Hey guys I've been readIng alot about different times of the season
For success some say early some say late definitely the rut shows the most activity but what are you guys thoughts on opening day success is this considered one of the best and most successful days of the season

Opening day deff has a bunch of activity. However it hasnt been the best for me. Thanksgiving has always been the best week and i will hunt all 7 days on that week as well.

If I shoot a buck before Thanksgiving I always see a bigger one later in the season. I have a rule now that unless a monster shows up I will not shot a buck before Thanksgiving.

At my place I seem to see the most mature bucks right up until bow season and then they disappear and reappear right around the close of the season. I saw TONS of activity on opening day last year, but it was all the young bucks trying to dip their peckers with non-responsive does.

I have never been successful on opening day. Usually still too hot for much movement. Around Thanksgiving seems to be better for us. But every place is different. You just never know. I'd be on the stand regardless.

Opening day is the BEST day of the year, whether I see any deer or not.

-M

I agree - opening day of Archery and opening day of Rifle are the best regardless of what you see.

However to get technical and answer your question - I tend to agree that the 3rd and 4th weekend in November is "THE" best times to hunt (generally appears to be peak rut) - at least in my experience on the leases in Cass and Caldwell counties. I honestly cant recall the last time i wasnt sweating on an opening weekend (or second at that). I know i will get heck for admitting this but I have had to strip down to my underwear on a few occassions cause it was so hot in my blind - just not in a habit of wearing shorts, boots and no shirt deer hunting. My stands are insulated and air tight. I think anyone who has been sitting in a popup in early season down in a draw with the sun shining down and no wind, knows how hot those things can get.

Seems like December has always sucked for me - especially in East Texas (by December the deer are so freakin skittish from all the gunshots that everything goes nocturnal).

I have shot a great buck opening morning on two different leases. But I have been hunting for 50 years. So most of the time it's around Thanksgiving. One year it was Dec26th.I will always be in the stand opening morning hoping to see the big boy.

Last two years I have seen at least 3 nice 8's and other bucks opening bow season about 2 weeks later through Jan I only saw 4's and 6's. Eight's came back on cam pics in January.

Opening weekend and Thanksgiving day seem to be the best for me.

Late ML season.. bucks are starving and go stupid. Which is why we don't allow late ML season anymore.

Since there may not be a whole lot to eat this year if you're feeding corn or other supplemental food source every day this season has the potential to be good.

agreed

I hope to get a nice one during bow season, I am the only bow hunter on my lease. I plan on hunting the first 3 days. This is the first year that I have deer hunted in TX on a lease so I am kind of excited to go.

Heck yeah

well for the last couple of years i seem to have the most success opening weekend cause of some good freezes at the end of august really gettin em goin

I don't ever hunt opening weekend, way to much going on, and the deer know it. Hunt the weekday and see alot more deer.

Thanksgiving week and 2 weeks after that is always the best in our area

December 13 is my lucky day

At our place in West Tex, I love hunting the last week of bow season when it's late Pre-Rut/Early Rut -- bucks are curious and respond well to rattling. Hasn't been pressure from reg season hunters and the weather is slightly cooler.