How hard you going to hit early October mornings SZ?

[Fletch]

What is a "prime" spot?

Is it just a rut phases stand?

I have prime stands for early season that really are only good for a few days and then peter out. Others I stay out of until the chasing begins, because the bucks simply are moving across this particular spot until they look between doe beds.

If by prime, you mean close to a buck's core area...you may want to investigate and see what possibilities exist for an early season set.

My prime spot is behind my house and is a great area once the bucks start cruising. I do not want to hog it up too early with scent before the bucks really start moving.

[HuntOrBeHunted]

Most likely won't sleep the night before, and will be hitting the woods early figure opening day gotta do some serious hunting. I've seen tons of more movement in the nice cool nights we have been having.

[covert]

Well I watch the bucks parade by my stands from 09:00 - 10:30 almost every morning so I guess I'll get out there about 08:00 on opening morning and should be back to the house before lunch.

[shawnhu]

If i lived even 30 minutes from the areas I hunt I'd maybe consider an afternoon or morning here and there. But living in the city, with weekends mostly only, its dawn to dusk, hunting hard (hiking in deep, waiting them out, not coming out of the woods till its dark) until I get something. I do not even go up unless I have the full day. Cost for gas and tolls is too high to visit just one or half a day.

+1

[fasteddie]

Most of the areas I hunt are 50 - 60 miles away . I am not going to drive that far and only hunt a couple hours . If I stay late , I don't go back the next day and hunt every other day . I hunt Geneseo , Groveland , South Bristol and Mendon .

[Cabin Fever]

I plan on taking advantage of the early opener to fill doe tags. I would much rather shoot one in the morning, so I can track it and process it ASAP (during the day), as opposed to shooting one in the evening and feeling pressured to track it after dark, for fear of letting it lay overnight and spoiling due to warm temps. I really hate tracking at night... I hunt alone and don't have anyone that I can depend on for a hand. I track, drag, hang, skin, cut up, and process all myself, so it makes for a long day once I have one on the ground.

[Skillet]

Curious as to what it means by hunting hard in your terms?

Interestingly, when I hear people say that, I think overhunting. But when I think it for myself, I don't, odd how that happens. Defintely have to take a step back and look at things from time to time to make sure you are on the right track for success (whatever your goal is).

I meant hunting as much as possible, We have more stands this year, and a little more property, so I'll be able to rotate, and avoid overhunting it.

[phade]

I meant hunting as much as possible, We have more stands this year, and a little more property, so I'll be able to rotate, and avoid overhunting it.

Nice, added ground is always a bonus. Good luck!

[crappyice]

As a teacher (insert jokes about summers off, great benefits and AMAZING PAY here!) I will be hitting some of the westchester lands in the afternoons a few days a week. This is th first year i am a part of the deer management group in westchester so a bunch of new lands to work out...like cabin fever I am not a fan of the night track but the weather offers little confidence about leaving a down deer unil the next day.

[Meat Manager]

I got all 3 of mine in the morning last season...plus it will be easier to get away from the 6month old in the mornings than the evening...

Otherwise my handle says it all..7j EVERYDAY! Plan on pickin up the "live from the stand posts" where they left off last season...hopefully with colder days and more sightings!

Anyone getting DMFA tags for Tompkins 2 does PER DAY all season, plus JAN 1 - JAN 31 2 does PER DAY! Got my 3rd in Tompkins last day of Regular Gun season last year...lots of big deer over there.

Edited September 2, 2012 by 7J Everyday

[TreeGuy]

I will be out whenever i can get out!!! Am-pm allday anyday. Cant get em on the couch! I am curious though if the movement will be significantly different with being two weeks early....

[mac]

end of Oct and first 2 weeks of Nov I will be out as much as possible. Like many others, shooting and tracking at night is not the best way tho thats when thay may be moving the most. we shall see !

[beachpeaz]

I agree with everyone on some level. You NEVER know when a deer will walk by! That is a fact. And, if there are other hunters in your area moving the deer around, you definitely don't know what might get kicked up. If you are lucky enough to hunt property that you have NO competition, and you have all the time in the world to take off from work and your family, then I would wait until closer to the rut when the weather cools down. The early season bucks are extremely noturnal. They have no reason to move during the daytime (other than pressure). If you are in and out of your stand every day hunting deer that aren't moving durning the day and you do this for 2, 3 or 4 weeks, they will just relocate and be gone! With that said, I am not that lucky with "competition" so I will be in my standing opening morning and as much as I can be for the entire 6 weeks!

[phade]

I agree with everyone on some level. You NEVER know when a deer will walk by! That is a fact. And, if there are other hunters in your area moving the deer around, you definitely don't know what might get kicked up. If you are lucky enough to hunt property that you have NO competition, and you have all the time in the world to take off from work and your family, then I would wait until closer to the rut when the weather cools down. The early season bucks are extremely noturnal. They have no reason to move during the daytime (other than pressure). If you are in and out of your stand every day hunting deer that aren't moving durning the day and you do this for 2, 3 or 4 weeks, they will just relocate and be gone! With that said, I am not that lucky with "competition" so I will be in my standing opening morning and as much as I can be for the entire 6 weeks!

I used to think along the same lines, but that's changing. Mature bucks don't relocate as easily as most hunters think. If a buck is bumped, many of the more agressive hunters will be right back in there to shoot him as he returns to that bed. If a buck is bumped in a prime spot, and he safely leaves...then that spot works. Now, repeated bumps day in and day out change things...but the occassional soft bump isn't going to necessarily send the buck to the next county. They'll likely move in the evening...problem is the real staging area is small...only a very short distance from their bed. Most hunters think "I'm going to hunt the food source" that time of year and never see the buck, thinking he doesn't get up, when that isn't true. The buck is likely up, feeding on browse, acorns, etc. that is within a protected area close to his bed. It's a tough pill to swallow as a hunter because it goes "against" the grain of thinking, but I'm starting to see why this is true. Hunters like Dan I. and Andrae D'Aquisto (spelling?) have really perfected this style of hunting and why it works. Dan esp. since he does it on public ground in WI.

Early season is also one of the best times to put down a mature buck...certainly not easy, but it's possible with the proper scouting of buck beds, food sources, and hunting style.