How's the Deer hunting going?

[allaboutshooting]

Hey Jim,

Our firearms season open this Friday. There is a lot of activity and bow hunters, who've been hunting since October 1st, have killed several thousand across the state.

I see a lot of scrapes in all the usual places and in some new ones as well. We opened up some new trails on our land it has seemingly produced even more than the usual sign.

There is one scrape line that has remained the same for about 30 years that I've hunted this land. We're very fortunate that not much has changed here and on the land immediately surrounding it. Just a few miles away, it's a different story and I see "progress" heading this way. The deer don't seem to mind the changes that have taken place however. They just seem to adapt. Probably a good life lesson.

Thanks,
Clark

[Morgan]

Turkey season ended Saturday...so I spect I will start deer hunting Saturday....waitin on March 15.....

[Cut N Run]

My work has been slower than usual, so I have been hunting more than normal.  My luck has been pitiful.  In 6 trips afield I have seen 2 small 5 pointers, a pair of cowhorns, and two tiny spikes. I usually get on stand about an hour before first light so the woods have time toi cool down from my enrty. I sit until around noon.  One of my hunting buddies saw 8 bucks one day, but he was holding out for a big one.  He passed 3 different eight pointers (two of which were "legal" by our lease rules...8 points or better and 16 inches or better inside spread).  He also saw a 5 pointer that would qualify as a cull. It only had a brow tine on one beam and three points on the other, was 17 or 18 inches inside, & obviously a 3+ year old deer.
 
I have not been winded in years & am fanatical about minimizing human scent.  I used to bow hunt a lot before the wreck I was in and have never had problems getting close shots.
 
That's the thing about hunting, the next time I might get the biggest buck of my life.
 
I have been seeing a lot of hens and a couple of gobblers.  The biggest Gobbler was hanging out near one of my favorite places to Turkey hunt.  We have identified at least 4 different longbeards & several jakes.  The future looks bright.
 
Clark, I wish things around us would stay the same.  There has been logging on several surrounding properties (including 70 acres on ours) and some new homes were built in what used to be a nearby piece of woods.The deer now only go there to eat shrubbery at night.
 
Jim

[mark hay]

4:45 , sit down on the ladder stand seat
4:55 see 3 does down the trail flagging back and forth,,they finally ease away
5:00 hit the doe bleat twice
5:15 4 piont buck coming down the ridge top to my right . he pauses a moment and then starts down through the saddle to the bench 18 yards in front of the stand. as he goes behind the big white oak i draw. as his momentum gives out and he stops, i zero in on the lungs and release. 8 or ten seconds later i hear him pile up about 100 yards and just shy of the lane. i thought that was handy of him.

[Cut N Run]

Congratulations on the arrowed buck. Keep after 'em.
 
I hunted  day before yesterday and it was so windy my treestand was more like a ride at the Fair.  It actually snowed in places around here, but I never saw any.  Saw one doe at the edge of the cutover on my way out & a Hen picking up grit on one of the logging roads and that's it.
 
Got a call from one of my hunting buddies last night and he notched a Doe tag & is now working on his required 3 doe minimum per hunter for the Lease.  One of the other guys saw 3 bucks, but all were small.  He intends to start working on the Does this afternoon as he saw 9.
 
I'm headed out of town all next week for Thanksgiving and will miss two Saturdays of hunting.  Work will be stacked up when I return and there is no telling when I will get to hunt again. 
 
Last season we took 13 does and no bucks.  The year before we took one buck and 16 does. We keep holding out for decent bucks and letting the little ones grow, but the guys hunting the properties around us are not inclined to play along. It is aggravating, because 100% of the little bucks that are killed never get any bigger.  This is also in a county where running dogs is permitted (even though we do not participate).  They push the deer around so much it can make the big boys nocturnal. It does make taking a big one special though.
 
Jim

[mark hay]

evenin' CUT N RUN
just finished my butcherin' and the venison is in the freezer. i know what you mean about the dogs. ohio doesn't allow the use of dogs but there are plenty running lose on top of an overwhelming amount of song dogs . if all goes according to plan i'll be tagged out by new years and then ALL focus will be on those turkey killin' coyotes.
wish you all the best and safest Thanksgiving week.      ''ostt''

[mark hay]

hey beardhunter
just got around to reading of your success. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
YOU are doing a fine job in your first year.HECK OF A SHOT!!
thanksgiving morn.    i went out for a short drive this mornin' and saw a ton of deer , though i was hoping to catch a song dog out in some CRP.if all goes well i'll be out in the morning trying to call in a longbeard for a friend. next monday is our deer gun opener with snow in the forecast.are you familiar with a feller by the name of RANDY ANDERSON? HE LIVES IN NEB. he is well known among the coyote folks. he has several videos of his own and recently teamed up with Primos. if you are not already into coyote hunting , it is right up there with turkey hunting and in most places are legal game year round. Primos' MASTERING THE ART of COYOTE CALLING, dvd is a top notch educational video on the subject.song doggin' is my favorite pass time between our 2 turkey seasons.    have a good one,,,,later

[NEbeardhunter21]

Thanks Mark its been unreal. I have seen a couple of Randy's videos and have been with my buddy when he got 2 coyotes. It's a cool set up. We hunt turkeys till dusk and get coyotes right at dusk. That seems to be the time they are most active. And they are fair game all year long in Ne too.

[grunt_doc]

I got a unicorn yesterday morning.  One broken tine and one with 2 points.  Nothing spectacular, but I hunt for the freezer anyway.  My jerk of a brother got a doe and an 8 pointer within 5 min of eachother on opening day.  Right place right time.  I still have lots of tags to fill so I'll try again this weekend....

[mark hay]

dagummit jerk brothers anyway!!!
opens dec. 1 in ohio. spent this mornin' cleanin' the leaves off my yard. pick up trucks are burnin' up the highway , with the beds piled high with treestands. i'd bet the air quality in the local sportin' goods store is near toxic.  you all have a good'n'