Opening Day Anxiety, just me?

[teej89]

Oh man, less a week till we start driving to MT for the opener. We have 3 any elk permits(14 days to hunt plus a backup plan for thanksgiving week) and have been to the unit in August for 3 days, hiked it/found bulls(understand they most likely won't be there next week) and scouted the crap out of it online. My dad does logistics with food and camping and my responsibility has always been to pick our unit then find where to hunt and develop a game plan. My bud is a greenhorn and is along for an extra set of packing legs, he's EXTREMELY lucky to have this rifle hunt as his first elk hunt ever lol

Anyways, I'm freaking out, I know there won't be much pressure on the bulls from other people which is good but my mind is going crazy. I'm over here thinking should I scout more or do I develop more clear concrete day to day plans but the other side of me is saying you've scouted all you could, you know the area, you gotta there and read/adapt/adjust accordingly to the hunting pressure. If we have to pick up and relocate camp losing a day of hunting then so be it. I always feel so much more pressure with permits compared to gen tags/otc hunts...

Anyone else have prehunt jitters going on right now?

 

[p_ham]

I usually get the opening day bird dog squirts. Other than that, best time of the year!

 

[JohnCushman]

Isn't it awesome?? I think it's part of the experience. I get them hunting antelope here and I only live 20 minutes from my hunting grounds. It's sort of like the adrenaline rush before the fact..learn to love it!!

 

[Louisdove]

I still get the jitters hunting whitetails in my backyard here in Michigan. The day that it’s gone, is the day I quit hunting. Once legal hunting hours hit on that first day it all goes away until I let a projectile fly, and the second I do, it rushes right back.

I don’t think I’d enjoy hunting nearly as much if I didn’t enjoy the planning and anticipation phase of it.

Edited to add: I’m leaving for Colorado in less than 24 hours so the jitters are in full effect.

 

[137buck]

I'm like a kid on Christmas eve for the archery opener...but come opening day of general season, it's like ok, time to grab the rifle and get the tags not filled, filled. The reason for my feeling like this, is because I've already been hunting and putting miles on since the middle of August and I'm sad that archery season is coming to end.

 

[SFC B]

Hardly slept at all the night before pronghorn season.....nothing like anticipation.

 

[mtmuley]

I'll bring some Hopzone. Calms the nerves. mtmuley

 

[madtom]

Some of my earliest hunting memories include laying awake almost all night before the opening of shotgun deer season as a kid in Iowa. Most of those years I was too young to hunt, but was so crazy to tag along with my dad and relatives that it didn't matter. Opening day still gets me excited, but the fire will never burn quite as hot as it did back then.

 

[fishing4sanity]

The night before the hunt starts I wake up over and over checking the clock, I always just give up and get up before the alarm. After the first day and a good workout in the mountains then I'll sleep more. Every new hunt the anxiousness kicks back into overdrive.

 

[npaden]

Wait until you see a really nice bull the night before and see how well you sleep!

 

[ColoradoHunter719]

Love it. Prepare yourself for trying to prevent buck fever... I experienced last year while aiming at a super nice mule deer at 200 yards. I was shaking for no reason at all lol, funny times. Enjoy it and good luck. - ColoradoHunter719

 

[Hammerhead]

Counting down one week until i head to the breaks to set up camp for my college daughter and her bull tag. Hope we can even get into our camp, it’s been awfully wet out there. Only have weekends to hunt, so it will be a lot of windshield time for her on Friday and Sunday nights. We both have mule deer permits in other districts, so no deer hunting for us, which is probably a good thing and we will only focus on elk. Been packing gear and going over lists for a couple weeks now, just waiting for it all to begin.

We will be just west of you Teejay, and sending good thoughts your way!

 

[8andcounting]

Oh man, less a week till we start driving to MT for the opener. We have 3 any elk permits(14 days to hunt plus a backup plan for thanksgiving week) and have been to the unit in August for 3 days, hiked it/found bulls(understand they most likely won't be there next week) and scouted the crap out of it online. My dad does logistics with food and camping and my responsibility has always been to pick our unit then find where to hunt and develop a game plan. My bud is a greenhorn and is along for an extra set of packing legs, he's EXTREMELY lucky to have this rifle hunt as his first elk hunt ever lol

Anyways, I'm freaking out, I know there won't be much pressure on the bulls from other people which is good but my mind is going crazy. I'm over here thinking should I scout more or do I develop more clear concrete day to day plans but the other side of me is saying you've scouted all you could, you know the area, you gotta there and read/adapt/adjust accordingly to the hunting pressure. If we have to pick up and relocate camp losing a day of hunting then so be it. I always feel so much more pressure with permits compared to gen tags/otc hunts...

Anyone else have prehunt jitters going on right now?

What HD/permit do u have? Good luck ! Hoping to see pics ! Safe travels also

 

[rtraverdavis]

Dude, it’s hard to think about ANYTHING besides my elk hunt next month. I have to actively shut it out at times (like in the classroom) or I’m an absolute idiot.

 

[teej89]

I'll bring some Hopzone. Calms the nerves. mtmuley

haha thanks mtmuley! That'll be icing on the cake, i quit booze for the last month on a bet and maybe it's withdrawl jitters LOL

 

[teej89]

Counting down one week until i head to the breaks to set up camp for my college daughter and her bull tag. Hope we can even get into our camp, it’s been awfully wet out there. Only have weekends to hunt, so it will be a lot of windshield time for her on Friday and Sunday nights. We both have mule deer permits in other districts, so no deer hunting for us, which is probably a good thing and we will only focus on elk. Been packing gear and going over lists for a couple weeks now, just waiting for it all to begin.

We will be just west of you Teejay, and sending good thoughts your way!

Thanks! Best of luck to your daughter as well! I've heard about the rain, heard the archery guys were stuck for a week almost. Looks like it should dry up for us tho thankfully!

 

[teej89]

What HD/permit do u have? Good luck ! Hoping to see pics ! Safe travels also

we drew the 622-20 permit