Opening weekend success[pics]

[Mad Dog]

My son and I had another great opening weekend.  We hunt the same farm I've hunted for over 30 yrs.  I've been taking Dan since he was 10 yrs. old, and he is 28 now.  He's never missed an opening weekend with the ole man in all that time.  Here is the buck he took at about 7:30 am, opening day.  He shot it with his handi rifle, 44 mag, using hornady LE ammo.




I had some trials and tribulations, with my Marlin 1894, 44 mag.  Managed to miss 2 deer, between 80-100 yds., on 2 standing shots.  Although I've killed 5 deer with that gun, over the last 2 yrs., I've also managed to miss clean, about 4 in that same period of time.  handloads/factory loads, it doesn't matter.  After about 60 yds., the groups open up too far.  Long story short, I went home and got my CVA wolf out, and loaded it up.  80 gr. 777 and a 295 gr. powerbelt.  This is how it did on Sunday.




90 lbs. field dressed.




125 lbs. field dressed.


I sold the Marlin tues. to a guy.  Gonna hunt the rest of the year with the Wolf.


Mad Dog

[AtlLaw]

125 lbs. field dressed.

   125 lbs!  That's twice the dressed weight of one of our average South Jawja does!  That ain't no deer!  that's a MOOSE!  And corn fed too!   

[GRIMJIM]

Yeah, Richard, we get a lot of guys from the south coming up to the midwest for a chance at the big deer. I was in camp with a couple of guys from Arkansas that were just looking for that trophy buck.

[AtlLaw]

So, ah, when do y'all want me up there?     My needs ain't much, a warm place for my cot, a case of beer... 

[Mad Dog]

125 lbs. field dressed.

   125 lbs!  That's twice the dressed weight of one of our average South Jawja does!  That ain't no deer!  that's a MOOSE!  And corn fed too!   

Richard,  my son's buck weighed 195 field dressed.  Biggest I've taken off the farm weighed 227 field dressed.  Here is a pic of 2 does I took last year.








both 135 lbs. field dressed.


Mad Dog

[AtlLaw]

 

[Lon371]

 Nice job, looks like you both get to eat this winter

Lonny

[olydraft]

you guys must be sneaking into Ill. or Ohio to shoot all these deer. There are no deer in Indiana this year. All I`ve seen so far was 3 doe last Sunday morning, well I think it was 3 doe, might not have even been deer. All I saw was 3 little white flags flashing through the trees. Oh well, maybe they will come back to Indiana by muzzle loader season!!!!  Gary

[Mad Dog]

Well, went out yesterday, to the usual spot.  Took my son's handi rifle, 44 mag, cause I didn't want to mess with my ML.  About 7:45 AM, 6 does came down the ditch bank.  I lined up on 1 of the 2 biggest, and let fly.  She went about 30 yds., and dropped in a chizel plowed corn field.  This one is gonna be for jerky.  Saw 10 does that morning, but no bucks.  Got all the meat I need for this year.  However, the boy is coming home to ML hunt, for a coupla days, so I'm gonna buy a ML buck tag.....




Gonna get me a handi rifle, for next season, to go with the ML.

Mad Dog

[olydraft]

another Ill. or Ohio deerl

[GRIMJIM]

So, ah, when do y'all want me up there?     My needs ain't much, a warm place for my cot, a case of beer... 

If you're willing to pay the outrageous out of state fees, you're more than welcome to come up Richard. We stay in a state park (Ferne Clyffe) from the weekend begore shotgun until the last day of shotgun and we hunt public land.

I can't guarantee the deer will cooperate, it's pretty rough hunting sometimes. But I can guarantee you a space by the fire and some good eats.

[AtlLaw]

outrageous out of state fees,

Outrageous fees?  

weekend begore shotgun until the last day of shotgun

Shotgun?  

public land.

Public land?  

pretty rough hunting sometimes.

Rough hunting?

a space by the fire

fire?  

and some good eats.

Fire?  

Tell ya what... you come down here to Jawja!    I dunno about outa state fees, they kicked them up some because of all them Florida folk comin up here.  But you can bring any rifle gun you want to hunt on the farm where nobody else hunts, you won't have to walk more'n a hundred yards to your stand, we got plenty of room in the hot tub and a keg in the beer dispenser and Tommy's wife is a great cook!    Oh!  and we don't need no fire inside the "camp!"  

[GRIMJIM]

Hey, at least I offererd.