About this time of year we are all looking forward to opening day. I'm sure some of us already have plans on where we are going to ambush that buck opening day. Have any of your opening day plans come together? I have killed 2 bucks on my first sit of the season. One being opening day, the other being my fist chance to hunt that season. I've also killed 2 does on opening day hunts. I killed a nice buck in my subdivision in 2005 the 3rd day of the season. After getting home from work, I showered and got into my stand 30 yards from a huge oak tree on the edge of a neighbors yard. About 6:00 an nice 120" 8 pointer came for his evening snack of acorns. An arrow through both lungs and he was down 50 yards later. Then in 2006 I killed a neat looking 11 point buck that was the 4th and biggest buck to pass my stand on their way back to bed about 7:30 on opening morning in Illinois. Not a real monster, but a cool looking buck.
Kudos to you for getting it done earlier in those instances. I've never bagged a buck on an archery opener but have for gun season when I gun hunted. I hope to take one on opening day this year. IT sure would take a lot of pressure off of me going into the season.
I say NO! I have seen what I wanted to see as to my targets but have only killed two does on my opening days. Most of my kills are when I turn on the heat with my vacation of 3-4 weeks come late Oct to end of Nov. That is when most of my killing is done. I want to claim a wall hanger early so that it is not beat up. Both of my nice bucks on the wall are missing a brow with other broken tips to most of a tine. I killed my 10 pointer on November 28th 2004 and my 11 pointer was killed on December 9th 2010! Here they are: My 10 pointer with broken brow and chipped tines and main beam! My 11 pointer with broken brow and broken G-3! NOW YOU SEE WHY I WANT A BUCK EARLY SEASON! NEED ONE WITH NO BROKEN TINES OR ANY BROKEN RACK AT ALL!
Not yet for me John. If our season would come in a little earlier I think I could have made it happen. Twice I have had 2 different Bucks patternered comming out in the beans and 2 days to a week before they dissapere both times.
My father took a button buck on his first bow hunt ever in 2002. I have yet to take one with a bow and I've been going since the same year. That's the last deer to fall to an arrow from either of us
Never have I got an opening day deer period. In 2007 I arrowed my biggest buck on my 2nd hunt of the year.
In 2009 I got a buck on Sept 17 (I believe it was the 5th day of the season) Man did that make for along archery season with my buck tag punched that early. I have mixed emotions about doing it again but if the right buck showed up I would :D Early season bucks make beautiful mounts
You know it. I started to really figure out the deer when I got into high school but I also was playing football and lacrosse 7 days a week all through high school. Now I'm outta college and I'm a career firefighter with a schedule that was made for hunting so I'm gonna get after it this season. I landed 2, possibly 3, private properties and I have a few promising state land spots as well so I'm really excited for the season. Thanks for the support!
Cool! I was a volunteer firefighter for 4 1/2 years. I miss it but now after my 4th knee surgery I am sure that it would not be able to handle it any longer.
IDK if lightning will strike again this year, but if not....I'm still happy with last year's opening day results.:D
I have never killed a buck in velvet. Did you have this guy mounted? If so I would love to see a picture of him. All of Illinois deer have lost the velvet before season opener so I would have to go somewhere with a very early season to get one.
Never been successful on opening day for archery. If I am not for gun season I will not be as the deer in my area become holed up in some thick, nasty stuff on property that is not hunted each year. One year (I think it was 2008 season) I had a 6 (very long, tall tines), 8 (basket rack) and 10 (145-150") walk within 15 feet of my 8 foot ladder stand from downwind of me and I could not even draw on them 'cause I had not harvested a doe in WI. This is in the CWD region of SW Wisconsin. I was so late getting there after working all day 2.5 hours away that I did not even change into my hunting apparel. Instead I was still in my hospital scrubs and they did not even detect me. These 3 bucks followed that same pattern every night until about 1 week after the WI opener that year. Hopefully, this is the year to fill the freezer opening day even though I still have 10 vacuum seal bags of backstraps left!! WIfe thought they were all gone, but I found them this past weekend!! Grillin' party at my house?
I've killed several opening day bucks. Those were all back in the day when any buck was fair game. I also tend to be lucky shooting does on the opener as well. I really enjoy that. I had one year (05) where I shot 3 does in 4 sits to start the season.
That is cool! Keeping it in velvet is really neat and one day I will have one in velvet. Just have to find a state with early season. lol
