Deer Season 2026

Our archery season opens proper in the morning, unfortunately, going to be pouring rain, so looks like I won't get to hit the woods until the 2nd day of season.

Bow season is here in Texas.
I have some real bruisers in my area despite it being a hill country low fence area.
First hunt next weekend. Can't wait.

Outstanding bucks!! Good luck

Datchew said:

Bow season is here in Texas.
I have some real bruisers in my area despite it being a hill country low fence area.
First hunt next weekend. Can't wait.

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What in the Wide World O Sports!

That top Buck needs Jenny Craig. I hope you put a tag on him.

Deer archery/ crossbow, for use seniors and disabled, season in Kentucky 5 Sept, and 19 Sept here in Tennessee.

Up until about 2 weeks prior to season opening in Kentucky we were seeing some massive monster bucks, a lot of does, and several does with fawns in spots, starting to loose their spots, and out of spots.

The kick in the pants, those 2 weeks prior to opening season. First was that distinct smell of a dead animal, then multiple animals, and finally a sick deer.

Locally the deer heard has been hit hard by diseases. It's now a wait and see situation as to if hunting in the cooler and colder fall/winter weather will afford healthy deer to be killed for table fair.

(Strong Sarcasm) A big shout out to Kentucky wildlife....We took photos, video, sent an email, and made 5 phone calls in 2 days to Kentucky Wildlife; We never had a return response from the Kentucky Wildlife Department. Our county is surrounded by CWD watch counties, also EHD and the typical blue tongue disease.

Processing time 4 to 6 weeks waiting for a response if/when a hunter submits a sample for testing.

I'll be hunting mainly in northeastern Tennessee where our area is still CWD and EHD free, or rather has yet to be reported, and blue tongue disease seems to have been mild this year compared to the last 2 or 3 years. I'm still seeing a lot of mature and young deer.

Hoping to pull this old guy out of the gene pool this year. Pic from last week...date/time stamp is factory set.

skydiver386 said:

What in the Wide World O Sports!

That top Buck needs Jenny Craig. I hope you put a tag on him.

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That buck looks like he took a left turn at Saskatoon!

Kodiak Island, last week. I was there with a goat tag. The goats were uncooperative; nothing but nannies with kids. So I settled for a couple of consolation prizes.

The first was a spike-fork at 180 yards. The second a much larger forkhorn at 254 yards. Both, I anticipate, will be very fine eating.

The rifle was a 1950 Husqvarna 640 .30-06; these were my first kills with this rifle.

I had some hair raising bear encounters on this trip.

Tundra Tiger said:

Kodiak Island, last week. I was there with a goat tag. The goats were uncooperative; nothing but nannies with kids. So I settled for a couple of consolation prizes.

The first was a spike-fork at 180 yards. The second a much larger forkhorn at 254 yards. Both, I anticipate, will be very fine eating.

The rifle was a 1950 Husqvarna 640 .30-06; these were my first kills with this rifle.

I had some hair raising bear encounters on this trip.

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Damn right man! A beautiful setting, some excitement and meat in the freezer. Nice job!

It's archery season here in Georgia, and so far nothing but does and fawns (which are legal), but Mrs. Safari Dave tells me that we have no room in the freezer.

I guess we are eating venison tonight...

Safari Dave said:

It's archery season here in Georgia, and so far nothing but does and fawns (which are legal), but Mrs. Safari Dave tells me that we have no room in the freezer.

I guess we are eating venison tonight...

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No room in the freezer..(?)...HHMMM...

Philosophically:

#1. Going hunting is well worth time being at one with nature and just enjoying that time.

#2. It's hunting. Not killing. Just because one calls it going hunting doesn't mean one is going to kill anything.

Ok let's get real:

#3. Could get a bigger or a second (and those folks north of the Mason-Dixon Line, west of the Mississippi River, and in remote areas, a 3rd &/or 4th) freezer to fill.

#4. Go hunting, if/when successful, donate the animal to Hunters for the Hungry. Also check with your local, especially elderly, neighbors whom would like fresh meat.

@Ridge Runner , I take excto your #3, we live 10 miles from the Gulf of America and have 3 chest freezers and an extra refrigerator in the barn and an upright freezer and refin the house. LOL

Ridge Runner said:

Our county is surrounded by CWD watch counties, also EHD and the typical blue tongue disease.


I'll be hunting mainly in northeastern Tennessee where our area is still CWD and EHD free, or rather has yet to be reported, and blue tongue disease seems to have been mild this year compared to the last 2 or 3 years. I'm still seeing a lot of mature and young deer.

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Blue Tongue is EHD

Ridge Runner said:

(Strong Sarcasm) A big shout out to Kentucky wildlife....We took photos, video, sent an email, and made 5 phone calls in 2 days to Kentucky Wildlife; We never had a return response from the Kentucky Wildlife Department. Our county is surrounded by CWD watch counties, also EHD and the typical blue tongue disease.

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I have had very similar experiences with Wildlife/DNR when calling in sick animals. I have even had them refuse to test an animal, tell me the disease does not exist in that area. I asked how many they tested, they said none. I laughed and said, "Of course it doesn't exist if you refuse to test for it." The next year the same agency had "breaking news" of that disease killing thousands of deer the next year.

Hunt anything said:

@Ridge Runner , I take excto your #3, we live 10 miles from the Gulf of America and have 3 chest freezers and an extra refrigerator in the barn and an upright freezer and refin the house. LOL

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LOL....OK..OK...My Bad...I concede....I was absent mindedly strictly thinking dedicated wild meat hunters. I should have included: at least a 5th or 6th freezer for those that are both dedicated hunters & "anglers" (anglers meaning I include all types and (legal) ways to catch fish and crustaceans, etc.)

LOL, I'll still hold to a third or fourth freezer for the just dedicated "anglers" that don't hunt, wild meat (4 legged game and/or birds/fowl) animals.

Some of the local talent on my little piece of diet. Our rifle season starts on 17 Oct. Our limit in GA is 2 bucks and 10 doe.

PARA45 said:

Some of the local talent on my little piece of diet. Our rifle season starts on 17 Oct. Our limit in GA is 2 bucks and 10 doe.

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Is it two bucks with any weapon?

My 9 year old great-nephew on youth day in Virginia last Saturday!

Sabre said:

Blue Tongue is EHD



I have had very similar experiences with Wildlife/DNR when calling in sick animals. I have even had them refuse to test an animal, tell me the disease does not exist in that area. I asked how many they tested, they said none. I laughed and said, "Of course it doesn't exist if you refuse to test for it." The next year the same agency had "breaking news" of that disease killing thousands of deer the next year.

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I'll concede, blue tongue is; A Type of EHD.....of sort...

HOWEVER, locally here in SE Kentucky, OMG Don't get me started!, (in Tennessee), blue tongue disease is (considered much the same as comparative to a human getting a common cold) "normal".

Whereas this under publicized "brain worm disease" is much like shouting CWD; [In essence: Yelling fire in a gunpowder factory]. To locals, (in Kentucky) that subsidize domestic meat purchases with locally hunted game. On the proverbial flip side ( Tennesseans,....Wellll....we rural Tennesseans are, but we aren't, Of the same "mentality" as our "equal" Kentuckean Appalachian neighbors, "relatively speaking".

Just MY Opinion....OVERALL...UNTIL A HUMAN is questionably sickened from the wild game "they've" consumed.... that is when hunters/fishermen/women go to the local: msm, social media, or legal/court system... for restitution. No State Wildlife Agency will admit to the existence of or possible existence of:

And It is also MY Opinion, based on my personal experiences that, No State Wildlife Agency will admit:

1. A contagious disease in the local wildlife. Whether such contagious disease is a threat to humans or not.

2. The existence of a land or waterborne "species" whether believed to be extinct, eradicated, or (legally or illegally) introduced.

3. State Wildlife Agencies prefer not to educate the public on local population(s) of: exotic, endangered or threatened wildlife species until such species are through local, msm, social media, positively videoed and brought to the "masses" that such species exist.

Will any wildlife agency admit to such existence until "after the fact" . And only then will a wildlife agency take any "action(s)".

Apologies for the long winded rant as I could go on.

Bottom line is: Why do wildlife agencies:

1. Ask for public input,/report

2. Post various ways for the public to report,

3. Then these wildlife agencies ignore or out right fail to follow up on the publics' report of such incidences.

Makes no sense to me and others I know personally whom have made such legitimate reports.

Oregon deer started today. I found a dandy after passing 6 others. This is a solidly nice blacktail buck. Not my biggest, but the best buck Ive seen in 3 years.

@HuntingGold , great buck! I had the opportunity to hunt Blacktail in California years ago and it remains one of my all time favorite hunts!