If you've got a hunter in your house, you already know what this week means. Deer season's almost here. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's 2026–27 season dates, the general white-tailed deer season opens Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, in both the North and South zones. Here in Anderson County we're in the North Zone, and TPWD's county page lists our general season as Nov. 7, 2026, through Jan. 3, 2027. The East Texas Banner has been covering bowhunters who've been out since archery season opened Oct. 3, and it's a good reminder to check your own county's rules before you head out.
I love this time of year. Opening weekend is a big deal around here, full of early alarms, thermoses and time outdoors with family and friends. It can also leave people with sore backs and stiff shoulders. Hunting looks restful from the outside, but anybody who's done it knows it asks a lot of your body in quiet ways. So here's my friendly, no-scare guide to getting through the season feeling good.
Let's start with the sit. A morning in a stand or a blind can mean hours of holding still, often hunched a little forward, with your eyes on one spot. That's hard on muscles that like to move. Harvard Health notes that hours of sitting can tighten the hip flexors and hamstrings and stiffen the joints, and that tight hip flexors and hamstrings may contribute to low back pain. You can't exactly do jumping jacks in a deer stand, but you can do small things. Shift your weight now and then, roll your shoulders slowly, and gently squeeze and release your glutes and thighs. Another Harvard Health guide suggests standing, stretching or moving around every 30 minutes to avoid stiffness. In the woods that might just mean a slow stand-and-stretch between quiet spells of glassing, or a short walk at midday.
Then there's the haul. Between the pack, the seat, the rifle or bow, the thermos and whatever else ends up riding along, a lot of weight goes in and out of the woods. The basics apply to hunters just as well as to the schoolkids they were written for. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends always using both shoulder straps, tightening them so the load stays close to your back, packing heavier items low and toward the center, and carrying only what you need. It also suggests a waist strap for heavy loads. If you're dragging anything out at the end of a good day, take your time, use your legs, and ask for help. Nobody's handing out medals for doing it alone.
And then there's the cold. Those early East Texas mornings can feel downright raw when you've been sitting still since before sunrise. Harvard Health explains that in the cold, your body sends more blood toward your core, so your arm and leg muscles get less blood and oxygen. A sports medicine physician there puts it plainly: "With less oxygen, the muscles are stiffer, they don't work as well, and they fatigue easily." The same article recommends a whole-body dynamic warm-up in cold weather, things like arm circles, trunk twists and knees to chest, and saving held stretches for when your muscles are warm. So before you climb, give yourself a few minutes of easy movement. Your shoulders will thank you when it's time to raise that rifle or draw that bow.
Where does massage fit in? I'll be honest and keep it modest. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says massage therapy may be helpful for neck or shoulder pain, though the benefits may only last a short time. What I can promise is an hour of warmth and attention for the parts of you that held still in the cold all weekend. A good post-hunt massage focuses on the low back, the hips and the shoulders, plus a foot massage for the feet that stood in wet boots longer than they'd like to admit. And if something hurts in a way that feels sharp, unusual or isn't easing up, please check in with your doctor first.
My 60-minute massage is $80 and comes with hot stones and aromatherapy, which feel especially good after a cold sit. First-time clients get 10% off their first visit. I'm in my room inside the salon in Palestine on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9 AM to 6 PM, which works out nicely for a midweek reset between weekend hunts. Starting Nov. 28, I'll be open Saturdays from 9 AM to 2 PM too. You can book online anytime.
Stay warm, stretch before you climb, and may your coffee stay hot until the sun comes up.
— EarthlyEscapesMassage
Photo by Andrew Patrick Photo on Pexels.