Big JWC 50 said:
I couldn't imagine waiting around till November to hunt.
Same here, but I'm
often more excited about hunting squirrels cutting hickory nuts during the early deer archery season. :D I like to hunt lots of things, but enjoy deer hunting more as the timing gets closer to the rut. It's all about
TIMING and BALANCE.
I do some early archery deer hunting, just don't want to do too much at the expense of hunting other game, scouting, etc. Early archery season is a great time to "patrol" one's property, scout, run trail cams, and generally prepare for what I consider the "Main Event" (the pre-rut thru rut period beginning sometime in late October). For me, this balance of activities is a part of my deer hunting, and spending too much time on a stand too soon can be akin to getting the cart ahead of the horse.
Just in terms of my personal enjoyment while actually hunting, I generally wouldn't swap one day in late October for a whole week in late September. Fortunately, we can do some of both, but
there's much about late October that's more exciting.
Anyone else ever hunted so much (like every day) during the early archery season that you were somewhat "burned out" (tired of sitting on stands) by the time you should be sitting on a stand all day as the rut is beginning? Not only has that happened to me many times, but I also many times used up my vacation time during the early archery season, costing me better hunting days in late October and November.
But I do enjoy some early archery deer hunting, the operative word being "some", and mainly when the weather happens to be seasonally cool or raining (not storming, just raining). Typical late September weather, I'd typically rather be fishing.
CAW said:
. . . . . if we get lucky and a cold front comes through . . . . . One of my favorite times for sure!
Exactly. Rain and a cold front, sit on stand, typical hot September weather, go fishing.
