Halloween is over, Thanksgiving is right around the corner and Christmas decorations are already greeting shoppers in most area stores. This can mean only one thing: Pennsylvania’s favorite holiday is almost here — the opening day of deer season. Every year, hunters worry about getting time off to camp, making sure the rifle is sighted, and even deciding who will help them drag the trophy they hope to bag back to the truck. This year, there is another concern to add to the list: will it rain before opening day?

As of Nov. 1, 35 counties have declared a state of drought. It’s unsurprising, given the dryer-than-normal summer and almost no rainfall through September and October. Although the forecast has some scattered showers predicted for the upcoming week, they will likely be offset by the higher-than-average temperatures predicted during the same time period. This means hunters are likely to see a dry, warm start to the hunting season. But what does a drought mean in terms of deer hunting? Well, the short answer could be better.

The dry conditions have resulted in very poor crop growth in many places. On Monday, I was hunting pheasants in a feed where corn had not reached knee level before drying out and dying. This means that food crops will be limited, and if you planted food plants, they may be nothing more than dry dirt. Deer will move more as they look for available food, often straying from their usual territory. The food they find will usually provide less water and be more fibrous, unsuitable for long-term survival.

Where there is food and water, the deer will congregate in closer proximity than normal. Although this sounds like a good thing when hunting, it will make your job harder. More eyes, ears, and noses all on high alert will make getting close enough to these herds more difficult. Even more concerning is the likelihood that diseases such as CWD will spread more easily through these tight-knit groups, spelling disaster for not only this season but many more to come.

Disease is not the only danger these herds face either. As drought conditions continue and deer do not receive enough water, the herd members will suffer physically. Bucks will not be able to produce the average amount of antler mass. Does will find it challenging to make the milk needed for fawns. Fawns born during a drought will face poor growth during the first year, which is almost impossible to overcome in later seasons. In other words, deer will be smaller, offspring will be less healthy, and the results will last many years. None of which is good for the deer or the hunters.

The habitat is also suffering. The best plants regarding nutrition and water content have already been browsed; a continued drought will likely kill whatever is left. Secondary food sources will likely face the same fate. This means that next season may see the area these crops called home being overtaken by less desirable drought-resistant competitors. Plus, there is the risk of wildfires. As I write this, there are 13 active wildfires in the Commonwealth, something rarely seen in the fall months. Each of these fires kills additional habitat while driving wildlife out of the area.

Only time will tell if there will be enough rain between now and the opening day to make a difference. Either way, the deer have already been negatively affected, and any positive action from this point forward will only lessen the long-term effects. There is no way to undo the damage already done.