Opening Day Archery Season

Much of Texas’ most popular deer hunting areas had bad weather come through just in time to spoil opening weekend of archery season. Thousands of archery hunters were basically rained out and their dreams of arrowing a trophy buck washed away as the heavy rains began to fall. I know because I was one of them.

Typically our first cold front moves through the hill country before the end of September. But as of this writing, we are still waiting on that first cool wave of air to start cooling things down. Although there are some hunters that manage to take their deer in warmer weather, most of us would rather see it cool down so it would improve our odds.

It was late Sunday afternoon before the rain stopped long enough for me to brave sitting in a treestand. Hot humid weather is not what I would have hoped for. But for the serious archery hunter, that is what we had been dealt. The tall grass around the stand was a reminder of how much rain we had received earlier in the year and it was almost tall enough to conceal a nice 11-point buck that feed about 60 yards away. Too far for a shot. Only when his head was raised could I see him. I started looking harder when I realized there could probably be more deer using the grass to hide in. But I didn’t see anything else and the buck never got any closer to me.

It gave me time to think about all the things I could have done to better prepare for this opening weekend hunt. But with schedules busy, chores at the hunting lease seem to get put off. Why is it that we wait to the absolute last minute to get ready for deer season when we know that preparing early would certainly improve chances of success? Just watch hunters and their vehicles that will soon be heading to deer leases for opening of rifle season in November. You will see them hauling blinds, feeders, tractors, ATV’s and more. What do you think the deer must think when these folks pull into deer camp looking like Jed Clampett hauling his belongings to town? As darkness ended the opening weekend of my hunt, I climbed down the ladder, walked back to my truck and headed home. I wish a big buck would have been coming along with me. But it wasn’t meant to be.

Getting back to work after opening weekend is tough for some of us to do. Yes, we’re tired. But our minds seem to drift off and it is hard to concentrate. Neighbors and coworkers ask how’d you do and it only makes matters worse. It’s not so bad telling stories about how my hunt went because as any hunter knows, it’s not about killing. The hunt is about the entire experience, not about killing. Killing is simply something we do in order to hunt.

Finally I couldn’t take it any longer. I had to begin my regular visits to the area deer processing plant to see what other hunters may have brought in. Turns out the weather had put a damper on lots of other hunters too. According to Granzin’s Meats in New Braunfels, this year the number of animals brought in was down from last year with only one deer brought in on opening day. A quick check around the state to area deer contests had little to talk about.

This year’s acorn crop appears to be a good one. Both live oak and post oak trees are loaded with green acorns that will be falling once the cool weather and winds arrive. That’ll be yet another problem that hunters will face this year. Heavier that normal rainfall has improved the deer habitat and range to a point that hunting will be more difficult.

According to most wildlife biologists, there are already more deer in virtually all of Texas than the carrying capacity of the land will allow. Let’s hope that conditions will turn around so that we can lessen the impact of too many deer destroying native habitat. Plus, my freezer has been empty for a couple of months now. It is time to stock up on the best meat available, venison.