Low number of Sept archery whitetail hunters

[kodiak06]

Is that due to it overlapping archery elk or the preference for late season?

[vandeman17]

whatever it is lets keep it that way.... 

[Skyvalhunter]

Lack of animals most likely.

[boneaddict]

It’s always been that way. It’s a different kind of hunting.

[hunter399]

I don't hunt archery.
If I did ,I'd hunt it.
Lots of action that time of year. Alot of areas still have bucks coming and going .
End of September, beginning October the whole game changes.
Bucks that where on cam in the summer day light hours go nocturnal by October.
It's hot in September.

Late season has benefits as well
Cold
Rut
Bait pile

[vandeman17]

It’s always been that way. It’s a different kind of hunting.

I was in a treestand opening day for the first time in my career this year. It sure is different but I will say its nice not freezing your butt off. The biggest downside is days are LONG that time of year and sleeping hours are short.

[huntnnw]

If I’m after a particular big buck I’m hunting September and to be more exact sept 1-5. Bucks are highly patternable into mid to late august . There’s a change in some bucks in august , but what your hoping to do with sept 1 is hope those bucks are still doing what they were doing all summer. I prefer to hunt September over the late season when I’m targeting a certain buck. Rut can have your target buck miles away , erratic and plain don’t show up. Late hunts are great for overall general action all day long as September hunts are pretty much first hour and last hour of light. I rarely hunt sept mornings as it’s nearly impossible to get into stands in most locations without bumping the target buck. I hunt 90% evenings and last couple hours of light. As I get older hunting late season has lost its appeal to me and even more so when wdfw moved the archery opener from Nov 20 to Nov 25. Archery guys are lucky to see 2-3 days of a winding down rut. Another bonus to early September whitetails is the meat it’s almost not even comparable to a November buck. Of all the wildgame I’ve eaten the handful of September bucks I have killed have been by far the best.

[greenhead_killer]

All good info.

[Rutnbuxnbulls]

If I’m after a particular big buck I’m hunting September and to be more exact sept 1-5. Bucks are highly patternable into mid to late august . There’s a change in some bucks in august , but what your hoping to do with sept 1 is hope those bucks are still doing what they were doing all summer. I prefer to hunt September over the late season when I’m targeting a certain buck. Rut can have your target buck miles away , erratic and plain don’t show up. Late hunts are great for overall general action all day long as September hunts are pretty much first hour and last hour of light. I rarely hunt sept mornings as it’s nearly impossible to get into stands in most locations without bumping the target buck. I hunt 90% evenings and last couple hours of light. As I get older hunting late season has lost its appeal to me and even more so when wdfw moved the archery opener from Nov 20 to Nov 25. Archery guys are lucky to see 2-3 days of a winding down rut. Another bonus to early September whitetails is the meat it’s almost not even comparable to a November buck. Of all the wildgame I’ve eaten the handful of September bucks I have killed have been by far the best.

This is going to motivate me to get out early next September.  I've been used to saving up time for the whitetail rut, but I have noticed that either your target buck is possibly locked down and gone or rut is winding down a bit.  What is your strategy on stand set up if you're targeting a big mature buck during this early hunt?  I have a tree saddle set up that I'd like to put into play next fall but I haven't done any hang and hunts, all have been sitting on bait.  I feel like I need to challenge myself a bit more, and maybe the older bucks know that a bait pile could equate to arrows flyin.

[TeacherMan]

Hardest part for me is dealing with the meat when it’s 80 out.

[kodiak06]

Hardest part for me is dealing with the meat when it’s 80 out.

That's a factor for sure, same with our elk.

[Jonathan_S]

Lots of guys hunting in September, it seems like its the smaller parcel private lands guys over the madhouse that is late season archery in the bigger woods.

[huntnnw]

Heat is something I’ve never even considered. I’m not packed in 10 miles.

[Rutnbuxnbulls]

Hardest part for me is dealing with the meat when it’s 80 out.

That's a factor for sure, same with our elk.

We’ll bring ice in coolers, one bag will do enough to cool things down. If I harvest an animal on a hot day it’s go time, not a lot of grip and grins going on. Hide off and quartered out, into game bags,  and into cooler. My wife has a discerning taste and never has an issue with early season meat. I don’t really see more hunters during early season, but my areas are finite so I might not be the best source. I’d like to think we can catch the animals off guard a bit since we’re the first ones out there.

[hunter399]

I've been considering archery.
Just cause of season. September being part of it.