First archery hunt was today on a WMA--I took off half a day from work and spent the morning in a treestand. Saw no deer, but had some snort at me after I got down and walked off the ridge. I've got five more days to hunt that WMA, and I've got two more trees marked, so hopefully one of them will produce.
For the first half of archery season (it's bow only until November 3), I've got three trees marked on a piece of public land open with the statewide season (Tract 1).
In the middle of October, I have a weekend hunt planned with some friends on their land up in North-Central Tennessee.
For the last part of October, I've got three trees marked on a second piece of public land (Tract 2), so I'll bowhunt there a little.
First weekend in November (expect this to be the beginning of the seeking phase), I'll ML hunt at Tract 1.
Second weekend in November (this should be the peak of the seeking phase/giving way to chasing), I'll ML hunt the WMA on Saturday, then bowhunt Tract 2 on Sunday. I may take off that Friday to hunt Tract 2 (ML or bow).
Third weekend in November (deer should be somewhere between chasing and actually breeding), I'll bowhunt and/or ML hunt at Tract 2 again. I'll take Friday, too, if I can.
The weekend after Thanksgiving, I've got a one-day scouting trip to a military reservation. I drew two bow hunts in the same sector on the first and third weekends in December. It's been under semi-QDM (antler restrictions and high doe harvest) for five years, and there are a lot of deer. Each permit allows 3 deer, no more than 1 antlered. This is definitely my prime hunt this year.
The second weekend in December, I have a permit to hunt another antler-restricted WMA (no doe harvests, though). But, I suspect I'll have to forego that trip to appease the wife by hosting a Christmas party that weekend.
In the late season (last weekend in December & first weekend in January) I may go with a friend to hunt an open WMA up in the Cumberland Mountains just south of the Kentucky border. Otherwise, I may try to slip out one last time to my honey hole on Tract 2.
Now, the truth of the matter is that--beyond a shadow of any doubt--wife, kids, and work will conspire to prevent me from hunting all those times. However, as long as I get to go most of those days in November (the rut) and the two hunts at the military reservation, I reckon it'll be okay if I miss some early season bow hunting or late season gun hunting.
