Early Velvet season this year?

[Ski]

If the weather is anything like yesterday & today, it should be a real nice hunt. High of 76 in my area today.

 

[knightrider]

If the weather is anything like yesterday & today, it should be a real nice hunt. High of 76 in my area today.

Forcasted to be near 90 here so its a no go for me

 

[gatodoc]

What I don't like about it is what I've already stated: mature bucks are on VERY predictable summer patterns at this time (late August). They come to ag fields using the same trails every day and their arrival is like clockwork. Picking off these mature bucks is much, much easier at this time of year than during the fall hunting season. And the problem gets even worse in the CWD Zones, where a rifle can be used. Picking off bucks feeding in bean fields in August is not difficult at all, and hunters with guns could put a world of hurt on their buck age structure by hunting in late August. Now bow hunters aren't going to have as much impact, but a higher impact than during the regular bow season when mature bucks have stopped those highly predictable ag field patterns. I have clients with property very near CWD Zones, and these properties will be included in the CWD Zone is the next fewer years. They've already decided that they will not allow hunting on their property (some of these are big clubs) during the velvet hunt. They could wipe out their mature buck population with rifles in late August.

If they kill them in August or Dec what's the diff? The goal is to get one…

 

[gatodoc]

Ditto

If rifles is such a big advantage in the CWD counties why isn't their kill rate higher in the Velvet Hunt?

 

[redblood]

I have no problem with it as long as it isnt a bonus buck. But a red fuzzy horn with a doe neck isnt my cup of tea. Best of luck for those who go

 

[redblood]

And i have some good ones hanging around right now….including a drop tine 9 pt. But im patient!

 

[BSK]

If they kill them in August or Dec what's the diff? The goal is to get one…

In the CWD areas, hunters with rifles. Mature bucks are easy pickings at this time of year. It significantly ups the kill of mature bucks.

 

[BSK]

If rifles is such a big advantage in the CWD counties why isn't their kill rate higher in the Velvet Hunt?

Haven't seen the stats. All I know is that for the properties I work with, every mature buck is feeding in bean fields in broad daylight. Killing a high percentage would be easy.

 

[Chiflyguy]

It's hot enough sitting in a boat fishing in august, how do you sit up in a tree wearing hunting clothes?
You guys are nuts!
Good luck that weekend if you go.

 

[redblood]

It's hot enough sitting in a boat fishing in august, how do you sit up in a tree wearing hunting clothes?
You guys are nuts!
Good luck that weekend if you go.

Yeah. The feel of the air, is the most important part to me. I need to see autumn colors, gray deer and cool air

 

[redblood]

Although the daylight predictability of this deer is tempting. He stood at the salt this morn for over an hour

 

[double browtine]

I'm with redblood , even a booner would not look good mounted with a skinny red neck!

 

[Bone Collector]

So you are saying that in the CWD zones, more ppl will be gun hunting the velvet weekend vs the rest of the state and in so doing if they are able to kill (only 1 buck I assume) then they will kill a disproportionate number of older bucks and leave fewer for bow hunting in the regular season? So in CWD zone there are proportionately more hunters in the velvet season than the non CWD zones? Back to my CWD question, isn't the TWRA trying to have people kill as many of the deer in the zone as they can? If not, what would be the point in allowing gun basically the entire season?

Yes the TWRA is trying to eradicate deer in the CWD zones. Many disagree with the approach as it hasn't worked anywhere else. CWD has been around for 60+/- years. We just recently got it in our state, other states have been dealing with it for years. Eradication doesn't stop the spread, though it may slow it down a little bit. For whatever reason the biologist do it. I think it is so they can say they did something.

Rifle hunting is open almost all season from what I remember in CWD zone, but I may be wrong there. I think it opens at the end of Oct. so the bow season is very short.

 

[megalomaniac]

Weather looking less than ideal for next weekend.... really need a bit of a front to get them moving well before dark.