Opening day strategy question.

[trouthunter1106]

Genuinely curious cause I hear guys say it literally all summer and leading up to their hunts whether it’s early season archery or a later rifle tag and everything in between.

How many times have you “glassed something up the night before opener” and then just casually snuck in and killed it?

I always hear that as the proverbial “plan,” but I’m curious to hear how high the success rate is. I’ve been at this a minute and I’ll admit that’s usually my plan, but I’ve never really had it pan out that way. The animals, other hunters, and Murphy always have a say.

 

[displacedtexan]

Once.

Not just opening day, but in all my "first day of hunt"s

20 years.

 

[il_cop]

For our group, I reckon 25% of the time. 1 every 4 years, roughly. That's one tag in a group of 2 or 3 depending on the year. We are typically boots on the ground a day and a half before opener with two evenings and one morning glassing session, and this is in areas we know.

 

[repins05]

I would put our group at 50 percent on public land for rifle. We typically put bulls to bed the night before. The x factors are other hunters that may come in and bust our hunt up.

BTW talking rag horn size bulls. On the flip side of this I have watched mature bulls every evening for 5 days leading up to the rifle opener (track them all month).....and they disappear opening morning. Sixth sense....or basic instinct of not wanting to be dead. There is a reason they get big. Lol.

 

[bow_dozer]

I would say the same, around 50% in archery. . We know the area very well and have eyes on elk the night before. Opening morning is the most consistent day out of the year for us.