2021 Hunting Season Opener

[DJBrad]

Had enough of the muggy, humid, bug infested woods? I’m definitely done with it. This weekend was a nice change of weather with the first whiffs of autumn. I can’t wait to start off with Grey squirrel on 9/13 and try my hand at getting a black bear on the first season starter on 9/7. Here’s a little summary page from the Ma hunting guide. Hope all you new hunters out there can get out and score some wild game.

 

[Noreaster13]

I'm counting down the days till October 16th

 

[Mark from MA]

It can be pretty buggy here until October depending how warm it stays. We won;t be seeing the late season dry/no mosquitos thing this year with all the rain we've had.

Unless we get a real cold snap or absolutely no rain (unlikely) , I'd expect 9/7 bear to be pretty buggy. When I hunted CT 9/15 was pretty hot and buggy most times. Always had to ice the deer down.

I've been getting together my setups this year. I have 3 sets, plus a climber and saddle setup. Last few years I really didn't do much, this year, I'm gonna get my ass in gear and get some sets out early locally. From what I see it will be a good acorn year again. They are dropping already. Seems like there are apples around too.

Im trying to decide if I want to get a setup in NH for bow and rifle on Sundays.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

It can be pretty buggy here until October depending how warm it stays. We won;t be seeing the late season dry/no mosquitos thing this year with all the rain we've had.

Unless we get a real cold snap or absolutely no rain (unlikely) , I'd expect 9/7 bear to be pretty buggy. When I hunted CT 9/15 was pretty hot and buggy most times. Always had to ice the deer down.

I've been getting together my setups this year. I have 3 sets, plus a climber and saddle setup. Last few years I really didn't do much, this year, I'm gonna get my ass in gear and get some sets out early locally. From what I see it will be a good acorn year again. They are dropping already. Seems like there are apples around too.

Im trying to decide if I want to get a setup in NH for bow and rifle on Sundays.

This.

You need to take high percentage kill shots because you need to recover the animal quickly and get it cooled down.

You also need some sort of a “success plan“ for that recovery and to cool down the meat. I much prefer frozen blocks of ice in 1/2 gallon milk jugs to bags of ice. The blocks of ice go in a cooler in the truck along with a tarp to wrap up the deer, or bear, for a quick cool down. With bear it’s even more critical with their black fur and fat.

If you don’t have a Thermacell get one and some refills before they sell out. They are absolutely essential for early September hunts especially when we have had such a wet summer.

Bob

 

[Alex978]

Same here Sir! 10/4 can't come soon enough here in Zone 10. I've been out since early July tending trail cams and archery spots, the insects will carry you away but I treated all my clothing with Sawyers Permethrin, I highly reccomend the stuff. Good luck to everyone

 

[Alex978]

It can be pretty buggy here until October depending how warm it stays. We won;t be seeing the late season dry/no mosquitos thing this year with all the rain we've had.

Unless we get a real cold snap or absolutely no rain (unlikely) , I'd expect 9/7 bear to be pretty buggy. When I hunted CT 9/15 was pretty hot and buggy most times. Always had to ice the deer down.

I've been getting together my setups this year. I have 3 sets, plus a climber and saddle setup. Last few years I really didn't do much, this year, I'm gonna get my ass in gear and get some sets out early locally. From what I see it will be a good acorn year again. They are dropping already. Seems like there are apples around too.

Im trying to decide if I want to get a setup in NH for bow and rifle on Sundays.

Well worth finiding a good spot in NH if your close to the border. I hunted last ML opener (10/31) in snow, it was awesome!

 

[DJBrad]

This.

You need to take high percentage kill shots because you need to recover the animal quickly and get it cooled down.

You also need some sort of a “success plan“ for that recovery and to cool down the meat. I much prefer frozen blocks of ice in 1/2 gallon milk jugs to bags of ice. The blocks of ice go in a cooler in the truck along with a tarp to wrap up the deer, or bear, for a quick cool down. With bear it’s even more critical with their black fur and fat.

If you don’t have a Thermacell get one and some refills before they sell out. They are absolutely essential for early September hunts especially when we have had such a wet summer.

Bob

+1 on cool down for big game, especially black bear. One option is to skin and process right there in the field as long as you have the gumption to get it done and you are not too far from a trailhead. Off deep woods and Sawyers are your best friend. Another way to stay cool in the Indian summer is to find a loose fitting ghillie suit as it helps to let your skin breath and confuse the mosquitoes from making skin contact.

 

[DJBrad]

It can be pretty buggy here until October depending how warm it stays. We won;t be seeing the late season dry/no mosquitos thing this year with all the rain we've had.

Unless we get a real cold snap or absolutely no rain (unlikely) , I'd expect 9/7 bear to be pretty buggy. When I hunted CT 9/15 was pretty hot and buggy most times. Always had to ice the deer down.

I've been getting together my setups this year. I have 3 sets, plus a climber and saddle setup. Last few years I really didn't do much, this year, I'm gonna get my ass in gear and get some sets out early locally. From what I see it will be a good acorn year again. They are dropping already. Seems like there are apples around too.

Im trying to decide if I want to get a setup in NH for bow and rifle on Sundays.

Lol, so true. Last year it was dry enough to hunt in Aug/Sep with almost zero mosquitoes. I’ve conditioned myself to not be bothered by the bugs as I’ve been out in the deep woods for hours at a time all summer long. I figure it’s best to deal with such things so you can be calm when you get bit in the early season. Full clear safety goggles work great for keeping the gnats away from your eyes too.

 

[whacko]

Well worth finiding a good spot in NH if your close to the border. I hunted last ML opener (10/31) in snow, it was awesome!

Squirrel opens 9/1 in nh and I'll be out Wednesday after work.

Yes ml deer opens way earlier in nh as well I hunted in the snow opening day last year......then tagged a nice buck on Nov 5 with my 50 cal......3 weeks before mass gin season even opens. After hunting years in mass with fire arms season on deer opening after Thanksgiving it was just amazing to be hunting deer with a gun so early. Plus Sundays.

I may not even hunt MA this year. f*** this state.

 

[Alex978]

Squirrel opens 9/1 in nh and I'll be out Wednesday after work.

Yes ml deer opens way earlier in nh as well I hunted in the snow opening day last year......then tagged a nice buck on Nov 5 with my 50 cal......3 weeks before mass gin season even opens. After hunting years in mass with fire arms season on deer opening after Thanksgiving it was just amazing to be hunting deer with a gun so early. Plus Sundays.

I may not even hunt MA this year. f*** this state.

I hear you there! Im zone 10 local in MA, got a few decent gun spots in NH Unit M

 

[white feather]

Interesting fact for squirrel hunters in MA. Parts of Wrentham are in zones 9, 10, and 11. So if you head to the right side of town, your season starts a month earlier and you can use a rifle.

 

[Sparkey]

Now they are saying West Nile is to worry about last time I was in the woods the skeeters were thick. Deep woods off keeps them at bay thinking about getting a thermo cell any advice ideas on them do they work ?

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Now they are saying West Nile is to worry about last time I was in the woods the skeeters were thick. Deep woods off keeps them at bay thinking about getting a thermo cell any advice ideas on them do they work ?

They work well when you are on stand. Not so much when you are moving unless you are moving pretty slowley.

 

[Mark from MA]

Squirrel opens 9/1 in nh and I'll be out Wednesday after work.

Yes ml deer opens way earlier in nh as well I hunted in the snow opening day last year......then tagged a nice buck on Nov 5 with my 50 cal......3 weeks before mass gin season even opens. After hunting years in mass with fire arms season on deer opening after Thanksgiving it was just amazing to be hunting deer with a gun so early. Plus Sundays.

I may not even hunt MA this year. f*** this state.

LOL.....its funny when people start hunting other states and realize this state sucks. I've known that for 25 years.

The years when i was serious, I was done my meat harvesting in September in CT. People here haven't even dusted off their bows yet nevermind guns....... Its nice because when your done messing around with little bucks and does, you just focus on big bucks, and passing a crapload of small bucks and does, a lot of times ends up with a big buck coming in after.

I was usually putting away all my equipment when Thanksgiving rolled around, not going out to sit in shitty weather with a bunch of orange a**h***s walking all over your spot.

Now to me its all about getting out with family and friends........ If I'm going to go deer hunting for serious though, it will be out of state somewhere. Around here i'll put a few setups up this year, but its mainly a waste of time.

 

[Mark from MA]

Squirrel opens 9/1 in nh and I'll be out Wednesday after work.

Yes ml deer opens way earlier in nh as well I hunted in the snow opening day last year......then tagged a nice buck on Nov 5 with my 50 cal......3 weeks before mass gin season even opens. After hunting years in mass with fire arms season on deer opening after Thanksgiving it was just amazing to be hunting deer with a gun so early. Plus Sundays.

I may not even hunt MA this year. f*** this state.

I find it pretty tough to stomach the 53 dollars NR fee just to shoot squirrels in NH...........good to get out though.

 

[whacko]

I find it pretty tough to stomach the 53 dollars NR fee just to shoot squirrels in NH...........good to get out though.

I buy the big game license for deer which includes small game. The early squirrel season is just a small bonus. Plus.....last year we cleaned up on cottontail I found many hubtable tracts of land that hold rabbit in droves that you will never find in mass. No dogs......and we still shot limits before 9am many times. Plus Sunday hunting. I would never pay 53 dollars to hunt just squirrel......the license comes with WAY more than a license to shoot squirrels and I think you know that.

 

[ThePreBanMan]

I covered 10.5 miles this Sat walking the tails on a piece I hunt.. Looking for tracks, checking out where some timber operations occurred, etc... Figuring out where the deers are hanging out... I got my broadheads robin hooding my field points out to 40 yards...

Next month baby!

 

[Mark from MA]

I buy the big game license for deer which includes small game. The early squirrel season is just a small bonus. Plus.....last year we cleaned up on cottontail I found many hubtable tracts of land that hold rabbit in droves that you will never find in mass. No dogs......and we still shot limits before 9am many times. Plus Sunday hunting. I would never pay 53 dollars to hunt just squirrel......the license comes with WAY more than a license to shoot squirrels and I think you know that.

Sorry I actually did not know that.......your correct......it was listed as an add on/ a la carte for non residents who probably just want to hunt small game only........ But in the explanations....a big game license does include small game. Ive only ever hunted big game in NH and never paid attention to it.......

25 years ago I shot my first bow buck with a recurve in NH........unfortunately that patch of woods is now a subdivision. Just about centered the cul de sac right where my stand tree was!

 

[Mark from MA]

I covered 10.5 miles this Sat walking the tails on a piece I hunt.. Looking for tracks, checking out where some timber operations occurred, etc... Figuring out where the deers are hanging out... I got my broadheads robin hooding my field points out to 40 yards...

Next month baby!

Are you back to the compound or shooting the Xbow now?

Ive been out to a few local spots loaded with acorns that Ive run across a few deer at before......Ill be checking if there's sign pretty soon, if theres shit, I'll put a cam out. If there's daylight activity, Ill drop some stands down. I might take a kid on a youth hunt this year on the 2nd. But I want to make sure they get a good chance. That will be fun. Then I can always hunt those spots in archery.

 

[whacko]

Had covid the last week. Wife got it and gave it to me (both vaccinated too lol) but the symptoms are mild cold like. Anyway.....can't work till Thursday and I'm feeling better so went for a walk in Southern nh with the shotgun for squirrel.....that's quarantine enough for me didn't stop along the way just drove to the woods and back. Glad I did.

Sat on a stone fence in the woods and figured I'd just take any Grey's that came into site......30 minutes into my sit 2 big does came in and fed in a small clearing for about 30 minutes. I just watched em......3 grey squirrels running around in shotgun range the whole time but I decided to just watch the does and not shoot and run the deer off. No young ones with them......both shooters for antlerless tags too nice size to em. When they moved off I called it a night. Perfect afternoon.

 

[45collector]

Had covid the last week. Wife got it and gave it to me (both vaccinated too lol) but the symptoms are mild cold like. Anyway.....can't work till Thursday and I'm feeling better so went for a walk in Southern nh with the shotgun for squirrel.....that's quarantine enough for me didn't stop along the way just drove to the woods and back. Glad I did.

Sat on a stone fence in the woods and figured I'd just take any Grey's that came into site......30 minutes into my sit 2 big does came in and fed in a small clearing for about 30 minutes. I just watched em......3 grey squirrels running around in shotgun range the whole time but I decided to just watch the does and not shoot and run the deer off. No young ones with them......both shooters for antlerless tags too nice size to em. When they moved off I called it a night. Perfect afternoon.

Hope you recover quick!

Hoping to get out for early duck and pheasant next month but free time is limited lately.

 

[whacko]

Hope you recover quick!

Hoping to get out for early duck and pheasant next month but free time is limited lately.

Honestly it's been a mild cold. Worst part is losing my sense of smell....and I got a delivery of pipe tobacco in the mail today.....2 blends I've been dying to try.....and I can't smell a f***ing thing.

 

[ThePreBanMan]

Are you back to the compound or shooting the Xbow now?

Ive been out to a few local spots loaded with acorns that Ive run across a few deer at before......Ill be checking if there's sign pretty soon, if theres shit, I'll put a cam out. If there's daylight activity, Ill drop some stands down. I might take a kid on a youth hunt this year on the 2nd. But I want to make sure they get a good chance. That will be fun. Then I can always hunt those spots in archery.

I've been doing physical therapy for my left shoulder. It's helped. I also have the poundage on the bow turned down. Sometimes I have discomfort but I'm still rocking the compound. I want to continue to do so for as long as I can. But I think eventually I'm going to have to make the transition. It could be next year. I had multiple things going on with my shoulder. It was helpful to finally talk to a sports orthopedic doctor. Aside from the arthritis, I also had a slap tear. The physical therapy is helping me rehabilitate the slap tear. But the arthritis is something I'll just have to live with. Right now it's not debilitating. As I recover from the slap tear my shoulders gaining strength, range of motion and the pain is fading. I'm feeling a lot better about things than I was just a few months ago. The orthopedic said it could take 2 years for me to recover from the injury. I got it lifting weights at the gym.

 

[whacko]

Hope you recover quick!

Hoping to get out for early duck and pheasant next month but free time is limited lately.

All set covid test negative. No symptoms other than no sense of smell now

 

[Mark from MA]

I've been doing physical therapy for my left shoulder. It's helped. I also have the poundage on the bow turned down. Sometimes I have discomfort but I'm still rocking the compound. I want to continue to do so for as long as I can. But I think eventually I'm going to have to make the transition. It could be next year. I had multiple things going on with my shoulder. It was helpful to finally talk to a sports orthopedic doctor. Aside from the arthritis, I also had a slap tear. The physical therapy is helping me rehabilitate the slap tear. But the arthritis is something I'll just have to live with. Right now it's not debilitating. As I recover from the slap tear my shoulders gaining strength, range of motion and the pain is fading. I'm feeling a lot better about things than I was just a few months ago. The orthopedic said it could take 2 years for me to recover from the injury. I got it lifting weights at the gym.

Good luck Man. Shoulder injuries are tough. Took my Dad out of the compound game in his 50's......he never recovered and had to crossbow.

The only good thing was he absolutely slayed big bucks with the crossbow. Took like the 4 best deer of his life with that thing. Everyone of them over 180 pounds dressed with some nice racks.
The nice thing too was, he was iffy with the compound, and had some tough tracking days near the end.....he didn't want to give up. Finally he was letting down the bow one time and he actually torqued the bow so much he took it off the wheels. That was it for him.

When he picked up the Crossbow, if he called me to help, I knew there was a deer on the ground and it would be a short tracking job. It worked out a lot better for everyone in the end. He didn't wound one deer with that thing. Every shot was a smoke show.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Good luck Man. Shoulder injuries are tough. Took my Dad out of the compound game in his 50's......he never recovered and had to crossbow.

The only good thing was he absolutely slayed big bucks with the crossbow. Took like the 4 best deer of his life with that thing. Everyone of them over 180 pounds dressed with some nice racks.
The nice thing too was, he was iffy with the compound, and had some tough tracking days near the end.....he didn't want to give up. Finally he was letting down the bow one time and he actually torqued the bow so much he took it off the wheels. That was it for him.

When he picked up the Crossbow, if he called me to help, I knew there was a deer on the ground and it would be a short tracking job. It worked out a lot better for everyone in the end. He didn't wound one deer with that thing. Every shot was a smoke show.

Good for your dad. It is great to hear these stories.

After eoght back operations and a bunch of aftermarket parts it is the only thing that keeps me going.

Bob

 

[whacko]

Got out for squirrel this afternoon with my son and my brother. Got 2......one had botfly so that one went in the woods for the coyotes

Second time in the woods this year so far and not one tic on me. I'm kind of shocked I thought they would be bad.

 

[Mark from MA]

Got out for squirrel this afternoon with my son and my brother. Got 2......one had botfly so that one went in the woods for the coyotes

Second time in the woods this year so far and not one tic on me. I'm kind of shocked I thought they would be bad.

Ive been out a bit scouting and running the dog. No ticks lately or even that many the whole summer. Kinda weird for a wet year.

 

[ThePreBanMan]

No ticks here any time I’ve been out… but I carpet bomb my cloths in permethrin so…..

 

[DJBrad]

No ticks here either. I had a few (3) back in May/June but I spent so many hours in the deep woods this year more than any other. Didn’t get out for squirrel or bear yet since I’m fettered with family issues.