Deer hunting 2018 thread

[Mgderf]

I was going to be VERY limited on hunting opportunities this year. I'm talking a few days all season. Imagine my delight when this guy came by 40 minutes into Sunday morning hunt. He'd a been a hoss in a year or two, but I wasn't going to let much walk with my work schedule this year. It was the first morning I've been out and the last chance before the end of November. Congrats and good luck to everyone!

I would not have passed that up either.
That's bigger (rack) than I've ever harvested, and I've been hunting Indiana whitetail for more than 35 years.
I've not had access to property that would support such a buck.

This year I'm hoping for better results.
New property, new county, new surroundings... really looking forward to next weekend.

 

[phylodog]

Congrats Trailrider, I'm glad you were able to fill your tag with such limited time this year!

Looks like my partner and I are headed to IL tomorrow evening to try and get some more time in the stands. Fingers crossed we'll have continued luck, I hope everyone has a great season. The bucks are definitely moving.

 

[Landon]

The more I hunt the more I realize I really just like sitting in the woods watching and listening to nature. Its peaceful, if I get the chance to take a deer its great, but I've learned that's not what its all about.

 

[buckhunterbb]

The more I hunt the more I realize I really just like sitting in the woods watching and listening to nature. Its peaceful, if I get the chance to take a deer its great, but I've learned that's not what its all about.

+1

 

[Mgderf]

The more I hunt the more I realize I really just like sitting in the woods watching and listening to nature. Its peaceful, if I get the chance to take a deer its great, but I've learned that's not what its all about.

Now you're hooked.
Don't worry, you're not the only one...

 

[phylodog]

I've certainly eaten a few tags, hasn't bothered me yet.

 

[Riggs226]

The more I hunt the more I realize I really just like sitting in the woods watching and listening to nature. Its peaceful, if I get the chance to take a deer its great, but I've learned that's not what its all about.

My favorite thing about deer season is getting in a tree and watching everything come to life. Which is funny because I can’t sit and be quite any other time besides when I’m in the woods.

 

[trailrider]

Congrats Trailrider, I'm glad you were able to fill your tag with such limited time this year!

Looks like my partner and I are headed to IL tomorrow evening to try and get some more time in the stands. Fingers crossed we'll have continued luck, I hope everyone has a great season. The bucks are definitely moving.

Thanks Phylo. That's a damn fine looking giant you got.

 

[Mark 1911]

Here he is. We've watched him since July and couldn't agree on a name for him so we started calling him Mike. We weren't sure if he was a shooter, after he shed his velvet the pics looked like he got spindly so we were second guessing how old he was. When he came out last night there wasn't any doubt that he was a dandy.

That's a real beauty, getting a buck like that with a bow makes it even more special. Congratulations on a fine buck!

 

[Ruger_Ronin]

My favorite thing about deer season is getting in a tree and watching everything come to life. Which is funny because I can’t sit and be quite any other time besides when I’m in the woods.

Well said. I've always called it my place of zen. Even with the added excitement of opening day, I am totally at peace with wilderness and me.

Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk

 

[Mongo59]

The more I hunt the more I realize I really just like sitting in the woods watching and listening to nature. Its peaceful, if I get the chance to take a deer its great, but I've learned that's not what its all about.

Tried telling that to city folk 3 decades ago, they just looked at me with the blank cow face stare. You know you are in the zone when you can hear a leaf snap off and whistle all the way to the ground with the resultant crash.

When I tried to tell them about that they thought I musta smoked some of those leaves...

 

[Mgderf]

Headed out to Prophetstown State Park in the morning.
I have a stand set up on the edge of a small chunk of woods overlooking a grassy meadow.
There are bedding areas that I can see from my stand, and there are 3 small saplings about 40 yards away that are all but rubbed in half.
PCR's only, so I'll be taking out the Marlin 1894 in .44mag.

Wish me luck.

 

[DapperDan]

Was able to get my first bow kill yesterday morning. Had this buck and a small 8pter chasing a doe. All 3 ended up within 15 yards, so I decided to take this guy, decent little rack but had a pretty beefy body. Pretty happy to finally have put one down with my bow.

 

[trailrider]

View attachment 71808
Was able to get my first bow kill yesterday morning. Had this buck and a small 8pter chasing a doe. All 3 ended up within 15 yards, so I decided to take this guy, decent little rack but had a pretty beefy body. Pretty happy to finally have put one down with my bow.

Heck yeah! Congrats! There is no feeling like the first bow kill!

 

[phylodog]

View attachment 71808
Was able to get my first bow kill yesterday morning. Had this buck and a small 8pter chasing a doe. All 3 ended up within 15 yards, so I decided to take this guy, decent little rack but had a pretty beefy body. Pretty happy to finally have put one down with my bow.

Congrats! I think bowhunting is more rewarding than any other weapon when it comes to big game. I did it once and was absolutely hooked.

 

[42769vette]

Tried telling that to city folk 3 decades ago, they just looked at me with the blank cow face stare. You know you are in the zone when you can hear a leaf snap off and whistle all the way to the ground with the resultant crash.

When I tried to tell them about that they thought I musta smoked some of those leaves...

View attachment 71808
Was able to get my first bow kill yesterday morning. Had this buck and a small 8pter chasing a doe. All 3 ended up within 15 yards, so I decided to take this guy, decent little rack but had a pretty beefy body. Pretty happy to finally have put one down with my bow.

Big congrats. Like everyone said, bow kills are their own kind off cool. Uncle Ted talks about "the mystical flight of the arrow". Everybody thinks he is crazy, but once you kill one with s bow you get it.

 

[Goodcat]

Tried telling that to city folk 3 decades ago, they just looked at me with the blank cow face stare. You know you are in the zone when you can hear a leaf snap off and whistle all the way to the ground with the resultant crash.

When I tried to tell them about that they thought I musta smoked some of those leaves...

Yes. Sometimes out, I hope I don't get anything because I have to work the next morning. Of course I'd take the shot if I did and have a rough next day. Today on a farm property, I observed 3 squirrels scavenging with a half dozen chickens for almost an hour. Neatest thing I've since an owl landed ten yards from my stand and perched with me for an hour into dark.

 

[sugarcreekbrass]

I was able to get it done this afternoon. My buddy and I hunted this morning. I saw a good 8pt but he wouldn't come in. My buddy saw several deer, one being this buck following a doe. On the way out, my buddy swapped SD cards on his camera and had a 150"+ in front of this stand at 3:40 yesterday afternoon. He couldn't go this evening, so I went to that stand. A little after 3 I had a spike chase a doe around me. Then at 4:30 I spotted this buck about 100 yds away. He circled around a downed tree top. I bleated and grunted. He would look but just walked around the down tree. Then I heard something and a doe was running towards me. She was in the tree and the buck followed her. I got drawn but couldn't get a shot on the side they came from. They ran behind my tree so I turned at full draw and got a 15 yd shot. He won't score a lot, but it was a fun hunt. As people have said in the previous posts, there is just something about being close to deer and bowhunting. I always feel good when I can get a buck before gun season begins.

EDIT: I had my wife take some pictures this afternoon in better lighting. I scored him quickly and grossed just over 132" with a 19 3/4" inside spread.

 

[phylodog]

Congrats on a great buck!!

 

[King31]

I was able to get it done this afternoon. My buddy and I hunted this morning. I saw a good 8pt but he wouldn't come in. My buddy saw several deer, one being this buck following a doe. On the way out, my buddy swapped SD cards on his camera and had a 150"+ in front of this stand at 3:40 yesterday afternoon. He couldn't go this evening, so I went to that stand. A little after 3 I had a spike chase a doe around me. Then at 4:30 I spotted this buck about 100 yds away. He circled around a downed tree top. I bleated and grunted. He would look but just walked around the down tree. Then I heard something and a doe was running towards me. She was in the tree and the buck followed her. I got drawn but couldn't get a shot on the side they came from. They ran behind my tree so I turned at full draw and got a 15 yd shot. He won't score a lot, but it was a fun hunt. As people have said in the previous posts, there is just something about being close to deer and bowhunting. I always feel good when I can get a buck before gun season begins.

Nice one! This is my first year bow hunting and my first year using a climbing stand. This morning I was absolutely covered up with deer and squirrels, but nothing quite like that came through. Guess the woods will be alive with gun hunters next weekend, so I hope my chances are still high.