In many states, September offers hunters their first crack at wily whitetails. If yours is among them, here are a few tips that might help tip the odds ever so slightly in your direction.

Scout - Early-season whitetails are often very regular in their routines but are also very susceptible to disturbance. Trail cameras and plot watchers provide a less intrusive means to keep tabs on their daily routine. Checking cameras by ATV rather than on foot might also be a better idea, particularly if you ride through the area on any kind of regular basis.

Think Food - They don't move much, but when they do it's usually associated with food. Find concentrations of early fall food. Favorites include crops like soybeans, soft mast like apples or persimmons or hard mast like white oak acorns, which are often the first to fall.

Hunt the Peaks - Deer are most active at dawn and dusk throughout the year but this is particularly true early in the season. Most of the activity will be within the first and last hour of daylight. Hit the peaks now and save the longer sits and days off from work for later in the season.

Be Prepared - Early season can be warm and buggy. Warm temperatures call for extra attention to scent control. Wash yourself and your clothes with odor killing soap, they spray everything, including equipment with odor-reducing solution. You may also want to carry a small spray bottle with you and apply regularly in the field. Meanwhile, a ThermaCELL will keep biting insects at bay without alerting deer.