Great weekend hunting in the books

[deadeye]

It was a great weekend for sure.  Our group was down to 4 due to virus concerns.  We all saw many deer including lots of small, medium and big bucks.  We ended up shooting two very nice bucks.  Due to hot weather we did not shoot any does so that will have to come later.

My 190 pound 9 point.


Saturday afternoon I had to run to town to get ice then skin and debone this buck. 


My son and grandson had to go in the woods with the Argo because they couldn't drag it out.


I can see why after he shot it he said it had too many points to count. It's a 210 pound 15 pointer with
huge bladed brow tines.  My grandson said he was about to have a heart attack watching it make a scrape
but not giving him a shot. 

[Leech~~]

So, cool grandpa's are going to get it mounted for him-Right. 

[deadeye]

I wanted to and would pay for it but he and his dad said they had no place for it.  I could keep it at my house   Anyway, we are doing a european mount.  I would have liked a shoulder mount but I know you really need a place to put them. 

[Leech~~]

I wanted to and would pay for it but he and his dad said they had no place for it.  I could keep it at my house   Anyway, we are doing a european mount.  I would have liked a shoulder mount but I know you really need a place to put them.

What! That kid isn't going to live with his dad forever and will kick himself for not getting his once in a life time buck Cape mounted! 

[Outdoors Junkie]

Nice bucks, congrats to you and your grandson!

[deadeye]

I just got the picture of the buck my brother in laws nephew got on our land on Saturday evening.  I didn't get to see it because they got in late and took it to a processor that night.  Not a bad 8 pointer.

[deadeye]

 I have a few minutes before I need to head out to salt deer hides.  Our MDHA chapter collects hides for the habitat program and they need to be collected and salted.  Not a fun job but as they say somebody needs to do it. Anyone wants to help.

I wouldn't feel right without telling some of our buck stories.  Saturday morning I went to a stand that I haven't been to in at least 4 years. It's a very uncomfortable, small, single metal stand.  So tight it's difficult to turn around in and impossible to see behind you if you are seated.  You can see it in a trail cam picture I posted in "peek-a-Boo".  First deer I saw was after legal shooting but too dark to get a good judge of his antlers until it was too late.  Then a spike strolled past the stand (the one in Peek-a-Boo).  Next a doe flew through at Mach 2 followed by a small buck.  I saw a doe heading directly to me followed at a distance by another deer.  They of course were approaching from the most dense brush side.  I got my gun up and waited as she slowly picked her way to within 25 feet of me at which time she stood there looking at me.  By this time I was pretty sure I was going to shoot the buck by he was facing me and still in thick brush. I though my arm was going to cramp up while waiting for her to make her move.  Finally she turned and headed to my left at which time the buck started to follow her still quartering to me.  I aimed where the bullet path would hit lungs and then back through the deer.  He hunched up and made three or so hops and stopped. I couldn't see his head but took a second shot at his chest.  He didn't even flinch. A bit puzzled, I watched him for short while (about 40 yards) until he just collapsed.  It must have been a hot doe because after gutting the buck, I saw two more bucks follow the same path (not a trail, just where the doe walked) right up to 25 feet from my stand where she was when I shot. Being her first action was to leap away; the bucks lost the "scent" at that point and just circled around for a bit before back tracking her trail. This was really cool to watch.  The 8 pointer in the picture I posted before did the same thing but also went to check out the dead buck. 

[deadeye]

Grandsons buck story as told by a very excited 14 year old hunter. 
After watching a basket 8 mill around for a while, I saw a doe running erratically back and forth.  Then I saw another deer about 75 yards through the trees.  The deer stopped behind three trees with just his head sticking out.  I dialed up the scope and my heart almost stopped when I saw the antlers as there were way too many points to count.  Then my heart started beating so hard I thought I was going to have a heart attack I could hear my heart beating in my ears.  The buck was throwing dirt and leaves around while grunting.  This went on for a minute without ever giving me a shot.  All the while I was trying to calm down and control my breathing. Finally he started to trot towards where I last saw the doe. I tried to stop him with a whistle or shout. He did not look my way but did slow to a walk at which time I decided to shoot him while he was moving.  After the shot he jumped in the air and started running like in a cartoon - you know his legs were moving but he wasn't moving. He ran out of sight but I heard what sounded like a lot of crashing.  My dad came and we checked near the scrape and could see dirt and turned up leaves where he ran but no blood.  After 30 yards or so we saw some blood but by then I could see the buck.   

[mike89]

that is so good!!!   

[LPS]

Darn nice deer too. 

[Jerkbiat]

Cool stories and some mighty dandy deer !!!

[snow1]

Nice deadeye,curious with last weekend warm weather were you're deer loaded up with ticks wilst skinning them? in my area skinng my deer in sept they were always loaded with ticks,80% black legged deer ticks falling off, figured this warm weather would have em out again.

[deadeye]

Yes the deer did have some ticks. I found one crawling on me and one actually attached to me a day later.  All three bucks were skinned and processed (deboned and put on ice) the same day they were shot.  This unfortunately prevented us from getting picture of the three bucks hanging in camp.  On the bright side it was very pleasant in the woods and no one got cold or wet.