Got one.

[ridgecommander]

First day of my rutcation and first time in this stand. Pretty much a buck parade this morning. Seen three 8 points and shot this guy at 11:00. I passed up a frontal shot at a bit bigger buck at 8am. Just don't like those shots. When I seen this guy coming I almost let him go since this was my first day of a weeks vacation, but when he posed at 36 yards, I let one fly and hit him perfect. Went 25 yards and it was game over.

[dennyf]

Fine looking buck. I'da shot it, vacation or not?

Multiple times over the years at camp, my buddy or I killed a buck on opening day of rifle. Sometimes we both did. He used to mope around, wondering what he was gonna do the rest of the week, but eventually we decided it was fun and educational, driving around glassing, looking at deer and hunters.

My favorite part was watching guys walk out brush fields, then later tell them we'd seen deer hunker down while they'd walked right past them. Seeing deer react like that, was the educational part. Along with seeing deer sneak around right back to where they'd been, without hunters seeing them do it.

Congrats on a successful archery season.

[Dutch]

Well done Gene. That's a great buck. I'd have done the same

[Loggy]

CONGRATS on that nice buck!! 

[davet]

Very nice buck!! Congrats!!

[acorn20]

CONGRATS, Gene! Nice looking buck.

[CoureurDeBois]

Nov 3, 2021 15:23:12 GMT -5 dennyf said:

Fine looking buck. I'da shot it, vacation or not?

Multiple times over the years at camp, my buddy or I killed a buck on opening day of rifle. Sometimes we both did. He used to mope around, wondering what he was gonna do the rest of the week, but eventually we decided it was fun and educational, driving around glassing, looking at deer and hunters.

My favorite part was watching guys walk out brush fields, then later tell them we'd seen deer hunker down while they'd walked right past them. Seeing deer react like that, was the educational part. Along with seeing deer sneak around right back to where they'd been, without hunters seeing them do it.

Congrats on a successful archery season.

Sitting here on the couch at home, just got back from 3 days at camp, waiting for the football game to start and thinking on how my deer hunting has changed. In my youth I would take the first buck I saw. As the years passed I got picky, especially early in the season, had to be something I could live with for a year, and hopefully didn’t show up until the latter part of the season. I’m now at the point where it doesn’t matter anymore when he shows up, as long as he’s a good one the first day is find, especially with the now concurrent seasons. With the buck tag punched I can now sleep in, have a leisurely breakfast then hang around camp or grab the 94 and go for a walk if the desire materializes.

[dennyf]

Went several years without a buck. Didn't see one that topped anything I'd already taken, just waited for doe season. Then about four years ago on opening day, had a small six point come up close to my spot and would've let it pass like I had done with many other small ones, had it not stopped and gave me some attitude, so I shot it.

Now at the point where I hunt, that really nice bucks are far more numerous than they were 20 years ago. Almost every year I get to see them each fall in the area around camp. Still waiting for a crack at a good one. Long past the days when taking a buck was important. I enjoy the anticipation of opening morning, just as much as I did 50 years ago.

[bowbum]

Congratulations on your buck.

[bowbum]

Nov 4, 2021 19:32:07 GMT -5 CoureurDeBois said:

Sitting here on the couch at home, just got back from 3 days at camp, waiting for the football game to start and thinking on how my deer hunting has changed. In my youth I would take the first buck I saw. As the years passed I got picky, especially early in the season, had to be something I could live with for a year, and hopefully didn’t show up until the latter part of the season. I’m now at the point where it doesn’t matter anymore when he shows up, as long as he’s a good one the first day is find, especially with the now concurrent seasons. With the buck tag punched I can now sleep in, have a leisurely breakfast then hang around camp or grab the 94 and go for a walk if the desire materializes.

Sounds very familiar to my own situation.
I've lost the "lust" to kill something except that we still count on having venison to eat. I no longer do the dawn to dusk sit and even on beautiful days like today I can transition to doing some outside work instead of hunting.
I'll kill a doe late in the season if no buck forces me to kill him before then.
Got a couple of decent ones; a 9 and an 8, running the hill that might be 3-1/2 years old, which is my minimum.

Check the face on the 9 point - (the first picture). He's really banged up on both sides of his snout. That thing on the left side of his face might be an antler from a spike buck that got stuck under his hide. We saw him hammer the tar out of the spike and later we noticed the spike was missing one side.

Edit-added: The left side is gouged also and it looks like he came close to losing that eye. 

Attachments:

[CoureurDeBois]

Nov 5, 2021 15:31:31 GMT -5 bowbum said:

Nov 4, 2021 19:32:07 GMT -5 CoureurDeBois said:

Sitting here on the couch at home, just got back from 3 days at camp, waiting for the football game to start and thinking on how my deer hunting has changed. In my youth I would take the first buck I saw. As the years passed I got picky, especially early in the season, had to be something I could live with for a year, and hopefully didn’t show up until the latter part of the season. I’m now at the point where it doesn’t matter anymore when he shows up, as long as he’s a good one the first day is find, especially with the now concurrent seasons. With the buck tag punched I can now sleep in, have a leisurely breakfast then hang around camp or grab the 94 and go for a walk if the desire materializes.

Sounds very familiar to my own situation.
I've lost the "lust" to kill something except that we still count on having venison to eat. I no longer do the dawn to dusk sit and even on beautiful days like today I can transition to doing some outside work instead of hunting.
I'll kill a doe late in the season if no buck forces me to kill him before then.
Got a couple of decent ones, a 9 and an 8, running the hill that might be 3-1/2 years old, which is my minimum.

Check the face on the 9 point - first one. He's really banged up on both side of his snout. That thing on the left side of his face might be an antler from a spike buck stuck under his hide. We saw him hammer the tar out of the spike and later we noticed the spikes was missing one side.

 

We found a nice 6 point dead a couple of years ago in bear season. No signs of being shot, and a good 1/4 mile or more from a dirt road, 2 miles from the hard top, so don't think he was hit by a vehicle, but he had some scrapes. We think he picked on some buck he shouldn't of, and got the poop kicked out of him. Figured he died of an internal wound of some sort.

[dennyf]

Haven't found any lately, but over the years have come across several dead deer on my camp property. Usually in the fall and a couple right before or during buck seasons.

Found a small fourple years ago, at least 400 yards from the dirt road. Not a mark on it. Figured it had been hit on the road, made it up in there before it croaked? Hell, I've trailed wounded bucks farther than that up that same hill and clear to the ridge top, another five hundred yards.



Long after that one, found another four in the same area, second day of buck. This one had been shot, still warm.

Before long spotted an old coot and a boy milling around up in a neighbor's woods. Hollered and asked them if they were looking for a buck? Yep. Told 'em to come get it. Funny part, the kid came and got it, told the old guy that he'd said they shot it. Guess he thought I was deaf?

[ridgecommander]

Picked up the buck at the processor yesterday. This place does thousands a year. They had them piled up high. With the great weather we had this past week, hunters have been stacking them up. Next week looks pretty good on the weather front as well so many more will be added.

[dennyf]

Heavy frosts here, past several mornings and the leaves are going fast. Have seen one buck chasing and one went up thru the field behind the house the other day, nose to the ground. Warming up into the mid 60s next week.

[CoureurDeBois]

Planing on making a trip to camp tomorrow , need to put out a trail cam on the ridge in front of camp, and change card on the one in back of camp, if there's any thing on it.
Don't have high hope for bear or deer hunting at camp this year. I have seen very little sign, no bear sign, along with very little mast, just a few chestnut acorns. I have said this before though, and ended up eating crow. Hopefully the trail cams will change my thinking.
Did have a small buck come through the front yard chasing a doe the other morning, around 6am, when I walked the dog. Had two doe walk through the back yard this morning about 9 am. Have deer here at home, along with lots of posted ground. Some I can hunt, rarely do, most is off limits.

[Dutch]

We have no cherry crop to speak of. Hot areas last year, are dead this year

[acorn20]

I relocated a ladder stand this year to a pine pinch point between hardwoods around a couple of main trails. It's set against a huge pine with pines in the background so I'm not highlighted. Every deer coming up the finger ridge is looking into the morning sun till eleven o'clock. Had a small buck come up within 12 yards Saturday and he had no idea I was there. Took my phone out and took a picture to show the guys I was hunting with. So far, none of the big boys are making themselves seen. Monday a week ago, I walked in front of the water hole camera at 7:00. My son sent me a text and said I was ten minutes to late. He included a picture of the piebald buck that was taken at 6:50. That's my luck so far this season!

[timberdoodle]

Sounds like you're having a good time.

[acorn20]

My son has Tuesdays off and said he wanted to go hunting today. He told me to pick him up at 7:00; thought he wanted to sleep in a bit. When I got to his house, he said he screwed up...forgot we turned the clocks back!! Anyway, up the road we went and my God, the bucks we saw. We had a wonderful day together on this fine, 73 degree Spring day. I just enjoyed being in the still colorful woods with him. I told him we could leave for home a little early to miss the roaming deer along the roads but he said since it's his day off, he wanted to hunt. Can't blame him I guess. I told him not to shoot anything at dusk so what does he do, slam a ginormous doe at 4:35. He said he watched it around his stand for 2 1/2 hours. Finally walked 3 yards from his stand and he pegged it straight down. When I arrived, it looked as if someone had ruptured a red paint can for about 20 yards. I'm glad he got one on his day off.

[Loggy]

A great day indeed for both you & your son!!! Extend my CONGRATS to him on his doe.