2022 Deer Tails

[Pullstart 62,905]

7 hours ago, WHGuy413 said:

See I was brought up different. Hunting for racks isn’t important to me. I’m a meat hunter and if I shoot a deer every available piece of meat is getting cut up and used. Unfortunately there are way to many people that just hunt for the antlers and take the back straps and leave the rest for waste. I blame it on those hunting shows

where they only shoot the monsters to hang on the wall. Hope you are able to get that meat if they do connect on something there.

I’m right there with you man.  I was glad to have the time to trim my deers down so close to the bone, trimming the layers of meat and fat away before the ribs, trimming the ribs, anything the bullet didn’t hurt all the way to the back of the head.  The guys from Louisiana, even though they are pretty big deals, they had plans to hunt and take home meat.  I’m a meat hunter through and through.  I think I impressed the hunt owner in the fact that I cleaned up the deer (even with my grinder and vacuum machine) and asked to go harvest some does.  If I get a good prize to bring home though, even better.

 

As for waste, there is a “share the hunt” or something program that many people participate in.  They donate venison to local food banks, etc.

[WHX?? 48,828]

11 hours ago, WHGuy413 said:

 people that just hunt for the antlers and take the back straps and leave the rest for waste.

Yes that's just not right... hopefully some takes the rest or goes to a food pantry. 

[Pullstart 62,905]

I realized I didn’t post a picture of the first doe I took care of in MO…

 

 

[Ed Kennell 38,200]

I usually .take the hair off before cooking them Kev..  

 

Just about time to hike to the tree for a morning sit on first day of rifle season.        38F with 10MPH NW and clear sky

[Ed Kennell 38,200]

A doe and a spike buck this AM.  The doe  offered a 30YD head shot, so she is in the fridge. 

Saw 9 deer this afternoon.    One decent 8 point chasing three doe.   Never offered a shot.   Maybe tomorrow.

More shooting than I ever heard on the first day of rifle.     I wonder if the price of meat will affect the deer kill.

Edited November 26, 2022 by Ed Kennell

[WHGuy413 2,693]

Well Mass archery ended today. Yesterday afternoon while heading to a stand I should have put more time into I came upon the back of a deer standing just a few yards from my stand. The wind was in my favor and how it never spooked I don’t know. After 10 minutes of watching it it finally moved forward and it was a doe. She then quickly took 2 bounds and out of the bushes right behind her where I couldn’t see was the biggest buck I have ever seen in the woods. Absolutely massive. He chased her around for a few minutes then they were out of sight. I quickly made it to my stand and climbed in. At 3:30 even over the wind I hear something walking from the direction i had come from. I look and here comes the 7 pointer we have on camera. He’s at 45 yards and angling towards the run that goes by my stand at 20. He hits the run crosses it and comes right to my stand. I was in shock. He moved away just a tiny bit allowing me to come to full draw. I settled on the vitals and just as I squeezed the trigger he spooked. He took off and my arrow was sticking out of the ground. He hung around for a while longer maybe an hour or so then left. I thought for sure I missed him. I climbed down after dark at 5:15 and grabbed my arrow and noticed hair on it and blood on the ground. With only a phone flashlight i opted to back out and call some friends and my dad for help. 2 hours later we headed back in and followed blood. Not the greatest but enough to follow for 100 yards. Then very sporadic. Finally we came upon a bed with only a few drops in it. Then after the bed we followed it some more with very light drops here and there. We hit his scrape line and he had stopped and freshened up 4 scrapes. After that we could find no blood. I went back in this morning and didn’t find a drop of blood past those ground scrapes. Pretty bummed that I wounded a beautiful deer but with the amount of blood we found and the fact he went back to opening up scrapes makes me feel he will survive. Later in the afternoon today I ventured back to that same stand and as I got to where I park the 4wheeler a spike horn popped up and walked off. At almost dark 3 does came in. Monday opens gun season. Hoping I see the 7 again either for a shot or to know he’s still alive. 

[WHX?? 48,828]

2 hours ago, Ed Kennell said:

 

More shooting than I ever heard on the first day of rifle.     I wonder if the price of meat will affect the deer kill.

Bit the opposite here I thought Ed but you bring up a good point and got me thinking about those 12 doe tags I'm sitting on. Lotta burger in those tags. The money I save on low speed beef might pay for that bacon. We do have a store that sells ends and pieces in bulk for cheap. 

[WHGuy413 2,693]

18 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

Bit the opposite here I thought Ed but you bring up a good point and got me thinking about those 12 doe tags I'm sitting on.

12 doe tags holy cow. And I could even get one. Ever since they switched the system here in Mass I’ve gotten 1 and that was 7 years ago. Other people that I know who hunt the same zone as me have gotten one every year.

[SylvanLakeWH 25,596]

Michigan same. Combo is now 2 buck or doe and you can get 10 additional doe only for 12 total... 

 

Too many doe and not as many hunters...

[WHX?? 48,828]

1 hour ago, WHGuy413 said:

12 doe tags holy cow. 

Really WH guy... 4 free with a $24 gun buck tag... double that for the missus gun tag. 4 more for my $24 bow buck tag. Here's the deal tho... they can only be used in what they call the mostly southern farm land zones and then only on private or public land. Up nort here no doe tags at all. 

Confused???? Join the club. 

At one time they (our gov) paid (a handsome amount) to a so called deer doctor from TX to come and give his report on our herd management.  Top of his report was our regulations were too confusing... go figure. 

1 hour ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Too many doe and not as many hunters...

Agreed Sylvia... problem here is they are all horn hunters... except for youth hunters..another go figure... kudos to the meat hunters. 

[WHGuy413 2,693]

10 hours ago, WHX?? said:

Really WH guy... 4 free with a $24 gun buck tag... double that for the missus gun tag. 4 more for my $24 bow buck tag.

24 bucks???? That’s all your hunting license costs for a buck?

[Ed Kennell 38,200]

Two deer crossed the cut corn where I saw the buck chasing the 3 doe yesterday.     The first one was a doe, but I never did see the second ones head.

Have to cut and shrink wrap yesterdays doe.   Then we will pack up and head west and spend a few days in my BILs cabin.

 

[Pullstart 62,905]

On 11/26/2022 at 9:22 PM, SylvanLakeWH said:

Michigan same. Combo is now 2 buck or doe and you can get 10 additional doe only for 12 total... 

 

Too many doe and not as many hunters...

I’ll have to read up… they must have changed it?  Used to be a combo was good for a buck and a doe during archery, then two bucks during firearm?

 

20 hours ago, WHGuy413 said:

24 bucks???? That’s all your hunting license costs for a buck?

 

I’ve got said combo tag, plus an antlerless tag.  Can’t call ‘em does any more.      My $10 base and the three deer, was $71.  Comes out to an average of $20.33 per deer.

[Pullstart 62,905]

Hey Sylvia, you were right today!  One in a row!  

 

 

[Pullstart 62,905]

All this deer talk, I’m thinking I better slip into my stand in 5 minutes!  I have my three tags left and firearm is until the 30th. 🦌 
 

“Man from the city tryin’ to take my corn field, turn it into a big high rise.  Make a buck, make some dough on a big deal, but that’s where all my bucks and does hide.” - Earl Dibbles Jr.

 

 

[SylvanLakeWH 25,596]

22 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

Hey Sylvia, you were right today!  One in a row!  

 

My work is done...

[Pullstart 62,905]

I bumped one at 6 getting to my stand.  It came back at 6:30 and was gone by daylight.  Took a shot at a doe at 126 yards, at 8 am.  It’s 8:30 now.  I’ll wait for other movement until 9 before I go look.  She did the classic donkey kick, then started running.  I lost her while I was reloading.

[Pullstart 62,905]

Found her!  

[The Freightliner Guy 1,327]

I think you just got Bambi Kevin 

51 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

Found her!  

 

[Pullstart 62,905]

53 minutes ago, The Freightliner Guy said:

I think you just got Bambi Kevin 

 

Not the biggest deer on record, but she’ll be tasty!  Plus, “second” rut is just starting, I still have a buck and a doe tag, or 2 bucks.  

[Pullstart 62,905]

@WHX??

 

how’s about some more details on that box blind?  Dimensions inside?  Deck?  How high is it?  What’s TV run ya out there?  

 

 

 

[WHX?? 48,828]

It's smaller than it looks Kev. Maybe 4x3 ? Pa and I built it 20  years ago and pretty spartan inside ... no TV or running water... yet... 

It is pretty well insulated tho and a litte fish house heater keeps it warm. 

Harvested my share of bucks out of it that's fer sure. I can go up up ther all and sit and just let all my cares drift away.

The deck we added later for fair weather bear hunting and drape camo burlap over it. 

Windows are old storm sliders mounted horizontal & just hafta keep them greased they don't freeze shut. 

I sit up ther more for nostalgic more than anything.  The old model 94 Winnie in 30.30 dad gimme in 1974 is all I take. It's not really about harvesting it's about watching. Nowadays Ciiinnndddaaayyy does the harvesting...

Edited December 1, 2022 by WHX??

[Ed Kennell 38,200]

I just returned to the flatland after spending three days high up in the Appalachian Mts. at My BILs cabin.  He took a buck and two doe before I got there.

I didn't see a shooter buck, so no pics.

Here's the cabin he built.

 

 

Plenty of power on every ridge but none in the cabin.

 

I spent my days in my Bone Collector Tent.

[WHX?? 48,828]

I like that Ed Dog ... well maybe not the wind towers in my view but I get it.

Thing here is is more about tradition than actually hunting.  Sitting in camp playing cards ... sipping ... old friends... new friends ... educating rookies... mice crawling uo yer arm when sleeping... it's really much more than hunting. Bagging a nice buck is just an excuse for us all to get together. If I had to explain you wouldn't understand.  

Edited December 1, 2022 by WHX??

[Ed Kennell 38,200]

2 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

If I had to explain you wouldn't understand.

Oh, I get it Jim.