Early season big bucks?

[Swamp_bucks]

Looking to start scheduling some of my vacation time.  I've been doing a ton of research on early season seems like the first 4 day can be the best time to tag a big buck besides the rut.  I like the idea of the woods being pretty empty since most people hold off towards the rut for vacation.  I think you would need to have a good pattern on one for it to work.

What are your thoughts?  

[Lawdwaz]

I’m hunting for personal enjoyment so would choose without hesitation the rut.  I don’t enjoy early season temperatures or the heavy foliage.   To each their own.....

[Robhuntandfish]

Where I hunt I see very litttle buck movement early season.  I now plan on trying to take a doe on the outskirts of hunting areas in the early season to fill the freezer and then try to leave myself lots of time to tag a buck thru later season. Early season they seem to move mostly at night and it seems only the last 1/2 of daylight seems very productive.  

Plus Everytime I seem to schedule early time off its like 75 degrees out .  A buck can certainly be taken early but for more bang for my buck I like the later season to use time off. 

[Buckmaster7600]

I’ve killed my two biggest archery bucks the first week of season. I would rather go buck less and enjoy the rut in the woods than kill one in early October.


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[The_Real_TCIII]

If you have a good food source you can observe a few evenings leading into the season I think you could pattern a buck and setup where he's coming out


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[DoubleDose]

6 hours ago, Swamp_bucks said:

Looking to start scheduling some of my vacation time.  I've been doing a ton of research on early season seems like the first 4 day can be the best time to tag a big buck besides the rut.  I like the idea of the woods being pretty empty since most people hold off towards the rut for vacation.  I think you would need to have a good pattern on one for it to work.

What are your thoughts?  

Agree, it can be, provided the bucks are on a known feeding pattern that you are aware of.  If just going in "blind", appreciate vegetation is still very thick and more luck (right place, right time) than anything.  Depending on your area, also consider it is warm(er), so very early & late movement and more ticks.  

[moog5050]

I am with the others.  Having killed one on opener, I will not do so again unless it’s an absolute giant.  Sucks sitting out the rut.   And I would not take time off to hunt early season unless I was targeting a specific buck and had it patterned.   Likely it would only be afternoon/evening hunts anyways since you probably won’t see a buck moving until then in early season. 

[stubborn1VT]

I have had some success in the pre-rut.  I guess you could lump it in with the rut.   Bucks seem to travel more and often move during daylight the last week of October.  Just my observation.  Those first cold mornings do it for me. I'm not against hunting the early season, but enjoy it less, as others have noted.

[ATbuckhunter]

From what I see, it can be one of the best IF you do your homework. If you can do a lot of scouting and really narrow it down, I say early season can be amazing (if not better than the rut for targeting a specific deer). But if you don't have the time to do that, I say take vacation during the rut 

[G-Man]

Best thing about early season ,if you have a buck patterend you will see a lot of buck as bachelor groups are still together..   down fall is if the food source changes you may see nothing. Imo early season is better use of sick and personal days ,a scheduled week is better last week of oct 1st week of nov.. pre rut searching phase. 

[Swamp_bucks]

Thanks for the input.  I'm  just going to schedule like I normally do and if get a good pattern on one leading into the season I'll just take a day. I always take the first day off anyways just because.

[Larry]

I only hunt weekends in October I don’t even take opening day of bow off unless it’s on a weekend. I do take all of November off. best time to hunt is from Halloween on.

[G-Man]

1 hour ago, Larry said:

I only hunt weekends in October I don’t even take opening day of bow off unless it’s on a weekend. I do take all of November off. best time to hunt is from Halloween on.

I've killed all my best bucks with bow before Halloween 

[Yorehntr]

On 1/23/2021 at 1:32 PM, ATbuckhunter said:

From what I see, it can be one of the best IF you do your homework. If you can do a lot of scouting and really narrow it down, I say early season can be amazing (if not better than the rut for targeting a specific deer). But if you don't have the time to do that, I say take vacation during the rut 

this is spot on. If willing to put the time in off season, early season is a good bet. Bucks Have a small  range before November and More importantly, they haven’t been pressured.  Hitting  the weather fronts, near food sourceHas worked for me

[The_Real_TCIII]

this is spot on. If willing to put the time in off season, early season is a good bet. Bucks Have a small  range before November and More importantly, they haven’t been pressured.  Hitting  the weather fronts, near food sourceHas worked for me

"Willings"got nothing to do with it lol


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