"Opening weekend"

With all of the posts about the upcoming weekend it got me wondering. So many poeple calling it "opening weekend" and yet, me and all of my buddies have been bow hunting since September. I dont remember seeing many "opening day" posts before archery season started. I love bow hunting and rifle hunting and dont see why someone wouldnt maximize their hunting time by archery hunting. For those that dont, why not?

Gun only, tore my shoulder up with a bow and if I ever want to bow hunt again I'd need surgery. Rifle is fine for me now.

I don't have time to hunt, don't have time to practice, and I don't really care to sweat my butt off while fighting mosquitos.

Maybe once my kids get a little older I will pull the bow back out.

Thermacell is a miracle product

Last time I bow hunted in September I stripped down to my underwear it was so hot in the popup. "Bow Season" in Texas is not enjoyable but I do understand the benefits of getting at the bucks first.

I bow hunt to extend my season. I just prefer hunting with a rifle. Bows are fun, but not as much fun as guns.

Weather.

I hunt on my in-laws 160 acres and most of the productive areas are close to the fence lines. His neighbors are not that friendly so sticking one and have to track it on their land is not an option. Therefore gun only for me and shot placement is critical.

I go bow hunting maybe two weekends during bow season. I just have never been a big bow hunter. I just use bow hunting as an excuse to get myself out in the woods earlier, because all of the other guys at my lease don't really bow hunt either, so sometimes, I'll be the only one up out in the woods at my place. It's a nice get-away.

If we get cool weather like this year I like to get that early start in bow season. Trim the number of does so the bucks become more aggressive during the rut. But of course the rut seemed early for us this year. We saw bucks chasing all weekend. 31 degrees 2 mornings in a row. I didn't get a shot but my boy took a big bodied deer.

There is one in the Bow section under equipment.

Saturday was my 3rd weekend to hunt and came home with a doe. Friday it was 28* over night and 34* Saturday night. It was great weather

Hunting in the heat does not appeal to me either. Typically I will eait to december to start hunting but now that I am working 2 jobs I will just go when I can go.

I don't have a bow

I both gun and bow hunt. The biggest problem I have with bow season is that it's also dove season, and if the birds are flying good I'd rather do that than deer hunt.

That's because your a sweat hog. This is what gave you away Robert "eait to december" always thinking about food. lol Where were you this weekend?

Lack of trees for me is the main reason I do not bow hunt in Texas. It gets hot in those pop up blinds and it does not have the same feeling as being in a tree. If I can get east or north were there is more forest hunting then I love to bow hunt.

I'm on a bow only lease. Have hunted 11 days already. If I get an invite somewhere to gun hunt I will. I keep my rifle sighted in during the offseason killing hogs.

Hunted the last 3 weekends. I love bowhunting but I like rifle hunting too. I will hunt in a manner to maximize my opportunities.

I take both, but it all depends on what and where I see it as to what I use.

Not good with a bow, and don't want to wound and not kill and animal.

I bow hunted heavily 3 years ago. I prefer to bow hunt out of a tree stand. The new lease I'm on has maybe one tree that is good for a tree stand? I will be working on a good ground blind for bow hunting in the off season.

I bow hunt only until gun season begins. Like others have stated most of Oct is simply too hot. I hunted opening weekend and this past weekend with my crossbow. I wish they'd extend bow season thru Jan then I'd enjoy bow hunting more.

Ok now I have another question after seeing all of the "its too hot" responces. Its gunna be hot this weekend so how many of yal that replied thats its too hot are still going this weekend?

I don’t bow hunt because I hunt in extremely thick brush and there would be a 100% chance that I would have a huge tracking job through heavy brush. I also don’t bow hunt because I’ve heard of too many bow hunters losing wounded deer.

Same reasons here.

It requires more work than jumping in an insulated blind and my kids keep me busy. Maybe next year.

I won't be hunting this weekend because the weather gave me a good excuse to stay home and see my youngest daughter from Houston.

If she wasn't coming home I would go and I wish all members the best of luck!!!