LF, congrats on yet another great buck! You are having the season of my dreams!! lol Chris, congrats on the doe brother!! I've been out 7 of the last 8 days. I took today off for a mid-term exam at school, but I'll be right back out there tomorrow. I'm splitting time between my honey hole and slice of private farm land. I've seen 7-8 bucks at the prime spot so far, 4 of them shooters but nothing close enough for a shot. I haven't seen a single doe being chased yet!!! WTH??? But that's bound to change any minute! right??? lol btw, no sign of the original big one yet, but there's a new addition to the hit list... I think he's 8 or 9 points, not as wide as I like but really tall! and he's OLD... heavy racked and the tips of his main beams are palmated.. very sweet looking!
LF, AS A MATTER OF FACT THAT YOUNG LADY IS A HUNTER!!!!!!!!:p:D She is only rifle hunting now. I'm waiting for her to ask about Archery Hunting. She missed a Buck last year. (youth mentored tag) This year she has a Junior Hunting License!!! She is 12 yoa. After WE missed all we saw was Doe after Doe and she could not shot a Doe the youth mentor tag was for a buck only. This year is her first hunting license and she asked if she could get a Doe tag also, i told her that i would get her a Doe tag, she said they are not getting by us this year!!!! Congrats on the 2nd Buck What did it score?????? You the WOMAN
Congrats LF and again Chris. I have a buck down, no monster but exciting as heck encounter. Story, Pics and Score to come. Been a tough week full of excitement, big deer, small deer, early mornings, and some long days. It was nice to take a shower with regular soap, shampoo and conditioner and use real deoderant.
It started off with me taking the week off. I wanted to take next week but my wife's schedule did not permit that. I was averaging 3 bucks a day and as many as 8 doe. I saw a shooter every day. A shooter for me is a mid 120's buck.. (generally lol) Saturday through Monday found me on my favorite tract of public land with basically the woods to myself, deer movement was good and 2 all day sits showed me the bucks were moving throughout the day. I watched shooters slip by out of range. I watched young bucks do stupid things. One little 4 PT rubbed a tree for some time and then rolled around on the ground like a dog rolling in a cow patty..Never saw that before! Tuesday I was on my favorite farm. There are a couple whoppers in there. But it also see's heavy edge pressure, so I go back in the swamp. This is the stand that I hung in August and buried my atv, taking 2 days and another atv and a winch to set me free. From that stand I sat all day Tuesday, I saw 4 bucks and 8 doe. 1 was one of the big bucks but he was in thick stuff and I had no chance, to far away too thick and unresponive to my calling. Flash forward to Thursday afternoon. I snuck in at 2:00 I knew where he crossed. I set up on the ground in the swamp in a fallen tree top. He surprised me by showing up at 3:00 he did exacty as I planned except due to the thickness I couldn't see him until he was 15 yards. He stopped but I didn't have a shot at his vitals. Then he saw me! The wind was perfect so he didn't make out what I was and he started walking at me. I tried to get real small behind the tree limbs. He got to 7 yards, decided he had enough and bounded twice and then simply walked away. I was crushed! Texting Steve (Schultzy) was my only sanity....It was the only deer I saw that afternoon. The plan worked perfect except the ending!! Friday morning found me back on public land. Unbeknownest to me Rabbit and Pheasant came in on the 5th, I had more orange and dogs around as I had ever seen as they slayed the released pheasants in barrages of shot after shot. I got down early. I counted 45 cars and trucks in the area on the drive out! My afternoon plan was to head back to the farm. I knew with the wind I'd have to set up differently. At 1:30 I headed out. Found the perfect set-up on the ground in the swamp on my knees hiding in swamp razor grass. If he took same trail I'd be able to catch a glimpse of him from about 50 yards out. At 4:15 ish I caught movement to my left he had skirted the other side. He was gonna hit a trail 4 yards to my left. Through brush, I saw good horn, figured it was the bruiser from the night before. Even at 4 yards the shot was thick and obscured. I found a hole in the brush, (still on my knees) quite honestly I think I aimed instinctively, and let fly. No idea of the hit, but I knew I smacked him pretty hard! With rain and sleet falling and a possible ground dusting of snow expected over night, I gave him a half hour then snuck over to see the impact sight. Arrow was a blow through and wedged shoulder high in the brush. Decent blood but not what you'ld expect from a prefect shot. I trailed on slowly, another arrow nocked. He crossed a crick and headed for some heavy weeds, grassy area, below power lines. I knew I should back-out, but indications were getting better as blood picked back up. Easing into the over grown cluster, (actually only about 100 yards from shot and an hour later) I busted him from his death bed. Grass and weeds were fliying as he exploded just yards away. Blood was spewing and he went 20 yards and crashed. I eased in and put a second arrow in his heart. He wasn"t the Buck, I was after..he was a much smaller busted up 10 pt. But at close distance and seeing good looking ivory, and following the same routine I figured he was. But ya know what I'm proud of him. I spent hours in 2 days on my knees hunkered in swamp, not comfortable, in cold wind rain and sleet. I worked for this guy. He will only gross 92 3/8 with his busted up rack. He is a heavy deer! The big boys have another year to grow. Pics are on my wife's phone so forgive me and let me keep my man card till tomorrow when I will post them.
Hi everyone. I'm still alive and Hunting, as a matter of fact I'm taking off work this week just to see if I can get it done, don't go back till next Saturday. Congratulations to all the successful bowhunters on our team and John said Lady Forge has killed 10 this year including 2 bucks, WOW! Have had a gret season so far passing on a bunch of does and 2 smaller bucks and as most of you know John killed one of my bigger Bucks 2 weeks ago, but still several good ones around to hunt. I'll try and give a daily report while I'm off, Good luck.
Bob, WOW great story! Awesome... congrats!! and lookin forward to pics LF, thanks.. I'm gonna be praying daily for a crack at him!! lol River Hopper, this should be the week! Good luck out there!
Congratulation's Bob!! I was going to start a teaser thread but as soon as I got home I pretty much crashed being I had to be up by 3 this morning for work. Congratulation's once again!!
Day 10 here in Illinois and I FINALLY have a buck on the ground. I will post pics this evening when we get back from the afternoon hunt.
Here he is. Shot him at 4:50 this afternoon, at 18 yards. He was following a hot doe, then just left her and came my way for some reason. Hit farther back than I care to admit, but he died within sight. I believe that using the 2 blade Rage is what allowed me to get my hands on him, without them I don't think I would have recovered him due to my poor shot placement. It was a combination of buck fever, and a small, 1/8" twig coming off the tree trunk that I didn't see. Oh well, everything seemed to work out fine. I will get better pictures tomorrow, and will score him as well. And cape him out to get mounted
Great Job Cole and Dave, That is a stud of a buck / Cole Dave Come on man, post up Pics so everyone can see your stud also Congrats Guys they are starting to drop!!!!! i'll be out tomorrow morning / Work Sucks at this time of year
DAMNNNNNNNNNN... I took a couple days off of here and you boys are whacken and stackin them... YEPEEEEE Maybe if I stay away again the rest of you will tag a BIG ONE to. CONGTATS Gr8atta2d !!!!!!!!! Congrats NCRemington700 Cant wait to see a pic iHunt what an AWESOME Buck... Congrats he is beautiful !!! !!! You boys are on fire.