Have You Ever Notched Your Tag On Opening Day: A poll

[lang]

A elk 1 opening day, 2 first day in camp all archery. One was 17 days after doing an Ironman that my wife wouldn't let me hunt for a year while I trained so I had a tad bit of built up yearning to be my element. It was bittersweet having it end in just two hours, but no way I was going to pass a bull in a historically 2-4% success unit.
But the best was I was on call at a local hospital and had a deer stand hung about as far as I could get into the woods and safely fly to the hospital within 30 minutes. A big cow elk wondered in. I knew some hung around in winter but had never seen one in Sept. and I had time off later. I took the shot and instantly worried about the heat if I was to get called in. But the best was the call from my wife, "What are you doing?". "Packing an elk". ...silence... you could just see the wheels in her head "that sucker lied to me, he went hunting when he should be working!" I just let it stew for a while before I let her know I was 100% still on call and in range. Got the whole thing to my brothers place and on ice long before the first call came.

 

[Ucsdryder]

"After legal light", huh? It's harder to shoot accurately while trying to hold a spotlight in your bow hand.

I had a bull bugling outside my tent night before last, so ya, they're vulnerable opening day.

In that spot I don’t bugle until shoot time because it always seems to produce a bugle. I bugled and he responded. Another bugle and he ran in on a trot. So maybe it was 2 minutes. Didn’t know the shoot time police were watching…

I’ve never understood guys that say shoot time is too early to shoot. Maybe one day I’ll be old and won’t be able to see. Maybe when I’m 80…

 

[Pony Soldier]

Maybe 6-8 times, 15-20 times first week.

 

[well_known_rokslider]

Killed my best bull at first light on opening morning in 2020 on my Utah LE muzzy hunt. I located him on the Saturday and Sunday before the opener and killed him first thing Monday morning as he bugled non stop trying to keep his harem of 30+ cows rounded up
View attachment 596511View attachment 596512

HOLY $HIT MAN!

 

[Gerbdog]

Could have this year.... didnt. Holding out for something bigger and not killing a cow this year. Buddy missed a bull this year in the opening hour... told that guy to practice more... learned the hard way. His very first elk hunt. The tree didnt mind the arrow though thankfully.

 

[shootin-blanks]

Nov 2022 Missouri opening evening.

 

[Dos Perros]

I voted no because this is an elk poll, but son let me tell you give me a rifle and a deer tag in my home state and something is dying the first day or not at all.

 

[puckhead]

Rifle season, yes. A couple times. Almost sealed the deal with the bow this weekend on the opener

 

[hobbes]

Yes to opening day, but I'm not saying yes to "elite dirt nap dealer".

 

[huskyhunter]

First elk I ever killed was opening day within the first hour.

 

[bow_dozer]

My opinion its the "easiest" time to get on an elk. 2 of my last 4 bulls have been on opener. Could have added #3 this weekend, however I'm trying to graduate from the raghorn life.

 

[well_known_rokslider]

I voted no because this is an elk poll, but son let me tell you give me a rifle and a deer tag in my home state and something is dying the first day or not at all.

Thank you for making that connection!

 

[long hunter]

Hell I would just to draw a tag.

 

[jonnycoder]

Shot my first bull opening morning within 10 minutes after shooting light. It was 2020 New Mexico 2nd rifle public land draw that was 40% success rate so I consider the odds were in my favor. But we did put in a lot of work scouting the week before and I had glassed my bull coming down in the evening twice before opening.

I was anxious the night before more than ever though. I kept playing out the morning hunt in my head. I set my alarm for 1.5 hours early because my thinking was to get there before anyone else in case another hunter was going near my spot. That morning I drove a mile from camp and drove by another camp with hunters urgently trying to get ready. (my camp was the first in that area and I doubt they were going to hunt the exact hill as mine). I parked and hiked in the dark very slow for over an hour. I had never done that before but I was fully committed to being prepared and ready.