Hey fellas. I hope all is well. Gun season starts today in IL and MO's gun season has been in full swing since last Saturday. I don't shut it down during gun season. I hit it hard all the way through after my target buck. Fortunately (or unfortunately for this contest), I was able to take my #1 hitlister yesterday morning with my 30.06. I just missed out on him at least 3 different times during bowseason most notably the encounter on my decoy when he got to 60 yards and closing until a doe started blowing at the decoy. He scored 168-3/8". A great deer on my home farm in southeast MO. Here's why I named him Gimp.... The day of our decoy encounter. I'm 80 yards from him right now... I hunted here that same morning. He came through before daylight.... He slipped me here again. I was hunting probably 100 yards from this location, on the other side of the thicket. This was the last day of the first bow season in MO. I have opportunity in IL and MO for a late season archery buck. Hopefully I can get it done and contribute to the scorecard. Gonna hammer some does now for sure though.
I shot an 8pt with my shotgun this morning. Nothing huge, but I've been sick all week and rain was in the forecast for Sat and Sun. I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
The buck I shot Friday. Nothing huge and no hero shots. I killed it at 6:45am, got the 4wheeler and got him back to the garage. Being sick and hunting sucks lol. His pedicles were crooked, his jaw was broken but healed and his nose had damage to it. I'm assuming he got hit by a car earlier this year. Meat was fine and the buck, although ugly, was healthy.
I can't wait to get back in a tree! I'll be looking to nock a few doe's down late season and I still have a buck tag in Michigan so, who knows...
How are things going out there guys? I'll be back in the saddle this weekend -it's been awhile, can't wait!
Gun opener here this weekend. Was hoping to have the kids out yesterday and today but instead we are all laid up in the house sick. Hopefully we will be able to get out there this coming weekend.
Get well soon RRB.. Hallelujah gun season is over (for MI and WI).. now it's time to see who survived the orange army.
I hunted Sat and Sunday evening. We had really warm temps (65) and wind, didn't help deer movement, especially a week after gun season closed. 2nd firearm season runs this Thur-Sun. I'll be out with my muzzleloader Sat and Sunday. I've still never taken a deer with a ML, and I've been trying for 11 seasons lol. I can take one more buck this year and I'm hoping to do it with the bow, but I won't let a good one walk with the smokepole in my hand this weekend.
I'll be in a tree this weekend hoping to knock down a couple does. Good luck to you guys still holding tags.
I will be out there this weekend as well. Need to kill something, it's been like three weeks since I shot my buck. Hunting by myself in the morning and then taking my youngest out Sunday.
Nice buck Mark! I didn't even see a deer last weekend. Only heard a few shots, and they were miles off in the distance. I think our firearm season harvest numbers will be way down again.
BBM and NY Mark nice deer. Hope everyone's have a great time out there. Headed back to NJ after Christmas to try and put a few more in the freezer. Good luck everyone. My older sons NJ 7 pt and his little brother taking part in the celebration.
