Killing a good buck opening week

[Bucky]

Have you done it? If so, how?

[dreaming bucks]

I only really know one person that has killed a mature buck opening week, a 195" non typical... it doesn't seem to happen much around me, it will be interesting to see how many people say they have done it.... good thread!

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[phade]

I killed an older, mature back last year on our opener, the first time it moved to Oct. 1 from mid-October. I pretty much used beast tactics to a T on this setup and it was like reading a game plan, like a football OC knowing what play the DC was going to call before the D took the field.

I always thought our prior opener of mid-Oct precluded alot of opening day/weekend/week success as patterns had shifted by then. But, a person I know was very successful at killing mature bucks on opening day here prior to that move, something like 4 years running on quality older bucks for the area. Makes you wonder if it's tactics, access, luck, or season structure that influences it more. Obviously some of all, but at what point does a season structure inihibit or expand a hunter's scenario, and same goes for access.

[Bucky]

Phade can you give detail of when you found the bed? How did you decide it was likely going to be used Oct 1st? When was the last time you were in the area prior to setting up for the kill?


PLB - same set of ?s for your opening weekend kill last year?

Dan - you are always hunting beds and I know you have killed some good ones early.... how do you decide which bedding area to attack?

[headgear]

I was just going to mention PLB's buck, if I recall he was scouting and found some amazing sign before the season and arrowed him opening night. Come on PLB lets hear that story again!

[phade]

Phade can you give detail of when you found the bed? How did you decide it was likely going to be used Oct 1st? When was the last time you were in the area prior to setting up for the kill?


PLB - same set of ?s for your opening weekend kill last year?

Dan - you are always hunting beds and I know you have killed some good ones early.... how do you decide which bedding area to attack?

The bedding area was suspected but never verified for sometime. I owe some credit to GJS4 here...we chatted at length about it and we came together in agreement that the bed (multiple beds) was in a brushy area. The assumption was correct after very quick scouting mission into it.

The property was an hour away one way, so I used cams more often to keep tabs on the buck (two mature bucks using the area). I hung a stand for it in July and let it be. I think my last check was sometime in August for the Oct. 1 opener. I seriously question whether that buck took 50 steps from its bed before I arrowed it.

I don't wish they were all that easy, but it'd be nice from time to time, lol.

[James]

I killed a buck that weighed 180 dressed and what I believe was a 3yo on opening day in 2009 on public land. So if that defines mature then I guess I fall in that category.

I was basically right over his bed from winter scouting. He came to the oaks I was in on a very small island to stage/feed before working his way towards Ag fields. The entire hunt was documented on the second Extreme Whitetails episode.

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[Bucky]

James - yup! I remember that hunt.... were acorns dropping? Is that what he was coming to? Did you scout (step foot in said area) at all June-July-August-Sept?

[BassBoysLLP]

Not a giant, but my only opening week buck taken about 10 years ago



Classic opening weekend hunt. I knew where the bachelor group was bedding based on spring scouting. I knew where they were going based on glassing. I walked as close and quiet as possible to the bedding area, set up my lone wolf, and sat quietly. Came out at dusk and made a good shot.

It was hot that night. I shot him in flip flops!

[Stanley]

I have killed a couple of bucks opening day. One comes to mind 32 years ago I had a buck patterned by glassing him during Sept. first part of October (season opened about the 10th of Oct.). I hunted a different farm in the morning. The wind was right for this buck. I climbed up in a tree, no stand just stood on a limb, and arrowed him. I think that qualifies as Beast style.




The funny part of the story is I hunted the entire season the year before and arrowed this buck on second to last day of the season in the morning. This buck I also killed by climbing a tree and standing on a limb. I used to do that a lot when I was younger.

Looks like I not only used the same method to kill both bucks but wore the same shirt.

[Bucky]

Here is one of mine...

I set this stand in late July.... first time hunt on a finger coming from CRP (later I discovered the CRP was loaded with deer beds) and heading into a white acorn oak flat that was "raining" acorns. Tons and tons of acorns dropping from multiple trees. The temperature on this specific hunt also dropped almost 20 degrees from the day prior... Sept 27th or 28th

Public land

[tim]

not mature but i killed a nice 3.5 year old my first night out i believe monday night after opening week (05)i got up for first sit. i sat kind of an observation stand where i keep my camera all summer. its on a tree row that splits my crop field from my grown up pasture. i forgot all my camo but had a good wind and it was really warm.the tree row runs east/west and the ridge rounded east to north around below me. a couple bucks started up the pasture in the tall grass as i was watching them 11 point snuck out on the edge of the corn about 30 yards from me and he was getting ready to get into the corn but i got an arrow in him. i dont get a chance to hunt too much early season as i take all my time off at once later in the fall.

[tim]

nice deer bucky

[Stanley]

Here is one of mine...

I set this stand in late July.... first time hunt on a finger coming from CRP (later I discovered the CRP was loaded with deer beds) and heading into a white acorn oak flat that was "raining" acorns. Tons and tons of acorns dropping from multiple trees. The temperature on this specific hunt also dropped almost 20 degrees from the day prior... Sept 27th or 28th

Public land

That is a good one Bucky. I never did like to kill a buck early season. Wait all year and you're done early. I can handle it better now. I haven't hunted opening day for a few years now. Been picking seed corn.

[ozzz]

Not opening week but the second weekend which here in WI is still Sept.