Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

I know many of you have differing seasons than I but I am entering the 3rd week of a 6 week long archery season here in PA. My question is this, how are you feeling at this point?

I feel like the real game is just heating up. It feels like the jitters are gone and it's time to get down to business.

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

Funny you mention this, Ben. I'm starting to feel a bit of the pressure, but it's really only pressure I'm putting on myself. Mainly because I'm in a bit of a buck "slump."[8D] So, even though I know the best time of the season is ahead of us, I'm still thinking in the back of my mind that I'm running out of time.:D

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

I know what you mean. I know I have solid locations, but yet I still get that restless feeling about where to go every night. This cold weather this week could be the snap we need on the buck front.[8D]

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

I'm with you. after a few sits on new land i'm starting to get a 'feel" for things. i'll be back out there this weekend and i'm feeling good about it. I'm confident I'll get it done, I'm just not sure when that might be. I have until January 4th. I don't think it will take that long.

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

So do I.

If I don't kill another deer this year....I'd consider this season a success. But.....I fell NO "pressure" to score on a buck. I have the land ......and the time (;)), for now......so "we'll see";).

My hunting days (every day)are numbered, though........

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

Felling confident this year with my new Hunt smarter not harder view of things. Seems to be paying off so far. For the first time in many years I actually feel I have stands in the right locations. Confidence is real high right now. :)

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

Things are heating up around here. I have all next week off, should be awesome for calling. I'm going to hunt with my brother in the U.P. for a couple days, but then back to IL for some all day sits and hopefully a giant buck on the ground. i've left a good chunk of the property untouched, waiting for this time of year.

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

It’s no where near crunch time.
Ask me this question the night of November 14th and see what my answer is. ;)

I am not confident, nor am I in a panic. I will get out and hunt every chance I get, and attempt to put myself in the best position I can to shoot a mature buck each time.(starting this weekend, still on doe duty this week) After that, there is nothing else that can be done.

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

No where near crunch time for me. Ask me this question a month from now and if I don't have a big one on the ground then I'll be starting to sweat a little.

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

In a month, I won'tbe sweating, I will be crying. Cause it will be over till January.

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

No where near crunch time here neither. Once the 1st week of December hits and I'm not having much luck seeing bucks I'll then start to get nervous and "cold".

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

Definitely picking up after this week. Going to be a late rut up here in Wisconsin. Just happens to coincide with my 5 day weekend that kicks off Nov 6th. I cant wait. Just starting to see bucks work scrapes now. I'm glad the 4 day antlerless hunt is over and done with too.

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

I can understand. We just have two 2 day gun hunts here Nov. 7-8 and Nov. 15-16 and you can bowhunt during gun season.Our season runs until Feb. 28. Plus I have a Missouri license and I am going to NE Indiana Nov. 4-9 so I am still pretty optimistic. Where I hunt in MO I don't expect the hunting to get really good until they flood the timber and weed out some of the hunters. Next weekend through the middle of Dec. should be good....

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

Good way of looking at it. I suppose I need to have more confidence in my spots. I know it's not all about getting a deer on the ground, but I've eaten buck tag soup too many years now.[8D]

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

This is what it looks like for you people that haven't scored yet.:DJust so you know what you are looking for.lbums/ee331/usedcartman/DSCN1945.jpg]

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

Crunch time???

I don't even start getting serious until the last week of Oct.

I love hunting the entire month of Nov.

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

I'm not worried at all. I've still got the remaining weeks of PA's season and 2 weeks beyond that in MD. There is a particular buck that I would like to tag in the next 2 weeks because he will be much harder to track down once he starts chasing does. If I don't get him though, I know there are other good bucks that I would be just as happy with.

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

I just want to feed my belly.;) I have alot of season left, but my hunting spot just dont hold that many deer, and I ate tag soup last year. I have been hunting since the middle of September, and I have yet to have ANYTHING even close enough to shoot. But I know that it will be picking up around here in the next couple of weeks, so I have my fingers crossed.

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

Since this is only the third day of our season here in western NY, I am pretty confident I will score. Time will tell, but I did see deer on my first sit of the season.

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

I'm having a blast. Being super aggressive so I can learn a few more tricks and getting right into the thick of things.

It's been fun.. and the rut will be soon.. and I love sweet sweet November.:)

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

I have 3 weeks of PA with a lot of time off, I'm not worried yet. I then have one week in IL.

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

I see it as I have 1 month to get it done w/ a bow, then I'll have to wait till late december... due to gun season.

I've got plenty of time off the first two weeks of nov.so I will be balls to the wall to get a buck down starting this weekend (taking friday off to get a head start)

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

Its a long season no worries here.

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

Just curious...those who feel no pressure, or are very confident. How many years have you gone without a buck? I wonder how I would feel had I not entered this season as my potentially 6th season without a buck[&:]

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

MGH, I honestly don't remember the last time I didn't kill a buck. I am guessing it's been at least 10 years.

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

Congrats...wish I could say the same:D[&:]

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

I'm not feeling any pressure. Our season lasts until Jan 15th.

I have taken 2 does and now I am focusing on a buck.

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

Matt,
What's your standards? Big buck? Legal buck? How much time will you have to hunt the last 2 weeks of the season?

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

The hunting is just starting to get good in most areas. We'll be seeing a lotmore bucks hitting the ground in the next few days.

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

Ryan, my standards are somewhat open ended. I've passed legal bucks the past two seasons (including a 6 point this yr), but I'm not holding out for a P&Y buck. It's not too realistic in my neck of the woods. I suppose a solid 8-10point in the 90"+ range would suit me.

I've hunted everyday of the PA season this year, and will be able to hunt pretty much every evening here on out (maybe a few misses here and there), and every Saturday. I don't take any days of because I really can't.

My last archery buck was my senior year of high school (Fall 2002). I shot a 6 point in October. Once college hit, I got in about average 4-5 Saturday sits, and about 5 total weekday sits each year in my four seasons while I was at school. Not to say that's an excuse for not killing anything, but I was also not hunting nearly as effective as I would like to think I am now. This season is my second season out of college and of actually hunting hard. Last year I hunted almost as much as I will this year, and saw two legal bucks...that's it...shot a doe, but that was all. This is now my 6th season, and I feel like I should be due to connect, but who knows, lol. It's this nagging voice in the back of my head.

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

The best time to kill a buck is coming boys, I have killed 5 bucks in the last 6 yrs and everyone 1 of them i killed in the first or second week of november. With these cold nights it is only a matter of time before they start chassing. It's time to keep the grunt tube handy.

RE: Getting Down To "Crunch Time"
 

My bucks out there, somewhere))) I just keep passing up the little 80-110 bucks. Just got to hold off just a little longer until the big boys lose their minds and start running all over throwing caution to the wind. For me I consider it a waiting game.

Dave