Opening Day of Bow Season (deer)

[Cloak N Dagger]

I left the house early this morning. Temperature was 44 degrees. Drove up to our place on the mountain. Temperature 33 degrees and the wind howling like a banshee! http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/afraid_face.gif

No problem, climbed my tree and settled in for a swaying good time. Just at daybreak I saw a bear go ambling by. He&#39;ll have to wait till next Saturday. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-wnk-yellow.gif

8am- light rain and wind .... 9:30am- Hard rain and wind (still hanging in there) By 1:00 pm I had not seen anything else and was well on my way to becoming seasick from riding the tree.

I decided to go to plan B. Climbed down and headed to one of my ground blinds. Figured it would break the wind a bit, and at least it wouldn&#39;t be swaying. Arrived at the ground blind at 2pm. Stopped raining and the wind calmed. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-rolleyes-green.gif

Stayed till dark, saw one little "pocket deer" and a spike. Passed on both of them.

Sound like a miserable day? No way !!!! I saw a little game, saw some beautiful country, and didn&#39;t have to work! I&#39;ll be back after &#39;em next Friday and Saturday. With a little luck.... maybe the ol&#39; bear will wander by again. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-biggrin-aqua.gif

Huntin&#39; .... ya gotta love it!

How was your opener?

[LexVegas]

I had an opener that sounded a lot like yours. Climbed a skinny little walnut tree and swayed in the wind, trying to stay warm. Saw several does about 8am, but never came in range for a shot.

Second week, saw lots of bear scat (and caught a picture of the bruin on my game cam) but didn&#39;t see the bear. A doe and her fawn wandered across the ridge I was on in the afternoon, but other than that it&#39;s been a quiet couple of saturdays.

If I was squirrel hunting I could have limited out several times each day. Can&#39;t remember a time when I&#39;ve seen so many bushytails. Like you said, a slow day in the woods sure beats a good day at work. GL

[Cloak N Dagger]

Well things picked up a bit this past weekend. Friday afternoon I saw two nice bucks,but both were a little out of range. Hopefully they will continue traveling the same route this weekend, because I&#39;mgoing to be up a different tree. I also found a shed from last year that was impressive!

Saturday (opening day of bear season) I had full intentions of trying for one of the bears I&#39;ve been seeing lately, then trying for one of the bucks mentioned above that afternoon. But three fat does came under my stand that day, and all I could think about was backstraps!

I picked one out and took her home. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-biggrin-aqua.gif

Lex, sounds like you may have to carry a few judo points with you for the squirrels. Sadly enough, our squirrels seemed to have disappeared in our neck of the woods this year. Maybe they all headed over your way.

Gonna give it another try this Fri & Sat ... Luck to ya! http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-wavin-yel.gif

[LexVegas]

Yep, I too had hopes of getting a rug on the 11th, but nothing. Good luck to you this weekend, I&#39;ll be out trying to get myself some backstraps too. I can smell &#39;em on the grill already.

[Drmac22]

Hey Fellas,
THinking about taking orders to Virgina Beach area, was wondering how the Bow hunting is in that area, How are the deer, are they sizeable? I really don&#39;t know. Originally from Iowa so a nice buck would field dress at 200+ just wondering. Will i have to travel to hunt? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Dmac

[LexVegas]

Hey Drmac,

I&#39;ve only hunted in the western part of the state, Highland, Rockbridge and Augusta counties, and a little bit in NoVa, so I really can&#39;t tell you much about Virginia Beach hunting.

Out where I am you get some bruisers that go 200 on the hoof, but probably very rarely dress out at 200#. I think the tidewater deer tend to run a little smaller, but I could be wrong.

It&#39;s not too bad a drive to the Blue Ridge from the beach, and it&#39;s some beatiful country. I say make the move. Good luck.

[Drmac22]

Thanks for the info,
Its up to the Navy if i do but I am hoping to. I am tired of California and the hunting sucks. haha! I wish there was a Navy base in Iowa. sure miss home sometimes. Maybe Virginia will keep my mind off Iowa. hope so.
Thanks again
Dmac