# Noon Start Time For The Opener



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Who remembers the noon start time? I sure do, and I didn't think it was a bad idea then and I don't think it would be a bad idea now. I know guys didn't camp overnight in the marsh to save a spot, people seemed to be more patient with each other, it was daylight and you could see where everyone was at, it was easier for the CO's to observe areas, easier to identify birds and there certainly weren't as many boats tucked in the phrag where you can't see each other.
I'm not saying shooting never started early because it usually did, about 10 minutes. It wasn't 40 minutes early though.

The noon start time was one day a year, and the busiest day of the year. No big deal. The opener is more crowded now than I ever remember in the past. Why not a noon opener now? Thoughts?


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

I say just do away with the opener and start on day 2!!


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## Goshawk (Sep 7, 2007)

Ah the memories of my youth. Sweating my guts out sitting in the marsh in 80 degree temps under a blazing sun watching the minutes tick by waiting for that magic 12 o'clock hour... Heck ya bring back the noon opener them was good times..:thumb:

No _asterisk_ needed for a noon opener


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

My only gripe would be that it would be hotter by the time shooting started. I wouldn't mind it though. It would also make it much nicer for those wanting to camp out the night before. I learned this year that it's pretty hard to sleep when people are launching their boats at 3:00 AM, and not being too quiet either.

What about a 9:00 AM start time? It would be light enough, but not too late in the day.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

Yes a noon opener would be a good thing.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

You know, I kinda hate this arbitrary x-o'clock for an opener. Why not just simplify things and make it 30 mins before sunrise....like every other day of the season? I think that is just as easy to enforce as any other time, with the additional help that too much before that it is just impossible to see/shoot. I think that no matter the time, some guys are just going to shoot early anyway, and this way you physically can limit it via darkness. That being said, I step off my soapbox.


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

johnnycake said:


> You know, I kinda hate this arbitrary x-o'clock for an opener. Why not just simplify things and make it 30 mins before sunrise....like every other day of the season? I think that is just as easy to enforce as any other time, with the additional help that too much before that it is just impossible to see/shoot. I think that no matter the time, some guys are just going to shoot early anyway, and this way you physically can limit it via darkness. That being said, I step off my soapbox.


I would guess that the reason for a later start time is more about safety than anything. I'd love to see it start at the normal time if it were equally safe, but I'm not sure it is (though I'm not sure it's not).


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## Bret (Sep 7, 2007)

I remember it well.... Hated it. lol


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## Utmuddguy (Aug 25, 2013)

I'll just continue to stay home on day one then I don't have let what everyone else does bother me. People shoot early every year and your never going to stop them from doing so no matter what time you start the hunt.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

i remember them.I liked it back then because i played football then head we would head out.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

I can't imagine that there is too large a difference in the safety of a 30 min pre sunrise waterfowl opener versus a 30 min pre sunrise rifle deer.....


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## rjefre (Sep 8, 2007)

I always liked the noon opener. I wish it was noon again, because it was simple and easy. It also gave the birds a bit of a heads up, and you could sleep in. I never experienced the kind of madness that reigns nowadays on the early opener times. 
R


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

johnnycake said:


> I can't imagine that there is too large a difference in the safety of a 30 min pre sunrise waterfowl opener versus a 30 min pre sunrise rifle deer.....


The difference is in a normal situation you are not 50 yards away from the next deer hunter. In the marsh there are only so many places people can go before they run out of room. So yes, there is a big safety factor difference.


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## pelican (Mar 29, 2012)

You criminals north of the payson/Dixie line can't regulate yourselves, read properly or afford a watch, fine.....start a month later I don't care, but your problems should not affect us south of you. We are much kinder and respectful of each other. Notice all the whining is up that way. I like starting at a 1/2hr before sunrise. Y'all need to find Jesus and start doing unto others as you'd like done to you.


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## PHall (Oct 12, 2013)

I was going to say, how hard is it to do basic math? We were set up foot soldier status in Farmington today and heard numerous reports beginning at 649. Sunrise was at 7:35 today, so shooting was at 7: 05. I was surprised. My buddies and I talked about a 1-2 week LE hunt before general season. Same opening day, and you draw for LE 1-2 week hunt before general season starts.


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## Afishnado (Sep 18, 2007)

The noon opener only makes it worse. Like I said in an earlier post, I remember when a group of hunters had a flock of geese come into their decoys at 10:45 and they opened up. I was probably 14 or 15 years old when that happened and I swore I wouldn't have any part of that again. So I worked hard and the next year I joined a private club. Now 30 years later, I'm part owner of the club.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

johnnycake said:


> I can't imagine that there is too large a difference in the safety of a 30 min pre sunrise waterfowl opener versus a 30 min pre sunrise rifle deer.....


deer hunters have a bright orange vest on. so you can see them for miles away. Duck hunters have camo on and they are tucked away in bushes. there how big a difference ion the two.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Yeah I can see that part....however steel shot goes max 30 yards before it loses sufficient power to hurt a person (eyes excepted) whereas a .270 or 30-06 round can still have enough energy to kill more than 1 mile away. So in my mind once you actualize the situations to take that into account a deer hunter in every draw, on every ridge, ~300-500 yards apart (the norm in my experiences on the rifle, hence why I muzzleload now) is every bit as dangerous as duck hunters in the marsh every 50-100 yards. You don't have to agree with me, but that was my rationale for my prior post.


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

Noon starts suck, just as people who cant tell time properly suck...

my only caveat to this debate would be, careful what y'all wish for. The next thing the powers that be may want to try is limiting the number of folks whom are allowed in our marshes to hunt. 

--draws at the gates on opening day-- 

Just say'n...


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

PHall said:


> I was going to say, how hard is it to do basic math? We were set up foot soldier status in Farmington today and heard numerous reports beginning at 649. Sunrise was at 7:35 today, so shooting was at 7: 05. I was surprised. My buddies and I talked about a 1-2 week LE hunt before general season. Same opening day, and you draw for LE 1-2 week hunt before general season starts.


It's not, people have to care enough for the rules to follow them in the first place... Case in point, go look at the "slaughter" dikes and the trash on them now *this early in the season.* Then tell me people give a tinkers d*mn about rules.

How, with the Federal rules of X amount of days that can be hunted, does your LE fit in? Those that dont draw are just chit outta luck, and are forced to hunt a shorter season?


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Yep, agree with Longgun on this. If waterfowl hunting ever goes the way big game hunting has, I will hunt out of state a handful of times a year and NEVER buy another license here. LE hunts are a joke. The thing about waterfowl hunting is that you will always have the most people out on opening day, every day after that there are generally less and less people. I know a lot of people hunt one or two days a season and that's it.


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