Opening Day

[IronBucks]

This was my first opening day ever where I did not even see a single deer!  

 

I went to my leased property for the opener and we were watching coyote all morning long.  They finally slowed down and then we watched a trespasser walk right into the swamp bedding area we were set up outside of and then he fired 3 shots about 15 minutes later.  We were waiting for him to come out but he never did before dark so he may have exited another way.  

 

I went to a farm where I have permission on Sunday morning and I kicked up a bunch of coyote there as well.  I have seen deer in that field every morning for a full week except for Sunday.  It was also in the 60's here...

 

Wondering how other people made out with the full moon and the weather?  The coyotes were going crazy with the moon for sure...

 

 

[Woodjr55]

Why didn't you shoot the coyotes

[IronBucks]

My honest answer is that I never have and I wouldn't even know what to do with it if I did!

[Meat Manager]

I only had two hours to hunt gun opener so I shot the first doe that walked up in a pair just after 7 am.

I have actually been seeing a lot more deer the past week in 7j & 7f. The doe on Saturday was the first of my 5 harvests this season to have stained hocks, so I think rutt is late up here.

Edited November 18, 2013 by Meat Manager

[Deerthug]

For the last month prior to opening day in SZ in Columbia County during bow season, I did not see a single deer anywhere near my set ups despite seeing them on trail cameras. But this opening weekend I scored a doe on Saturday morning at about 9:00am and an 8pt a little after 4pm. It was cold Saturday morning and warm during my afternoon sit. The only deer I saw were the two I harvested. There were other bucks and does that were being run near my BIL's set up but nothing near me. As far as Yotes are concerned, while we were finishing gutting my buck, we heard them howling - lots of them! We usually hang our harvested deer on a wooden arbor just outside the house but we ended up tying it from the neck as well as its legs and hung it horizontally  (sort of like superman flying) to keep the deer away from the Yotes overnight. I don't know if the weather or the moon had anything to do with my harvest but according to what my BIL saw the Rut is in full swing. 

 

[apoallo]

Seen nothing opening day, hunted in the rain yesterday and shit a 3 point wasn't going to but after today I can't get back out for at least a week and a half so... So far nothing at all this am besides that it is warm u havnt seen rutting or chasing. October and September my trail cams were loaded with deer pictures every day. Niw nothing in 3m area

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[ATbuckhunter]

I didnt get to hunt Saturday but i did hunt Sunday and only saw a single doe.

[nys-buckstalker]

Opening day was quiet in the morning. The fog we had here could of did without with. Made it a little chilly and damp. About 11:30 had a doe I named "Witch" come out with her fawn and hung out till about noon. Then about 12:30 a spike buck walked by in front of me ,then 20 minutes later come back across behind me down wind of me. He just kept running around me doing something what I would call a half snort wheeze and a doe snort. Sounded like a dog bark. He was sometimes about 10 yds. from me doing that and looking behind him. He finally left about 2. 

  Around 4 had another doe and her fawn come about 20 yds. from my stand and a small rack 5 point was following her around and running off the fawn. They all walked off just before dark. The bad thing for him is he'll never make it till next year. He was hit sometime after dark by a car and I seen him on side of road yesterday morning about 1/2 mile below where I seen him Sat.

  One other thing I saw I got a kick out of was a male grouse chasing a hen around. he was all fanned out and doing his little mating dance , head bob and all. watched him for at least 45 minutes. Been hunting since I was 14 for small and big game and that is the first time I have ever seen such a thing. Have heard them drum logs and such but never seen them "dance", was pretty cool.

[Hoss315er]

Your lease seems to suffer from trespassers and Too many yotes.

 

The hunter you saw was most likely walking through to push deer to the adjacent property. If that is the case, he will do it again since he had results...ie., shooting/deer.

 

Not sure what your deer herd is like but the coyotes will pick the fawns off in the spring. Shoot the devil dogs and find a fur buyer. Many buyers will take the entire carcass if you do not know how to skin them well.

 

Good luck.