What to do for the Opener?

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


pitz0022
Posts: 158
Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2014 8:12 am
Status: Offline

What to do for the Opener?

Unread postby pitz0022 » Sat Aug 29, 2015 7:51 am

So for the Archery opener my wife will be out of town. That means I have the kids all weekend. Less than ideal from a Beast hunt perspective. Here are my options:

1) take the kids to the cabin. The whole hunting party My dad, Uncle and brothers) will be there and it is a good time. I have a ground blind set on a food plot that I have seen a decent number of deer on opening night. It isn't beast style, but it is a hunt with a reasonable chance of seeing deer although probably not any trophies. My girls are 3 and 5 so I think if I keep it short, they will be able to sit for an hour or two. The have been begging me to take them hunting and there wouldn't be any mosquito's in there so they should be able to sit still. I only get one deer up there this year and I'm holding out for a decent buck so I would have low confidence in pulling the trigger.

2) Stay home, get a babysitter for Saturday night and hunt some spots close to home that I have scouted. I have been staying out of those spots and haven't been glassing/shining much but was pretty excited about what I found post season last year.

I'm leaning towards enjoying the time with my kids and teaching them to love the sport but it doesn't seem very "Beastly".

What would you do?


User avatar
OZARKHUNTER88
Posts: 81
Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2015 10:16 am
Location: NWA
Status: Offline

Re: What to do for the Opener?

Unread postby OZARKHUNTER88 » Sat Aug 29, 2015 7:58 am

Hard to go wrong with spending quality time in the outdoors with family... especially if they are showing interest and want to go. You never know what might step out.
Dutch
Posts: 111
Joined: Wed Nov 19, 2014 11:17 am
Location: CT
Status: Offline

Re: What to do for the Opener?

Unread postby Dutch » Sat Aug 29, 2015 8:08 am

Option number one all the way!
User avatar
PK_
500 Club
Posts: 6894
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2012 5:10 am
Location: Just Off
Status: Offline

Re: What to do for the Opener?

Unread postby PK_ » Sat Aug 29, 2015 8:22 am

#1!!!

You have the rest of the season to grind and hunt hard. You can't shoot a doe opening day? Might be enough to hook your kids for life.
No Shortcuts. No Excuses. No Regrets.
Everybody's selling dreams. I'm too cheap to buy one.
Rich M wrote:Typically, hunting FL has been like getting a root canal
User avatar
whitetailassasin
Posts: 3404
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2012 12:34 pm
Location: Michigan
Status: Offline

Re: What to do for the Opener?

Unread postby whitetailassasin » Sat Aug 29, 2015 8:29 am

PK_ wrote:#1!!!

You have the rest of the season to grind and hunt hard. You can't shoot a doe opening day? Might be enough to hook your kids for life.


Sounds like a doe killing mission!

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
pitz0022
Posts: 158
Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2014 8:12 am
Status: Offline

Re: What to do for the Opener?

Unread postby pitz0022 » Sat Aug 29, 2015 8:43 am

whitetailassasin wrote:
PK_ wrote:#1!!!

You have the rest of the season to grind and hunt hard. You can't shoot a doe opening day? Might be enough to hook your kids for life.


Sounds like a doe killing mission!

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image


One deer for us this year (at least in that part of the state) - and bucks only where that food plot is.
BassBoysLLP
500 Club
Posts: 9756
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2011 11:28 am
Location: Central WI
Status: Offline

Re: What to do for the Opener?

Unread postby BassBoysLLP » Sat Aug 29, 2015 9:03 am

Option #1! Option #2 sounds depressing.

[ Post made via Android ] Image
User avatar
jmaas07
500 Club
Posts: 2645
Joined: Sun Sep 22, 2013 3:21 am
Status: Offline

Re: What to do for the Opener?

Unread postby jmaas07 » Sat Aug 29, 2015 10:32 am

I think I'm the outlier here...I'd stay home, get a babysitter and hunt the spots you pre scouted and get after them right away

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
User avatar
Ryan
500 Club
Posts: 546
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2015 12:36 am
Location: north carolina
Status: Offline

Re: What to do for the Opener?

Unread postby Ryan » Sat Aug 29, 2015 1:02 pm

Option 1, you'll remember that one far longer even if you don't kill anything

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
User avatar
Florida
500 Club
Posts: 996
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 3:20 am
Facebook: facebook.com/huntinggeardeals
Location: I'll give you 1 guess.
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: What to do for the Opener?

Unread postby Florida » Sat Aug 29, 2015 1:27 pm

jmaas07 wrote:I think I'm the outlier here...I'd stay home, get a babysitter and hunt the spots you pre scouted and get after them right away

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image


Number one also. Do you have kids Jmaas? I would probably try to talk Grandpa into taking the kids for a hunt or two though.

[ Post made via Android ] Image
http://www.huntinggeardeals.com
Co-Host Down South Hunting Podcast
User avatar
jmaas07
500 Club
Posts: 2645
Joined: Sun Sep 22, 2013 3:21 am
Status: Offline

Re: What to do for the Opener?

Unread postby jmaas07 » Sat Aug 29, 2015 1:45 pm

Florida wrote:
jmaas07 wrote:I think I'm the outlier here...I'd stay home, get a babysitter and hunt the spots you pre scouted and get after them right away

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image


Number one also. Do you have kids Jmaas? I would probably try to talk Grandpa into taking the kids for a hunt or two though.

[ Post made via Android ] Image


Yes I have kids but after putting in all the work in the off season and all the preparation, everyone's best chance is right away opening day or the first few days of the season...no doubt I would be sitting my best spots no matter what. In my opinion there is plenty of time during the season to get out with the kids and spend time with them in a blind and let them experience the outdoors and deer hunting...

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
User avatar
Florida
500 Club
Posts: 996
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 3:20 am
Facebook: facebook.com/huntinggeardeals
Location: I'll give you 1 guess.
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: What to do for the Opener?

Unread postby Florida » Sat Aug 29, 2015 3:42 pm

jmaas07 wrote:
Florida wrote:
jmaas07 wrote:I think I'm the outlier here...I'd stay home, get a babysitter and hunt the spots you pre scouted and get after them right away

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image


Number one also. Do you have kids Jmaas? I would probably try to talk Grandpa into taking the kids for a hunt or two though.

[ Post made via Android ] Image


Yes I have kids but after putting in all the work in the off season and all the preparation, everyone's best chance is right away opening day or the first few days of the season...no doubt I would be sitting my best spots no matter what. In my opinion there is plenty of time during the season to get out with the kids and spend time with them in a blind and let them experience the outdoors and deer hunting...

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image


I saw the hunt camp experience as a bigger deal than sitting in the blind. An hour in a blind is a long time for a 3 year old kid. I'll agree that if you could kill your buck at the beginning of the season, it would leave a lot more time for the kids. I'd still rather spend the weekend at the cabin with the kids than at home.

[ Post made via Android ] Image
http://www.huntinggeardeals.com
Co-Host Down South Hunting Podcast
User avatar
Bonecrusher101
500 Club
Posts: 3079
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2015 3:09 am
Location: West TN
Status: Offline

Re: What to do for the Opener?

Unread postby Bonecrusher101 » Sun Aug 30, 2015 2:54 am

I like Harvey dent's method. Let chance decide, flip a coin.

Most mornings when I've been going hunting for days on end, I am exhausted. I wake up on time and start doubting, I try to convince myself it's not a good day to hunt. I know I've always got a chance of something amazing if I go. So then I just flip a coin to see if it's back to bed or to the woods. Then I flip again on which wma. Then I flip again on which spot based on wind. There's no redos. Most days I ended up hunting!

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
Be original and Enjoy every step along the adventure.
User avatar
Lockdown
Moderator
Posts: 9957
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2014 4:16 pm
Location: MN
Status: Offline

Re: What to do for the Opener?

Unread postby Lockdown » Sun Aug 30, 2015 6:07 am

I feel your pain on the 1 deer only scenario! We're in the same boat on that one.

I would probably go with #1 unless other hunters messing up your scouted locations was a major concern. Tough decision.
pitz0022
Posts: 158
Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2014 8:12 am
Status: Offline

Re: What to do for the Opener?

Unread postby pitz0022 » Mon Aug 31, 2015 10:31 am

Thanks for the responses guys. I think I'll watch the weather. It it is decent I'll take the kids to the cabin. I'm sure grandpa would watch them in the morning so I could go sit for a while.

If they don't want to sit in the afternoon well grab a shotgun and go for a fourwheeler ride and look for grouse. It'll be green but they enjoy rides.

I have a couple spots that I would like to hunt in December anyhow so if I don't tag out early I'll get to try those spots.

[ Post made via Android ] Image


  • Advertisement

Return to “Deer Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: FHlzr, Google Adsense [Bot], Tbian1 and 108 guests