Firearms season deer opener

Great Outdoors

Here in coastal SC- our gun season for Whitetails opens August 15th- as usual it was high 90"s with 90% humidity and yesterday was also beset with thunderstorms all day- finally got a weather break in the evening and the wind was right to sit a new ground blind and feeder I set up 2 months ago.
The blind is set up 60 yards from a trail running through thick overgrowth surrounding a firebreak.

 Storms stopped at 5:30 pm and radar showed a couple hour break, got in the blind at 6:15- at 6:50 I heard the first shot- good- deer are moving, thunder was rolling steady all around. At 6:52 the first does and fawns showed up, they were joined by more at 7:20- now I have 9 deer feeding 60 yards away, my trail camera has shown 5 different bucks using this feeder and 2 are good shooters- they typically show just at dark around 8:30.

A few deer wander off, more arrive- still no bucks, time is getting close..8:15 the bottom dropped out of the sky and never quit.

I always consider it a successful hunt if I have an opportunity to shoot a deer even if I don't pull the trigger.
 I think that stand will produce well over the season and it's in range for my M1 carbine when doe season opens September 15. A good first sit in a little corner of my property that I have never hunted.
Our season runs through Jan 1st with a 13 deer limit.

RugerFan

I can't imagine hunting deer in 90 degree temps.

Zee

Bigslug

WUFF!

I quit archery mainly because I just couldn't make the system work well enough for me to feel like I could kill with confidence, but the fact that it's still SUMMER during archery season around here was a factor as well.  You're a brave man.

NN

RugerFan said:

I can't imagine hunting deer in 90 degree temps.

Yeah, I agree--------dove hunting was bad enough, however.

earlyagain

At least dawn and dusk are out of direct sun light.

GunNut

Glad your stand seemed to be working!  I can’t get myself motivated to hunt in temps over 65, but I get it.

Six-Gun

High heat and bugs is definitely testing, but missing an opener is not an option.  Great that you made it out, even if the deer were a no-show.

Great Outdoors

Plenty of deer, just no bucks. The bucks are in full velvet the first week or 2- then start rubbing it off. Our weather in coastal SC can be challenging, sometimes we are in insulated coveralls, 2 days later shorts and tee shirts even at Christmas- usually have to cut grass until Thanksgiving and start again in March

Jayhawker

In KS, archery season opens in September...stupid hot...we'd butcher them in the field and toss them in a cooler...and leave the leftovers for coyote bait...

Linefinder

I remember more than one Louisiana December evening deer hunt soaked in sweat swatting mosquitoes. Don't miss it.

Mike