Has Opening Day been good to you in the past?

[jakesnake66]

I wish I'd thought to ask this a few days ago, but I didn't. So I'll ask it now:

Has Opening Day of archery season been good to you over the years? Who has put a deer down on the first day? Any good stories?

I have no good stories about Opening Day other than 2015 when I saw ELEVEN deer. Why didn't I shoot one? Because they were all does with fawns, and I just don't shoot does with fawns during archery season.

I'm hoping tomorrow to have a good story to tell!

[Rancher]

Was able to stick a dry doe few years ago when the 1st fell on a Sunday so the season opened up sept 30th, the Saturday. I shot her on the evening hunt. She’s my 1st and only sept deer so far.

[Tjc]

I’ve killed several opening day. Two opening day bucks have been full velvet. After checking cameras this past weekend my son has a good chance of getting a velvet buck tomorrow. He killed a full velvet 8 point the third day of season last year. Good luck to all. Gonna chase squirrels at daylight and climb a tree tomorrow evening. Couldn’t ask for better weather.

[ji63]

I never have done well on opening day. Today I saw 4 bucks and 7 does with fawns but the bucks weren't cooperating and it's to early to shoot a doe for me.

[mossyman]

Didn’t work for me yesterday...been getting daylight pics everyday for the last 2 months in this one spot...had one blow at me as son as I climbed down at dark. Go figure!

[jakesnake66]

Very quick clarification: I do not care AT ALL if others choose to shoot does with fawns! I do not judge other hunters' decisions - as long as they are legal and relatively ethical - and I'll never impose my "standards" on others. It's simply a personal rule, whether it's the least bit practical or not. If you choose to take a doe with fawns, more power to you. None of my business.

[Shackbully58]

Not so much opening day but my b'day is Oct 7 and I killed my first
rack buck on my b'day. Halloween has always been good to me but I think its more about the white oak acorns on the ground that time of year

[malfrun]

Was my first time hunting archery, bought a crossbow this year just to try it out, and got a doe Saturday evening right before I was headed home (she was dry as a bone milk wise). Actually mis judged and missed her (I range-finded some spots but got excited and counted too many lines in the scope and shot over), didn't want to try and reload that thing in the stand, said screw it, climbed down in a climbing stand, saw her again still walking around, reloaded, and took the 2nd shot from 20 yards.

No one's hunted this place in over 10 years, everything around it is pasture, so they've never seen a hunter, we're just those guys that fill up the corn things. It's almost too easy.



Got spotted Thursday by a doe that blew and run em all off, let a dinky 6 point walk on Friday.

Brother missed one same time I got mine, said he saw 9 deer, took a longer shot than he should have as the close one was obviously still nursing.



Want to try and hit it Sunday after the storm and get another if everything co-operates. Problem is we still have several does that are nursing 3-4 fawns still around but they about old enough to wean. One was eating leaves and stuff around the pond I was over.

Have no facilities out there, was a good time sleeping in a hammock all weekend though.

Kind of want to get a normal bow now, that crossbow is heavy and bulky to be honest and don't see much advantage other than it's pre-drawn for you, but can't reload in the stand.

[jakesnake66]

Originally Posted by malfrun

don't see much advantage other than it's pre-drawn for you, but can't reload in the stand.

The only real advantage I see to crossbows for the way I hunt is the fact that there's no drawing back. I hunt from the ground, and by far the hardest part of using a compound bow is getting to full draw without the deer seeing me. I've considered a crossbow for this reason. It's already "locked and loaded."

[capnbo]

Originally Posted by jakesnake66

The only real advantage I see to crossbows for the way I hunt is the fact that there's no drawing back. I hunt from the ground, and by far the hardest part of using a compound bow is getting to full draw without the deer seeing me. I've considered a crossbow for this reason. It's already "locked and loaded."

I switched to a crossbow and ground blind last year due to physically declining strength and balance. My compound grouping had opened up and out of respect to the animals hunted and my safety using a climber, I made the decision to switch to a crossbow and ground blind. It has been a good experience. I have taken 3 shots, 2 does and 1 hog, and all have been recovered within 40 yards. It has allowed me to continue to be a bowhunter, a sport I have loved for over 35 years. I still shoot my compound in my backyard range but not while hunting.