NATCHEZ — Temperatures have started to cool down around the Miss-Lou, and in the minds of bow hunters, that can only mean one thing — deer season is finally here.

“Every time a cold snap happens (this time of the year), it seems like it motivates people to say, “Man, I’ve got to go shoot now,’” Bowie’s Outfitters employee Chris Perea said.

“It’s just a psychological thing with them.”

Opening day for bow season was Friday, something bow hunter Derrick Dungan said he’s been anticipating since summer began.

“I basically spent all summer doing shooting tournaments. When you’re shooting your bow all the time, the closer opening day gets, it’s time to shoot something live instead of fake deer targets,” Dungan said.

“There’s just something about the opening day of hunting season that gets our blood boiling. It’s hard to explain. You’re just antsy, and it gives you a trigger finger.”

And Perea said Friday that bow-hunting activity has been picking up the last week and a half in Bowie’s, although it hasn’t been as busy as this time last year.

“We got kind of busy before school started at the end of July, and then it dried up once the kids got in school,” Perea said.

“We were swamped last year, but this year we’ve been able to keep our head above water so far. There are definitely people getting ready, but last year it was pandemonium.”

Wyatt Craig, who works for the archery department at Sports Center, said bow hunters are coming in to get their bows checked out just as the season gets under way.

“They’re making sure their string is good to go and that it’s tuned,” Craig said.

“Everyone comes in at the last minute. We’ve seen an increase in probably the last two weeks. That’s just the society we live in — hurry up and wait.”

Tyler Brumfield, a student at Adams County Christian, said he’s been looking forward to bow hunting season since baseball ended in the spring.

“I’ve been shooting for the past month, and I’ve put up a trail camera on the land I’ll be hunting on to see what we have out there,” Brumfield said.

“We’ve seen two or three deer where I plan to be hunting. You don’t get a whole lot (of activity) until the rut season though.”

In addition to trail cameras, bow hunters have also made sure to get their food plots ready. Dungan said he’s also scouting certain trees in the area he wants to hunt.

“We’re growing our food plots, and also checking for oak and persimmon trees. We just want to get a game plan to see where we’re going to hang our tree stands,” Dungan said.

Oak and persimmon trees are a great food source in addition to plots, Dungan said, which is why hunters like to set their stands up close by.

“Basically, you’re hunting the trail leading to that tree. When the oak trees start to drop acorns, it’s one of the favorite things for the deer,” he said.

“They also love those persimmons, so we’re just seeing if they’ve fallen yet and if they’re feeding on those food sources.”

Although there aren’t any baseball games in the fall, Brumfield said it’s still a challenge balancing between the sport and taking the opportunity to go hunting.

“I love both bow hunting and baseball to death. It’s what I live for,” Brumfield said.

“I practice baseball a little bit in the fall and winter. Coach (Hunter) McKeivier doesn’t force us to be out there, but if you like the game enough, it’s hard not to be.

“You just have to give up one thing to work on the other. You have to try and mix it in. If you don’t, you end up doing one more than the other.”