I don't know if this has been discussed lately, but I was just wondering who all here had been succesfull this season. I killed a nice 9 pointer on November 12, opening day of firearms here in Indiana. I will post some pics in my profile here shortly. I'd love to hear some stories and see some pics of deer, elk, or anything. Anyway, I was in my stand only about 20-30 minutes before light on opening morning. It was my first time hunting this particular property, about a mile from the Illinois line. I had been out quite a bit during early archery, and drew on two different bucks, but never got a shot. Anyway, I had been in my stand about 5 minutes, and I heard a deer grunt about 30 yards in front of me, in this thick stuff. I grunted back to him, and then about 5 minutes later, he came out, and around to my left. He then started walking right to my stand. He stopped broadside right in front of me, at about 10 yards from me. He stood broadside and tended to a scrape. He was a small 8, and I debated on shooting. It was right in that gray area, when legal shooting light is starting to come on. I passed, and then kicked myself for not shooting. About 7:00, I heard another deer where the first one was. I grunted, and he grunted back. After a few minutes, he stepped out to my right, about 25 yards from me. When his head got behind a tree, I positioned my gun. He stepped out, and when he presented his "kill zone," I shot. I shot high, but it was a spinal shot, so he dropped right there. I sat and watched him take his last breath, then sat for another hour and a half. A doe walked about 10 feet from me, but I passed because she was tiny. Anyway, my buck was between 3 1/2 and 4 1/2, and had good mass and symmetry. I was pretty happy. Sorry this is so long, but I like to read hunting stories, so post away.

 

I took a nice 6 point friday evening after Thanksgiving! That was the first time I could get out.

 

Opening day Saturday 11-05-05 got a big 12 point and this last week end I got 2 doe and my son got 1 doe. He saw 36 bucks but he said they were no bigger than his 2-8 points last year. We will go back Christmas and let him try again for his buck. I,ll post the 12 point euro skull mount pic.

 

Sorry, no deer stories.I was fortunate enough to take a Kudu, a Gemsbok, Impala and Warthog this year. The Kudu and the Gemsbok were both Gold Medal. I took the Kudo from a hilltop at about 280 yards. Dropped instantly. The Gemsbok was taken about 110 yards. He took about 4 steps and dropped. The Kudu was 53" around the ridge and 40" tip to tip--between 600-700 pounds estimated. The Gemsbok was 35" long, 10" boss, the upper 2/3rds worn smooth from age. A once in a lifetime experience, but I think I'll stick to birds. Had a great pheasant hunt this year and got to watch my new pointer lock on her first rooster & then retrieve it when I dropped it. Very proud moment for me.

 

i just started hunting last year, and got my first deer the first saturday. It was a good size doe, but I didn't get to weigh it. It came out from behind some brush, and as soon as I shot it a huge buck came running from the same spot. Unfortunately, the buck got away, but I'm just happy I finally got a deer.

 

Well I have been bow hunting every week end since the second to last weekend of Oct. I passed on several P&Y entry bucks but was holding out for anything over 140 with out a doubt. So long story short I talked my self outta several decent bucks and seen some BIG ones and ended up not getting anything for mounting....yet, I still have late muzzleloader antlered, starts Monday. We have a bad situation here in NE Iowa there are WAY too many deer so they opened a special season for antler less only and I was able to fill 3 tags (3,000 tags for my county alone, 1,500 or so tags left) (2 with a muzzle loader, 1 with a shotgun) and then one more with the bow on tahnks giving for antlerless (processing 4 deer in a weekend gets to take a bit of time and freezer space). and on Sunday I was able to fill an antlerless tag for second season shot gun. So, I got 4 in the freezer and one hanging now I only have 3 tags left to fill(2 antlered, 1 antlerless), but will probably only shoot one more with my muzzleloader.

 

i shot 2 quail around thanksgiving, been too busy workin since though. i went on my first deer hunt that same week and "could've" shot my first deer but it was so dark and i wasn't sure if it was a buck or doe. the area i hunted in, i could only shoot a doe or a buck with atleast 4 points on one side (missouri rules for restricted areas). i didn't want to get in trouble from mr. law conservation dude.

 

You guys are lucky! The California A-zone deer season went from August 13th to September 23rd. Didn't get any legal bucks within shooting range this year. My buddy and I saw the biggest buck I've ever seen in 30 years of deer hunting. Unfortunately, he was 900 yards away with an extremely steep valley in between. Still better than being at work.

The turkey I got is in my picture gallery in the Bronco section.

Nice to hear about your success stories!

 

I gave up deer hunting about 20 years ago. I dusted two coyotes on the way to work this morning, though. Have killed untold numbers of hogs this year just to get rid of them. They can do more damage to range in 24 hours than a D9 CAT. Probably one reason why the ranchers down here hate hunters so bad. They are the ones that brought the hog into South Texas and the damage has been in the billions. Now there is a swine quarantine in Texas. Thankfully, the hunters can no longer buy domestic hogs to turn loose on the ranches unless they go thru a 30 day quarantine. A rather an expensive process. tkd, what part of the world were you hunting? Quite a few of the ranches down here have exotics for hunt. We now have a real, honest, wild buffalo herd that got away from one of the ranches. They don't seem to stop for a fence either- just go right thru it. I have only seen them once. A majestic animal when not confined to a corral. Not a typical animal that you would try to shoot with a 243, if ya know what I mean.

 

My son had a similar experience last weekend. He stopped his 4-wheeler at the edge of a 600 acre wheat field on his lease and was scanning with binoculars when he saw a really big buck about 900 yards away. He took out his Browning .300 WSM with a Leopold scope, but decided not to take the shot. It was windy and he was not sure of a good kill shot so he let the big guy go until the next time they meet.
Dono

 

not able to get out this yr because of my wifes cancer, (priorities)..but love hearing about all of your successes. keep 'em coming

 

There are a few pics of my deer in my gallery. I figure I can show them because they are in the back of a 04 F250. I didn't get to weigh my deer either, but we estimated it as field dressing around 210. Big, corn fed deer.

 

I live in Texas but hunt in SW Arkansas on my unlce's place, he lives out in the middle of the woods and there are times when you could literally take a deer from the porch. I set up in the edge of what was a clear cut several years ago and now has pines about 7-8 ft high looking back at about 6 acres of open land with scattered oaks before a wood line. I saw a deer jump out of the woods about 150 yds from me and immediately turn and jump back in. I know it didn't see or wind me so I was confused. Five minutes later she came running back into the open with a little forked horn buck behind her. They bounced around the field for a few minutes and ended up jumping into the grown up clear cut about 100 yards down the fence line from me. It was the first time I ever saw a buck chasing a doe in the wild, pretty cool. About 30 seconds after they left a better buck came out of the woods a better buck came out where they had and he started trailing around the field where they had been. Behind him came a little nubbin head - six months old and already chasing girls with the bigger guys. The buck never stopped to give me a shot. I even grunted loudly and he ignored it, had something else on his mind apparently. As he slowed up to jump the fence I took the shot and he dropped right there 106 yds from me straight down the fence line. (new toy - laser range finder). He was a good seven pt, would have been 8 but for some reason he didn't fork near the end of one antler like he did on the other. 18 1/2 inch inside spread and fairly heavy tines - at least in this part of the country. Compared to other areas this would probably be considered small but it was the biggest bodied deer and largest rack I had taken. Not the most pts, but I can fit the racks of 8 pts I have taken inside this one Sorry for being so long but this experience of seeing bucks chase a doe really made my season.

 

Was out many times this year hunting the B-Zones here in Northern Cal and saw nuthin but does...

Congrats to those that *were* successful!

Mike

 

I have some pics, but I can't figure out how to post them...anyways CA guys I got a marginal D6 4 pt (8 for the back east guys) this year, a 3 last and a 4x3 and a nice 5x4 in 2002, my first year deer hunting. That first one was the best at 26 or so inches...and of course a lot of hogs this year...last weekend I think it was, my friend and I each got three-one really big sow 220#? or so-that we brought back and butchered...so I think thats something like 15 or so hogs since last spring...actually getting kind of wore out on it.