text: STRAIGHT ARROW: There's still time for bowhunting | KYStandard.com
  The weather is getting colder now, and as the acorn crop is slowly disappearing, the deer will be a little easier to pattern, but the deer have been hunted since Sept. 3, so by now they have been well educated by us hunters. Most of the leaves are off the trees, making it easier for a deer to spot us, especially when we try to draw our bow, and with the colder weather we have to wear more clothes, heavier gloves, hand warmers, etc., which can make shooting a bow more difficult. But I wouldn't want it any other way.
  We also have the free youth hunt weekend coming up Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. My granddaughter, Hannah, is looking forward to that season, but she is anxious to bowhunt as much as possible now.
  Before the early youth season had opened in October, my son had asked 5-year-old Lilly if she wanted to go deer hunting (she had gone one time last year), her answer was, "Daddy, princesses don't hunt!" But she told me Sunday that she is going to go deer hunting, so we will have to wait and see.
  I know that sometimes it is hard to find time to hunt, but a lot of us will have some extra time off during the upcoming holidays, so try to get the kids out during the upcoming youth hunt and go sit in a stand a few more times before the deer season ends.
  To me it doesn't matter if I even see a deer or not, because late season bowhunting is always challenging and well worth the effort, even if you just listen to the wind rustling the leaves or watch the snow accumulating on everything around you. Being outdoors is always fun and rewarding.
  Local archer and outdoorsman Gene Culver operates the Bent Arrow Archery Shop (www.bentarrowarchery.com) with his wife, Bonnie. Contact them at 549-8119 with questions.