I've read most, but not all of the thread; pardon any redundancy.
I was thinking about this very thing earlier in the Fall. I clearly remember waaaaaaay back in the dim, dark days of the early 80's
( it's funny how the 80's are beginning to seem as ancient now as the 60's did then) Opening -Day was an excusable absence. It really started the Saturday prior taking a few shots, organizing gear, cleaning the rifle, making a plan, listening to the older guys talk about seasons past.
What I was reminiscing about mostly, though, was how often at dark you might see a hunter walking down the road,rifle slung over his shoulder you'd pull up and give him a ride to his truck; I don't think that would get the same reception today.
Also, one reason you'd be walking down the road is most of the land around here, was NOT cut up into little 3 acre parcels and postedpostedposted ! It was reasonable to ask permission but was just as common to pull off the road and head in-at dark you'd strike the road and head back to the truck.
Now I'm saying truck, but the fact of the matter is a lot of people drove station wagons, and not an F850 v-16, double lifted,dually, 4WD, bluetooth enabled, GPS equipped, it even breathes for you, w/ electro-matic butt massage( yeah, I drive one)- I kinda miss those wagons w/ a deer or two strapped to the hood...
Also pickups w/ maybe 8 or 10 guys coming off a deer drive all wearing Woolrich red sitting on a deer or two, drinking a Genny-from a can!
At the time, I clearly didn't understand it was nostalgia brewing. A kid could do much worse than take a day off from school for the Season-opener...