September 12th Kansas blackpowder opener.

I'm thinkin' I may slow roll it a little this year.

I've killed a bunch of bucks the 2nd week of September and love hunting the early season.

However, lookin' at my oldest son's bucks on the wall versus his ol' man's (), I just might take my kid's advice this year and wait to seriously go after 'em until late October.

The really bigguns' are hard to hunt early, rarely showing themselves 'til rut-crazed November, or so the kid says.

To be honest, I'd rather lounge in the pool versus fighting off sweat, ticks, chiggers, mosquitoes, and snakes anyways.

If I do go early, I'll have to keep my hands in my pocket to keep my trigger finger from gettin' too twitchy.

Anybody else love hunting the early season?

Always thought hunting Kansas would be a fun endeavor, especially when I've driven across the state.

will be crossing it this September, going back east, or on the way home coming back west to Oregon.

Good luck!


Earliest season in MS is bow. First of Oct.
never have gotten into it. Still way too hot..

Ha. Heck it’s still hot on some days during rifle season. 😂😂.

Same, archery opens Oct 1st here... I used to bow hunt a bit, but it's just too hot, green, and skeetery out early season for me to have ever really gotten into it seriously.

By the time the weather is really getting good for hunting, firearm hits in late Nov, then ML is the beginning of Dec.

Archery runs into Jan, but by the time ML and firearm seasons are over, the deer are all skittish as hell and bunkered down where they know they're not getting shot at. I'm into ice fishing mode by then 🤷‍♂️

Good luck to you OP 😁

Our regular gun season begins in 12 days.

Although a lot of us, in the Low Country at least, will be waiting for it to cool down… with 4 1/2 months of deer season and all.

I like September deer hunts. For us, that means youth rifle season. We've killed a few bucks during that time, but always shoot a doe or two. I like that as it gets it out of the way so that it's not as big of a deal for the boys to pass on does during the Nov gun season.

Our bow season starts Sept 30. 2 months from now. Damn, glad you brought that up.

Early archery can be a great time if you've been watching a particular buck all summer and have him patterned, catch him coming to food or water. Outside of that, boring and too warm/buggy for me. Chances of a shooter pitter patting down the trail minimal.

I prefer the weather cold(er) and the bucks horned up and stupid. As a rule I'll make sure stands are in place early September and then stay out until week before Halloween at the earliest.

I'll be muzzleloading for mule deer in SW Kansas again.

4.5 months? Holy cow 🤯

7 days here

The first deer I see (doe) is getting it. I ran out of meat mid March. Nothing like watching a college football game and grilling a backstrap with a lonestar beer. And a tator of course.

I usually inventory the freezers in early October and sort out all the remaining venison so I can see how many I need to kill and when. I think I'm still good on burger and steaks but running low on whole cuts. As I don't do archery, my season starts on October 21 this fall. Will run until mid-January. There will likely also be some nighttime pig hunting thrown in there from mid September until end of April, depending on if they are showing up.

Don't get me wrong, I kill enough of them. Killed about 30 last year on depred., but gave about 25 of them away.

I follow. 5 deer in the freezer will generally get my bunch through until August/September. We bought part of a beef last years from some friends, so the deer has stretched a bit longer this year.

Need to check a few rifles, make sure they are on.

Got back from the mountains and this little buck was floating by the house. No holes or any other noticable wounds.

Man, I hope it isn't an EHD outbreak, or a similar disease.

We are across the river from you (Sumter Co.) and have 3 more weeks. Don’t really get after them until later though.
Guess I’m not as mad at them as I used to be.

GreggH

I always get out early in archery season, Oct 1- Jan15, just because it’s The kickoff of the season. But it’s usually hot and buggy. Good thing is that the weeds and grass are usually high and green, good for a ground hunter like me. Last year I killed my archery buck on opening day, in a tee shirt, was probably in the 80’s but I quartered him and hung it all in an old fridge for a few days.

This year I have a great trad only tag for the second weekend in October. It’ll be hot but there’s a real chance at killing a real monster so I’ll be there picking ticks and swatting skeeters. Going to get my bow out and start shooting this week to get tuned up.

McAlester?

Yes Sir

Ours start oct1. Food plot got planted Friday and spent yesterday clearing brush from around one of our blinds. Growth has been crazy since it was logged.

On our place, that only made it better!! But, it did change movement patterns. Took about a year to 18mos for them to settle into new travel corridors. Best thing we did for our place; made $$ and made the hunting better.

I'm with you. Made it much better. In years past we couldn't get a blade of grass to grow. Now, a ground blind isn't even possible. Deer quality has improved along with numbers.

5 years ago this area was nothing but trees and mud.


Hired a deer management forester to run the logging. Not in it for the money but it helps.

In relation to whitetails and easy rule of thumb is to cut all but a few mast bearing trees!