Night before opening, how do you manage to keep it together before the opener?

[castie2504]

As I sit here in the living room imagining the adventure to come, I can't help but feel anxious and unsettled. Only a few hours before the start of the Oregon modern firearm season and I just cannot sleep. Funny thing is that I do not have a tag, I am simply accompanying my brother on his hunt. But this little detail does not hamper my spirits, to the contrary, this will be my first time hunting with my youngest brother and I am ecstatic. My Washington season isn't for another two weeks so this will have to hold me over until then. As I am writing this coping mechanism to pass the time, sipping on a light beer, hopes and aspirations fill my head with unrealistic expectations. Optimism however, makes these expectations seem a little more realistic and for the moment a sense of confidence, maybe be even arrogance enters my mind. There are, of course, thousands of other hunters in precisely the same predicament I am in now. So I maybe be damned to ask but here it goes....how do you manage to keep it together the night before opening day?

[Pigfuz]

I am just sitting here eating icecream and watching a true crime show.

[fishnfur]

Just enjoy the anticipation.  3:30 am will kick you back to reality as you force yourself out of bed.

[bracer40]

Funny! I remember so many sleepless "night befores" many nights ago....enjoy, it's a wonderful part of the hunt.

[crabcreekhunter]

The best night of the year... Just like Christmas as a kid!! Per usual this year, I'll get off work at 12:30 am of opening day, have the truck loaded, drive to the trailhead and start the journey in. Have a spot on the way into camp at 5 miles set up in the basin and wait for sunrise... See if a quality buck shows, if not take a snooze and be on my way into camp. Shoot a buck Sunday and come out Monday morning be home Tuesday morning as the sun comes up and sleep off the soreness. Last 3 years anyhow, hope to keep the good run going!

[Rob Allen]

I am going to keep it together by driving!!! my  wife and her grandpa  are driving over  Wed  of Thursday to scout out  some private land  but I am showing up Friday  night..  from Vancouver to Tucannon  after work.. my  first year of hunting  i am actually more nervous  than  excited.. i  don't  want to screw up anyone else's hunt nervous  about how i will feel if i actually shoot  something ( probably not cool to admit that here)  oh well.  i am  excited  about being in the woods  though...

[Snot00011@hotmail.com]

I don't go to bed and leave really late, so by the time I get where I need to be it is hunting time.

[deerhunter_98520]

I thought everyone put on their hunting gear the night before staring at the clock all night long like women do on black Friday standing at the store door saying "open open open"   

[Bigshooter]

I haven't gotten excited for an opener in a long time.  But my friends and family say I get a twinkle in my eye when Novemeber comes and I have a mule deer tag in my pocket.

[boneaddict]

It's always a good thing.  Enjoy it.

[pd]

I am going to keep it together by driving!!! my  wife and her grandpa  are driving over  Wed  of Thursday to scout out  some private land  but I am showing up Friday  night..  from Vancouver to Tucannon  after work.. my  first year of hunting  i am actually more nervous  than  excited.. i  don't  want to screw up anyone else's hunt nervous  about how i will feel if i actually shoot  something ( probably not cool to admit that here)  oh well.  i am  excited  about being in the woods  though...

Don't worry about screwing up somebody's hunt.  You probably will do one or two things that impact others.  The point is to learn from those mistakes.  Some of them are obvious (walking too fast, walking too loudly, etc.).  Some of them won't be obvious, and you need to be sensitive to what others are thinking, but maybe not saying.

Just enjoy yourself.  It takes a while to "get it."