Opening morning here in Tejas

[Horsefly]

This is the 3rd year I've missed opening morning.I can't believe I'm setting here looking at a screen instead of out a deer blind window.Somethings terribly wrong!At least I've got ya'll to kinda fill the gap.Jerry

[FC]

There is so much red tape hunting at Ft. Hood it isn't worth my time right now going for those oversized dogs.

[fritz]

It's too hot here in S, Texas. If you shoot one, you have to get it dressed and on cold storage too fast.

 

I'll wait until it gets colder, that may not be until next month. Same thing (in my old age) with dove hunting, when the season starts it's too hot to hunt and then the season ends.

 

Also the antler limitation is going to hurt hunting here in my county. While I no longer hunt just for the meat, passing up the spikes which are now legal, the antlers have to be really impressive before you can shoot. There just aren't that many trophy size racks in my end of the county. And I don't believe it's because of the trumped-up explanation by the biologists about over hunting and not letting a buck reach age. There is less hunting around me each year, nothing like it used to be in the 70's. I believe urban sprawl has a lot to do with it. Ranches have become ranchettes and while there are plenty of does, the big fellows stay over at the power plant property where hunting is illegal.

 

fritz

[roscoedoh]

Jerry,

 

I feel your pain. I've got so much going right now (and so little disposable cash) that I haven't even bought a hunting license.

 

Personally, I look forward to the Thanksgiving hunt every year. It's a family tradition spanning the last few generations. Hopefully by then my rifles will be back and fully assembled and it'll be cold!

 

I'll also add that we generally skip opening day every year anyhow. There's so many yeahoos here in East Texas that'll shoot just about anything that moves that we think of missing opening weekend as more of a safety measure than anything else. Plus, we like wait until opening week when there's nobody actually in the woods and we have the lease to ourselves.

 

Jason

[Horsefly]

Jason,after you get a few more miles on you,you'll find that opening day has nothing to do with hunting.It's the setting around a campfire with family and friends you haven't seen much of for a year,cooking on the fire,cussing,farting,and lying trying to top the last story told.I so loved heading to the lease the night before opening day and seeing the jeeps that came loose from the towbar,folks hauling deer stands and feeders,pieces of deer stands that blew off while going down the highway at 90mph,and corn scattered down the highway that fell off the trailer.Everone would get to the lease Friday night and stand around the fire telling what they saw on the way down.The stands and feeders the night before was the funniest.Noon opening day was always a riot.We'd go to town just to see the goofballs walk into a cafe with all their camo on,wearing a big skinning knife,and have their grunt call hanging around their neck,and they'd walk in like a model on a runway looking at everybody,and you can read their mind.They're thinking"look at me and all my stuff,I'm the world champion deer hunter".Don't anyone from north of Red River get mad,but when we saw those guys,we'd say "check out this Yankee''.In the 70's and 80's when the great migration from north to south started,Northerners flooded Houston,and all that hunted headed to the Hill Country.It wasn't that they were different acting or looking than us,but they were brand new at hunting and had money for all the toys that local raised,hay hauling country kids could only look at in catalogs.A yankee would have a brand new jeep,full camo from hat to boots,new knife,camo watch,pants with zippered pockets all the way down the legs,a hat that we've ever seen one like before,and the ringer that's give them away was,you'd hear one say,"Jesus Christ,I saw a huge 3x4 this morning".I even saw a guy with a camo Walkman once.When that big wave of hunters hit Texas,natives said they were the cause of all the deer leases getting so expensive.I think it was caused by the big companies from Dallas and Houston paying huge prices for leases to entertain customers and for a tax write-off.The younger hunters weren't around to see the new folks moving in 30 years ago,and us that did, now know Northerners aren't much different than us.I use to go north with my job sometimes,and those folks called me pointy toes,and it hurt my feelings,but the toes of my boots were pointed.If you read all this,sorry! Jerry

[roscoedoh]

Jerry, I understand your thoughts on opening day. Sitting by the fire with a group of good friends is always something to look forward to. I'd miss it too.

 

 

[fritz]

.I use to go north with my job sometimes,and those folks called me pointy toes,and it hurt my feelings,but the toes of my boots were pointed

 

Yeah, the toes of my boots used to be pointed also. But since I have such wide feet, I now go for comfort over style (besides I don't mount a saddle anymore).

 

And I miss those old days of old friends hunting together on opening day (and many days after). But my friends all were older than me, and are all now either dead or incapicitated. It just ain't the same going out alone.

 

For those who still have the circle of friends on opening day, I envy you. Relish in it, for it may not last forever.

 

I had my times, so I cannot be too sad. But remember this, hunting friends are a special breed of people. You won't find them just anyplace.

 

Best of times to you all, not just on opening day.

 

fritz