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Countdown to Opener

For some the countdown started the day they harvested their deer in 2013. For others it started the day bow season closed in 013. And, for others it started two days ago when we hit 60 days to the opener. What are you doing, have you done to get prepared? Is your bow tuned and ready to go? What about food plots, habitat improvement? Is your neck slowly starting to swell? Do you catch yourself making mock scrapes? Have you started thumping the bedpost before retiring for the night?...You know what I mean. For me it is pretty much an addiction! I am consumed with the thought of the nice 10 I've seen and not been able to harvest for three years now. My wife says I would rather hunt that deer than .....! The drop in temperature tonight only makes the anticipation worse.

The anticipation is truley one very important aspect of the hunt. Without our dreams and expectations for the coming season things would be pretty boring!

Hence all the passion that is shown on hunting message boards year round. It truly is a time to get excited about.

This cool weather really gets the blood pumping. Time to increase the practice shooting schedules!!!!!!!!!

Last week I lost a brookie that I know as close to 18 inches or more......... When I get back on Friday, that is what I will be aiming for, a fish like that stays pretty much in the same area........

I will get really pumped about the 3rd week of Sept, thinking about October......

Have elk on the brain now

The next 5 days I will be fine tuning stands, checking cams, fall food plots, and shooting the bow. Starting to countdown the days!!

I always felt that the planning, scoutting, and setup was just as exciting as the hunt .

When I get back from Canada, all my stands will get new ratchet straps whether they look good or not. I will move a couple stands and hope to get a small late food plot in.

Trail cams out, final tree stand adjustments/brushing/tents for disabled go in this weekend,bear baits now active,fall plot plantings 8/5ish, final Berm project to do,book a logger,21 days in November booked, can't wait till baseball ends.

I have soooo much to do yet. Check arrows, buy broadheads, double check stands, hang a few more stands, get camera's out...

I need to get my cameras out, there was some logging on the land I hunt so things have changed quite a bit. I don't bait so I haven't had to plant anything. Will have to get my bow out in a couple weeks and make sure the stands are in good shape.

A word of warning. Check your stands even if they use a chain instead of a ratched strap. Last year I had tree growth bend one of the turn buckles on my Millenium stand bases. If I hadn't noticed it before climbing into the stand I think I would have fallen.

I agree with bloodtrail. No matter how long I have been at this, the anticipation of "opening day" still means a great deal. I've been getting ready. Camera's have been out. Stands will go in Labor Day weekend. And, I'll be shooting much more in the next few weeks.

I'm a lucky man this year as my bowhunt start earlier than most! Black bears and Rage broadheads on the menu!

Now I just need to see one!

Let the practicing commence!

Ugh...just found out I can NOT get opening weekend shift off(duty calls). My opening day will be that first Monday evening. Shooting a lot, changing diet, going scent free on soaps and detergents this week, in the field several nights a week and just watching. This season can't come fast enough.

Getting a food plot in and tuning up my ladder stands. Now that I am home for a while, I will get the bow in for a safety check and start building strength by shooting. This is the best time of year.

my 11yr old son is going crazy waiting for the opener. Baseball finally ended Sunday for us so he is now consumed w/ bowhunting. His goal is to practice everyday in August to be ready. At 20yds he can wrap his hand around all three arrows so he's shooting well. Going to set his stand up tomorrow on a new spot that he picked out. He was bummed about no does but now he understand the big picture and is over it.

Wausau, my now 16 year old son's first hunt at age ten is permanently embedded in my memory. First a doe and her fawn walked right under our partner stand. He started laughing out loud. I asked what was so funny, he said the baby sniffed the does butt. Later, he had a fawnless doe at ten yards. I said draw and take her if you want her. He said I can't! I asked why and then looked down to see his legs shaking violently. I helped him hang up the bow and we spent the rest of that first year just watching deer with him holding his bow on his lap. He was hooked! I wouldn't trade that experience for the biggest buck on Earth.

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