Deer Hunting Season

[Argee]

Well the 2002 firearm deer season is officially under way in Michigan. Drove into work this morning and the backroads were abuzz with early morning traffic. Thought I was back in the city during rush hour for a moment. The restaurants are booming as well as the bars. The buck poles will start filling up for this years "Big Buck" contest. [img]/forums/images/icons/ooo.gif[/img] In this part of the country, "opening day" is revered as much as a national holiday, with some companies closing for the day(probably because if they stayed open there probably wouldn't be anyone there to do the work) It's almost like a holiday flavor in the air. I've heard the song "Da turty point buck" by Da Upers [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img] almost endlessly on the radio, similar to the holiday song one hears over and over at Christmas.

What's it like in your neck of the woods during "opening day"?

[pbenven]

Hi Argee. This is our last weekend for deer up here - actually second to last for the muzzle loaders.

Not much changes around here accept for the occasional glimpse of blaze orange in the tree stands that are visible from the road. But then again this is not what I would call a deer mecca - mostly local hunters.

I used to go to PA every year to hunt on a friend's property. I remember the first time I went down. I was 15 years old and used to moose hunting (read sitting and freezing for hours and not seeing anything.) I couldn't believe it - I counted 55 in the first half hour.

In the following years, I used to make the trip down just for the doe season. Opening day was a holiday in the small town - no school, no work. It was called "Mother's Day," much to the chagrin of most of the women.

Good luck to you and your group.

By the way, the favorite here on the radio is "Da second week of deercamp."

[TimSullivan]

Shot gun season starts Monday in our area. Open hunting land is very hard to find. We let our neighbors and a few friends hunt our land and they do well. Two years ago 15 deer and last year twelve came off our land. One group bagged three on Thanksgiving Day last year. The best a ten pointer. They share the bounty with us so we get venison the easy way.

This year only one was taken during bow but my neighbor got himself the twelve pointer I have been watching this fall. I hope that is the one who has been racking my new trees. [img]/forums/images/icons/mad.gif[/img]

I have already had to ask some bow hunters to leave my property. They were tracked down by my dogs and I one guy actually was upset because I was in my woods ruining his hunting. I have two one hundred pound Giant Schnauzers that sure do persuade people. I keep them close and do not let them get ahead of me. It is nice to watch them pick up the sent at the road and follow it right to the hunter. My female barks but the male just growls and shows his pearly whites. Of course the 30-30 I carry does not hurt either. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

One of the guys I threw off called the Conservation Officer and reported me for carrying the rifle in the woods and not wearing a license. The officer turned out to be one of my former students. I think he had fun coming to my house to check on his old teacher's transgression. I explained that I was only hunting hunters and the state doesn't have a license to do that. That got a smile out of him but we agreed that I would call him the next time. Now I have to remember my cell phone when I go hunting for hunters. [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Ranchman]

Opening weekend in Texas tends to increase pickup traffic a bit. Lots of trailers with 4 wheelers (and the occasional Jeep) so guys can get to their stand and not have to hike across several hundred acres to get there (Wish I had one!). Motels in the areas known for deer hutting usually have stuff like "Welcome Hunters!" on their signs and "hunter's specials" are common at the local eateries.

Generally the # of trucks with blinds and/or feeders falls off by opening day, but you'll see a few fellas a bit late on their game hauling something to hide in or such even on opening weekend. (I got *almost* all my stuff up a couple of months prior to season to allow the deer to pattern/acclimate to it.) The rifle range is packed just before opening day too. Every year I promise myself I'll get things sighted in early, and every year I'm waiting for an open spot at the bench so I too can make sure my scope is "on target."

Opening day in N. Texas was pretty miserable. Cold, rain, soggy, messy. I've spied about half a dozen deer (mainly does) on my outings so far, but I've chosen to hold off for the "right one" to date. I just kindof like to "pick my shot" I suppose. It's been really warm (up in to the 70's) here lately, so it doesn't "feel right”, but hey, it is nicer than freezing your fanny off because you're staying perfectly still waiting for "bucky" to show up!

[Pat]

MY wife was out filling the sunflower seed feeders and the thistle seed feedersfor the birds this morning about 0700 and saw a good sized buck about 75 feet from the back door. He walked away and came back in a few minutes accompanied by a doe.

I still haven't seen the monster buck (perhaps a mutant with extra large hooves) that leaves tracks about 20 feet from the attached garage in view of the highway.

I keep checking but the local markets haven't run out of meat yet so I haven't taken the trouble to pop one of these visitors. If times got hard, I'd be doin' deer but it isn't worth the hassle, just now.

Pat

[DeereHunter]

Here in PA, deer season starts the monday after thnxgivin'.
And you would think that is a holiday with most schools closed
and many business people taking the day off.
In my part of PA, they have a new law on buck which states
it must have 8 points to be legal, other parts of the state must have at least 6 pts. Also the combined buck and doe season together. Its used to be two separate seasons. I'll let you know how I did next monday,
-Shawn

[pbenven]

Hey Deerehunter, I used to hunt in Elk county near Wilcox - that near you?

[Hayseed]

I like the eight point rule. In Ark. they changed the law a couple of years ago to where one horn had to have three points. The racks have gotten a little better since then but I would much prefer an eight point rule. Many folks might not get a deer for the first couple of years as the bucks were allowed to mature but in the long run I think it would be more beneficial for everyone. The season there opens the second Saturday of Nov. and runs for four weeks. Where I hunt you can have two bucks and two does, one buck and three does or four does.

Good luck hunting!

[I_am_the_walrus]

You can put the rack in the freezer,but you still cannot eat it....
I would take a doe any day.....tastes better to me....

[Hayseed]

I don't have any objection to shooting a doe. As a matter of fact, I would have shot one this year had a big one walked by me, but unforunately all I saw were young does so I did not shoot.

As far as taste, I have eaten both and never noticed a difference. I guess it is all in the way it is prepared.