Author Topic: Results: Deer Hunting '06 (Read 1754 times)

HuntingGuy · « **on:** November 07, 2006, 04:41:41 PM »

So, as you notice, I'm back early. Why in the world would a guy come back early from deer hunting?

1) I've got a lot of stuff to get done around here
2) I shot my big buck on opening morning

>>--------> Let's talk bout this one.

November 04, 2006 --
Temp: Approx. 27 Deg. F

Let's skip the "Where should I sit? Where are you sittin? They gonna be movin round those parts? You think he'll come out into the open like that?" and get to where I sat. Across the road from camp, we lease a plot of land - bean field with a wooded far edge. There is a rock pile about 150 yards from the wooded edge, this is where we placed the ground blind I sat at. I get up at 5am and get ready, start walking down there. I got situated in the stand, and a half hour later, the sun started to light the field and I could make out silouhettes of deer walking from the bean field back into the woods where they stay throughout the daylight hours. I saw 5-6 does and fawns.. About 7:00 am a forker buck (and man was this guy big.. the rut was definitely on by the look of his neck) ran from behind me in the field to the corner of the wood line. He sniffed the ground and ran up and down the wood line, and turned around and ran back out across the road. I didn't see another deer hunting 4:55 pm, there were 2 does and 2 fawns that came out of the woods past me to feed in the field. About 10 minutes later, the brush rustled and big boy jumped out, stopped, and noticed the does and fawns. He ran about 15 yards to them and stopped again. It was getting dark, I had another few minutes of shooting light. I had to rest my elbow on my knee to shoot, and then BOOOOOM - he bucked up and took off runnin - he got about 20 yards into the field before I reloaded and had the crosshairs back on him ready to shoot again. I noticed he had a big blood spot on his shoulder and it was a 'dead' run, so I didn't put another one in him and he dropped 30 yards from where I shot him. Hell of a day, hell of a hunt.

Anyways, I forgot the digital camera up north that contained the 'field pics' of my 8pt. buck, so had a friend take pictures of me with the head (Ghetto, but the best I can manage right now

). I decided to have an antler mount done for the wall, so he'll be off to White Bear Taxidermy tomorrow. I can't afford the 500 buckaroos right now for a shoulder mt, and frankly don't have the space.

My Pictures: click the link, GB resizes them and they look awful.
http://www.jasonantrim.com/06buck1.JPG
http://www.jasonantrim.com/06buck2.JPG

Just thought I'd start of the thread. Let's hear comments, stories, and we want pictures!

Cheesehead · « **Reply #1 on:** November 07, 2006, 05:45:30 PM »

Sounds like a great hunt. Looks like a great buck. Good times.

Cheese

bearfat · « **Reply #2 on:** November 09, 2006, 03:44:28 PM »

Nice rack on that buck HuntingGuy. Wish they were like that where I hunt. A few are...but very few.

Well...finally leaving tomorrow for deer hunting. "A" team took the 1st week at cabin and got a pathetic stunted fork the 1st hour. The other two hunters saw nothing! The area to our south 400 yards away was logged out over last winter and we feared it would change the natural movement of the deer. The verdict is still out but not looking good.

I did set up with a bow last Thursdays night before the opener and had something come in but it saw or smelled me. I was on the ground. I also went out the next morning and realized I needed to make a different shooting lane due to predominate winds during November rifle season. I got good hopes for the old stand I reactivated. I'm thinking the new loggers clearing will help me whereas it hurt my buddy.

My buddy had set up his girlfriend in one of his stands and as he came by to pick her up he quietly walked in and she never noticed. He actually climbed up the ladder and got within two feet of her and whispered, "See anything?" Haaaaaaaaaa!!!!
Could have been an elephant come through and she would have missed it!!

The cabin next to us half a mile away had 3 hunters and they saw nothing too. Very warm, very little shooting heard. I'm glad I didn't take the 1st week with the 60 plus temps they had. I would have been irked. I'm taking the second week from now on I think.

How'd the rest of your party do?

See you in 10 days. Attached pic of my home for next week.

HuntingGuy · « **Reply #3 on:** November 09, 2006, 05:27:20 PM »

BF,

We have 7 hunters.. When I left on Tuesday, we had 4 bucks hanging up - A real big & thick 8 that looked like he walked in from Saskatchewan

, mine, one a little smaller than mine, and one a little bit smaller than that. It's supposed to get real cold this weekend and as of yesterday the other three guys didn't have deer hanging up yet, but tomorrow and saturday night should be some good huntin.. I wouldn't doubt if they all popped one.

Good luck to you this weekend and next week! PM me your # and I'll have to give you a call mid week to see how things are going. The stand location looks good, pretty enough for a painting!

Get a bigg'un...
Jason

Friar_Tuck · « **Reply #4 on:** November 17, 2006, 03:31:26 PM »

This was the year from heaven. I had full two weeks to hunt! No phone, no puter, no pagers. Started out very slow, never fired a shot until Thursday the first week. Got a fawn Thursday evening, a fawn friday morning, and a 165# doe Friday evening. Then on saturday, I was stumbling through a nasty cedar swamp. Deadfalls, holes, just a mess in general. Something made me turn back and look a bit, and there at 8 steps, was this buck I had walked past. He was laying flat out, thinking I would never see him. At first I thought he was already dead, then I saw a tiny movement. Then I figured he was wounded, and laying there. As soon as I shot him, he exploded! Jumped up, turned my way, dropped his head, and got ready to lunge. I hit him again and he rolled over dead. Then I sat down and shook. There was not a wound on him other than mine. He dressed out at 205#. Now I wonder how many I have walked by?

HuntingGuy · « **Reply #5 on:** November 18, 2006, 05:17:13 AM »

FRIAR, CONGRATULATIONS AND BEAUTIFUL BUCK! Wow! That's a Saskatchewan-lookin' boy right there.
... Cheers to the Buck of a Lifetime!

You mentioned he was wounded, did he have another shot in him when you were guttin him out or what was the deal?

Friar_Tuck · « **Reply #6 on:** November 18, 2006, 02:27:19 PM »

Oops, mislead ya there.
I thought he must be wounded the way he lay there, but was not.
As soon as I shot he got real active real quick!
When I dressed him out, the only bullets were mine.
He must have just lay there figuring I would walk by.
He is by far the biggest buck I have ever gotten.
Later that day, I was watching a pasture, with 6 does and fawns in it, when a buck every bit as big as him came out to check them out, then walked all over in front of me with his nose down, and tail sticking straight out.
I had the 7mm Rem Ultra Mag on him, crosshairs on his broadside chest at 150 yards, and the safety off.
Then I thought it would be kinda hoggish to shoot two bucks like that in one day, so I returned it to safety, and watched him walk around for 30 minutes.
So, in one day, I got to shoot the buck of my lifetime, and pass up one also.
What a day!

bearfat · « **Reply #7 on:** November 18, 2006, 06:05:27 PM »

Thumbs down on the older brothers 10 point buck

I hang my head in shame as we hold up our fingers showing our bucks points

Well the older brother once again got a ten pointer. It's his 2nd in two years. I took a spike on the 5th day. The little deer in front of us is his too. I knew it would overshadow the 10 pointer but all is fair when little brother controls the camera. When people see his 10 pointer they will also ask who shot the little deer? it will take some of the steam out of his tale.

After two days of bragging I did take him down a notch showing him he knows nothing about deer hunting when I came back to the cabin at sundown and he says, "Well I had my chance for my doe but I missed. Searched the area three times. No blood, no nothing!."

I had him take me out exactly where the deer was standing when he shot. Now of course it's night time compared to bright sunlight when he had been searching the area 3 hours earlier. I look down and I ask him, "What about this blood here on the ground?"

He was speechless as I followed the OJ Simpson blood trail (which he still couldn't see) right up to his dead deer 50 yards away.

All in all it was a pretty sucky week, he had taken up smoking again, which if your not around it constantly is irritating. And my Browning A-Bolt has issues. Something is causing it to shoot off and I suspect now the problem has possibly existed for the past three years.

Well I get black powder next week but no more bucks allowed for me...should have let that spike go I guess.

HuntingGuy · « **Reply #8 on:** November 18, 2006, 09:24:30 PM »

Welcome back, BF... Seems like the brother is just a lucky b@$t@rd is all.. Nothing more than that! By talking to you on here, you know a plethra about deer hunting.. and it just works out that he is in the right place at the right time. Has he shot these big bucks out of the same stand 2 years in a row?

Nothing wrong with a spike buck, it's meat in the freezer, a rack for the board, and something to look to "beat" next year. How was the weather, were the deer in rut, any bigger bucks seen, etc.?

Glad you made it home safe, my brotha.

bearfat · « **Reply #9 on:** November 20, 2006, 06:46:09 AM »

I posted a quick page on my web site due to my brother wanting to see some pics when he's over for Thanksgiving at his daughters this week: http://buckmountainchateau.com/Deer.html

Obviously alot happens in a week up there. I hve more tales to tell but no time, I'm still trying to get caught up on stuff I didn't finish at home before I left.

Weather actually was great. Hovered between 28-38 the entire week including night temps and no sun. Perfect for hunting.
I didn't see any evidence of a rut. The scrapes though numerous didn't appear active. Saw lots of doe and the other cabin by us which only shoots bucks got 2, missed 1, gut shot 1 and couldn't find it.

The guy that missed his (opening day) thought he had dropped it square in alder swamp. It actually circled back around to the doe still in front of his stand and ran out to her panting and swooning. He let it go since he already had the one in the alder swamp dropped. I don't know how he determined it was the same 8 pointer later, all I know is that's the story they're telling.

Haaaaaaa!! If they're moving I'm shooting. It's the only reason I got my spike. He stopped after my 1st shot hit him low nicking him barely on the leg and fortunately the gun held true for the kill shot. Don't know what happened to the gun but I had a nagging question about the past 2 years and the gun sending flyers off low. It would never do it test firing.

The gun had held its zero until I changed out scopes, and than I noticed it shifted ever so slightly each time I test fired it. I'll get to the bottom of it this winter.

HuntingGuy · « **Reply #10 on:** November 20, 2006, 07:50:30 AM »

BF,

What conditions do you have while shooting at the range? Do you let your barrel cool in between shots? Stable rest?

Bldr Bob · « **Reply #11 on:** November 20, 2006, 10:50:41 AM »

BF,
Don't feel bad I only shot a spike this year myself. I went 3 three days with having nothing but does walk around me so the first sign of antlers was all I needed. Heck your deer probably tastes better than his anyways! Once I get some film developed I will post some picks of the little guy.

bearfat · « **Reply #12 on:** November 20, 2006, 04:47:04 PM »

Quote from: HuntingGuy on November 20, 2006, 07:50:30 AM

BF,

What conditions do you have while shooting at the range? Do you let your barrel cool in between shots? Stable rest?

I usually shoot 3-5 rnds and let it cool down some. I use a bipod. That Browning A-Bolt is my oldest rifle. I've seen it do strange things regarding acurracy. It does not like max powder loads, throws out flyers with it. I do suspect the scope though too. It's a Leupold that I had some custom work done on, and I still question if they addressed the shifting point of impact. They run it through alot of free tests when you send them in for reticle changes, upgrades, etcetera. I would have thought they would have caught any probs, but when they sent the scope back to me they had someones elses paperwork with it and did not give me exactly the recticle I had requested although I wasn't sure it was possible anyway. The scope was a 3x9 and I wanted the varmint crosshair they put in their 12x varmint scopes. What I got was a plain old medium duplex which is OK for hunting, certainly in low light it is better so I didn't question them after I got it back.

I leave my guns dirty after a site in for hunting. While I've read about the 1st shot from a clean barrel hitting a different point of aim, I've never really experienced it.

I'm switching to Sierra 220 gr RN in my 30-06's after using Nosler 200 gr Partition for many years. I'll be loading up a couple hundred rnds this winter and give the ole' A-Bolt a good run through. I like a good mystery but I don't like wounding animals.

The older brother in love with his 10 pointer. My spike next to it.
Button buck he gut shot in foreground

HuntingGuy · « **Reply #13 on:** November 21, 2006, 02:29:41 AM »

His buck does look nice.. not a whole lot for mass, though, from what I can see - pictures can be deceiving.. did you take an inside spread on him?

bearfat · « **Reply #14 on:** November 21, 2006, 09:20:17 AM »

I didn't take any measurements because I wanted to downplay any interest as much as possible. He got the thing Tuesday night and I still had 3 nights to listen to him.

Ohhhhhh it was very small in body weight. The thing was supernatural with it's antlers. He had gutted it at least when I went out with the ATV to pick it up and when I dragged it over to a tree to hoist it up to get the machine under I was stunned by how light it was. I wondered if I could actually lift it up on front rack just with brute force and stood on the front rack and simply pulled it up and over with a squat lift. I honestly don't think it weighed over 130 pounds and certainly not over 150 pounds. I used to weigh them all the time in the early years and they "always" were well under my predicted weight.

That's what really irked me. No way it should have had as much antler as it did. More like a fork horn or at best a 6 pointer. Of course the "expert" concluded, "Someone if feeding minerals up here, that's why the rack is so big." No one is feeding minerals where we hunt, they're lucky to be able to feed themselves, let alone waste money feeding deer minerals.

I agree pics can be deceiving, and of course the one's he's getting will highlight the "puny" body on his freak.

My spike next to his "freak". Barely 30 pound difference.

It was all going to plan too. He was at the half way point of the hunt and HAD YET TO SEE A DEER when the 10 pointer walked through!!!!. I would listen to him at night rambling on about his theory why he wasn't seeing any deer. I would nod my head and grunt my agreement, biting my tongue to keep from laughing.

The rest of us were seeing alot deer all day long at our stands and passing on filling our doe tags which drove him crazy. "I'm taking the 1st thing I see." In fact he was so concerned about filling out his doe tag even after he took the 10 pointer he gut shot the first poor button buck in foreground of other pic's above that showed its face. Couldn't even wait for a nice doe. "I'm glad I took that button buck. It's probably the only other deer I'll see."

It should have been the only deer HE DID SEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ARGGGGGG!!!!

The only thing that got him that buck that day was the fact the wind had changed 180 degrees from what it predominately blows up there. It was the only day I never saw a deer out of my stand and I realized it probably would be the case before I even climbed in the stand.

bearfat · « **Reply #15 on:** November 21, 2006, 10:13:48 AM »

Quote from: Friar_Tuck on November 17, 2006, 03:31:26 PM

He was laying flat out, thinking I would never see him. Now I wonder how many I have walked by?

I bet we would be very surprised.
What part of the State did you get him Friar Tuck?
Very, very nice!!!!

The halloween storm in 1991 I walked within 10' of a buck bedded down. When I saw it a tree blocked the head and antlers so I thought it was a doe and decided against a rifle shot. At the snap of the pistol flap the buck exploded and of course got away.

Friar_Tuck · « **Reply #16 on:** November 21, 2006, 03:51:26 PM »

Bearfat,
I got him near Northome Mn, about 45 miles north of Bemidji.

HuntingGuy · « **Reply #17 on:** November 21, 2006, 04:59:43 PM »

Friar, you aint too far from me. I'm in Roseau County.. we pass through Bemidji on the way up.

HuntingGuy · « **Reply #18 on:** November 21, 2006, 05:01:41 PM »

Quote

"I'm glad I took that button buck. It's probably the only other deer I'll see."

I don't like that one bit. I don't believe in shootin button bucks on PURPOSE.. Hell, that little guy could be the next Booner.

bearfat · « **Reply #19 on:** November 22, 2006, 09:32:48 AM »

Certainly could have been the offspring of his big buck.

"I'm glad I took that button buck."

HuntingGuy · « **Reply #20 on:** November 22, 2006, 09:36:51 AM »

BF, I LOVE the 'brotherly love'

bearfat · « **Reply #21 on:** November 22, 2006, 09:52:17 AM »

Yaaaa...good thing he is computer illiterate. If he ever found this site he'd kill me.

Going to try some vension meat loaf this weekend. You guys have any good recipe?

Here's my best venison eating recipe. And if you get the womenfolk to cook it it is even better.

1.) Roll thin half inch cuts of venison in flour
2.) Dip in egg/milk mix
3.) Fry hot and fast in oil until almost done

Friar_Tuck · « **Reply #22 on:** November 22, 2006, 04:04:51 PM »

Heck, if anyone is happy with their deer, I am happy for them!
I have my beliefs and practices, but don't expect anyone else to embrace them.
I like eatin em all, whether I have to wipe the milk from their chin, or chew on em for hours.
HuntingGuy, we probably pass on the road, I head south for hunting. I live in Baudette.
Jim