So this weekend is opening day for rifle for the SZ - Who is excited!

[First-light]

I look forward to bringing new people up. Its been a long time that I have had 2 new people at camp opening day. My niece and friend will be joining us. I hope they experience all my place has to offer. I also look forward to seeing all my neighbors cousins and uncles coming in from Maryland. Great bunch of people and camp traditions! Opening weekend is wonderful.

[Paula]

The excitement i am feeling is so much better than Christmas morning! I don't want to get my hopes up. I just can't wait to get out there. I feel like i should be doing more to get ready

[cynthiafu]

i am alittle scared . i have seen deer all bow season ( mind you i dont bow hunt ) i have saw big ones . i have watched triplets grow up. i am scared now that i wont see them or anything . i just cant wait to get out into the woods and away from it all to the sounds of the woods and peacfulness . i also want to say please all be safe and careful out there . i want to hear back from all of you . good luck all

[AaronBlaine]

Good luck brothers!

[greg54]

Greg that's good news that the chemo is working. Stay strong and before you know it you'll be back in the swing of it next fall.

Thanks for words of encouragement Deerthug. Whack a big one saturday!!

[ATbuckhunter]

Ill be missing the opening day but ill be out on Sunday.

[Deerthug]

Thanks for words of encouragement Deerthug. Whack a big one saturday!!

I plan on it! I hope to tag out this weekend. But if not no worries, I have no choice but to go again. My wife wants to make venison chili for Christmas Day dinner. LOL!

- Jordan

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[ny hunter]

Leaving in the morning,Best of luck to everyone and be safe!!!!!!!

[arrow nocker]

MEH.yay

[New York Hillbilly]

My 37th opening day without ever missing one. I have literally quit jobs in my younger days over the threat of not being able to go hunting, and it caused me lots of grief from teachers in high school. LOL! I worked all year covering everyone's vacations, personal days, etc. to save my time for gun season and now it's my turn. Today was my last day of work until December 10th. It was hard earned and I didn't think I could make it at times, but yeeeha......I made it! Good luck and be safe everyone.

[the blur]

It'll be so warm out, the deer aren't moving.

But I still expect to hear the 1st shot 1 hour before offical day light.

[Uncle Nicky]

It'll be so warm out, the deer aren't moving.

But I still expect to hear the 1st shot 1 hour before offical day light.

???????????????

Opening day of gun season is the BIGGEST man-made drive of the season, people will be shooting at & pushing deer all over creation, at least in 9P where I hunt. Looks like around 30 in the morning, going up to 45 in the afternoon, pretty comfortable if you ask me, no rain forecasted. The only thing missing is a couple inches of snow on the ground for a white backdrop, but I'll take it.

[burmjohn]

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Opening day of gun season is the BIGGEST man-made drive of the season, people will be shooting at & pushing deer all over creation, at least in 9P where I hunt. Looks like around 30 in the morning, going up to 45 in the afternoon, pretty comfortable if you ask me, no rain forecasted. The only thing missing is a couple inches of snow on the ground for a white backdrop, but I'll take it.

So true!

[wdswtr]

The older I get, and I'm not THAT old, I look less and less forward to opening day of gun. The only thing that'll bring it back is going to be acreage ownership, which is being saved for.

The thing about it is, that is has nothing to do with the hunting or the guns....it's the people behind the guns for the most part. No doubt, some real quality hunters out there that are honest and respectful...but just as many slob hunters.

Either way, I'll be hunting smart this season.

I feel the same way. Plus its means the end of bow season as well. I much prefer the solitude of bowhunting versus hearing 5 group shots one after the other for hours on end just knowing that those deer you passed on or were out of range are now getting lead flung at them from some idiots who are clueless. Every year we find unrecovered deer full of holes. Drives me absolutley nuts listening to it all unfold. If not for the point of being at camp to protect the place from vandals and trespassers on opening weekend I wouldnt even go. Funny how all this goes away by sunday too. Dont get me wrong I indeed enjoy gun hunting just not opening day. Past few years someone has been shot on state land around camp too. Yeah its not really a good plan to sit in the bottom of a ravine in a camo ground blind when there is orange plastered all at the top. Just saying. Then by noon the drives start by the same group of people every year. Its like there is only 1 day of deer season and whatever it takes to get a deer. Now come sunday and those jokers are all home sleeping in and guns stuffed in the corner till next year life is good again except the point that every deer is now on high alert and hunting just got a whole hell of a lot harder in what is already hard to begin with. Is what it is and wont ever change. Sad really when there is alot of great hunters who I would be proud to share a camp with for a deer hunt when there is a few that stink the place up for the rest. Oh well. Good luck everyone, be safe, be smart, know what your aiming at, dont take those iffy shots and remember if you cant get the deer down without unloading on it you probably shouldnt be shooting at it.

[wdswtr]

Sorry for the negative post. I know not all hunters are like the ones above. Its just frustrating listening to hundreds of shots and then taking a drive around and seeing half a dozen deer tagged and laying at a happy hunters feet. The shot ratios to deer harvest just dont add up and it pisses me off knowing guys just fling lead with a hope and prayer it will find a kill zone, then walk away thinking nothing of it only to repeat the process again next year lol.

[BizCT]

Thats why I always hunt dark to dark. When all the primadonna's leave the woods at 10am, they kick up all the deer. When they come back in at 2-3pm, they kick up all the deer again. Many years 10am-2pm is the primetime to see the most deer. The best is watching flashlights from a distance and guys make their way into woods on opening day at 7am when its already shooting time!

I'll be in my spot, on the ground, against a big tree at 545am. Waiting the hour in silence till the season begins.

[steve863]

I don't know where some of you hunt? If I hear 10 shots on opening day(with most of the shots in the far off distance) in the last few years, that is a lot. I hear fewer and fewer shots each season and see fewer and fewer hunters around. Go back to the 60's, 70's and 80's on opening week and you'd think there was a war going on. These days it is not even close to what it once was where I hunt.

[wdswtr]

Im surrounded by state land on 3 sides with easy acces for hunters, just pull over park unload walk 50 yards and your on top of a hill looking down a ravine. I remember the very first gun season hunting there. Was in the woods before light setup off on state land as I got the short straw as too may invites got dealt out on our piece lol. I remember when the sun peaked over that hill and all I could see was balze orange about every 50 yards. I got the hell out of there right quick. LMAO Never heard so many gun shots in my life and quite counting after several hundred. Dont think there was a tree standing that didnt have lead in it by mornings end. Went right back to camp and hid in the wood stove in fear of my life.

Edited November 16, 2012 by wdswtr

[tjm08803]

I am but im not. Gotta deal with all the Cit-idiots coming out to the country, thinking they know it all about hunting. Wouldnt mind if they did away with gun season, and just made hunting all bow. Damn that would be sweet.

[Paulie]

I'm torn.....shotgun or ML?? what do you guys think. I really want to take a deer with the ML. got it 2 yrs ago but haven't had the chance....

[burmjohn]

I'm torn.....shotgun or ML?? what do you guys think. I really want to take a deer with the ML. got it 2 yrs ago but haven't had the chance....

ML

[Paulie]

That is what I am leaning towards....I will not be out in the morning as I need to take the dog to the Vet (so I could still talk myself into one or the other..ha)...but once I am home, will be in the woods for the rest of the day!! Hopefully I see something...haha

[Pygmy]

Since my area has gone to rifle, rather than shotgun only, I hear MUCH less shooting, and instead of the 5 round volleys that used to be the norm, most of the time I hear single shots.

Safety wise, switching to rifle is the best thing that has happened in this area in the 45 years I have been deer hunting.

Sighting through a scope sighted rifle is much safer than spraying shotgun slugs all over the countryside.

[Doc]

Since my area has gone to rifle, rather than shotgun only, I hear MUCH less shooting, and instead of the 5 round volleys that used to be the norm, most of the time I hear single shots.

Safety wise, switching to rifle is the best thing that has happened in this area in the 45 years I have been deer hunting.

Sighting through a scope sighted rifle is much safer than spraying shotgun slugs all over the countryside.

I have mixed feelings about rifle being used in more populated areas. Time and data will tell how it all works out. I suspect that we have not yet seen most of the hunters switch over yet, and a lot of people are still using their shotguns even though they don't have to.

I have to wonder if changing the style of weapon will not change the hunter. If they are the exciteable, spray+pray kinds of hunters, they probably will do the same with the rifle. The only difference being that their out of control panic shooting will have a much more distant effect.

However, maybe more guys will appreciate the additional precision that they have in their hands and will try to make that first shot count, slowing them down a bit. That is what I am hoping.

The theories can run both ways, but like I say, time will tell what the final result really turns out to be. I'm hoping for the best, because I am 100% committed to hoping that our county goes to rifles, and it looks likely that that is going to happen for next season.

[arrow nocker]

I'm torn.....shotgun or ML?? what do you guys think. I really want to take a deer with the ML. got it 2 yrs ago but haven't had the chance....

one shot one kill.which is more accurate and you more confortable with.I love my MZL inline with a scope.Rather have that than the rattle trap ithica.Got one with each so far.now its time for the Remington and time for the TC hawkins.