Archery Opener! Who's Ready?

[DonBo]

Got a new area right across the road from our new spot on "The Lake". Set up a stand this weekend and it looks good! My new bow is itchin' to get broke in.

Anyone else excited about the opener. I know most like to wait till late October but I'd like to have a bonus deer or two in the freezer by then so I can wait for the big boy.

[Jim Uran]

I've been scouting now for the last month and a half. My stands are hung, the bow is tuned, I've been practicing, and I've been getting more excited everyday! I hope I meet up with that darn 13 pointer I've got plenty of pictures of. Split G2's, nice wide spread!! Or else I'll take a nice fat yearling for the freezer! It depends on who I see first,

[harvey lee]

I will be hanging a few new stands this weekend in North Dakota and getting things ready.

A bit of a wait yet. I don't hunt early any longer and just wait until we near the rut.

Good luck to all.

[Cooter]

I'll be ready by Saturday! Got two good looking areas on public land for the opener. After that I'll be on the uncles - still need to put up a few stands but already know where they'll be going. Hoping to get my ring bologna deer this weekend!

[bottomdweller]

Oh boy cant wait, love those first few times out. Its a bit warm but you never know. Lots of good sign and pics, just a matter of putting it all together now.

[dudewheresmyboat]

got access to a good chunk, scouted the other day bumped a nice 8. Got hopes set high but i'm looking forward to the duck season than deer. Good Luck to all!!!

[DonBo]

I'll be out in the morning. Not too excited about the warm weather but....I'll be hunting!

[Grayfox]

My son and I will be out behind the house tomorrow A.M. and hope to get him his first with the bow. We have seen more deer this year back there than ever before. I butchered my woods pretty good this spring and summer creating some thick bedding areas and trying to get some sunlight to the ground and then planted a couple food plots in the center of my woods,dug in a small watering hole and finally found a farmer willing to plant some corn in three spots on the property and it's looking like we're going to have a ball out there. I'll post up when we get in and hopefully junior will put one down. Good luck to all.

[Grayfox]

We'll we saw quite a few deer this morning but didn't take any shots. Had 7 deer within range and another 6 that were seen. We'll be back out early this afternoon, hopefully with one on the ground.

[B-man715]

Headed out shortly!

It's like Christmas in September

[DonBo]

Well, it might have been hot, but it sure was buggy! Glad I got that out of my system. I'll probably wait till it cools off some now.

Was hunting some new property right across from our spot on the lake and all I could think about was the boats I could hear out there. Hopefully it'll be a bit cooler next week. On the bright side, fishing was good.

[harvey lee]

Donbo, for the bug issue, try a Bug Tamer jacket and maybe the pants. I have hunted in some very buggy weather and I could hear the bugs swarming around me but I never got bit. The jacket works very well. I also have the pants but rarely use them.

I use to hunt the opener and every weekend after that but now I typically don't start until mid October. Cooler weather and easier to handle the meat. Downside is, less hunting days in the woods to enjoy.

[DonBo]

Tom, I have a Bug Tamer jacket and it works really well. I'd still rather fish when it's this warm I guess, plus, like you mentioned, the issue with taking care of the meat once a deer is down.

[Cooter]

I spent a total of about 45 minutes actually hunting. Bugs were rediculous. Didn't have a lot of time for butchering if I did get one so that really made the decision easy.

We sure had some interesting stories in our group though. One guy plain out missed at 15 yards. Another had his quiver fall off while drawing on one. A third got picked off as his arrow went 'scchrrreeecchhh' as he drew. Amateur hour bigtime!

I did do a first however, the group camping next to us got a doe and talked me into raw backstraps. Not too bad but lets just say I spent some time on a log the next morning!

Gonna hit a musky tourney this weekend - next week I'm laid off unfortunately and will spend some time in the woods hot/buggy or not.

[Cooter]

Time to update this post with the rut right around the corner. Things should start heating up pretty quick, usually around Halloween the bruisers start showing up. I don't have much to report, just got back from a fruitless week in CO chasing muleys and will be in Madison this weekend for the Badger game. Probably only gonna get a few days of rut hunting in - although sometimes thats all it takes! Any reports? Good luck!

[trimbelle22]

I have a few friends that have taken some decent bucks in the Prescott/Ellsworth area in the last week. From what I hear, the deer are definitely starting to move. I have been shooting a friend's bow for about a month and trying to get comfortable out to about 25 yards. Should be ready to go in a week or so when the rut is in full swing!

[Cooter]

First time in a treestand this morning, had a nice 8 point cruise by just after 9 am. He was too far out and heading away at an angle so I grunted but with the wind he couldn't hear it. Grabbed the rattle bag together and got his attention. He turned and headed my way but ended up downwind about 60 yards out and the game was over. Will be back out Sat and Sun.

[DonBo]

First time in a treestand this morning,

What's up with that? You must be back among the fully employed huh?

[Cooter]

Not only fully employed but:

- too many skeeters and hot opening weekend

- tourney director for Muskies Inc tourney in late Sept

- first weekend in Oct had downpours

- 2 weekends in CO for muleys

- one weekend in Madison to watch the Badgers

- last weekend cough/sinus junk but did hang stands/set blinds

If I'd had shot that buck this morning I couldn't have climbed out of the stand with that gigantic of a horseshoe up my arse! Been out so little plus we just haven't been seeing squat for deer the past 2 years. Don't even plan on shooting any does this year. At least I've put my time in now, so I won't feel guilty if I shoot a nice one this weekend!

[Cooter]

Hey, that was post #4,000!

[snoozebutton]

Good luck Cooter. I haven't gotten a chance yet at a decent one. Had a nice 10 walk by but too far out and couldn't get him to come in. Then had a pretty decent 8 come in but just couldn't get a shot I was comfortable with. Right now we're in Green Bay for the game today but I'll be out Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

[DonBo]

Shot a 10 pointer this morning. Story and pix later...