Opening Weekend of ML Observations

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Bone Collector

Bone Collector

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2009
Messages
20,361
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Murfreesboro, TN
What did everyone see this weekend? It was hot and I didn't see any deer. I hunted Wilson and Rutherford county.

I can only hunt one time per day due to family obligations and chose to hunt both mornings. Opening day I did so, because I like being out in the morning on opening days.

Sunday I chose the AM because on my land they are usually more productive.

I know some good deer were killed, but wondered if it was as slow for others as it was for me and if not when you saw the deer (AM, Mid-day, PM)?
 
Slow weekend for me in Marshall county. Saw 2 small bucks. It was too warm and windy. Hunting this morning and have seen a small 6 pointer. Still beats work.
 
Didn't see any on Saturday and Sunday evening saw 3 does. Only hear two shots. This was in Bradley Co
 
Weather was terrible, havent even been yet but leaving tomm to spend a couple weeks, hopefully weather continues to improve.
 
I hunt Wilson Co. too and yes it was beyond slow. In fact, the entire season I have only seen 7 deer--that's on 2 out of 20+ hunts. I live on 20 acres and am surrounded by large farms and then I also have a large lease close by. I thought last year was bad but this year is the toughest year I've had in my 20+ years of deer hunting. I'm stumped!!
 
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Hunted Sat. saw a nice 8 pointer in the morning and zero in the evening , so warm have not been back ,maybe later in the week.
 
This is a big weekend for our lease in Scott Co. There are 30 people on the lease plus their families or guest. Only one deer killed. Only heard three shots.
 
One of two things...

Weather had deer not moving... in that case, all the deer not killed are still saved up and will make for some unreal hunting 2nd weekend of ML and opening week of rifle

OR

Deer population is much lower than years prior... in that case, we are in trouble... big time.

It's probably just #1... not many areas outside Williamson and Sumner counties where does are actually coming into heat right now. No actual does in heat plus hot temps keeps most deer nocturnal. Next week, does will start coming into heat in most of middle TN and daylight activity should skyrocket even if temps are high.

Overall, (if hunter's toolbox numbers are correct), kill for bucks was down over 50% for this weekend compared to last years. Same for does (a good thing).

I usually don't hunt first ML weekend, in fact, had a blast in the balmy LA marsh stacking bull reds and trout into the boat yesterday :) It was opening weekend for MS juvie, and it was so warm and foggy, we went fishing instead.
 
I hunted Henry County Saturday morning. I had 3 separate groups of doe's come within 30 yards of me. I killed a nice doe. I saw a small buck chasing a doe along the side of the road Saturday afternoon just down from my place. A friend hunted in Cheatham county Saturday morning and he killed a 6 pt and saw several other bucks chasing doe's.
 
Saturday morning I saw 2 young bucks. Didn't hunt Saturday evening. Sunday morning I saw 4 does, one button buck and a 2.5 year old 8 pt that was too small and too young for me to want to shoot.

Hunting my lease in Wilson County.
 
I saw a 1.5 yr old 6 pt and a 2 yr old 6 pt, both cruising, nose to the ground. They would stop and pant occassionally. One other guy hunted that farm and killed a good 4.5 yr old deer (we think) at 8:00 am running a doe. He saw a few other bucks as well. Obion county.

Whole lot better than expected.
 
Busted what sounded like 50 does huffing and wuffing and blowing and foot stamping. They were bedded on a finger ridge and were definitely facing south and the wind did us in. Saw ears winking and tails flagging.

Second encounter the wind did us in again and we busted up a single animal. three or 4 blows and then not a sound.

Need cold weather. Need North wind.

I have always thought fog kept animals bedded because their nose and eyes don't work well enough to keep them from becoming dinner. Some stuff on TV made me question that but now, I am pretty sure the animals do not like fog at all.
 
megalomaniac":3u9gwicm said:
One of two things...

Weather had deer not moving... in that case, all the deer not killed are still saved up and will make for some unreal hunting 2nd weekend of ML and opening week of rifle

It's probably just #1... not many areas outside Williamson and Sumner counties where does are actually coming into heat right now. No actual does in heat plus hot temps keeps most deer nocturnal. Next week, does will start coming into heat in most of middle TN and daylight activity should skyrocket even if temps are high.
Click to expand...

I think you're right about the temps and figured most had the same issues.
 
My wife and 9 year old girl sat in a stand and me in another. We hunted both mornings. 0 and 0. Where my wife and daughter hunted they hunted their th weekend before on the juvi and saw 9 bucks in 2 sits.
 
One of big 10 pointers made two appearances but no shot opportunities, a couple of small spikes and forks, a handful of does. That was it and that included this morning. Humphreys.
 
Hunted morn and eve Sat Sun Mon. Jackson Macon counties. Heard 2 shots in 3 days. Not seen a hair except the one crossing the logging road going out. Full moon biggest issue. Then warm temps on top. It will get better by the weekend.
 
Wife and I hunted Saturday afternoon, we had warm temps and rain. After the rain saw a spike then about 20 mins later a small doe stepped in the plot. Wife didn't see anything
 
Saw three does Saturday morning and that was it for the weekend. Heard very few shots.
 
I hunted day light till 11:00 am Saturday.

Only saw one young buck.

Hunted day light till 10:00 am Sunday.

Saw a few squirrels early until the wind got up. That was it.

Planned on hunting this afternoon and broke my tractor this morning so it didn't happen.
 
I didn't hunt Saturday Nov 4 but did see a doe in the pasture by the house while looking out the window about 7:30am so IF I had been out there I could have shot it. I did hunt Sunday morning and heard a deer snort at me twice. My cousin saw about 5 does Sunday morning. I did not hear a shot at all either day.
 
I've seen a total of 8 deer all season long. Missed a doe on 9/24. Saw 3 while scouting in Morgan Co. on 9/29. Haven't seen a deer there since that day. Hardeman Co, saw 3 doe on 10/20. Saturday saw 2 of the 3 again. That's been my season. Hopefully Hardeman Co is better for me this weekend!
 
Nothing either day for me. I heard one shot Sunday morning. Thinking about taking off work Friday. Good luck to everybody.
 

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