.........Deer Hunters.......how's your season going?

[Project TNX]

Mine went great! :biggrin: I've been hunting for 24 years, deer hunting for 19 of those and I just got my first 10 pointer, woot!! I hunt in Marion County, WV and the land is unmanaged, no crops to speak of, and has been over hunted in general until recently. So while he's no monster buck, he's my trophy of a lifetime thus far. I've taken a lot of nice 8's, a nice 9, and even got a real nice 7 point this year as well but it's the first 10 harvested by any of us.

A dog was running deer on the hill beside me opening day and kicked out a really nice 7 point, no one was hunting with a dog, just another irresponsible owner whose dog was out running deer. The buck was with 8 doe, the doe ran behind me and the buck took a different escape route and was 40 yards below me. I shot him with my 257 Weatherby Magnum and he just keeled right over and proceeded to tumble down the mountain. He dressed out at 125 pounds and it took me 3.5 hours to get him out of the woods.

The weather was cold and snowy all week and the deer just weren't moving, it was the worst natural movement I can remember actually. I only saw a few does on Tuesday and Wednesday morning I still hunted up to a small spike, but tha was it.............right until Wednesday afternoon, that is.

Wednesday morning was cold and the snow on the limbs made it difficult to see anything. I didn't see any natural movement but I snuck up on a little spike. I had a massive headache and took a mid day nap, my alarm clock never went off and nobody was at the cabin to get my lazy ass up. So I woke up 2 hours later than I wanted too (thank god for that) and got all my stuff together and was going to go check out powerline clear cuts and see what I could see.

As I went up there I noticed 3 doe bedded down at the head of the hollow, I checked out their heads and snuck back out of there without disturbing them. I got to the top of the powerlines and stayed there for an hour and a half, I saw 5 doe but no bucks. It was getting dark so I started heading down the mountain. When I got down to the spot the 3 doe were bedded down early I slowly crept to see if they were still down there...........

When I got to the edge I saw one deer standing where they were bedded, it was approximately 40 yards below me. It was too brushy to see it's head so I cranked my scope up to 8x and took 3 steps to my right. When I put the scope on him I could see his right antler and instantly knew it had 5 points. I had a clear shot at it's vital's and I took it. The buck started stiff legging it across the flat and I cranked another 257 round through him. He fell right down and when he passed away he leaned his head back and it was resting on his ass.

Usually I give the deer a few minutes to pass away but with this one I ran down there pretty quickly. I confirmed he was dead and shouted with glee. Not only is it my first 10 point, it's the first 10 point I've seen back on our property and the first 10 anyone in my party has ever recovered. I drug him to my ATV, ungutted, and tried to load him on the ATV myself. I got him on the rack twice but he kept sliding off so I tagged it and headed back to the cabin to get help. My stepdad came back up with the mountain and we loaded him up and took him back for some pictures before I gut him.

It weighed 135 dressed, so figure ~175 live weight. It's not a huge racked deer by any means but he's a trophy in my book any day and the buck I've been dreaming of. He's narrow, thick, and high which is just how I like them. I'm running him to the taxidermist later today, I'm going to get him mounted in a straight semi-sneak with his ears forward.

The 10 point:

The 7 point:

What 20 pounds of prime deer jerky looks like:

If you got a deer this year post up.

 

[JOHNDEEREGN]

Nice deer!

But you shouldn't shoot them while they are swinging from a tree :biggrin:

 

[SGRIM]

Man I just heard Bocephus singing one of the greatest songs ever in my mind:biggrin:

If you make Jerky out of please send me some:biggrin: :biggrin:

 

[Project TNX]

Nice deer!

But you shouldn't shoot them while they are swinging from a tree :biggrin:

I'll take it how I can get it. :biggrin:

Man I just heard Bocephus singing one of the greatest songs ever in my mind:biggrin:

If you make Jerky out of please send me some:biggrin: :biggrin:

Get in line, lol. I just may have to go out muzzleloader hunting to make an extra batch of jerky to cover the demand.

 

[V8Assassin]

Very Nice!!!!:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

Looks like you are off to a great start!

We have less acorns in the woods this year and it is pulling more deer to the food plots. I haven't shot anything yet, waiting on one like that!!

Opening afternoon was interesting, I got spotted by a doe and two yearlings going to a stand and quietly laid down in some tall grass. Laid there for the next hour and forty five minutes and watched probably 30-35 walk by into the plot. Pretty Fun!

Heading out this afternoon!

Good Luck and Happy Hunting!!!!!!!

 

[benoitthegr8]

I'm Glad for ya... I've been seeing allot of deer but I have passed on all the racked bucks so far this year (nothing bigger than an 8pt). The 3 days I hunted during the rut I saw 30 deer and all from the same stand... I remember that picture you posted last year of you violating the spike...
that was classic.

 

[Project TNX]

I'm Glad for ya... I've been seeing allot of deer but I have passed on all the racked bucks so far this year (nothing bigger than an 8pt). The 3 days I hunted during the rut I saw 30 deer and all from the same stand... I remember that picture you posted last year of you violating the spike...
that was classic.

They call me the "Deer Whisperer."

This is still my largest bodied deer, this guy was a beast. As my kids get older I will go to the property A LOT more and will start getting some food plots up there to help these guys get healthier and get some big old antlers.

 

[Project TNX]

My wife got me a Bushnell Videoscope for my birthday. Unfortunately it didn't do well on the extreme cold days so I never got to film a buck. But here is a fawn I walked up to and got on tape. As you can tell, it was snowing pretty damned hard that day.

 

[DR BOOST]

They call me the "Deer Whisperer."

it doesnt look like you are whispering to that one...!

 

[chadly]

Congrats on your buck!
I love to hunt and I’m fortunate enough that my wife loves to bow hunt with me. We tend to do more watching than shooting. As you know once you shoot the work begins. We only shoot does unless it’s a real big buck and I like to record and take a lot of pictures of the bucks I do see. However I could not let this one pass. I shot him about two weeks ago. He grossed 190 ¾ inches. Any other hunters have pictures and stories?

 

[Project TNX]

Congrats on your buck!
I love to hunt and I’m fortunate enough that my wife loves to bow hunt with me. We tend to do more watching than shooting. As you know once you shoot the work begins. We only shoot does unless it’s a real big buck and I like to record and take a lot of pictures of the bucks I do see. However I could not let this one pass. I shot him about two weeks ago. He grossed 190 ¾ inches. Any other hunters have pictures and stories?

WOW

That is one heck of a buck. At what size do you start shooting them, 155"+? I imagine your 18 month old bucks have racks like mine, lol. But where I hunt, it's a monster. :tongue:

I try and try to tell the guys I hunt with to quit shooting all the little spikes and forkhorns but all they say is "You can't eat the antler's." It ticks me off because it's a dig at me and it's a retarded statement in general because trophy hunter or not, we all want the big one. If they just want some meat then they should shoot a doe. They shoot the first buck they see, usually a yearling, and then wonder why they never see the "big" one. I passed up 2 spikes opening morning within 40 minutes of each other and then the 7 point came running down to me. While I'm not a trophy hunter perse' (whatever that is), I do like thinking I am the Apex Predator in the woods and I want to match wits against the bigger bucks.

My father owns the land we hunt and he doesn't want to put his foot down about it, partly because he feels bad for them, but if we would pass up the little ones for 2-3 years, set up some food plots, and then only take the mature bucks we would all be getting nice ones year after year. When and if I get the land there is going to be some changes.

The power company owns the land surrounding us, most of it anyways, and they just clearcut the hell out of it this fall. So I'm going into next season with a whole new deer pattern probably developing. The deer will be in there eating that browse, they love it after a fresh cut, so I will probably focus on the edge our property. But that's the fun of it, figuring out the deer and then executing your plan well enough to pull it off. Well that and luck, and I'll take as much luck as I can get too.


Here's what my terrain looks like, this is the backside of our property and that's a coal conveyor belt that runs from the Tipple to the Powerplant.

Here's our property, the yellow dots are where I got my 2 bucks, the larger 2 red outlines are our property lines, it's 228 acres total.

Here's a trailcam picture from my last morning there, hopefully he survives another year.

 

[chadly]

The trophy is in the eye of the beholder. I’ve shot many doe’s that I had not planned on shooting as something about the hunt was so cool that I knew I would never forget the deer or the hunt. I hunted 10 years before I killed my first buck and I will never ever forget it. I was shaking so bad that I missed at seven yards. Two days later he came back and let me try my luck again. This time I put the arrow where it needed to go. From then on I started killing every buck I could. After about 5 years and fifteen small bucks I decided that I really wanted a large buck. The only way to get a big one is to let the smaller ones walk and be happy with the fact that you most likely not get one. We hunt state ground so I have no say in what anyone else will shoot but in a situation like yours you have a great opportunity to grow some big deer. But keep in mind friends and family is much more important than antlers. I bet your hunting partners were smiling as big as you were when brought that buck back. Those are the things you will not forget.

I’ve got three deer on the wall in the 140’s and the last three years I said I would not shoot anything under 150. Well until this guy walked by I never had the chance. He’s the biggest I’ve ever seen and most likely the biggest I will ever take because now I set the standards even higher. My wife wants her first big one so she too has been doing a lot of watching and no shooting. She usually take the first two and half year old she can get.

 

[Project TNX]

The trophy is in the eye of the beholder. I’ve shot many doe’s that I had not planned on shooting as something about the hunt was so cool that I knew I would never forget the deer or the hunt. I hunted 10 years before I killed my first buck and I will never ever forget it. I was shaking so bad that I missed at seven yards. Two days later he came back and let me try my luck again. This time I put the arrow where it needed to go. From then on I started killing every buck I could. After about 5 years and fifteen small bucks I decided that I really wanted a large buck. The only way to get a big one is to let the smaller ones walk and be happy with the fact that you most likely not get one. We hunt state ground so I have no say in what anyone else will shoot but in a situation like yours you have a great opportunity to grow some big deer. But keep in mind friends and family is much more important than antlers. I bet your hunting partners were smiling as big as you were when brought that buck back. Those are the things you will not forget.

I’ve got three deer on the wall in the 140’s and the last three years I said I would not shoot anything under 150. Well until this guy walked by I never had the chance. He’s the biggest I’ve ever seen and most likely the biggest I will ever take because now I set the standards even higher. My wife wants her first big one so she too has been doing a lot of watching and no shooting. She usually take the first two and half year old she can get.

Both those deer are huge. I'll take a large bodied bruiser over antler size any day but to get a deer those size I would need to go to a different geographical location.

I think muzzleloader starts in 2 weeks and I hope to get back to my property for a day or two and try my luck again. Unfortunately a few members of my hunting party have become a little resentful towards me in the last few years, it's both sad and funny. I do what I can with it, which is just laugh it off. My dad, wife, and kids are always happy to see me get one and that's all that matters.

 

[TT/Ameasap]

Are you guys mounting those bucks? I always heard bucks taste like crap...Is that true?

 

[Project TNX]

Are you guys mounting those bucks? I always heard bucks taste like crap...Is that true?

I'm getting the 10 mounted, you bet. Old bucks taste like crap, mine were probably 3.5 years old, and very good. I only cook the tenderloins, the rest gets made into jerky and deer sticks and my dad usually wants a few nice roasts. I don't dislike venison but it's not one of my favorites either. I do love deer jerky though, it tastes just like beef jerky but leaner.

 

[TT/Ameasap]

Ahhh,,,You have refreshed my memory! I am chewing on some deer slim jims right now and they are the best tasting snack I have ever had! I just bought a compound bow and have been doing some target practice in the yard. Was thinking about hunting deer next season and try my hand at it. I would only kill to eat tho.

 

[Project TNX]

Ahhh,,,You have refreshed my memory! I am chewing on some deer slim jims right now and they are the best tasting snack I have ever had! I just bought a compound bow and have been doing some target practice in the yard. Was thinking about hunting deer next season and try my hand at it. I would only kill to eat tho.

I kill to eat as well, but I'm out to eat a decent buck.

A lot of people are under the impression that you waste meat if you get a deer mounted when it couldn't be farther from the truth. I maybe lost 2 inches of neck meat (stew meat) by getting it mounted because I didn't want to risk taking the cape back anymore. So I'm going to eat the heck out of him, share him with friends and family, and have him forever immortalized on my wall, it's a win for everyone..........except the 10 pointer, he lost.

 

[V8Assassin]

Chadly, I am just guessing, but I bet there are alot of farms around where you hunt! Those are some amazing trophies! That 190 is seriously impressive!

TNT, as far as management strategies, you just have to pick a direction and stick with it. Getting other members is always a challege, but it is well worth it in the end. I hunt small properties, between 100-200 acs, and if done correctly they can hold and grow nice deer. Food plots are a must and if you can keep them going through the spring and summer, even better.

 

[ITSAV6]

Nice deer!

I haven't been hunting in years. Since my Dad passed and mom sold all his land. He had 985ac of the best deer hunting land in our county. He had a lot of deer mounted. I managed to purchase his most prized one from the estate sale(actually need boost bid on it for me and gave it to me). It got the nose chewed off by Dads dog but I don't care. It's only an 8pt but it is a great rack.

By itsav6, shot with KODAK EASYSHARE C713 ZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA at 2008-12-02

By itsav6, shot with KODAK EASYSHARE C713 ZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA at 2008-12-02

 

[turbofabricator]

I'm not a deer hunter. I LOVE bird hunting, though. I shoot OK with a shotgun, but suck with a rifle. I probably have only fired less than 200 rounds through a high powered rifle in my whole life. (probably less than 100)

On November 1st., I went on a day hunt for pheasants in Eastern Washington. (3 hour drive) After "issues" with my hunting partner (he forgot his orange vest, and all the area stores (6 of them) were out of them, we finally make it out in the field at about 3pm. No big deal, we're having fun anyway. Well 20 minutes into our hunt, I step into an irrigation ditch to cross it (it was dry) My left foot slips out from under me, and all 225 lbs. of ME ends up on my right lower leg, and ripps it back behind me. I'm laying there with my buddy, looking over me. He says "Hey!......You all right?" I answer, "I just messed up my right ankle, but I'll be OK." He says "Get up, and walk it off." I say "Hold on......it hurts like hell!" Well, I get up and start moving, and it is real stiff and hard to put weight on. (remember, my 225 lbs. of fat azz) I keep walking on it and finish the day off. (only saw two birds from FAR away. ) I take it easy for a couple more days, and go to the Saw-Bonz (doctor) and they take an X-Ray. Low and behold I have broken my Fibula (the smaller bone in my lower leg) just above the ankle. I had to have a steel plate installed to fix it. (surgery) Now, 4 weeks later, I still have to sit on my butt for another 4 weeks. So, to answer the question "How's your hunting going???" In a word...........PAINFUL!:biggrin:
Nice deer in the pics folks. When my wife can make it, she like to go hunting with me. THough she just likes to watch our Gordon Setter do her thing.