OK.....for opening day, if we ( Delaware) do not get enough rain to fill any ditches pick which location you would like to go to opening morning.

A. Just inside the woods next to a soybean field where their is a hot trail
B. Edge of a swamp where there are lots of trails
C. Secluded spot in the woods, not too thick, but has a small creek with deer tracks around it
D. Go surf fishing instead :-)

Im leaning towards.................geesh I dont know, they all seem good. Thats why I need a couple opinions, this way if I go to a place you choose, I can blame you if I come out empty handed

AllenC

Lemond, I'm not trying to cause friction, but I'm going to agree with DeBob to an extent. I shoot both a compound and a recurve. I started with a recurve, but went to a compound with sights after joining the Navy because it was easier to shoot accurately than the recurve. Shooting instinctively takes constant practice, and being on ship for so long prevented me from doing that. Now however, I shoot both, and enjoy it. I understood your analogy, but I don't think it can be fully applied to bowhunting. Unless you feel you are in competition with other hunters for the biggest, best deer, the analogy doesn't apply. My only competition each season is the deer, and people were killing plenty of deer before any of this technology hit the scene.

DeBob, I think many bow hunters shoot extremely fast set-ups as a result of the growing popularity of 3-D archery competitions. Fast, flat set-ups are an advantage when shooting at targets up to 60 yards away. Unfortunately, many hunters make the jump from 3-D targets to live targets. Some shots I see and hear others taking make me wonder. I will not shoot over 30 yards with my compound, or 20 yards with the recurve. I don't think any shot over 30 or 35 yards is a safe one, just because deer can move enough at the sound of the bow to result in a poor hit. Shots should only be taken when you are sure you can make a good, clean, killing shot. When someone shoots at a live animal, with an arrow, over 35 yards away, you can never be sure of that. That's why I say it's not ethical. They may be sure of their skills at 40, 50 or 60 yards on a deer target, but that thing doesn't jump at the sound of a bow.

Now, like Lemond said, lets hear some more about those opening day set-ups.



Edited by - NJ_bowhntr on 08/28/2002 06:43:03

lemond, I apologize for preaching! I'm alittle overprotective of a sport I dearly love! Just do me a favor and research the history of the sport! Don't beleive the advertising hype that some one owes you a deer and its your duty to gear yourself to death to get one! Understand it's simply a challenge and never intended to duplicate the gun season's success. When it gets too easy, the DNRs will take away are lengthy season! None of us want that, right?

Oh...and don't think your that much younger...I just started bowhunting young.

As for those swamp bucks...which swamps? The southern swamps like Ellendale Swamp, the river edges (e.g. Nanticoke) and the Great Swamp in Gumboro are huge. Some deer never leave them!! All the others I am aware of are relatively small in size and offer only periodic cover. During the rut, bucks travel great distances. Sometimes miles per night.

Coolerpup, I'd go with B in the morning and A in the afternoon.... Maybe D in the mid day. I'll also add E, fly fishing off the IR Inlet Jetty at midnight!! Cooler temps = Stripers!!!! Good luck!

That sounds like a plan.
I'm too lazy for all that, so what I'm gonna do is combine C with D all day, dawn til dusk. I figure if we get any of this rain they keep threatening, the fresh growth will give em some browse to get up and poke around throughout the day. If they do bed in the swamp all day, I'll be catching them coming in, and coming out. I haven't been to my spot sincce spring, so hopefully nobody else has, and they're not too spooked to be browsing a little all day, if it's cool enough.
5 days fellas!

"In heaven, even the fish have antlers"

Just do like me and hunt resident geese in the AM and doves in the PM.



Jerry
DE Duck Hunter

ok,,now we r talking. the rut is probably the best time to hunt the swamps from what everyone is saying. i like to hunt that time of the year because i like using calls. there seems to be a good response from the deer in the swamps when calls are used. i was using a can last year.

i think when the deer sense ALL of the people in the woods next week...they will shut down. i have found that it is best to hunt mid week...and mid day at times.

I'd have to say A. From what I've seen so far where I've been scouting, the deer are sticking close, if not bedding in the food sources all day long. If the food source is cut this weekend, then B. Without a doubt.

Any day spent huntin, is better than any day spent workin,,

Duckmastor2

what CALLS are you using that works????

Here I thought you all would make this easier for me :-)

We have quite a mix going here. I am leaning towards the edge of the swamp.
Now would you get there before daylight or just as its breakin daylight?

Im thinkin the deer wil be out and about and will head for the swamp just as the sun is coming up, so Id wanna be waiting on them to arrive and give them a warm welcome :-)

I have gotten to my stand early before, shining my flashlight only to come up on 6 sets of eyes. Talk about an erie feelin.

Its raining hard in Laurel tonight.

AllenC