Originally Posted by Iowanian:
I'm still a little upset that I didn't let this one go...he'd have been a very nice buck in another year. They don't get big when I shoot em like this one. I flinched on my strength to let him go and wait, after a couple of very, very nice bucks came close and I got screwed because of other bucks, a doe, or some other reason. Its a 9 point, but not a big one. Yunghungwell also has scoreboard with a nice 8.
A few nights ago, I did see something I've never seen before....a nice 10 point, probably 140 class came in with a doe....he was downhill 100 yards near a ditch and I grunted....he STOOD up on his hind legs like a polar bear and turned a half circle trying to look over the horizon....He started coming in, and about 45 yards he grunted and his hair bristled, and I noticed he was looking to my north....another buck coming out of the timber....they put on a show, bristled, approached each other and fought briefly through a barbed wife fence...then each came my way and at 35 yards, as I stood to draw.....I heard the doe pee, and trot and the buck whipped nad went after.....I didn't shoot the other raghorn.
This buck came out as I was hopping my climber up a new tree.....sawing a branch with my bow on the ground....I shimmied up the bow to 12' and used a beaty can call 3 times and he came in....I just wanted a better look, but the devil on the "shoot" shoulder overtook me.
Originally Posted by Simply Red:
Where(what state?) was this one killed?
I was wondering the same thing. It can't be Iowa, there are trees.:-)
Iowanian, there's nothing at all wrong with that buck. If it were rifle season (or shotgun season for you) maybe I'd pass on it. But with a bow in hand and gun season getting close, I'd shoot at it everytime.
Rifle season opens here saturday. I am having a hard time getting excited this year. My main source of enthusiasm is coming from the new rifle I am trying to get built. I have the barrel blued, ammo loaded for fire-forming, but am waiting on the chamber reamer to get here. Hopefully it will get here tommorow morning so I can get the barrel reamed and the cases fire-formed in time to get loads developed and sighted in before dark. If not, I'll have to fall back on the .257 Ackley instead. [Reply]
red,
That buck was also taken in Iowa. Its the only state in which I typically hunt. I would like to take a pig with my bow before long.
PM...I know alot of people might be proud of that buck, and in other states, I'm sure its a good one, however, I've set high standards for the deer I want to take with a bow, and I don't like it when I set rules for myself and backtrack at the moment of truth....Its not unlike playing blackjack..It used to be, I'd have $290 in front of me, with the goal of $300 and i'd end up giving it all back for $10....I said I wouldnt' do that again.....and last week, I had $400, decided to get greedy and go after $500, and only brought home 100....foolish.
If I'd have passed on that buck, even if I ended up not filling a tag(which I've done a few years waiting on a fatboy), he could have been a very nice one next year. They can't get to 150-160 class when you kill them at that size.
I'm about 3 weeks from breaking the cherry on my new slug gun....Binelli supernova. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Jenny Gump:
I wanna brag. My 8 yr old son bagged his first deer two weekends ago...a 10 pointer. He is so freaking proud!!
Congratulations to him. Its good he's got a man in his life to take him hunting, teaching him about the outdoors, life lessons and whatnot. He'll be a better man for it. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Iowanian:
PM...I know alot of people might be proud of that buck, and in other states.
Yep, in NJ that's a helluva nice deer.
If I'd have passed on that buck, even if I ended up not filling a tag(which I've done a few years waiting on a fatboy), he could have been a very nice one next year. They can't get to 150-160 class when you kill them at that size.
Just curious, how many acres are the farm properties that you hunt? I've read that you need between 400 - 1000 acres to keep bucks on the property (assuming you have food, bedding, etc). Here on the east coast it is unfortunately a situation where if you don't shoot it, it's just going to go on somebody elses property that will.
In my area, the "big boys"...you see some of those ranches and hunters on TV....buy large farms, and then sometimes will lease land around them so that noone else can hunt....it pisses me off to be honest.
I'm not a deer biologist, but I'd imagine in Iowa, there is enough food and cover(at least in the southern and NE parts) that deer require less land. There is corn, soybeans, alfalfa, clover and cover within a mile of almost anywhere.
The farm my brother, and most of our large bucks have come off of is 320acres....timber, hay fields and CRP. Several adjoinging properties aren't hunted and are cattle pasture with wooded draws. I think its more likely in our area that a small, thick covered woodlot with nearby food and low human traffic holds a buck as much as a huge timber.
One thing is for sure...During the rut, bucks cover so much ground searching for does, that a buck you see during this 2 week period, may never be seen again, because he's coming from 10 miles away. Bucks also don't tend to stay in areas that are overpopulated with does, as strange as that seems. Large bucks don't seem to be as social, as in, not living in a large group, and will bed alone. [Reply]
Well, the daughter missed her first deer this morning. Saw several does. Two walked within 150 yards of us - one gave he a broadside shot and stood there for a fair bit. She was a bit upset that she decided to go with a buck tag and couldn't shoot [at] it. I told her to relax that there would probably be a buck following before long. And it did, but the rack was about the size of a young billy goat so I talked her into passing it up.
Then we see 3-4 does about 800 yards up the draw wed been watching come out and start nosing around out in the pasture. Before long a decent buck came out. We watched them for about an hour - out in the pasture, back into the trees, pasture, trees, etc. Finally, we were getting close on time and hadn't seen them for a bit so I decided to walk over there. We eased down into one of the fingers and then moved at a pretty good pace for a ways. Then we popped out about where I thought they might be and worked our way up the hill. As we neared the top we started crawling. Went over the ridge and down the other side and started glassing the draw. Nothing. Finally we stand up and then we see the first doe. 4 does went by about 150 yards out moving down the tree line (evergreens) down the draw. We waited and the buck came out. It wasn't enough of a deer for me to shoot at, but it was plenty for her. Rack was a bit narrow (just to the ends of the ears) but it had good hieght (about 1.5 times it's width). The buck gave her a broadside shot at about 150 yards and she missed. It ducks into the evergreens and we reload. Then it comes back out and gives her another broadside shot. She missed again.
It was a blast for me as a dad though. When you are hunting with your kids, just seeing them have fun is better than anything else 'cept for maybe them watching me down the next #1 Boone and Crocket.:-) [Reply]
I'm bummed... Got to go out opening day and then alittle the next day... I'd been sick for about a week before season started, and everytime I'd get set up -- I'd start coughing my head off...
Well; after not being able to sleep --- and waking the family up --- due to coughing in the middle of the night -- I decided to go to the doctor...
Low and behold I have pneumonia !!!! I'm on day 2 of taking my meds, with 4 days left of them... I think I'm starting to feel better, cause I'm getting restless !!! Doc said if I start to feel better, it would be ok to go out as long as I wear one of those masks that you see doctors wear in hospitals...
I'm happy to be able to read all of you guys' experiences... makes me feel alittle better...
BTW -- my dad has already got an 8 pointer, and 4 does with his tags... He still has 3 tags left to fill...
Well, this morning I was slipping down the road heading towards a secluded alphafa patch - running late, just after daylight - when I spoted a couple of does. I didn't want to spook them so I eased down the path and leaned up against a gate post to wait for them to clear out before moving on in. While I was waiting, this little 8 point buck started across the field about 500 yards away. I debated on taking him, but the height and symmetry of the rack won me over. Finally, he got inside 150 and I dropped the hammer on my .257 Ackley and watched him drop from view in his tracks. I watched the does to make sure he wasn't slipping out with them. Came back to where he had been and he was standing again. So I dropped the hammer again, this time he didn't get up. When I walked up to him, his hind quarters were in the dirt path heading to the alphalfa patch - no dragging today.
Anyhow, he measured 17 1/2 inches wide, 15 1/2 inches tall, G2's were right at 11 inches long themselves. In comparing sides, there is less than 4 1/2 inches difference between them. This will be the first deer I have a taxidermist work on for me.
BTW, The rifle in the pic is the .257 Ackley Improved that I built off of a Mauser 98 action. The 100 Grain Noslers did quite a number - I've shot 2 deer with these bullets and both went down right where I shot them.
Nice kill Pastor.
I caught the dang flu going around and have yet to spend one minute hunting this season. I'm hoping I feel good enough by this weekend. [Reply]
Originally Posted by stumppy:
Nice kill Pastor.
I caught the dang flu going around and have yet to spend one minute hunting this season. I'm hoping I feel good enough by this weekend.
Thanks Stumpy. I just happened to throw the digital camera in today. I wished I had gotten the .280 Ackley done in time (I sighted it in this afternoon) though I doubt it would have done any better. I had to buy a doe tag though so I could keep taking my daughter out. Does are a dime a dozen so I should be able to put a doe down with it next week.
Originally Posted by PastorMikH:
Well, this morning I was slipping down the road heading towards a secluded alphafa patch - running late, just after daylight - when I spoted a couple of does. I didn't want to spook them so I eased down the path and leaned up against a gate post to wait for them to clear out before moving on in. While I was waiting, this little 8 point buck started across the field about 500 yards away. I debated on taking him, but the height and symmetry of the rack won me over. Finally, he got inside 150 and I dropped the hammer on my .257 Ackley and watched him drop from view in his tracks. I watched the does to make sure he wasn't slipping out with them. Came back to where he had been and he was standing again. So I dropped the hammer again, this time he didn't get up. When I walked up to him, his hind quarters were in the dirt path heading to the alphalfa patch - no dragging today.
Anyhow, he measured 17 1/2 inches wide, 15 1/2 inches tall, G2's were right at 11 inches long themselves. In comparing sides, there is less than 4 1/2 inches difference between them. This will be the first deer I have a taxidermist work on for me.
BTW, The rifle in the pic is the .257 Ackley Improved that I built off of a Mauser 98 action. The 100 Grain Noslers did quite a number - I've shot 2 deer with these bullets and both went down right where I shot them.
Today, a friend of mine, who had taken a 200+ buck around 2002, told me that he came home from a thanksgiving dinner to find his front door in a pile, kicked off the hinges.
His TV, valuables, Guns, Bow and everything were still in place. The only thing missing.....His Trophy mount.
Some asshole, broke into his home, to steal his deer mount....probably to sell on the black market.
Death by Bunga to that futhermucker.
I wish it were the first incident I've heard of recently. You can't replace these, like you can purchased items.
Maybe, I'll tell my brother to keep his story out of the magazines afterall. [Reply]
