Bow hunters across the state set their alarms early Saturday (Sept. 28), waking up before sunrise to head out for the first day of archery deer season.
The Brandenburg family winded through their woods in Booneville to stake out the perfect spot.
"We come out and set Mary up a blind out here and we got her a feeder here so the deer can come across," Bobby Brandenburg said.
While Mary gets in her blind, Bobby and his son Hunter worked to find spots of their own to set up.
"I have about three different stands out here," Hunter Brandenburg said. "All of them are set up so I just find my way to them in the dark and shimmy my way up into the stand and sit and wait."
The family, waiting all morning to spot their first deer of the season.
"As the woods wakes up in the morning everything gets to stirring you know," Bobby Brandenburg said. "But we didn't see any deer though."
Even though the Brandenburgs said they were ready to be back in their stands, they said they were afraid the September heat kept the deer from coming out Saturday morning.
"I think it being warm and muggy, they don't move as much," Bobby Brandenburg said. "But when this front comes through and it rains, it may cool it off and it may be better."
The family took a break mid-morning for some last-minute target practice and said that they're hoping the deer will come out later this afternoon.
"It really gets your heart pumping [when you spot a buck or a doe]," Hunter Brandenburg said, remembering a kill he made last year. "You start shaking really bad. It's buck fever."
Deer season will run through the end of February.
There were changes made to the rules and regulations of the hunting season this year. For more details on what's been changed, CLICK HERE.