Deer season report

[DeputyDog]

I thought I might actually make a hunting post here.

Our firearms season opened Saturday morning. I hunt on a small private farm and have for years but it’s a small tract and there are hunters on the neighboring properties. My son, who is 12, is really getting excited about hunting and he goes with me.

The guy on the property to the north seems to be doing his best to mess up my hunting this year.

Saturday morning he shot a small buck which ran out into the field in front of the stand I was in. The buck went down and he came walking over. Not great but I understood. I was going to help him drag it onto his side of the tree line so he could dress it but he said he would just leave it so I could keep hunting. He said he had a buddy with him that was still hunting so he would have him help later. Great.

So we get back up in our stand and the guy goes back to his. Then just a few minutes later, I see him walking around along the fence row. Next, his buddy shows up and they both walk out to the field and look at the deer then walk away. Instead of going back onto their side of the fence row the walk all the way back to the front of the property IN MY FIELD.

Yesterday we were back at it. Shortly after daylight, the guy shoots. 3 doe run across the field from his direction. The field is cut soybeans so you can see all the way across it. I see the guy climb down and then he starts to walk back and forth all along his side of the fence line apparently looking for blood. Then his buddy comes up to him and they both walk back and forth. Must have done this for a good half hour. Unless there was a deer that I didn’t see that stayed on his side, it seemed pretty obvious the deer ran all the way across the field and into the woods on the opposite side (my side) of the field. My son looks at me and says, “Don’t get mad at me, but that guys a dick!”

I go back out this morning alone and saw that the guy was in his stand again.

About 7:30 I had a doe run out of the woods on my side and, sure enough, she was being followed by a buck.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20221114/6e49d11b459c91e27102c7f772e97dc8.jpg


Of course it happens when my son can’t be there.[emoji3525]
He dropped in the middle of the field so after the past couple days with my “neighbor” I decided that the buck was too big for my old out of shape self to drag out, so I drove my truck right through the field and parked where he dropped. Dressed him out there and loaded him up.

Hope I didn’t mess the other guy up too much[emoji12].


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[BarryBobPosthole]

That would’ve been a really nice one in a year or so Deppity! Sounds like you’re in a pretty good spot to get that boy a shot too, now that you have your buck out of the way. And you’re way too young to be complaining about old and out of shape.
And yer camo don’t match to boot!

BKB

[Thumper]

“Too old and out of shape” … ha ha ha ha! Who do you think he’s trying to fool P-hole? I think he just wanted to mess with the “dick”. (Or just got lazy and used OUR excuse!) ;)

Nice one Deppity and that’s decent mass on that rack. Oh, and I agree with Posty, yer camo don’t match. One side has a lot of red in it, the other ain’t got none. :)

[BarryBobPosthole]

He’s still whippersnapper age, Thump.

BKB

[DeputyDog]

I’m a bit past whippersnapper. There are at least two officers at my department that I know of that I am older than their dads.


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[Chicken Dinner]

Nice looking deer! Can’t say the same for the shooter…


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[Penguin]

Deputy that sounds like a..... mess. :)

It is a shame that a man has to put up with that kind of stuff on a week you look forward to so much. I know how it feels. I always said I wanted a place that had 3 deer stands that could not be seen by the others. Although I do have it I also have neighbors. And I have one who pays as much attention to property lines as yours. [Pro hint: when you are trespassing and don't want the owner to know, do not use an ultra rare mega magnum caliber and leave your brass laying about. :p]

In the end that is a nice deer buddy. Real nice.

I'm wondering if this is the year I find out how old I am. Weather channel has it as 13 degrees when I get up on opening morning. High in the mid 30s. I'm wondering how long I will sit there before I realize that I need to check on the fire across the field in my house.

Will

[quercus alba]

I know how old I am......I bought my lifetime hunting license this year not because I intend to hunt because I don't but, because I need it to legally keep the crows and squirrels in check. I gave all my guns to the boys except a pump 20 gauge, one rifle and a 22. The complacency and love of comfort that comes with age has wrestled me to the mat and I'm good with that.

Warm socks, hot coffee on a cold morning in my easy chair. Soup and a sandwich for lunch ........ life is good

[Thumper]

86-degrees here. I got up and put my uniform on this morning …. shorts, t-shirt and flip-flops …. I think I’ll go to the beach. ;)

[Chicken Dinner]

I’m headed down to camp in the morning for the last couple of days of ML season and the Rifle Opener this weekend. They’re calling for lows in the 20’s and highs around 40 which is just about perfect weather IMO. I’m glad the 34 and rain is blowing through today while I’m stuck at work.


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[Penguin]

Good luck Hank, hope you have a good time and some good luck. At least it looks to be sunny.... but it also looks like it will be windy overnight and into opening day morning for me. Brrr.

I haven't bought any new hunting equipment for years. I honestly cannot remember when I last did so. But I just ordered a pair of insulated softshell bibs for this year. Maybe I can hold back the old man shivers for a couple more years? Especially if I stuff the pockets with those little hand warmer things. :)

Will

[Chicken Dinner]

Ha! I just bought a big bag of hand and toe warmers for the trip!


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[DeputyDog]

We have a cold front moving through for the weekend. Highs in the 20’s with overnight lows into the teens.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20221116/31d1f2bb8bfa877164c73213d2572d63.jpg


I was in a similar position when it came to hunting. I didn’t go near as much as I used to until my son decided he wanted to start going. That’s rejuvenated my enthusiasm but I still don’t have the drive to go no matter what the weather conditions like when I was young.

I haven’t bought any new hunting equipment in years either. Couldn’t tell you what or when the last stuff I bought was.


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[jb]

Opening day, 29 degrees, calm, snow on the ground and more falling.
About 30 minutes after getting into my blind a nice doe walks past at about 20 yds. Stops and looks right at me.
Let her walk, to early in the day and season to shoot a doe.
About 1 1/2 hours later #3 shoots this nice 8. It took him 2 1/2 hours to drag him back to the truck. The county we hunt is right on Lake Michigan and the topo in our area is a heat attack maker. He had to drag it up and down some pretty steep and slippery snow covered hills and his final drag was up a 300' sand dune style slop. Buck weighed about 180 lbls. Would not let his 78 year old Dad help, he was really beat when he reached the top.
We each have another buck tag and three doe tags, but Opening Day was a nice start.
https://i.imgur.com/RuJqZde.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/37ebGP9.jpg

[Chicken Dinner]

Good deal, Bubba. Love getting outdoors with my kids.


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[DeputyDog]

Nice deer. I remember you pointed out the area you hunt in that time you took me sightseeing. Definitely an area that would give a good workout just hiking it, let alone doing it while dragging a big deer along with you.


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[Penguin]

Hey that is a nice deer jb, those northern woods deer are like those of DD's neighborhood. Big ones. And I know all about that drag stuff. Been lucky the last couple years shooting them where I can get to them easy enough. But I've had a couple on the farm where you either quarter them or get a winch and a 4 wheeler. Got my fingers crossed for a young buck up at the edge of the fields about an hour in. :)

DD it's funny ain't it? When I was younger I was always worried about getting something new. Always wondering if there was something better out there. I think that maybe I just grew up. Granted, all of that equipment shopping ended up getting me some really good stuff. But it also cost a lot and ended up taking away from the hunt. And does my camo match? Hell this year will be the first time I've deer hunted with anything on that was camo since I can remember. A lot of it is discontinued stuff which really makes me feel old.

[BarryBobPosthole]

I don’t hunt hardly at all any more. But I still have a camo closet with all my shit. Of course, there’s a big dive bag and dive storage bin stuffed in there too. I’ll always keep my duck hunting gear for any time I need really cold weather gear.

I just gave the last handwarmers and footwarmers on Friday to the crew who’s rehabbing my pool. It was cold as shit and they’re out there in hoodies.
Youngsters. Go figure. And from a warmer clime Too.

BKB

[Thumper]

Ha ha, same here P-hole. It’s been so long, I don’t even remember the last time I hunted. In fact ALL of my old hunting buddies have passed away, so it could never be the same anyway. I used to really miss it, but really don’t that much anymore. BUT … like you, I still have a spare bedroom closet STUFFED with my old camo. Heck, I’ll bet some of it even matches! The big question is, why do I keep it? Heck, I seriously doubt much (if any) of it even fits anymore. I still have so much hunting stuff (clothes and accessories, etc) I could probably have a “hunting stuff only” yard sale and make a small fortune.

[DeputyDog]

I still wear a pair of insulated bibs that are the old school duck hunting camo pattern and had a matching coat until it got ruined about 5-6 years ago. Not the trendy printed camo that’s current but I don’t really care.

This is the pattern.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20221116/a8bafd09a81226d49fac27b1c54ae189.jpg


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[Bwana]

Congratulations DD, that is a dandy and #3's isn't too bad either.

Up here opening weekend, first week in November was snow free and about right temperature wise. The last Thursday a winter storm came through that saw many areas getting freezing drizzle/rain and then snow, snow, and more snow in many areas. At my house we ended up with just about 20 inches with other areas getting two feet. Given the area where I drew my rifle tag this year continues to feel HUGE impacts of EHD, I shot a doe with my bow on the second day of the season back at the farm. My dad filled his gratis tag with a small buck 4 days into the season, and my poor daughter has sat morning and evenings 7 different times but has yet to have a buck within range for a shot. As a matter of fact, the only two bucks she has seen were last Saturday when morning temps were hovering around zero with highs in the low teens. For some reason she is not to eager to try and fill her tag this coming weekend which is the end of our season.

[Thumper]

I still have that same exact coat (brand and pattern) Deppity.

[DeputyDog]

I still have that same exact coat (brand and pattern) Deppity.

My coat was a Woolrich and the bibs are Columbias.


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[Hombre]

Nice deer DD!