Tennessee ML opener tomorrow!

[Stykbow]

Good luck to all you other Tennessee boys. Any of you manage a kill I expect pics.

 

[Hermit Tim]

Right back atcha brother. Been a long day but just got done getting my stuff together. Ready to go, at least until I get there and realize what all I forgot. Good luck to you. Pics please...

 

[.36Rooster]

So Tennessee gets their muzzleloader season during the rut?

 

[Hermit Tim]

So Tennessee gets their muzzleloader season during the rut?

Yep. First Saturday in November for two weeks. Then gun season starts but I will be using black powder all the way through though. Our season ends after the first week of January but that last week is land owner doe only. Will be using a black powder pistol that week.

 

[Ricochet]

Hope y'all get em!! Our first season has come and gone here in Arkansas. Been watching bucks starting to chase does around out of the back door here at my house. Its on their minds for sure

 

[Stykbow]

Well, I didn’t get bow hunt this year and it shows. Hiked a mile in to a spot I’ve always liked and there was a tree stand. Oh, well moved to a different spot. My view right now.

 

[user 49399]

Is that Royal Blue or Grantsboro?

 

[Stykbow]

Is that Royal Blue or Grantsboro?

Cove Creek WMA. They’ve logged the manure out of it in recent years.

 

[user 49399]

Yep. Hope you do well!

 

[Hermit Tim]

Well, didn't get one on opening morning. My spot was so foggy in the morning visibility was almost nonexistent. But around 9:00 it started burning off and the deer started moving. Saw three single does within about thirty minutes of each other. Let them all walk because, in this spot, I am hoping to get a buck or two before switching to shooting doe. My place is surrounded by forest but what I own is very small so right now it is better for me to keep the ladies coming around for a little bit longer to bring in the bucks so I just enjoyed watching them this trip. One did beg me to shoot her though. She stood broadside at about thirty yards for a very long time. She kept looking back the way she came from so I was expecting Mr. Big to show up any minute. He never did though. Had to leave the woods early due to some business in town and all our places close at noon on Saturdays. Went back in the evening for a few hours but saw no deer. But I think I did see the biggest squirrel population we've ever had. Guess I will start taking the little .36 squirrel rifle along when I go. Bummer about finding a tree stand in the spot you like to hunt. Your view was nice though. Here is a picture of my view yesterday afternoon with a little gun porn thrown in. Best of luck next time.

 

[Stykbow]

Went to another spot I haven’t hunted in years this morning. Saw three does (closest came to about 15 yards), two gobblers, and a ton of squirrels. To be honest, I feel pretty good about that considering I’m hunting on heavily pressured public land.

 

[Hermit Tim]

That sounds like a successful outing, deer or no deer. I've never hunted on public land before but am going to try it this year after deer season opens. Gonna break the ice with some squirrel, rabbit, and hopefully quail hunting on one of three WMA's not too far from me. If that goes well I may be at one of them next year during ML season. I will be back in my little spot in the morning for a few hours before starting work. Never had a bad time deer hunting...

 

[Hermit Tim]

I meant after deer season closes. That is when I will be hitting the WMA's.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Good luck out there, our early muzzleloader season was the third week of Oct. seen a bunch of deer, no shooters, three were spikes, where I hunt they need at least three points on one side. Hopefully since it has cooled down a bit come regular season end of Nov. the big boys will come out too play.

 

[Stykbow]

@Hermit Tim have you been seeing much rut activity? I found four old scrapes Saturday and there are rubs here and there, but nothing that screams “hunt here”. I’ve been hunting terrain features in the absence of heavy sign.

 

[Nameless Hunter]

Saw some does but didn't shoot (too far) and a bobcat sneaking by at 30 yards.

Then saw a large 8 point over my right shoulder staring at me from 40 feet. One of the shortcomings from hunting on the ground. I had anticipated deer crossing the ridge slope in front of me, but I my anticipator was broken ;^)

 

[Hayes Cooper]

I hunted public this weekend, saw chipmunks and tree rats but was a beautiful day

 

[Hermit Tim]

@Hermit Tim have you been seeing much rut activity? I found four old scrapes Saturday and there are rubs here and there, but nothing that screams “hunt here”. I’ve been hunting terrain features in the absence of heavy sign.

I have many rubs on small cedar trees and others around the edge of the woods in my back yard and have seen a couple new scrapes right in my main hunting spot but that is about it. Warming up into the 70's the next few days so I usually don't see that much rutting activity around here until it cools off quite a bit more. The scrapes and rubs are fresh so it is getting started. Probably going to be around Thanksgiving before it really fires up at my spot.

 

[roundballman]

I hunted the opening morning here in TN. Got situated about 7:15 and stayed until 11 am. Saw several squirrels, as always, and 2 does came by at 10 am. No other deer activity so I packed it in. It should get better pretty soon. Lots of does in the area that I hunt so bucks will be looking for them pretty soon.

 

[Stykbow]

I have many rubs on small cedar trees and others around the edge of the woods in my back yard and have seen a couple new scrapes right in my main hunting spot but that is about it. Warming up into the 70's the next few days so I usually don't see that much rutting activity around here until it cools off quite a bit more. The scrapes and rubs are fresh so it is getting started. Probably going to be around Thanksgiving before it really fires up at my spot.

I was just curious. Tarsals on the does I saw were white as snow. The private land I used to hunt would have already shown lots of bucks cruising and next weekend would be a mad house of chasing. Of course there’s a huge difference between hunting private and public lands! Hunting pressure can and will suppress daylight activity and there generally just aren’t as many bucks on public land to compete for does.