The thicker beams make him tough to gauge score wise but I'll gladly just arrow him and find out later...I think he'd gross 130 area...thoughts?
His slight palmmation is what catches me....hopefully we get to find out. The way this season is unfolding for me I am done being picky first buck that trips my trigger is gonna get shot. Who knows by the season end I may not have a stand or camera not stolen haha! (not really funny)
Well, I had a great week off work. Back at it tomorrow. Seen 7 bucks. Seen a nice 8 point Wednesday, no shot though. Sent from my XT830C
Well today's cold shift is making me antsy but got nephews and niece in town so gonna spend the evening with them instead of up a tree.....rest of the week though I'll be somewhere in the afternoons...even if set up along the riverbottom ridge strictly for a fall turkey for Thanksgiving (they use the ridgeline 90% of the nights and roost out into the bottom below).
'Anyone have blood or almightynut (new number) contacts? Neither have even shown any kind of action or check in and just curious. Hate to see our hot start fizzle by not a full team partaking. I'll be up a tree this afternoon hunting that buck I showed you guys yesterday....he has shown he loves the West end of the field entrance and with a "lazy" hunter hunting the East end of things could be the perfect storm for a couple evening hunts on the West end of things with the W/NW winds we got. Hopefully he shows up.
I was out two mornings this week. Short hunts before work but, getting some stand time. My close stand is not paying off like I would have hoped. I will hunt it one or two more times...then it is off to my hot spots farther into the woods. Picked up a another trail camera this week and testing it out at the house. Found a fresh scrape there today while setting the camera. Also ran into a few doe...I was not hunting at the time Will not get out tomorrow morning however, might get out with my son tomorrow at some point for a quick trip. Good luck to everyone this weekend!
Wind just isn't great for the swamp prop and pops is hunting the Homestead so I am taking the morning off. Will be back up same tree or on farther up to NW of it I sat tonight. Saw solid deer movement tonight....could have killed a doe but she kept acting like a buck was coming behind.
Made it my best stand this morning and had high hopes. Done a little rattling right after first light and had a big buck coming in on a string, that's when it all went south. He was 45 yards and closing when out of nowhere a dang coyote ran right between us. The buck disappeared and I couldn't get turned fast enough to shoot the coyote but I was in the perfect position for the second yote to come through. He dropped in his tracks from a hit to the back that exited his shoulder and I started getting out the cable to recock my crossbow when I noticed another buck coming from the south....... you guessed it, coyote #3 ran in and was checking out the one flopping on the ground. I hate coyotes The third one ended up busting me trying to load the bolt. Then with the 2nd yotes last dying flop, he ended up in the creek under my stand. I had to fish him out to avoid the smell of his maceration every time I sat that stand. Hope I have a little better luck this evening!
Well, I got my church donation deer this morning. I have about 10 small guys running around the house. Three of which have some funky antlers. At 7:05 this morning All 3 were together. The bigger one I couldn't get a shot, so I took this 5 or 6 point....lol. 28 yards, broke both shoulders. Swhackers eat him up....lol. Sent from my XT830C
Going to my lease in the morning, its 8 point or bigger. Well, it can be a big 6, but haven't seen any. Sent from my XT830C
Climbed a tree this evening at a property across from my parents old house. It was great weather but didn't see anything. It was my first time sitting that property this year. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
Way to go Boot! I had a very exciting hunt on Saturday evening. Took my 8 year old son with me. We were going to do a quick evening hunt. Made it to a new state park which I have never hunted before. Walked in a small trail and within 200 yards from where we parked, I spotted a doe. The doe saw us however, calmed down and moved on. At that time I told my son that it may just circle right around us and we are going to stay put. Well...about 5 minutes later, here comes the doe on our back side. We both drop to our knees and I get in position for a shot. Just as I pulled back, the doe turned right at us. After a minute stare down, it turned broadside at about 25-30 yards. I was still drawn back and calm however, wearing out. At that point, I was ready to let the arrow release however, I had a hard time seeing the kill zone as the doe blended into the brown background perfectly (darn leaves!). Every time I thought I was ready, she moved. This went on for another 30 seconds and I played it safe by not releasing. I was a little bummed as my son was at my side and it would have been a special kill. That said, rather show him you only shoot when you are sure...then make a bad judgment. 30 minutes later, we had another doe walk by at about 40 yards and in thicker stuff. So, 1.5 hours in the woods on a place I have never been and we almost scored. Ended up being awesome and perfect that my son was seeing the deer as well. I ended up scouting a bit more today and will spend a few short evenings in that spot through the season.
Awesome Boot and Pick. I hunted Saturday evening over the corn field (getting picked today) and had the same 3 does (momma and two this year offspring) come out in the alfalfa bordering it but the two shooters on camera that retreated back in the sanctuary that morning right there (checked cams) never showed. This was all after Friday night hunt for the first time over our micro plot and trail leading to the large plot at the same property up in the woods. Stand sits over looking the micro and trail but you cannot see the big plot. Stand is just on the edge of a 50 yard by 30 yard wide oak flat and has some oaks in front as well. Had a big doe and her two button buck offspring come down and I nearly shot the momma but she kept looking back like something was following...so held off (regret this) as I saw nothing till after dark when I bet I had about 10-12 deer come by stand....4 of which did as I was halfway down my steps and I had to hold the steps/tree for what seemed like 10 minutes as deer fed within 15 feet of me around my tree. Sunday evening I sat on the ground at a property my dad had 9 does in three groups filter by him the night prior with no shot and didn't see a thing. No chasing or curiosity has really started on any of our properties like I figured this cold snap would have done. Warm up coming, but I bet this next cold snap is what will really get the deer going and heading into some prime pre-rut behavior (my favorite time of the year honestly). Best of luck fellas and stay active! If on a property you can drop a doe if you haven't so you don't regret it like me! I will possibly not make it out again this week but starting sunday will be hunting a lot of evenings!
Went after it hard for 3 days this weekend at my leases in NW IL. The wind wouldn't cooperate for my better spots but I was able to get into some spots where I've had recent pics of decent deer. No luck, passed a few small bucks and saw lots of does. Back at it this upcoming weekend..........