Velvet Hunt

[UCStandSitter]

How many of you fellas are planning to hunt velvet this year?

Just not my thing. I feel like if I have to track for any real length of time the meat will be done for. Not to mention these last few days of heat have given me zero desire to be in the woods.

Where I hunt, I'm the only archery guy on the property and surrounding so I don't have to worry about pressure in September. Believe my season will start then.

 

[rem270]

If I had somewhere to deer hunt in TN I would give it a shot.

 

[BSK]

No interest in shooting a buck in velvet. Give me hard horns!

 

[UCStandSitter]

For those like me who plan to wait till archery, today marks 99 days!!!!! My gear has been prepped and ready since the 6th of January... lol

 

[rem270]

For those like me who plan to wait till archery, today marks 99 days!!!!! My gear has been prepped and ready since the 6th of January... lol

That means 78 day for us Kentucky folk! Can't wait!

 

[TNTreeman]

Not my thing. I'll start mid October Lord willing. Glad it's available for those that enjoy it.

 

[Lincoln Co Archer]

Not my thing personally. Our property is nothing but hills so getting to the stand is a challenge. Sweating profusely, fighting ticks and mosquitoes, and then the work involved to take care of a kill in the heat, completely takes the fun out of it for me.

 

[BSK]

Our property is nothing but hills so getting to the stand is a challenge. Sweating profusely, fighting ticks and mosquitoes, and then the work involved to take care of a kill in the heat, completely takes the fun out of it for me.

Some of the many reasons I gave up bow-hunting. Hunting in the heat and mosquitoes just isn't my cup of tea.

 

[Rakkin6]

Nope if it's this hor in June then August is going to be miserable. Would rather hit the lake in the morning or evening for some fishing until at least the end of September or October at the earliest. But if it is your thing then I wish you nothing but the best of luck.

 

[Lincoln Co Archer]

Some of the many reasons I gave up bow-hunting. Hunting in the heat and mosquitoes just isn't my cup of tea.

I have given it up completely as well. I was completely shocked at how much better it made muzzleloader season for our property. Our buck sightings went through the roof after we quit bow hunting and the first hunter intrusion was opening morning of muzzleloader.

 

[TheLBLman]

The main impetus behind the creation of this "trophy" velvet hunt
was to increase non-resident license sales.

I've found very, very few resident deer hunters who have any desire to participate.

And among those who do, I believe an alarming percentage are hunting illegally over bait.

 

[Tn Joe]

I'll only hunt if I know a buck I'd like to kill is using my property regularly.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

I definitely will be. I love spending my evenings glass bucks in the beans and planning a way to intercept them. Unlike TheLBLMan implies, I won't be illegally hunting over bait either.

I was glad to see LBL open the TN side to archery deer starting Sept 3rd. It'll save me the cost of buying a KY license so I could hunt their early archery on the WMA's.

 

[UCStandSitter]

I can handle the heat. I can mitigate the ticks and skeeters. What I can't abide is wasting meat to the heat. Trophy or not, I don't want to sacrifice an animal just for a head on my wall if I can help it. That heat is just too much. Tracking in that sort of heat is brutal as well. Slows down your pace and you can't really leave stuff till morning. Just not worth it to me. I love bow opener in Sept though. Great weather usually. Those mornings in the high 60s low 70s are perfect if you have the right clothing. Permethrin and Thermacell are a must along with about a gallon of water but dang if I don't love it. I'm weird though. I'm even excited to go preset sticks in a few more weeks. Will have 8 spots on 250ac this season. Should let me setup on most days regardless of wind. Exclusive out of the saddle so if I set sticks all I have to pack is my platform and wear my saddle in. Makes for a LIGHT load.

 

[LanceS4803]

I can handle the heat. I can mitigate the ticks and skeeters. What I can't abide is wasting meat to the heat.

Trying to properly take care of venison in the heat is like playing Beat the Clock.
No fun.

 

[redblood]

No interest in shooting a buck in velvet. Give me hard horns!

X2. Fuzzy horn, red skinny bucks hold no interest for me. Oct 10th is when i start

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I will play it by ear. I hate the heat more than anyone, but if there is a buck fairly patternable, I'll be after him. I can tolerate the last 2-3 hours of daylight out in the elements. I definitely don't go out of my way on anything for this hunt. I've only had 3 sits since the hunt started and was successful on 1 of them. If everything doesn't line up, I simply won't go. The last 2 years I've mostly been planting food plots during the hunt. I will likely wait till the end of October.

 

[TNGunsmoke]

I'm playing it by ear. Depends on the kind of mood my wife is in and whether I need to get out of the house for a while. Could also depend on what the grand kids have going on too. I normally skip it due to the heat, but I can be persuaded to sit if I just have to get out of the house.

 

[Ski]

If there's a good one showing frequently enough that I feel the odds are in my favor, then I'll 100% be sitting in a tree. Heat, sweat, thunderstorms, bugs, come hell or high water I'll be hunting if there's a buck I want & think I can kill. I'm not so old & tired yet that the struggles deter me. I'm getting there but for now I still appreciate the challenges. And the only corn I'm hunting near is still firmly rooted in the ground!

 

[backyardtndeer]

Will wait and see, but not likely.