Is it just me?

timber

Twelve Pointer
You can go look in the archived 2018 kill thread. Might be more this year than last year
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
And there are some like me that ain't in hurry till cools off. I wouldn't put much thought in few days wait bout 3 weeks then compare lot going on in eastern NC
 

DarrinG

Six Pointer
I had a mature doe around me for a good bit yesterday evening, offering shots several times at 20 yards and less. I just didn't wanna have to be cleaning her up in a hurry due to the heat so I let her walk. Maybe I'll be in more of the mood tomorrow if she shows back up.
 

bowhuntingrook

Old Mossy Horns
I've seen some deer I'd of shot couple years ago in bow range this year already, but damn I hate the sweating. Son missed nice velvet 7 last night that had a little and larger 8 or with them. I passed a velvet 10 yesterday.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
 
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appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
I can see enduring heat and every biting bug known to mankind to head off a bruiser but to shoot does or even dinky bucks... they will be there when it's 60 degrees.
Lol, it was 58, cool, and foggy when I shot mine Saturday at 5,000’, and I got a nice little 5mi hike as well.

I’m also up against a clock. I’ve got a baby due on Xmas eve...
Daddy is getting all his deer killed early.
 

Papa_Smurf

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
my truck said 65 deg F when i parked it to walk to my stand at 0545 Sat morning.....I don't even think it was 72 F by the time i had my doe on the ground and was going to get the tractor to pick it up.
 

bwfarms

Old Mossy Horns
No need to justify anything to me, you go because you wanted to.

From a meat standpoint, I prefer butchering when the high is 60 degrees or less. I'm more willing to butcher a trophy buck in 90 degree shade with flies swarming but I don't like it from a preparation standpoint. No reason for me to shoot does when it's this hot, they are a dime a dozen.

Congratulation on the upcoming arrival, having children is a joyous occasion. I purposely coincide my wife's generous maternity leave with hunting season. Was aiming for September but October worked out :)
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I’m also up against a clock. I’ve got a baby due on Xmas eve...
Daddy is getting all his deer killed early.

That should be no problem at at all, IF it waits until the appointed day. The problem is, they often don't. I'm sure you're up to the challenge.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Lol, it was 58, cool, and foggy when I shot mine Saturday at 5,000’, and I got a nice little 5mi hike as well.

I’m also up against a clock. I’ve got a baby due on Xmas eve...
Daddy is getting all his deer killed early.
smart man. :)
Congratulations.
 

25contender

Twelve Pointer
Really to hot here. Opening day I had 5 come in on a few persimmon trees I was hunting. Could have shot all of them. I just videoed the two small bucks instead.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
or for even better inspiration head down to your taxi of choice.
I just returned from Crag Hall's in Mebane.
He has a freezer that remind me of the three bear story, three 130-140ish.
One with no velvet, one full velvet, one just right (imo) with tattered velvet and red blood stained horns.
Corn being the common demonitator in their deaths.

Kill em boys, they eatin in the heat!
 

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
No need to justify anything to me, you go because you wanted to.

From a meat standpoint, I prefer butchering when the high is 60 degrees or less. I'm more willing to butcher a trophy buck in 90 degree shade with flies swarming but I don't like it from a preparation standpoint. No reason for me to shoot does when it's this hot, they are a dime a dozen.

Congratulation on the upcoming arrival, having children is a joyous occasion. I purposely coincide my wife's generous maternity leave with hunting season. Was aiming for September but October worked out :)
Thanks.
I also needed to get out of the house.

Been working on ( and living in) complete gut/Reno of our new place in Asheville for 10 weeks now...

Bout done, but the only time I’ve left home this summer is for groceries or supplies.

Pregnant wife has been a trooper during the whole move and project, but I’m sure she needed me out of her way for a bit.

I left my commercial construction job to start my own thing up here, so I prolly won’t be hunting much once I get back to work in October.

Hope I can mash out my tags during the early black powder up here and get some grousing done with my dog before the baby gets here.

Y’all killem up whenever, and however, you can!!
 

DarrinG

Six Pointer
Good luck to all!

I've passed on several does and a couple small bucks so far. The thoughts of processing in this relentless heat made me give them a pass. So far nothing I couldn't resist has been in range, but I keep going hoping something stumbles by that I just cant resist.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
I did a little acorn scouting Saturday. Based on what I saw, it is going to be a REALLY good corn year around us.
I was fearing that as well but have seen some positive indicators with the white oaks BUT I have never ever seen such rapid consumption of corn.
I wish/hope/pray some of it is turkeys. :)
 

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
Here in the mountains, I am seeing a lot of acorns on the ground, corn is just sitting there
I’ve been seeing similar acorns to last year. Normal to heavy in thin bands of elevation on the mountains, with little anywhere higher or lower than that band.
 

country

Ten Pointer
Looks like extreme temperatures are breaking tomorrow. Looking forward to it.

Heat index when I got home from work this afternoon was 104. Needless to say I didn't go. Instead turned on tv and ate some ice cold watermelon ?
 

ncstatehunter

Twelve Pointer
I’ve been seeing similar acorns to last year. Normal to heavy in thin bands of elevation on the mountains, with little anywhere higher or lower than that band.
3-4000 feet seems to be where I’m seeing heavy acorn crop around my neck of the Balsams and down around Highlands
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
as for this year compared with past years: according to real time harvest report.
State wide showing 2,000 reported killed so far- 15,481 killed last year total with bow and xbow.
943 bucks versus 7.3 K last year.
6 days into the season looks like they are dying on schedule. :)
 

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
3-4000 feet seems to be where I’m seeing heavy acorn crop around my neck of the Balsams and down around Highlands
West of the divide, I’ve been seeing similar to you, but less at the higher end.

Down the escarpment and foothills seem to be doing pretty good this year.

Last year was tough on the escarpment. All the feed seemed to be from about 1600 - 2000, and DEAD from there up to about 4000 until you got back into the beeches and sedges where the deer don’t rely on the acorns so much.
 

ncstatehunter

Twelve Pointer
West of the divide, I’ve been seeing similar to you, but less at the higher end.

Down the escarpment and foothills seem to be doing pretty good this year.

Last year was tough on the escarpment. All the feed seemed to be from about 1600 - 2000, and DEAD from there up to about 4000 until you got back into the beeches and sedges where the deer don’t rely on the acorns so much.

Yea my house is around 3400’ and there up to 3600’ in the neighborhood it’s a very heavy crop. Same over at Pinnacle Park in Sylva where I’ve been doing training hikes (been up to about 4000’ there). Where I hunted near Highlands around 4100’ I had acorns but not as heavy. I’ll see what it’s like at 5000’ off the parkway in two weeks along with the lower elevation stuff around Fontana.
 
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