Opening morning question...
 

Ok, so at one of my properties the season opens September 1st. I'll be hunting on the edge of a bean field. I've hunted my farm many times. Sometimes, in the morning, there are deer in the field when I arrive, sometimes there aren't. The first 2 weeks of the season is bucks only. Sucks, I agree. My question is...if I get there opening morning and there are some deer in the field, and I can identify them as does...is it worth bumping them to get in the tree? Usually there aren't any deer in this bean field in the morning but you never know. Since I can only shoot a buck, will I do much much harm bumping the girls out or should I just wait for the evening hunt?

P.S. There's no back way in to the stands.

RE: Opening morning question...
 

I absolutely wouldn't bump deer, knowingly, that could see me.

In the woods....they don't know what I am ( I could be a dog, a bunch of racoons or more deer). I'm not so paticular about bumping a deer that can only hear me.

RE: Opening morning question...
 

I would wait for the afternoon hunt. I dont think that bumping the does out would cause much harm, but you never know, maybe there is a once in a lifetime buck standing in the edge of the woods watching. By bumping them all out of there, you may never see him again. I would either wait for the afternoon hunt to hunt the bean field, or in the morning i would try to get back into the woods and try to set up on the deer leaving the field.

RE: Opening morning question...
 

Without the ability to enter undetected, I would just wait for an evening hunt.
If you bump the does, their departure will put the bucks on alert.

RE: Opening morning question...
 

I don't like bumping them out either but like I said, many times they are NOT there in the morning. The farm is about an hour from my house, I would hate to drive that far and then not be able to get in the tree. I think a morning scouting trip would be wellworth it.

RE: Opening morning question...
 

I wouldn't bump any deer out in the morning either. I would just wait for the afternoon hunt or find a differentway to get in without spooking them!

RE: Opening morning question...
 

I was thinking about this the other day,thats kinda how I feel.However it has to be natural sounds the deer are hearing,I have hadguys walk passed me on public land and their stands wererattling and clanging, and they were talking. ButI feel aslong as you make subtle natural sounds you should be alright. (Thats what kills me about public land hunting, ya find a spot get there early before daylight and about the asscrack of dawn somebody comes walking through)


As far as the answer to the question, NO I wouldnt bump the deer, your buck may not be far and if one of them deer snorts/blows or he sees them bolt from the field he may not make an appearance.

RE: Opening morning question...
 

Whether it makes any sense or not.....the first thing I do when i walk into the woods, after leaf drop.....when i know I'm gonna make some noise walking in anyways, is pick up a stick. I tap this around and sometimes drag this behind me to break up the cadence of my human walking sound.

I may bea stooge.....but I'm a thinking stooge.;)

RE: Opening morning question...
 

They may not be in the field, but they may not be far off of it either. If the deer are hanging around just inside the wood line you won't see them, but they will sure see you. Don't risk it...save for an afternoon hunt.
I have a place just like what you're describing which is why I don't get any morning hunts on that farm. To reach my stand, I'd have to trespass which I won't do.

RE: Opening morning question...
 

Yeah, I know they might be hanging out just inside the woods too. The things is, in the past, I've hunted there in the morning and not bumped anything getting in. Then, they show upAFTER daylight. Which would be great.I think a lot of it is myurge to be in the tree when the sun comes up opening morning. I'm going to glass the field this Saturday morning to get a better idea.