Opening day woes

[predatorG]

This year will be the first year I've encountered such a dilemma, and I nearly cried when I realized it.

I've always anticipated and looked forward to the first day of archery season. Something about the rush of waking up early and putting all your gear on just to get out early in the morning. There is always a magic in the air. Leaves are begginning to turn, and the weather is starting to get cool at night and in the mornings. I am always on high alert as I finally get to walk through the woods hoping to get a shot at a branch antlered beast. I've always wanted to have a shot at being one of the lucky guys who tags out a toad opening day. I prepare for this day months in advance, tuning my bow, buying arrows, and dialing in my proper shooting form. I am always pumped full of adrenaline and my blood courses through my veins like floodwaters. I live for this day and this feeling.

However, as I got ready for the first of September and started talking about it, I was notified of something dreadful. Something that I had never had happen before and never thought would happen. School got scheduled to start September 1. Normally they wait unill after labor day, and I can almost always count on at least a few days of hunting. But this year, instead of sneaking deep into the woods at 5 am, I will be waking up. I will be putting on clothes meant to be seen, not clothes meant to keep me invisible. I will be driving to school, only to stare out of a classroom window listening to a calculus lesson instead of listening for footsteps. I will be looking at a history book instead of looking for the twitch of a tail or an ear. This September 1st will be one of the saddest I've ever spent. Not because I had that realistic of a chance at a deer, but because it is symbolic. There will be many other days to hunt, many of them better than the ones I'm missing, but none of them as meaningful.

So to all of you that are able to get out there to your secret spot on the first day, good luck, and I hope you smack that 4 by 5 with eyegaurds you've been dreaming about all summer, mine will have to wait for the weekend.

[fishnfur]

REALLY???    Missing one day of school, especially the first day of school (which is nothing more than learning new locker combinations and meeting your classmates and teachers), is not going to change your academic career nor affect the outcome of your life.  Unless you have a perfect attendance record, and desire to keep it perfect, missing the first day of school is one of the least impactful* days of the year to miss.    Inform your parents that your online buddy with four years of post-graduate education strongly recommended giving you permission to miss one day of school and go hunting. If the bucks are not yet hard horned by the 1st, they will be within the next day or two.  After that..... poof.....gone!

The downside to that is:  Your dad is a hunter and fully understands the your desires to hunt.  If he has already made ruling on the opener, you may not be able to sway him.  Also, unless you have a buck targeted and know where he will be traveling and have a reasonable plan in place to harvest him, more than likely, your day will end up as being a wonderful autumn day in the woods, but ultimately unproductive in filling your tag. 

Good luck - Welcome to growing up and becoming a responsible adult and.     This will not be your last disappointment.

* impactful is not a word - (yet) http://www.business2community.com/communications/impactful-word-0762706#poieWqEO8cEEKtiR.97

[pd]

I second what F&F said.  A few more thoughts:

If your secret spot is truly secret, then 9/1 is no more important than 9/3 or 9/6.  I will not matter a bit.  Sure, there is something symbolic about opening day, and I understand the desire to be "that guy" who tags a monster at 0630, and posts it on HuntWa before lunchtime.  But, honestly, isn't that hubris on your part?  (Ask F&F for a link to that one, too.  )

If you are underaged (a minor), and also attending public school, then I would have no issues with you missing the first day.  My experience is the same as F&F's, in that it would have zero impact on your life.  Go hunt, if your folks agree to the plan.  But remember, all actions have consequences.

[bobcat]

School is important. I sure wouldn't want to miss the first day. Maybe a little better than skipping the first day, would be to skip the second day, which is Friday, September 2nd. Let your teachers know you'll be gone, but I'm not sure I'd tell them you're going hunting. Even better, just wait until Saturday like everyone else does. This is an issue you'll have your entire life. Nice thing about archery hunting is you'll still have plenty of days to hunt.

[JimmyHoffa]

I'd go for the hunting.  School is easily made up, especially one day. 

[RadSav]

I never met a school day that wasn't worth missing for a hunting day!

But then again...I took night classes before graduation so I could get a diploma in that envelope.

[predatorG]

It's definitley turning into a mental tug of war. If a certain deer starts becoming really pattern-able , and makes a habit of scratching his back with his antlers every day at 10:00, 12 yards from my stand, I will make sure I am not at school. But if not, I will probably be forced to afternoon hunt until the weekend. I'm not sure what the first day will be like this year, our school doesn't have lockers, but I'll have to get my picture taken and get my schedule and turn in summer homework for the AP classes I'm taking. Hopefully something comes up and it all works out.

[predatorG]

I never met a school day that wasn't worth missing for a hunting day!

But then again...I took night classes before graduation so I could get a diploma in that envelope.

You ended up successful enough  if I end up with half the knowledge you have when I die I'll be happy.

[JDHasty]

When I was in college @ Saint Martins they usually called my mother's house on the phone ~ the third day of class to ask if I had once again forgotten what day class was scheduled to start.  She would track me down, usually somewhere in central Washington, and I would show up the next day. 

This was a recurring event every year.  And no, I didn't forget, I never paid any attention to it in the first place.   

[kentrek]

I wouldn't worry about missing high school academics.....most schools have a max day you can miss....I'd use up every single one of them if your grades can take it

College is alil different....teachers all very in how much they are willing to work with you being gone...universitys don't cater to individual students much so you have to weigh your options on what's worth it....not passing a college corse is expensive and it only takes one bad exam to ruin a semester

[RadSav]

When I was in college @ Saint Martins they usually called my mother's house on the phone ~ the third day of class to ask if I had once again forgotten what day class was scheduled to start.  She would track me down, usually somewhere in central Washington, and I would show up the next day. 

I remember being at the bakery one school day, picking up maple bars to spice up a bear bait, when my father walks in.  He gave the lady behind the counter a long list of pastries to add to my order.  Then says, "I want to hear how much the principal appreciated you buying donuts for the teachers lounge."  He never mentioned that encounter again!

[jackmaster]

I never missed an opening day of grouse season do to school!! I thought it was a conspiracy , grouse always opened the first day of school

[jackelope]

I never missed an opening day of grouse season do to school!! I thought it was a conspiracy , grouse always opened the first day of school

You spelled "due" wrong.
Just sayin...

 

[Jimmy33]

I had to miss a whole season due to military service. Finish school, get a job you like and that you can take time off to go hunting. Until then, suck it up. You'll be fine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jackmaster]

I never missed an opening day of grouse season do to school!! I thought it was a conspiracy , grouse always opened the first day of school

You spelled "due" wrong.
Just sayin...

 

yep maybe I shouldn't have missed so many days of school, haha . I had to miss 4  years of hunting the mighty blacktail when I joined the army after I gradiated,  . That sucked 

[jackelope]

I never missed an opening day of grouse season do to school!! I thought it was a conspiracy , grouse always opened the first day of school

You spelled "due" wrong.
Just sayin...

 

yep maybe I shouldn't have missed so many days of school, haha . I had to miss 4  years of hunting the mighty blacktail when I joined the army after I gradiated,  . That sucked 

Just giving you crap...

Thank you for your service.

[jackelope]

I had to miss a whole season due to military service. Finish school, get a job you like and that you can take time off to go hunting. Until then, suck it up. You'll be fine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Personally, I agree. There are priorities.

[Rainier10]

My daughter is in the same boat, she is starting highschool this year and day one is a big one.  I am going to do the morning hunt, she is going to go to school and I am going to pick her up out front at 2pm and drive back to eastern Washington to get the evening hunt in with her.  She may be calling in sick for Friday depending on how it goes.  Next year the first day won't be so big of a deal to miss.

Good luck on your decision, hopefully that buck is still there when you get time to get out after him.  Hoping there is one there for my daughter as well.

[Dhoey07]

Not sure how far your hunting spot is to school, but the daylight hours for sept 1 are pretty long.

[boneaddict]

Thankfully you still have choices and options.  Many do not. 

[JimmyHoffa]

Not sure how far your hunting spot is to school, but the daylight hours for sept 1 are pretty long.

Did a lot of before and after school hunting back in the day.  But that was back when you could clean ducks or hogs/deer at school and leave guns in the vehicle.  Science teacher liked it when you would bring stuff to put in the jars of preservative.

[Rainier10]

Thankfully you still have choices and options.  Many do not.

[fishnfur]

When I was in college @ Saint Martins they usually called my mother's house on the phone ~ the third day of class to ask if I had once again forgotten what day class was scheduled to start.  She would track me down, usually somewhere in central Washington, and I would show up the next day. 

I remember being at the bakery one school day, picking up maple bars to spice up a bear bait, when my father walks in.  He gave the lady behind the counter a long list of pastries to add to my order.  Then says, "I want to hear how much the principal appreciated you buying donuts for the teachers lounge."  He never mentioned that encounter again!

This was back in prehistoric times, when baiting was still legal.   

[RadSav]

This was back in prehistoric times, when baiting was still legal.   

'81 or '82.  Back when you could take your gun to school, on the bus, as long as the bolt was removed.  And the bus driver would drop you off at the logging road of your choice during hunting season.

[D-Rock425]

This was back in prehistoric times, when baiting was still legal.   

'81 or '82.  Back when you could take your gun to school, on the bus, as long as the bolt was removed.  And the bus driver would drop you off at the logging road of your choice during hunting season.

never saw those days.

[jackmaster]

I never missed an opening day of grouse season do to school!! I thought it was a conspiracy , grouse always opened the first day of school

You spelled "due" wrong.
Just sayin...

 

yep maybe I shouldn't have missed so many days of school, haha . I had to miss 4  years of hunting the mighty blacktail when I joined the army after I gradiated,  . That sucked 

Just giving you crap...

Thank you for your service.

it was totally my pleasure, the army, especially doing what I did was just flat awesome!! Thank you!!

[fishnfur]

This was back in prehistoric times, when baiting was still legal.   

'81 or '82.  Back when you could take your gun to school, on the bus, as long as the bolt was removed.  And the bus driver would drop you off at the logging road of your choice during hunting season.

Now my kids need a permission note to get off at a different stop than normal - like to go to a friend's house.  It would probably take a signed note from God to get a rifle on their bus......Nahh, that wouldn't do it either.

Life gets better and better as the years slip by, huh? 

Predator G - let us know how it all works out.  Maybe you'll meet the girl of your dreams if you end up going to school that first day... (it could happen I guess    ).

[predatorG]

This was back in prehistoric times, when baiting was still legal.   

'81 or '82.  Back when you could take your gun to school, on the bus, as long as the bolt was removed.  And the bus driver would drop you off at the logging road of your choice during hunting season.

This sounds legendary.

And fishnfur, I go to a pretty small school and am pretty well known but it could still happen. That almost makes it worse tho, skip Friday to hunt or go to school so I can see some hot new girl? Maybe she hunts and I can bring her with!

[fishnfur]

... and maybe she has a mustache.  It's Kitsap after all.   

Life is full of new paths for opportunity.  Choose one that fits your desires, do your best, don't look back.

[fish vacuum]

My first two years of college I attended summer classes and took fall quarter off.

[Jpmiller]

That's a tough one, I had to miss the opener last year because my wife's friend had the nerve to schedule her wedding at 3 pm. Some people have no consideration lol

I wish I had taken school more seriously and attended more but perhaps taking it more seriously means missing a few days is less of a deal. If it's not going to make a difference on what you learn and your grades... hunt

[RadSav]

One of my best friends scheduled her wedding on opening day.  I changed out of my camo in the bathroom about 10 minutes before the wedding.  I may or may not have smelled like elk piss...

Thankfully it was not a Catholic wedding...had time for the evening hunt too!

[Taco280AI]

Might get flamed for this, but I don't care.

Suck it up and grow up. You're going to miss a day of hunting because of school? Get your priorities in line, school first and hunting second. Or school, job, family, etc, etc, etc, then hunting. I missed four consecutive years of hunting due to military life. Four full seasons, not just opening day. Sometimes life gets in the way of what we want to do, is a reality. Focus on school, do well, focus on getting and performing well at a good job. Then enjoy everything that comes with it, such as hunting and a comfortable lifestyle.

I might be becoming the grumpy old warrant officer that's often joked about in the Army. I got lucky (in a way) that I came home early from Afghanistan because a few of us swapped out with guys back home so they could come out and get flight time. I'm losing a lot of flight time by being back here and not there, but it really felt like getting out of jail in a way. It is so amazing being back here and so much I appreciate more after being deployed to areas where you carry a gun everywhere you go, every day. Where we have rockets shot at us on the FOB, one night four times! Where we have bullets coming up at the helicopters now and then. A few helicopters got shot up. The guys who are still over there won't get back for opening day. And that's after we left three days before Christmas - that was awesome for families.

You're missing opening day and you nearly cried. Must be tough. Know what is tougher? Watching a grown man cry before walking away from their bawling child because they don't want their dad to leave. To a combat zone. For up to nine months - or even ever.

[jackmaster]

Taco, dude, he is still in highschool, not heading off to war. A lot of us spent time in the military , missing opening days for years on end, as long as the kid is getting good grades, who gives a rip if he misses school to go huntn you get one life! Bad things happen most of us have watched a buddy die, but that has little to do with a highschool kid missing opening day!! Chill man

[jackelope]

Taco, dude, he is still in highschool, not heading off to war. A lot of us spent time in the military , missing opening days for years on end, as long as the kid is getting good grades, who gives a rip if he misses school to go huntn you get one life! Bad things happen most of us have watched a buddy die, but that has little to do with a highschool kid missing opening day!! Chill man

High school is where the rest of your life starts. In a lot of ways it forms the base for how one lives the rest of their life and the choices they make.  I never skipped school for anything. I've never called in sick to work to go hunting or fishing or for anything other than if I was actually sick or had a sick kid and no childcare. I'm with Taco. There are priorities in life. This is a perfect example.

[jackmaster]

Taco, dude, he is still in highschool, not heading off to war. A lot of us spent time in the military , missing opening days for years on end, as long as the kid is getting good grades, who gives a rip if he misses school to go huntn you get one life! Bad things happen most of us have watched a buddy die, but that has little to do with a highschool kid missing opening day!! Chill man

i skipped as much as I possibly could and I hate to pat myself on the back but I turned out fine and so did both my kids, I don't think skipping school to go huntn shapes your life, now, skipping school to go get drunk or smoke crack well that's a different story. I let both my kids skip both days for extended buck every year, my son is in the 82nd airborne unit and moving through the ranks quickly, my daughter does running start, goes to highschool works as much as possible at McDonald's and is going into her senior year and is signed up for the early entry program into the airforce!! I think what shapes a kid is his or hers parents

High school is where the rest of your life starts. In a lot of ways it forms the base for how one lives the rest of their life and the choices they make.  I never skipped school for anything. I've never called in sick to work to go hunting or fishing or for anything other than if I was actually sick or had a sick kid and no childcare. I'm with Taco. There are priorities in life. This is a perfect example.

[fishnfur]

Awww man!  This thread is sliding into the abyss........

[jackmaster]

Sorry kid, didn't mean to help make it slide, I say use your best judgement either one isn't gonna send you down a dark path

[RadSav]

[predatorG]

Might get flamed for this, but I don't care.

Suck it up and grow up. You're going to miss a day of hunting because of school? Get your priorities in line, school first and hunting second. Or school, job, family, etc, etc, etc, then hunting. I missed four consecutive years of hunting due to military life. Four full seasons, not just opening day. Sometimes life gets in the way of what we want to do, is a reality. Focus on school, do well, focus on getting and performing well at a good job. Then enjoy everything that comes with it, such as hunting and a comfortable lifestyle.

I might be becoming the grumpy old warrant officer that's often joked about in the Army. I got lucky (in a way) that I came home early from Afghanistan because a few of us swapped out with guys back home so they could come out and get flight time. I'm losing a lot of flight time by being back here and not there, but it really felt like getting out of jail in a way. It is so amazing being back here and so much I appreciate more after being deployed to areas where you carry a gun everywhere you go, every day. Where we have rockets shot at us on the FOB, one night four times! Where we have bullets coming up at the helicopters now and then. A few helicopters got shot up. The guys who are still over there won't get back for opening day. And that's after we left three days before Christmas - that was awesome for families.

You're missing opening day and you nearly cried. Must be tough. Know what is tougher? Watching a grown man cry before walking away from their bawling child because they don't want their dad to leave. To a combat zone. For up to nine months - or even ever.

Honestly dude you have no idea how much I respect this and your sacrifice. I understand that short of joining the military and making sacrifices such as you have, I will never be able to relate or understand. And I understand and respect that. I don't know where my life will take me, I may end up join the military, who knows. And there will be many years where I'm sure I will have to miss opening day. I understand that. But it is more of a struggle when it's competing with something as insignificant as the first day of  my junior year of high school. I get straight A's and am taking three ap classes this year including AP calculus. I understand that sacrifices have to be made in school and life but this might not be the day to make them. This wasn't intended to be a post where I whine and cry but was meant to be more of a joke, and I'm sorry it wasn't clear enough for you to take it that way. That's on me.

I want you to know that I thank you for your service and for protecting our freedom. I respect that more than anything. I understand that many people on here have made sacrifices and had their lives changed because of it, such as Aaron, and this wasn't meant to undermine that.

Again, my sincerest apologies for making this seem too petty, but as small as it is I still have a decision to make about hunting while I can or atrending a day of school.

Thank you for your service,
Garett

[birddogdad]

One of my best friends scheduled her wedding on opening day.  I changed out of my camo in the bathroom about 10 minutes before the wedding.  I may or may not have smelled like elk piss...

Thankfully it was not a Catholic wedding...had time for the evening hunt too!

clearly she didn't marry a hunter or he would have turned her down...

[Taco280AI]

Garett,

No worries. Go to school and enjoy opening weekend   

[Bill W]

I never missed an opening day of grouse season do to school!! I thought it was a conspiracy , grouse always opened the first day of school

You spelled "due" wrong.
Just sayin...

 

yep maybe I shouldn't have missed so many days of school, haha . I had to miss 4  years of hunting the mighty blacktail when I joined the army after I gradiated,  . That sucked 

I remember how strange it seemed to be applying suntan oil pool side on Christmas day.   I had one late deer season that a day or so before being out it was 88 degrees and I was working on my tan.  When I was home it was trudging thu 15 inches of snow looking at old deer tracks.  Definitely felt colder than I was used to.

[predatorG]

... and maybe she has a mustache.  It's Kitsap after all.   

Nah man, thats north mason. I've never understood how you can be cousins with someone multiple ways...

[predatorG]

Garett,

No worries. Go to school and enjoy opening weekend   

Well turns out mom put the kabosh on skipping school anyways, thanks for the tips tho and some good life lessons 

[fishnfur]

Ooops!  You forgot the old adage:  Better to beg forgiveness than ask permission. 

The afternoon hunt would be a great way to start.  The days are way too long at that time of year to hunt all day anyway.  I love evening hunts that time of year.  No rush to get out there.

[Rainier10]

Do you hunt close to home/school?  I would do the evening hunts and then get after it on the weekend if you can hunt close.

[BIGDOG253]

The afternoon hunt would be a great way to start.  The days are way too long at that time of year to hunt all day anyway.  I love evening hunts that time of year.  No rush to get out there.

Do you hunt close to home/school?  I would do the evening hunts and then get after it on the weekend if you can hunt close.

That's what we did when we were in school over in Pullman  the deer never moved until about 30mins before shooting time ended anyway.