I never hunt small game when deer hunting , but I have been known to blow a squirrel in half whom has been barking at me while I'm in my tree stand and giving away my position !
Sitting in my ladder stand where I've sat for the past 7-8 years , son will be pushing at 8-830 to me then we swap . He sits in stand and I push ! Then Eggs and Bacon and Coffee !
Many people used to say after opening day they -the deer- head for the hills , interesting when I'm hunting in the hills ! They -the deer- head nowhere , they've just been educated a little !
Another thought about opening on Saturdays is now with a Saturday opener there is 4 weekends of gun season and not 3 like opening on Mondays ! Just a thought .
When I was younger and had little to no Seniority getting time off was haphazard at best Saturday opener cured that ! As I'm about to retire for good (tried it twice already) opening day could be Wednesday and I wouldn't care !
I have a ladder stand in the same tree for the last 8-9 years and produces every year but I do miss my old built ins with the screw in steps ! Getting on in years changes your hunting patterns !
I haven't been in the woods yet , not a bow hunter by any means but I did (today) spray everything down with Permethrin ! Thanks for the heads up on ticks !