Are you waiting on a specific buck and or size during opening week?

[burmjohn]

Are you waiting on a specific buck and or size during opening week of bow?  If what what are you holding out for?  I have not made up my mind yet if I'll take a 6 or wait for a 8, or take a doe.  All I know is I am excited!

[Buckstopshere]

I know that I will not shoot a doe until the late season, or after I take a buck, because I don't want to skew the natural unfolding of the rut there. I have killed old long-nosed does during archery and watched the buck activity drop off to nothing there.

I always hold out for what I think is a big buck, an older buck like at least a 3.5 until the final 10 days or so of the season. Then I will take the first 2.5 year old that gives me a good shot.

And then I will doe hunt in certain areas.

[RangerClay]

I have one archery tag left so I will try to poke a doe during the September season.  After that I have no hit list.  I will shoot at whatever inspires me.  But I will not shoot fawns.

[WNYBuckHunter]

For bow season, Ill shoot any 8 point or better this year. I just want to get an archery buck under my belt. Ill shoot just about any doe with the bow.In fact, the first doe to walk by is getting whacked. 

[nyslowhand]

When the time comes, the moment is right and I feel good about the shot - thwack!

Usually let the does go until last weekend of bow or gun season.

They are the best natural attractant or buck lure available!! :

[JGaruti3]

Well being that I have no DMP tag and only one archery tag I am going to shoot whatever walks by first.  Hopefully it will be a nice sized 8 pointer or better but since I have spare time to hunt I will be shooting whatever comes by.

I do not mind taking does even if it is early season but obviously a buck is preferable.  Considering I can only shoot a buck with my regular season tag I would not mind taking a doe with archery.

[Doc]

I haven't really set any goals yet. I'm having a hard time assessing the deer situation here so far this year. I thought I had it figured out as being a pretty good year with lots of deer, but recent sign (or lack of it) is leaving me with some doubts. I seldom have to make any decisions right away at the beginning of the season. And it won't take a lot of time to figure out just how fussy I can afford to be.

[CNYlungbuster]

I got a couple bucks that I will be waiting on this year, however should another (2.5 +)shooter walk by or a lonesome doe both will get a rage to the cage!!

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I would love to tell you guys I am waiting for one of those 2 big 10's I have been watching but if one of those 3 big 8's gets within range it's gonna be more than I can take. all 5 are bigger than anything I have taken with a bow to date. but anything other than those 5 (or their big brothers) and I am not moving. Which means I will see more bucks in side of 10 yards than ever before....lol...just small ones

[CNYlungbuster]

I would love to tell you guys I am waiting for one of those 2 big 10's I have been watching but if one of those 3 big 8's gets within range it's gonna be more than I can take. all 5 are bigger than anything I have taken with a bow to date. but anything other than those 5 (or their big brothers) and I am not moving. Which means I will see more bucks in side of 10 yards than ever before....lol...just small ones

Haha thats why its called hunting and not killing. Now if you had decided to shoot a smaller buck only does would be under your stand and so on and so forth..... Me and Murphy seem to become really good friends during hunting season.  It always has a way of evening itself out in the end though lol

[nyslowhand]

..... I'm having a hard time assessing the deer situation here so far this year. I thought I had it figured out as being a pretty good year with lots of deer, but recent sign (or lack of it) is leaving me with some doubts. .....

Going through the same frustrating time as you, Doc.

Had my property 7 years, took a couple of years to figure them out.

Got so I had them patterned pretty well during the summer & fall.

This year is totally different! Maybe the coyotes I began seeing signs of last year.

I'm confident the deer are there, possibly sticking to the thicker cover for protection.

[Buckstopshere]

I'm finding the deer here are gravitating to two things...acorns and black cherries. You find a hillside with those trees, and the deer are there.

[biggamefish]

  I hunt public land so the first thing that walks buy along as it is big enough well hopfully go to the frezzer.  I hope to see a nice buck you never know what will happen.

[Fantail]

Not any one specific, 6+ would be nice.

[nyslowhand]

I'm finding the deer here are gravitating to two things...acorns and black cherries. You find a hillside with those trees, and the deer are there.

Aren't cherries long gone, mostly July-ish?

[growalot]

For the last few years I've past on some really nice 6's to find they were shot during gun...but they didn't get them all....there is the guy in the pic ...and a a couple of 8's and at least one big 6 around....I have a policy of only one doe take here and as many as I can get tags for down at camp....We have a few seriously huge doe this year so if the weather is cold enough I'll shoot a nice doe...then I'm hoping for a crack at the one below or one of the bigger 8's....last year holding out got me a 2 doe year...but great shots...hunts...and meals

[nyarcher]

Opening week is the same as every week only adult does and 8pt or better over 2 1/2 years old are fare game.

[Geno C]

ive been watching a buck for months now. watched him blow into what he is now. Hes a main frame 8 with a split G3 on his left side and will no doubt go 160 - 165". i see him almost everytime i go out. So i will see if i can get the drop on him come Oct 1st! he gets me so amped for the season knowing he is there. i did get eyes on another deer slightly bigger then him with more points but was unable to see how many scorable points he had at the time. The buck i am after has 14" plus G2s and 10" plus G3s.

cant wait!

[Fletch]

From the opener through Nov 13th it is only a good buck. Hopefully 3.5 or older. Matters what spot I am hunting if I take a doe early or not but would like to get a doe. Makes waiting on a bigger buck easier if you have meat down and that is key to me. Meat over antlers.

[Caveman]

I haven't managed to get a bow kill yet however I got two DMP's in 4J (bow only) so I have the opportunity to take 4 deer (3 of them does) during bow and god willing the first three does that walk by are getting an arrow in the boilermaker.  I'll hold out with that archery either sex tag though since there's been sightings of a 170 class buck in the area I'll be hunting.

[biggamefish]

  Wildcats, 

  Where do you hunt in 4j I hunt 4j also over towards guilderland not much land there but the deer run through there all the time.  I have seen some monsters just never close enough.

[Frank]

I need some venison. I will shoot a doe or a crappy buck. letting my nicer young bucks grow and hopefully know one else gets them.

[Caveman]

  Wildcats, 

  Where do you hunt in 4j I hunt 4j also over towards guilderland not much land there but the deer run through there all the time.  I have seen some monsters just never close enough.

Pine Bush, I live right up the road from there so I'm going to man up and brave the ticks because my buddy was scouting there and got pictures of what looked like a 150 class and I've heard reports of a 170 running around too

[SteveMcD]

I have been holding out for a particular buck for two seasons now. Last year tag soup was not very filling. I will shoot the first legal deer (Doe) that comes by, but I am still holding out for this buck though. I am ready, this past weekend I notices this buck has opened up some scrapes already.

[sweet old bill]

No any adult deer will be fine.