State Openers and Early Success

[Double Draw]

Just curious when the various state openers are for archery. Also wondering how many of you have killed a 'mature buck' for your area in the first 3 days of the season.
I will go first...PA starts 9/29 this year (except a few Wildlife Management Units near metro areas, they start 9/15). I have never harvested a mature buck in the first 3 days...yet.

[Weaver.b]

Ohio is 9/29 also. This is my first legit year huntimg beast style. I havent killed a mature buck outside of the rut but plan to hunt alot harder early season now that I have some beds to get in on and get aggressive

[ghoasthunter]

September 8 for NJ. have close encounters every year, but in NJ early bow is earn a buck. Almost every year I have had big bucks in range the first month with nothing i could do about it. now i hunt my buddies farm thats surrounded buy developments with a huge corn pile like Ted Nugent and shoot the first skippy i see no waiting for a big doe if its brown its down. once thats done and over with i dive back onto the public buck bedding.

[bowhuntr09]

VA has a statewide "youth/apprentice" day on 9/29 and 9/30 where its basically general firearms season. Then the following weekend on 10/6 the statewide archery opener begins.

Opening day for me can be hit or miss, some years I'm covered up with deer and other I couldn't see one in the zoo.

[Brandonkinchen]

October 1st for me here in SE Louisiana. I never have killed a mature buck in October. Mostly because I didn't know what I was doing. This year has been eye-opening for me. Between "The Hunting Public" & "The Hunting Beast" I have learned so much! Literally, my entire way of hunting has changed. My hopes are super high but I also realize that it could take awhile to hone my tactics.... Years maybe! What a wonderful journey it will be! Good luck to you man!

[E72]

20 or 21 years ago ,Shot a nice 9 point on Day 2 in the evening. ( which would have been a Monday ). PA may have started a week later back then . It was probably Oct 4th or 5th if I remember right.

[Bogle]

South zones in Florida start in August

[Drenalin]

Not counting the velvet that goes August 24-25, our archery opener is September 22. Oldest buck I’ve seen in the first three days was a 3.5-yr old 8 that walked right under my stand with another smaller buck. Fortunately for him, I was aware of another very large buck on that property and I thought maybe he’d be along right behind the two younger bucks. He wasn’t

[Ditz]

I am hunting the early opener in PA that starts on 9/15, but have never killed a mature buck yet during those first 3 days. I have killed smaller bucks In the past during those first 3 days, but nothing mature yet. I usually end up filling a doe tag early and putting some meat in the freezer during that time period.

[Ghost Hunter]

09/22 here in Arkansas. Full moon and hoping for a north wind to drop temps about 20 degrees.

[headgear]

MN is 9/15, I've tagged one deer a week into the season and had one other within bow range but no shot. I've also jumped a few nice bucks who were bedding a little different than I suspected early season.

[Scratchman]

NH 9/15, VT 10/6.............and.......no on both.

[UofLbowhunter]

Sept. 1 in ky this year! I have not had success on the opener yet! My job keeps me from it, for most of early season anyway.

[<DK>]

Sept 15

Shot 2, recovered 1 opening weekemd. Last year shot a 3rd sept buck two weeks after the opener.

[Grasshopper]

I shot what would be my biggest on opening day in 2011 in Pa. It ran onto the neighbors property and he was a jerk about it. That deer was going back to bed about 1/2 hour after sunrise. I'm not sure what all factors contributed, but it was a high movement day. I ended up seeing a few more bucks after I shot.