# Opening day reports



## Al33 (Sep 9, 2015)

First, let me wish all of you that will be in a tree or on the ground Saturday morning the best of luck, safe travels, and safe hunt. Don't forget your safety harness/strap and don't go up without it.

I will be right here waiting on the reports and hope to see some early hero pic's so please take the time to share them. Looks like you will have some beautiful weather for the opener. Go get 'em boys and girls!!!


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## SELFBOW (Sep 9, 2015)

I'm ready. We have put in every weekend this last month scouting , running trail cams, planting and hanging stands.


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## dm/wolfskin (Sep 9, 2015)

You mean this weekend? I don't even have a tree drilled yet.


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## Pointpuller (Sep 9, 2015)

Wish yall a good hunt this weekend.  Probably be mid October before I start but then I will be going regularly until mid January.  I dont get started until they start gorging on acorns.  Years past I felt I had to hunt if it was open.  Now I hunt when conditions are more enjoyable.


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## ddawg (Sep 9, 2015)

This will be my first opener with a tradional bow, I can't wait!
Been practicing all summer.  I was a little worried when I started, but I'm shooting pretty consistent 6 arrow groups on my 3D target standing on my 12' deck at 18 yds..
Just hope I can hold it together when that first deer steps out.


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## mudcreek (Sep 9, 2015)

I can focus on the white spot. But I ain't real sure where my shaky hand will put my bow.


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## Cavalry Scout (Sep 9, 2015)

I have an old feeling, I have not had for a while. I didnt hunt last year at all. Lost the fire... I am really excited for this season! Ill hunt this opening week, them start scouting for the cooler weather. Best wishes to all but, praying I am gonna post pics of my first trad kil, first!


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## AllAmerican (Sep 9, 2015)

*Putting in the hours*



SELFBOW said:


> I'm ready. We have put in every weekend this last month scouting , running trail cams, planting and hanging stands.



Yes sir, I've also scouted harder this year than the prior and bought a Garmin Etrex to mark some great spots that I wasn't able to find before.  My club is thick with pine and under brush, but I found where the oaks are located.  Trimming trees, planting, stand maintenance, yup I'm ready for some venison.  Good luck to every one.


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## 2wheelfoster (Sep 10, 2015)

Good luck to everyone who is going! As Al said, don't forget those safety harnesses and snake boots!!! I will miss opening weekend this year but will be in a tree next weekend! Can't wait to see the pics!!!


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## Stump Shooter (Sep 10, 2015)

Will be hunting Big Lazer WMA Sat and possibly Sun morning. Watch out for the yellow jackets also walked up on some of those good luck to everyone.


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## bowhunterdavid (Sep 10, 2015)

Don't forget also to spray down good this time of year for ticks, trust me on this because I carry lyme disease and I still have flair up even till this day.


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## robert carter (Sep 10, 2015)

Good luck everyone and be safe. I have some very hot spots found on both public and private land. They just picked the corn in my private land hot spot and now the deer can`t bed in the field and will be coming through funnels I already have locons in. gonna be good.
  I got a stand on a very hot public land persimmon. Best persimmon stand I`ve seen in years. RC


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## hambone76 (Sep 10, 2015)

Good luck to all of you and be safe. Taking my Daughter Saturday and Sunday in search of her first crossbow deer.. I'll be hunting with my PSE Impala takedown Monday. The new growth in our food plots is drawing a lot of attention. That's where I'll be. Looking for my first trad buck.


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## Barebowyer (Sep 10, 2015)

X2 on the yellow jackets and the safety harness.  Last Sunday I was hanging a stand and my climbing rope came free of the carabiner on my side.  I nearly fell about 15 feet backward/down onto a rugged looking root system no doubt.  It was an eye opener.  To top it all off, about an hour later while attempting to set a ladder stand I located some yellow jackets as well.  14 stings later and I still vividly remember the encounter.  The ladder stand is still laying in the path nearby at this moment!!!!  Be safe and shoot straight to all!


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## Todd Cook (Sep 10, 2015)

I don't have a sure thing pinned down yet. Learning new land, ect, has me sorta hunting the edges to start with. I've got a couple of stands set up on trails, but no really hot food yet. But theyre's lots of tracks around so I'm optimistic about seeing one anyway, even if it's not close enough. Looking forward to it.


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## Dennis (Sep 10, 2015)

I'm on new land as well with no early food source I'm just waiting on the acorns to start falling


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## gurn (Sep 10, 2015)

Havent hunted in a while now. Cant wait for the stories.


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## SELFBOW (Sep 10, 2015)

We have tons of crabapples at different stages and a good amount of grapes.  I walked around w our camp pet two weeks ago watching her forage on grapes, mushrooms, green Brier and the leaves off regular briars. You can learn alot that way.....


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## Allen Oliver (Sep 10, 2015)

Hunting new land myself. All the grapes are gone and acorns have not started falling yet. The sorghum field has been picked this past weekend. I hope they are still coming to it and eating what feel on the ground. Going anyway because you can't kill one sitting in the house. Good luck everyone and hope to send you a hero pic Al. I hope you are not out all season Al. Get well soon!


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## sawtooth (Sep 10, 2015)

Wait! What? Opening day is THIS Saturday?


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## sawtooth (Sep 10, 2015)

SELFBOW said:


> We have tons of crabapples at different stages and a good amount of grapes.  I walked around w our camp pet two weeks ago watching her forage on grapes, mushrooms, green Brier and the leaves off regular briars. You can learn alot that way.....



That is such a cool picture! If that doe takes one more step toward you she will be inside your effective range.


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## SELFBOW (Sep 10, 2015)

sawtooth said:


> That is such a cool picture! If that doe takes one more step toward you she will be inside your effective range.



Copperhead was ready to eat !



If anyone wants to know whats happening here, I lease 570 acres and after this deer spent a weekend w us two weeks after getting our first TC pics of her, we found out a homeowner 4/10th of a mile away decided last yr they needed a pet. I let them know how stupid it was for them to do this but we will enjoy seeing her hanging around. Last weekend I saw her 3 times but once she was with another deer and she didnt let us get close anytime. In fact when w the other deer she spooked and another sighting she was whitetail high. We think she will get wilder as she gets older and ventures more. She is off limits.


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## pine nut (Sep 10, 2015)

Good luck to all.  Muscadines are falling heavily in Sugar Hill GA fi ya know a good spot you might get a shot!


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## oldfella1962 (Sep 10, 2015)

Pointpuller said:


> Wish yall a good hunt this weekend.  Probably be mid October before I start but then I will be going regularly until mid January.  I dont get started until they start gorging on acorns.  Years past I felt I had to hunt if it was open.  Now I hunt when conditions are more enjoyable.



Not a "food source" hunter but acorns around me are bursting at the seams! White, blackjack, post, water, etc.etc. you name an oak and it's full of acorns. Persimmons are insane too this year, and muscadines aren't bad either.


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## Al33 (Sep 10, 2015)

SELFBOW said:


> She is off limits.



Come rut time use her as bait.  The pet owner better put an orange vest on her.


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## Allen Oliver (Sep 10, 2015)

sawtooth said:


> Wait! What? Opening day is THIS Saturday?



Wake up Dendy. You know you got one tied out for Saturday Morning.


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## Clipper (Sep 10, 2015)

Al, sorry to hear you are sitting out opening day, but look on the bright side - you won't have to worry about chiggers and ticks.  Get well soon.


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## longbowdave1 (Sep 11, 2015)

Good luck to all the Folks on the the forum, and safe hunts as well! 

Hope you get back out there with your bow in hand soon Al!


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## longbowdave1 (Sep 11, 2015)

hambone76 said:


> Good luck to all of you and be safe. Taking my Daughter Saturday and Sunday in search of her first crossbow deer.. I'll be hunting with my PSE Impala takedown Monday. The new growth in our food plots is drawing a lot of attention. That's where I'll be. Looking for my first trad buck.





Best of luck to you both.  Hope your girl gets one , good on you for taking her hunting!


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## Vance Henry (Sep 11, 2015)

Good luck everyone!   Should be a beautiful morning.


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## sawtooth (Sep 12, 2015)

Heavy rains kept me inside this morning.  It has stopped now and I plan to be in the woods within the hour.  Good luck everybody.


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## TGUN (Sep 12, 2015)

Good luck everyone and be safe. I am going to hold out until it is a little cooler/closer to the rut BUT that may change once everyone starts posting picks.


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## longbowdave1 (Sep 12, 2015)

i heard smebody shot a doe this afternoon........


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## sawtooth (Sep 13, 2015)

longbowdave1 said:


> i heard smebody shot a doe this afternoon........



And a buck an hour later.....


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## SELFBOW (Sep 13, 2015)

Four of us seen 5 in the pm. This am I saw a black yote and no deer from 2 of us ....


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## Dennis (Sep 13, 2015)

Only hunted Saturday morning just saw 1 coyote and 1 squirrel


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## Allen Oliver (Sep 13, 2015)

No deer yesterday. Got busted reaching for my bow this morning about 8:45. Had 3 does and a fawn come in behind me. Thought there was only one deer. I could only see one when I made my move for my bow. It was 6 yards to my left. They didn't blow they just got nervous and split. Moved climber to some grape vines that I found still dropping for afternoon hunt. I hear we have some meat on the ground from two of our brothers


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## Stump Shooter (Sep 13, 2015)

Had a doe at 50 yards Sat morning and Sat afternoon got messed up by the Yotes also, first one and on the way out heard a whole pack where I was hunting. I knew what was up when the doe I saw did not have any yearlings in tow.


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## dm/wolfskin (Sep 13, 2015)

My Al report. Hunted Saturday morning over a dropping persimmon tree. Hog track and a few deer tracks under it. Hogs had it tore up. Only saw a squirrel with wolves on its' body. He got himself a persimmon and started eating it in a buckeye tree. I sent him on his way by hitting the forked limb he was sitting on a little under him. Didn't hunt the afternoon or this morning.


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## jjy (Sep 13, 2015)

Did not get to go yesterday but I have been in the woods since 7 this morning. Saw four does this morning, all out of range. Got down at noon and ate some lunch, currently sitting on a patch of muscidines that are still dropping.


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## dutchman (Sep 13, 2015)

Nothing exciting to report. Hunted yesterday afternoon only with no sightings from the stand. Gonna try to hunt a few afternoons this week.


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## Barebowyer (Sep 13, 2015)

Heavy rains yesterday am, swirling winds and on/off rain in the afternoon.  Four hour sit with no deer sighted from stand, walked up on 5 in cutover about 820pm on way back to truck....two packs of yotes going crazy at about 8 pm.....no hunting today...things to do


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## frankwright (Sep 13, 2015)

I didn't hunt opening weekend but I will get out this week. I was at the farm I hunt and there are good acorns by my stands this year as there were none last year.
We have three of the five little food plots planted and there is sorghum standing in the dove field so it looks pretty good.

My hunting buddy Bob, the landowner went out tonight and killed a doe right away. She died almost instantly and in less than ten yards. He said he has never had one die that quick.


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## Barry Duggan (Sep 13, 2015)

Killed a dove this morning.


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## Al33 (Sep 13, 2015)

Frank, tell your buddy Bob congratulations. 

Barry, dang good shootin'!!!

Thanks for the reports folks, love reading them.


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## AllAmerican (Sep 13, 2015)

Seen nothing Sat. Morn.  Seen a doe and a fawn 50 yds out.  Then nothing.  Empty handed first weekend.


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## robert carter (Sep 13, 2015)

I worked like a dog... but I`m off tomorrow!!RC


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## oldfella1962 (Sep 14, 2015)

Didn't hunt Saturday, hunted Sunday morning, and Sunday evening. I did a Sergeant Shultz - "I hear nothing, I see nothing, nothing!"  I think I heard one blowing pretty far off but it wasn't blowing at me. Then again it could have been a grey fox barking. As of 8:15 Sunday evening only three deer had been taken here at Fort Gordon over the weekend. For some reason it always starts out slow.  I didn't have the right wind to hunt my favorite spots, but will have my NE wind the rest of the week if the weather report is accurate. After work hunting is pretty convenient.


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## BBowman (Sep 14, 2015)

Good luck to all.  Our season comes in Oct. 15th.  According to my trail camera, I have several candidates for freezer duty already picked out.  Now, they just need to volunteer. RC, you know that you were really just giving the locals a head start.


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