[DLarrick]

with season right around the corner now i am getting pretty excited. i was wondering what everybodies thoughts were for opening day. are you flinging an arrow at the first brown thing that walks by or you holding out? i know most hold out for bigger bucks but does anybody wait on does for it to get a bit colder or are they ready to put some meat in the freezer? personaly if its brown its down for the does opening day. love to take the pressure off and get some fresh back straps. i have killed opening day out of the same stand the past three years....and ill be right back there this Saturday. just a thread to keep the board active and peoples opinions about what they do.

good luck to all and be safe out there

 

[DangerDave]

The old motto, "If it's brown, it's down" used to be my creed. I wont shoot fawns but everything else is fair game and I feel obligated to take. The only legitimate reason for hunting is for meat. Even if your hunting coyotes, you take the pressure off of rabbits and squirrels which are tasty little critters. Last year on the first day of gun season though, I pulled the trigger on a nice doe but my primer on my ML didn't fire, she saw and heard me fumbling around for my reloading kit and by the time I had another primer in she was running off, but her fawn that I didnt see was right on her tail. This fawn was especially small and young (must have been bred extremely late the year before) which makes me wonder if I just wasnt supposed to shoot her. So now I have a new perspective on taking deer. I certainly will never hunt specifically for rack size, I dont care about my ego. I am just as happy taking does.

 

[jray]

yep me too im heading to the properties owned by farmers i know for a meat run and population control. The bucks on my place will wait for the rut. Of course if a 150 incher walks under my stand plans will change haha. We have to be a little smarter about things do to the new county bag limits.

 

[BaddFish]

Yep, an adult doe steps out, its over. Don't want to shoot yearlings- too much work and not enough meat.
I'll be sitting over a bean field, depending on the wind direction- it will probably dictate what I get the best chance at.
Bucks come in on the south side, does-usually north side.

Either way- I hope it doesn't get too warm- calling for 72...

 

[britton1989]

I try to wait till it gets a little colder so i dont have to run out there and get the deer quick and possible jump the deer because im worried about it spoiling in 85 degree heat.

 

[BaddFish]

I try to wait till it gets a little colder so i dont have to run out there and get the deer quick and possible jump the deer because im worried about it spoiling in 85 degree heat.

Understand your concern, but remember the deer- especially bucks have their feed bags on and have been gorging themselves for a while. They are easy to pattern but acorns get ate up fast and by me when the beans turn brown they are not desired as much until real cold weather. I've shot a good amount of deer in the first two weeks of season following the "hot" food source. Including my biggest buck to date on opening day a few years ago. Just get some bags of ice when you check them in!

 

[Mad-Eye Moody]

I'll be home working on my bathroom project that has overrun the schedule and budget by double.

When I do get out....I killed a nice buck last year, the first ever in my career. It changed the game for me. It was a whole new experience and soooo much more exciting.

I will be arrowing the first, second and third does that comes by, but will be passing on the rag horns that I have become known for shooting. Will be saving the buck tag for a biggun.

 

[icefisherman4life]

it sucks i have a golf tournament saturday and i cant go opening day. But after satruday ill wait till i see a 140 plus buck. Im gonna bust a doe in the new muzzleloader season. Then spend the rest of the season waiting on a giant if i dont see one i just wont get a buck. its what i do every year in bow season. good luck

 

[ostbucks98]

The old motto, "If it's brown, it's down" used to be my creed. I wont shoot fawns but everything else is fair game and I feel obligated to take. The only legitimate reason for hunting is for meat. Even if your hunting coyotes, you take the pressure off of rabbits and squirrels which are tasty little critters. Last year on the first day of gun season though, I pulled the trigger on a nice doe but my primer on my ML didn't fire, she saw and heard me fumbling around for my reloading kit and by the time I had another primer in she was running off, but her fawn that I didnt see was right on her tail. This fawn was especially small and young (must have been bred extremely late the year before) which makes me wonder if I just wasnt supposed to shoot her. So now I have a new perspective on taking deer. I certainly will never hunt specifically for rack size, I dont care about my ego. I am just as happy taking does.

so just say what you mean instead of this drawn out ramble and thats if you hunt for big bucks your an illegitamate egotistical hunter.....thank you

Sent from my ZTE-Z990G using Ohub Campfire mobile app

 

[T-180]

I'll take a doe for the freezer from one farm that has a very strong population of does and needs thinned out. Aside from that, I strictly hunt for mature bucks and no, it's not for my ego. I don't post pictures & drag it all over town, I just set my goals high for a buck tag. At my age I've had time to kill dozens of deer & some nice bucks & that's the challenge for me.

For whatever reason you choose to hunt or whatever animal you decide to kill, it's all good & let's not make judgemental claims against others who don't do like you.

 

[DangerDave]

I'm just saying I don't see any reason to chase exclusively the biggest buck on your trail cam. I understand that he is older and wiser than most deer but i'm a firm believer that a 6.5 y.o. doe is much more elusive than a 6.5 y.o. buck. He only has to worry about saving himself while she has to worry about herself and multiple fawns. And I also understand that some guys mean it when they say they hunt mature bucks for the challenge, (Though i can honestly say that many I have run into just use that as an excuse). I appreciate and respect that hunters are willing to take on a challenge, but to me it doesn't justify waiting all season for that one monster 5x5 and passing on everything esle that walks under your stand, in a way it comes down to luck in that case. The day will probably come when I have arrowed and shot so many deer that I want more of a challenge, which then I'll probably hunt with a bow I made myself and when that gets old I'll hunt with an atlatl. Ill be much more proud sticking a deer from 8 yards with an atlatl than from 30 feet up in a stand with a high tech bow that shoots 300fps.

 

[T-180]

A doe does not worry about saving her fawns, they worry about saving themselves. Besides, those fawns can survive just fine on their own. And, IMO , there is absolutely no comparison in the elusiveness of a 6.5 y.o. buck compared to the same doe. Any deer, given that much time & experience is going to be more wary than a younger one, but a large, old buck will change his patterns in the blink of an eye if you make a mistake whereas the doe can be shot from the same stand a few days later. Been there,done that.
By the way, love the atlatl reference !!! My son jokes about building one to hunt with all the time. I'd actually like to have one just for the heck of it.

 

[DangerDave]

A doe does not worry about saving her fawns, they worry about saving themselves. Besides, those fawns can survive just fine on their own. And, IMO , there is absolutely no comparison in the elusiveness of a 6.5 y.o. buck compared to the same doe. Any deer, given that much time & experience is going to be more wary than a younger one, but a large, old buck will change his patterns in the blink of an eye if you make a mistake whereas the doe can be shot from the same stand a few days later. Been there,done that.
By the way, love the atlatl reference !!! My son jokes about building one to hunt with all the time. I'd actually like to have one just for the heck of it.

Your first remark I will have to disagree with. Maybe in the fall when she chases them off that will apply, but from the spring till the rut she is their eyes ears and knowledge bank. She has to know where safe bedding, plentiful food, safe water sources, and the safest routes for her and her young. If your scent and noise is low enough certainly you can hop in a stand and see the same deer time and time again. I have had a group of does come in to a valley about 400 yards away from west to east in ML season and due to sudden wind direction change they all smelled me, 3 continued on in their route even though they knew I was around but a mature doe and i'm guessing her fawn actually stopped and headed the opposite way from me. Could those fawns survive on their own? Yes but learning their way of life from a mature doe certainly increase their chances of survival. Thank you though, I am considering making one next spring along with a handmade recurve.

 

[BaddFish]

I'm not going to join into the 6yr old Doe VS 6 yr old Buck debate...

I like to think of this way.... A 6 yr old buck may weigh in excess of...250-280lbs..

A doe that age... around 140-160 if your lucky.

Bottom Line- Older deer/Older Bucks provide more MEAT!
(big racks are cool to look at too )

 

[DangerDave]

Baddfish that's a good point. If a 200lb buck and a 150lb doe were both in range it would be almost idiotic not to take the buck. Doesn't mean you should keep passing on does and 6 pointers just because you want that legend, thats alot of meat your passing up!! Your hunting the same select spots all year, sure there's scouting involved but if you know where deer are at and travel through you will wait and pass until your lucky enough that the biggn finally gets in your sights. Idk that doesn't seem like challenge to me, that's patience and luck. Anyways I'm sure I've offended and pissed off enough people already. Keep waiting for your wall hangers fellas, I'm going to be filling my freezer

 

[Header]

Back to the main topic of this thread. I'll be up a tree by 7am over looking an apple pile I dropped on Monday. I've taken several does from the tree and seen some really nice bucks, also minor bucks as well. Hope to be at the checkin before they're ready, landowner tag with no home printer.

 

[bobk]

Baddfish that's a good point. If a 200lb buck and a 150lb doe were both in range it would be almost idiotic not to take the buck. Doesn't mean you should keep passing on does and 6 pointers just because you want that legend, thats alot of meat your passing up!! Your hunting the same select spots all year, sure there's scouting involved but if you know where deer are at and travel through you will wait and pass until your lucky enough that the biggn finally gets in your sights. Idk that doesn't seem like challenge to me, that's patience and luck. Anyways I'm sure I've offended and pissed off enough people already. Keep waiting for your wall hangers fellas, I'm going to be filling my freezer

What the heck does it matter how or what people want to shoot? You keep trying to act like it's wrong to strictly hunt for a trophy. Let everyone do as they please and leave it at that.Welcome to ogf?

 

[T-180]

Danger, you haven't upset me in the least, love a good discussion. But having hunted deer for almost 40 years, I'm a little set in my ways : ).
And , as soon as I can get out there, I'll be patiently waiting for my wall hanger AND filling my freezer, while I wait. Said I'd take a doe for meat when she presents herself, then wait on the buck. Wife isn't too big on the deer meat anyway and both boys are out of the house, so no need to kill too many.
I set some apples out w/ trail cams, but one camera broke & the other needs re-positioned (facing into the sun too much). Did see a nice, but young 8 point near one of the piles while scouting & a couple nice fat does in a hay field. Those does will be walking right through the funnel where one stand is on a regular basis now.

Good luck to everyone & please be safe & wear your safety harness when in a tree !!!

 

[koonzie99]

Ill be out there. Got a brand new bow this year so il be shooting the 1st nice doe i see. Then il be buck hunting till gun season. I cant wait to get some hot pepper trial and burger.

 

[idontknow316]

I'll be taking my ten year old out with a crossbow, hoping to get him his first deer.