Does anyone miss the Monday opener?

[growalot]

LoL hey...at least we knew the old farts were shooting their guns at LEAST ONCE before the opener...think about it....

[bushnell]

It didn't matter for me either way. But if I had to choose...I would go with Saturday. Gives me more days off work since I need to take off Friday and I am home with Tuesday now and able to clean or butcher the before Thanksgiving.

[E J]

The weekend before gun opened was awesome as a youngster hanging out at a deer camp in the southerntier. All the stories, watching the older people having a ball getting all buzzed up Saturday, then doing the same with them as I got older! Also the smoked hing quarters and fried turkey were the best eating. Then we would all rest up and relax Sunday, go to bed early then get up early for the hunt. It was the best times!

[rob-c]

I do like sat opener I remember when I first started working and getting Monday off to hunt was impossible, my oldest son is working and the sat opener works great for him hasn't missed a opener yet . 

[phade]

1 hour ago, growalot said:

The change was the death of deer camps...Now it's rush rush rush ...no time to relax ,check stands..enjoy friends and or family... I blame schools...our school hated the fact that so many kids called in sick...they finally gave in but it was a loss of state money for every kid missing...so they said...I think they helped the push to move it..

Bingo. 100% on the money.

[Uncle Nicky]

I started hunting in NY after they went to a Saturday opener. But we still have a Monday opener for rifle in PA. I hate it, just sit around and kill time, watching the same old guys get drunk all weekend and tell the same old stories, even more aggravating if the weather is nice Saturday & Sunday & starts to rain on Monday...It's boring enough sitting in a tree waiting for something to show, without all the down-time beforehand. Probably why I hate that spring turkey hunting quits at noon, just too much time wasted when you could be enjoying the hunt. With my current work schedule, I can leave work early Friday, make the ride up to camp by Friday night, be hunting by Saturday morning, and only burn 1 vacation day on Monday.

Edited November 16, 2016 by Uncle Nicky

[adkhunter71]

1 hour ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

Well thats one day instead of two

OK, then take Thursday and Friday off and pretend that it's Saturday and Sunday, lol...

[GreeneHunter]

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 .

[DirtTime]

12 minutes ago, GreeneHunter said:

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 .

This is a great point.

 

It really doesn't matter to me either way, but I like the extra two days.

[bigpaul]

Hell Yeah, I miss the Monday opener!  Those were the good old days. Lot of fun back then. Those who belong to a camp know what I mean.

[growalot]

out of likes ..great point GreeneHunter

[Al Bundy]

Wow.. I very much prefer Satruday opener. Taking time off work which was unpaid IF IF IF I could get it off Monday. During school trying to get time off. No Sunday hunting was just as bad.  Driving like crazy spending time, very limited money, energy for one day of hunting on Saturday. Difficult to justify. Hunting camp was fun but Friday night and Saturday night are still fun times.

[BigMedicine]

I don't, reason being is nowadays come the first Monday after the opener there are a lot less people in the woods then there used to be. I personally prefer less traffic/ trespassers/lost ...dig what I'm saying. Maybe it's in my head, but I can sit a whole lot longer knowing an army of river dancers dressed in blaze didn't scare every deer into PA.


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[ATbuckhunter]

BY the time it was legal for me to hunt, it was already a Saturday opener. I think that in days where hunter participation is at record lows it doesn't make sense to have an opener on a day that a lot of people can't get off. We need more people to be out for this sport to stay alive. 

[Larry]

Seeing I had to vote for Saturday or Monday, I would like to see how the voting would be if there was an doesn’t matter choice.

[Gencountyzeek]

Well as a youngster I used to love missing school to hang out at camp with my mom, dad ,and brother. However times have changed, I'm now the parent, and I love the ability to hunt 2 days without worrying about having to get them on the bus before I can get in the woods. So my votes for saturday. 

[chas0218]

Wow I'm surprised by the 50/50 split. I do miss the Monday opener, I had fun skipping class for opening day with my dad and grandfather. I was thinking the other day how my son would have felt if it was a Monday opener and he was able to come out with his old dad for a chance at a deer.

[Will_C]

I am torn. The Monday opener sure seemed more "magical" for reasons other posters have stated. I hunt PA, and their Monday opener has that feel.

Saying that, I do enjoy getting a chance to hunt 2 days without using any vacation time.

Will

[Bowshotmuzzleloader]

I always take this week off so two more days, is a plus for me ...

No complaints off topic what I don't like is bow opening on the 1st instead of th 15th 

[The_Real_TCIII]

BY the time it was legal for me to hunt, it was already a Saturday opener. I think that in days where hunter participation is at record lows it doesn't make sense to have an opener on a day that a lot of people can't get off. We need more people to be out for this sport to stay alive. 

That was the reason for switching but I don't think license sales increased at all

[ATbuckhunter]

6 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

That was the reason for switching but I don't think license sales increased at all

I doubt it made a difference in increasing sales, but maybe it stopped people from quitting. 

[Pygmy]

The weekend before the Monday opener was a real  "holiday" weekend here in the southern tier..

On Friday, the trucks would come rolling in, the camps would fill up, the motels would be full, and the bars, restaurants and supermarkets would do a land office business...

For many years, on the Sunday before opening day, I would host a party for as many as 50 people. on my property..Food, beer, the wives would bring dishes to pass.. many stories were told and much anticipation was in the air...

It just ain't the same now....

[nycredneck]

Gun hunted once, my first time hunting, shot a buck and a doe three seconds apart and never hunted with a gun again. I only bowhunt now, have been for 25 years. I always left the woods when the orange army showed up because I did not feel safe. Back then it would be guy's hunting hungover or still drunk from the night before.

Good luck to everyone going out and please be safe. 

[sits in trees]

When I think back it reminds me of some really good times and hunters who are no longer around, it was different. I know the local businesses like food, fuel, lodging places were hurt by the change.

[nyslowhand]

WAY back when it was Mondays & I was getting into deer hunting, my local HS was actually closed. Absenteeism was just too high to justify teaching 1/2 full classes.So, an official day off from school & hunting to boot!!!!!!!! Then you grow up & have work and family obligations, so the Saturday opener is IMHO a better option in today's world.