Georgia’s archery deer season is underway, but hunters across Northwest Georgia are dealing with unusually hot and dry conditions during the opening days of the season.

Archery season opened September 12, and temperatures across Northwest Georgia reached the low to mid-90s during opening weekend. Despite the heat, hunters across the region still reported a number of successful harvests.

The dry weather is also affecting deer food sources. According to a September 16 Northwest Georgia field report from Georgia Outdoor News, natural browse remains an important food source, while some planted food plots are struggling because of the lack of rainfall.

Hunters are seeing plenty of persimmons and muscadines, while pin oak and water oak acorns have already begun falling in some locations. Those changing food sources can influence where deer concentrate and where hunters are most likely to see activity.

Deer across Northwest Georgia are still largely following their summer movement patterns, according to the report. Bucks are expected to gradually begin transitioning toward fall patterns as September progresses. Rubs have been observed in some locations, but widespread scraping activity has not yet developed.

The heat is especially important for hunters who successfully harvest a deer. Warm temperatures can cause meat to spoil quickly, making it important to recover harvested deer promptly and cool the meat as soon as possible.

Georgia’s statewide archery deer season continues through October 9, followed by primitive weapons season and the regular firearms season later in October.

For hunters in Chattooga County and the surrounding Northwest Georgia mountains, conditions may begin changing as additional rain chances return and September moves toward October.