Proof we have Deer left in our state

[manofthe45]

Season is almost upon us so please post pics and stories when your hard scouting and skills pay off.  Heck even if you don't harvest but have a good day let us know.

I'll start took a vacation day friday for business in the morning and spent the afternoon scouting/hunting two new spots I found out about in the SRA close to work.  Lots of area to hunt, emtpy of fellow hunters, but thick, thick, thick.  Probably leave them for early ML season and rifle and the following late rifle season when the leaves are down.  Deer legal to shoot.  I had 2 does spook about 60 yards out after about 20 minutes of feeding towards me and a BB at 25 yards that was allowed to walk that night.  Saw 4 bucks but all but one where in the thick and the one I could count was a small basket 7.  Wont get out again until the opening day statewide on saturday.  Only draw back I had was I need to go buy a theracell at cabelas.  I have about 25 misquito bites on my head, shoulders and back.

Good luck to all this season.[/size][/size][/color]

[Davemuzz]

Thermacell......next to a dog, and home cookin....it's an early season's still hunter's best friend!!

[ricktile66]

I agree the thermacell is my best friend during early season.  Worth every penny to keep the mosquitos and those  gnats off of me.

[Davemuzz]

10-4 Rick!!  They say that there is no "oder" (smell) to the thermacell. I dunno....I can smell it just a tad...and I would bet that a deer can smell it when they get close. (But I couldn't tell you if the deer winded the thermacell....or me) But I will say I'll take my chances at sitting motionless and not swattin at bugs which could allow that buck to get to within 25 or 30 yards of me, as opposed to swattin at skeeters and that same buck spottin me at 125 yards away and I never get the chance to even see him.

Dave

[ricktile66]

I agree.  Rather take the chance of being winded and be able to sit still and bug free.  Talked to several guys that swore by them and claimed they didn't bother the deer before I bought one.  Haven't used it for hunting yet but it does keep the bugs off while I am shooting at the range or sitting behind the camp.

[bolewine]

    Over here in 5c doe season started 2 weeks ago. We are trying to get a Q.D.M going on 385 acre farm .we planted a small food plot this summer. But during my early season scouting it became real clear that the herd is way out of balance. 5 doe to every buck, and the average buck is only 3 years old. So this year its time to only take doe’s and mature bucks 6yo. Or better I have already have taken 2 does with another 8 tags to fill. We will take, with luck 25 does off the patch this year. To balance the herd. I have a waiting list for the venison. So it’s a win win situation. and i'm tired of waiting for them to cross the road every morning on my way to work!

[Reese]

Opening day of early muzzleloader was a wet one in 5C.  When the weather broke for a few hours in the early afternoon, I saw six groundhogs and numerous squirrels.  Finally, with a little more than a .5 hour before quitting time, a good size doe appeared.  I was using an old Knight MK-85 and it did fine after all that rain.  One for the freezer and room for a few more.