Florida heat may not feel exciting right now.
But opening morning has a funny way of rewarding summer effort.
When that first cool front finally arrives and a mature buck steps into range, you’ll be glad you spent May and June preparing while everyone else was waiting.
The work starts now. Fall is just the payoff.
Timber and Marsh 