I have a cart, love it. Wish I bought it years ago. I hunt Ohio Public solo and the drags I had to do over the years we’re brutal. Killed one last year and it made life way easier. No experience with a sled. Sorry to hear about that Shawn, that’s the way it goes sometimes.
I have this one, it’s way affordable and works great. Only upgrade I would recommend is that buy bolts and lock nuts to use when assembled. The cotter pin and the bolt they have pops out with pressure of the deer going left and right. Other than that works great, and it breaks down to flat when not in use
Finally got the kidney stone out of the way... And managed to get an October sunburn while catching up on some things on the honey-do list this weekend. Just to dang hot here. I’ll be out the next 2 weekend for sure though. I went and pulled a card yesterday just to find my camera has quite working just a few days after last card pull. Luckily I had a spare one, so I got it out. I’ll check it Thursday and freshen up the corn pile for Saturday. I can’t remember what brand my cart is, but I love it. It’s a lifesaver when it’s time to drag a deer out a mile or more. Heck it’s a lifesaver when only dragging one 100 yards, lol. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Anyone out this morning? Had a nice doe and fawn sneak past me. By the time I saw her it was too late. Would of been an easy shot but I never heard them. Just happened to look that way and bam there they were.
I don't use a deer cart. If it is gut shot, I gut and drag. If the shot placement is good. I do the gutless method, quarter and remove loose meat, and pack out. The gutless method and packing is the way to go if you are a long way from the vehicle. It is way easier than trying to drag the deer out whole. A valuable lesson learned from elk hunting. On these deer in the south, I can usually pack out the whole thing in one trip.
Next weekend will be the first real cold front of the fall. Day time highs will be in the 60s for the first time in months if the forecast holds. Below are two pictures of public land that I am interested in hitting. I am assuming we will have a North or Northwest wind. So the question is ridge top or river bottom? Top of each picture is North. I have marked potential stand sights. This is part of the public I scouted this past weekend but I didn’t get into either of these areas. It was too far to hike while I had my boys with me. I have killed deer in river bottoms and ridge tops before. From the photos, it looks like the ridge will have better oak tree coverage and acorns are dropping now. But, the river bottom looks like it would be the more neglected section based upon parking situations. The ridge top is on the north side of the piece, river bottom is in the southwest corner and borders private to the south. I will most likely be hunting in the afternoon. My wife wants to take the boys to the pumpkin patch Saturday and I am not sure I want to walk into either section in the dark for the first time. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Hard to say. There def hitting acorns hard so I would focus on that, however that bottom looks like a killer spot too. From the pics I would hunt the bottom. I’m a sucker for low lands with water.
That is my instinct as well. I have only killed two bucks with my bow, but they were both within 200 yards of a bedding area in a river bottom. Unfortunately, they both died in the river, requiring a canoe to retrieve. That is my only hesitancy, I would rather not do that.
My latest video, a preview for this upcoming season of our last few years of deer hunting. Weve had a blast, with big plans for the future!
Well, the doe and the fawn were the only 2 I saw this morning. I did do a little work in the area after I hunted though. I trimmed a couple branches where that doe and fawn went by. That's the second time I sat in that stand and both times I saw deer on that trail. Then I made a mock scrape and I peed on it cause I didn't have any buck or doe pee with me. My cam is already facing that way so I won't even have to adjust my cam. Real curious to see if the other bucks hit it. There is another scrape they've definitely been hitting probably 30 to 40 yards past this spot. I'll check cam probably Thursday and we shall see.
Ill probably be out in the morning on doe patrol, really want to get one in the freezer so i have some meat to smoke before the rut.
As I was driving home I saw buzzards circling about a 1/2 mile away over the hill on the other side of the road. There is also a small pond there. I'm guessing that was my grandsons doe. Didn't see it and we can't access that property. I guess it's a good thing it's dead and not walking around with a nasty wound/injury, if indeed that was his doe.
I would hunt the bottoms. When the rut comes around hunt the ridge tops and use the thermal currents to your advantage. Looks great! Sent from my SM-G892A using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
That was my initial thought. From satellite views, it looks like good crop fields across the boundary on private land to the south. But the ridge looks to have more oaks, and acorns are dropping. But, you are tracking with my initial thought process.
Well it was a long hot weekend for me. Thursday night I did manage to put the smackdown on a coyote that scared off a doe that I was going to shoot. So bummer on scaring the deer but good that there is one less coyote in the world. Didn't see much the entire weekend. It was rainy, humid and HOT the whole weekend in Illinois. Probably won't be back out until this weekend.
Moved a stand today into a pinch point for the rut. Here’s the view from the stand. It’s the backside of a Christmas tree farm lol.
