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Earliest Deer? How did it happen?


swamp buck

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Just wondering what everyones earliest deer harvest was and by what method? Last year was my best at 6:50 a.m. opening day, when a beautiful 10 pointer walked out in the swamp about 150 yds. to my left. From my treestand I shot it thru both lungs, and was the FIRST shot of the morning! When I say earliest, I mean starting with opening day.

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Mine was at about 0:05 minutes into the 2000 season. Unfortunately (so I thought) I got a late start walking out. It was just about to start to get light as I was going out, and when I was approaching my stand I spotted a deer's tail slowly going up about 50 yards ahead of me. He had spotted me walking in, but all I could see was his tail... I stood there for what seemed like forever, until he finally decided to take a couple bounds out and away from me, then he stopped down in a thicket of brush. I slowly snuck up to a better vantage point then grunted a couple times. Curiousity got the better of the little buck and he started to circle to try to get downwind of me. I dropped him at about 40 yards, no more than 5 minutes after legal shooting hours. Never even made it into my stand that season grin.gif

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In 1998, my brother and I were having coffee on the deck a little after 6am. We heard a shot about a mile to the west, and were amazed. We hoped that someone had not had an accident.

Shortly there after, we made our way to our stands. Just few minutes after legal shooting time, probably about 7:00 am, a basket rack 6 point walked out about 25 yards from my stand with its entire lower jaw freshly shot off frown.gif.

I finished the job. Not sure if the shot I heard was responsible for the faceless deer or not, but this guy was not going to survive.

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Probably 5 minutes into legal shooting time opening weekend, many times before 9:00 opening day.

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Probably dont count but nailed a two yr old doe with the pickup on the way to deer camp at 4:30 am.$600 damage to the truck and one dented thermos bottle (kill shots in ditch in front of farmers house at 4:30 am not a good idea)and off we went to the cop shop for tag.never saw another deer all day.

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Mine is at 5 after noon.In North Dakota it doesnt open until noon.They let you sleep in the first day.Walking out to my stand and my buddy kicked up the buck.Very short season.I would rather hunt for a week than go for 5 minutes.

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this sat.( the 14 th) my daughters' season for black powder lasted 4 min.. into the season! ( she only gets to hunt the weekends do to going to a college that is three hours away, so decided the fist nice doe , or any buck woudld do) i dropped her off by her stand. she said she had just got comfortable, and could hear them moving. the fisrt out was a doe and two yearlings. she made a great shot on the doe! i heard her shoot, but bow hunted til 8:30 . then i couldn't take it any more. she already had it cleaned and drug out to the fields edge. grin.gif

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Last year, bout 5-10 minutes in to the season. Sitting in my stand and a nine pointer pops onto the cross trail I was watching. Now the decision, my 11 yr old son wasn't with me, that stinks, I shoot and end my season early, that stinks. Nine pointer, don't see to often, thats good. Bang.

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In 2003 in Wisconsin, the buck in my avator was killed approximately 2-3 minutes after shooting time started. If he wasn't so darn big, I'm not sure I would have even tried to kill him. Although legal, it still seemed pretty dark.

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I have a few within the first half an hour.

Last year had a nice 8 or 10 pt buck following a doe walk about 15 yards from my stand. I put the cross hairs on it, but felt it was too early. Didn't take the shot.

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Opening day at 12:02pm in North Dakota, has Harvey stated it opens at noon. Just happened to be in 1998 when opening day temps were 92degrees. Talk about fast quartering and pakcing on ice

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Not sure with the gun, actually, in the first half hour anyway.

With the bow one year I shot a small eight point within the first five minutes of the second day of the season & a doe within the first half hour. That was kind of stupid, we only had two tags back then, but it's a great memory.

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On Nov. 8 I had about 145" Non typ. grunt and then walk by me when I was half ways up the tree. I sat there clung to the tree until he got far enough away. Then I climbed up (actually I almost jumped up) waited about 5 mins until there was somewhat decent light. I grunted and rattled quick and he turned on a dime and cam right in!!!! ............ then I missed him at 25 yds. crazy.gif

I think during the rut, in near darkness, those bucks often think your just another deer. Maybe a hot doe, so they come to check it out??? Makes sense.

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It was leagal time though second day and i was the first to fire my shotgun in the state park we were hunting. It was a perfect heart shot on her about 15 yards dead in her tracks. "she" was a big deer until i walked up on her and realized it was a spike buck wiht one horn busted off. It was my first and still biggest buck in six yrs hunting. Kinda pathetic grin.gif

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