***Team 6*** - Official Thread Checking in with my not so mini bio. Twitch, 30, Healthcare, from West central Indiana. I hunt 90 private acres in Clay Co. and a lease with 25 other hunters of 1,800 acres in Vigo County. 8 of 10 hitlist bucks were harvested last year by hunters other than myself and one via "deer meet car". This 193" buck was killed last year less than a half mile from my stand by another guy on the lease. Had him pretty well pinned down just didn't have the discipline to hunt a deer of that caliber. Guy that killed him basically gave me the entire month of October to try and kill him, he waited until the first week of Novemver and got it done in the same 80 acre parcel we had him pinned to in just a few hunts. Amazing opportunity to hunt a deer of that caliber, disappointing not to kill him. Did have him in bow range (40ish yards) one evening, was full draw he just didn't present a shot in low light - you know the situation I'm talking about! A no go... A few others that I was after last year that were killed include: As for this year... A little different approach for me. Just put cameras out 2 weeks ago, haven't even touched my property in Clay Co. yet. Trying to be a little less data driven this year and a little more instinctive. Been driven by the data of photos and and it's really taken away some of the fun for me. Have a few early prospects this year: Have participated in the contest the last 5ish years. Have actually never harvested a buck with a bow as part of this contest and have only killed one buck ever 120 class 8 pointer with a shotgun. Have passed on several 120" bucks since I started bowhunting - just not defined by killing bucks so I pass on the young ones every year. Look forward to getting to know ya'all and following your success this whitetail season! Should be a good one!
***Team 6*** - Official Thread Impressive stuff right here... Be hard pressed to put one of these bucks above the next but the body of 3rd deer is just sooooo WTF that he's probably the one I would desire the most! All 3 look to be in the 5 1/2 age range - really mature and beautiful animals!
I didn't even notice the body on that 3rd one.... Wow. I've got 2 names in mind: 1. Seal Team 6 (or modify it to something deer related) 2. Aim Small, Miss Small
Agreed! #2 is the one I have the most pics of. #1 is a friggin ghost, but we have a little bit of history together. Any of these 3 would get the Rage at the first decent shot presented, but it's gonna be an uphill battle. They live in some super thick, nasty habitat, and the only entrance into it is from the west (with a prevailing west wind). Got my fingers crossed though, and I've sought out the advice of probably the best natural bowhunter I know. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'll get on later and give you some background on myself and situation Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Well as you know evert situation is unique and different. I will offer this from my experience last year. Although my lease is considered "private land" when you got other guys on the lease and atleast 2 guys you know of hunting the same buck then I fealt compelled to hunt that deer early and often based on the fact that when he entered the part of the woods I had a stand I knew EXACTLY where he was entering and exiting. The night I was full draw on him I was literally standing, turnd behind me watching the opening I knew he would come out of in the last 30 minutes of light. That all being said, I think I pressed that deer too hard and forced him to just go the other way around toward that other hunter - I think he wanted me there hunting him because he knew I'd mess it up. If I could do it all over again I woulda done a few things. 1. Not obsessed over one buck, I had several deer that would have pushed 150" plus and shouldn't have been so dead set on hunting that one buck even though he was a world class whitetail. 2. Be patient! Let the wind, air pressure and conditions play a role in when you hunt that buck and don't over hunt him! Pick the single best weather/conditions day each week in October and hunt him once a week! Then hunt him hard in November if you haven't had any luck! 3. Don't let other hunters dictate how you hunt a certain deer. My mindset was, I'm going to get in and hunt this guy as often as I can while no one else is hunting him. My mindset should have been the exact opposite. You probably knew these things but just my thoughts.
I agree, Twitch. And although I have indeed learned all of those lessons -like most, the hard way!-, an annual reminder is always in order. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm all for SEAL Team 6 as a team name as well. I'll keep thinking on some names too. If anyone has any other ideas throw them out there! We will also need to decide on a captain at some point (hoping everyone gets checked in ASAP).
Hi everyone! I'm in So Maryland and retired as a civilian researcher working for the Navy ~11 yrs ago. I've been bowhunting since 1964 and stopped gun hunting for deer in 1974. Besides my own 84A farm and several other local farms, I bowhunt the Navy Base in Indian Head, MD (~3000A). We've had qdm/tdm on Base since 1992 and so I primarily hunt the Base. I've just recently joined this site, and look forward to the contest! -fsh
I'm in the same boat as you haha - Really doesn't matter to me. I'm on the forums every day and had no problem being captain last year. Josh - Let us know what you're thinking and we will go from there.
I'm honored, fellas.. but I've got some big things going on at work soon, especially throughout the month of Oct. So I gracefully bow out of consideration. Either of you two will make a great team captain! If a vote is in order, everyone can simply PM me a name within the next 24 hours, and I'll reveal the name with the most votes. Either way, I'm very glad to be on such a solid team! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Hey guys, looks like we have a solid team here and I truly look forward to getting to know all of you. My name is Matt Millard, I'm 25 and from Northeast Tennessee (near Bristol). I work for USPS as a City carrier, im a mailman! I'm an avid bow hunter and also really big into competition archery. I'm coming off one of my best competitive years with two 2nd place finishes in ASA's (Texas and Illinois) in Semi Pro. As far as hunting goes, I've been a little behind the 8 ball this year. My woods I've hunted for nearly 10 years were logged this year, basically decimating it for this coming year. I was fortunate enough to find another 40 acres about 45 minutes from my house. I'm clueless as to what the land has. I've just got a few cameras out this week and starting to do some work on it. The land has been slightly neglected and the roads have grown up so I'm putting in a lot of sweat equity right now. I will have a little less time to spend in the woods this year than in years past due to making a job change this year but I'm still going to hunt hard every chance I get. Im usually good for two deer every year but we don't have giant bucks here like other states. A great 3.5+ year old buck here will go 100-120inches and that's as good as it usually gets where I hunt. As soon as I get some good bucks on camera I'll share them. I do have some good bucks on the place that was logged but that was before they started cutting. If you guys have any questions about me just ask! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm all in favor of you taking the reigns as captain. If no one else has a problem lets roll with that.
Going to get out on the Clay Co. property tonight and get some cameras out and put some DeerCane out. Y'all got me fired up and ready to get things going!! I've been kinda slow to get going this off season. Have been doing a lot of fishing (fishing trip to Canada), did Ironman Texas in May, playing golf and spending time with my girlfriend - but it's time to get things going!!
Seasons are coming up fast! Time to get everything prepared. I've been shooting more regularly but the mosquitos here are out of this world bad. Even with my thermacell on a calm night I still get eaten alive. Really can't wait to get in and scout the public land this weekend. Might be a tough one as we got even more rain this weekend... Ditches are full of water.
