6 Reasons to Skip Opening Day of Hunting Season
For many people in the United States, Opening Day of the firearm Deer Season is a semi-official holiday. Kids may be off from school. Vacations and trips get planned around it. Weather forecasts are watched weeks ahead of time. For most it goes mostly unnoticed except there seems to be lots of pickups parked along the road, but if you are a hunter, then this is it. Opening Day.
But maybe it doesn't have to be. Of course, seasons and bag limits vary from place to place, but in most areas "deer season" lasts at least 2 or 3 weeks and some are considerably longer than that. Also, it is not uncommon in some areas to only be allowed to harvest one animal. While others have far more generous limits. But what if someone gave you, THE HUNTER, permission to skip opening day? Why would you?
1. Experience Nature Uninterrupted
Instead of joining the vast number of hunters on opening day, take the opportunity to immerse yourself in the beauty of nature without any disturbances. Enjoy a peaceful hike or picnic in the woods, allowing yourself to truly connect with the sights and sounds of the natural world. Take this chance to appreciate the tranquility that can often be overshadowed during hunting season. Not saying that you will have the woods entirely to yourself but hunting during the week and skipping opening day definitely helps you have more of the woods to yourself.
2. Support Local Wildlife Conservation
By skipping the opening day of hunting season, you can actively contribute to the preservation and protection of local wildlife. This can be accomplished in at least two different ways.
1) Opening day is without a doubt when normal patterns of animal behavior will be the most disturbed and the animals will be the most stressed. Do you really want to contribute to that?
2) I know hunters who buy extra tags or permits that they don't ever use. They see it as supporting hunting and making a monetary donation to conserving wildlife. You did know that hunters and fisherfolk contribute more monetarily to conservation efforts than all other sources combined, right?
3. Engage in Community Service
Dedicate your time on the opening day of hunting season to engage in community service activities that benefit the environment and wildlife. More than a few sportsmen's clubs, and other civic organizations organize pancake breakfasts, deer check stations, coffee trucks at popular parking areas, etc. Help your fellow hunters and be up on the latest gossip for when you hit the woods later in the week.
4. Reduce hunting pressure and spread out land use.
What will damage habitat more? Having a hundred people walk through in a day or having 20 people walk through every day for 2 weeks. Both instinctively and qualitatively it is the second option. This is safer for hunters, better for the land, and the critters.
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