The Hunting Thread...

[Back Alley Gator]

Thats a great story! Congrats to your son on the neck shot at 80. That's some fine marksmanship. Puts em down right there with no blood trailing, plus it doesn't waste much meat at all. I'll take neck shots with a scoped rifle out to 70-80 yards. Farther than that, its shoulder or just behind the shoulder.

Ive been trying to hunt in Ohio some this year...completely snakebit by deer in this state. Haven't even seen one to shoot at. The only good thing is the season is really long. Starts at the end of Sept and goes to Feb. Of course no one wants to be outside in Ohio in January, so there's that.

Went down to North Carolina for my annual hunt. Brought two friends along. I got a small doe and one buddy got a mature doe. This year was totally different hunting. The acorns were still falling in late October and the deer just weren't out at all. Spending all their time munching on acorns. So I know what you mean by being mad at em. Just stick with it and you'll get em. Course you know that already. :)

 

[Spearo Gator]

Thats a great story! Congrats to your son on the neck shot at 80. That's some fine marksmanship. Puts em down right there with no blood trailing, plus it doesn't waste much meat at all. I'll take neck shots with a scoped rifle out to 70-80 yards. Farther than that, its shoulder or just behind the shoulder.

Ive been trying to hunt in Ohio some this year...completely snakebit by deer in this state. Haven't even seen one to shoot at. The only good thing is the season is really long. Starts at the end of Sept and goes to Feb. Of course no one wants to be outside in Ohio in January, so there's that.

Went down to North Carolina for my annual hunt. Brought two friends along. I got a small doe and one buddy got a mature doe. This year was totally different hunting. The acorns were still falling in late October and the deer just weren't out at all. Spending all their time munching on acorns. So I know what you mean by being mad at em. Just stick with it and you'll get em. Course you know that already. :)

Can’t kill ‘em at the house right! I’m just licking my wounds (basically pouting) lol. I’m going back up 12/1. Our rut by all indicators was last week of Oct/first week of Nov. Any hoes (I mean does) not bread should come in again.
This thread makes me miss ol Coot. I obviously don’t post a lot put did when I killed my first deer. Coot chimed in and knew exactly where I was when I stated the town and population 250 in BFE GA. He even knew the 1 red light store in town and the greasy spoon inside that serves a mean fried egg samich. He was one of a kind…

 

[Spearo Gator]

One I’ve been after. Pretty shocked he was near a feeder. Usually our bucks won’t get close to them. We plant food plots and feed corn to keep the does around.

 

[NVGator]

Congrats to you and your son! That looks like a big bodied ole hoss....and where I come from, that's a full on 8 pointer. Very nice deer! What did he take the deer with? Bow? Muzzle loader? Rifle?

Out here, they only count one side so it would be a 4. Interesting how it’s different.

 

[Spearo Gator]

Err body was kung foo fighting….hahaha

 

[Spearo Gator]

Out here, they only count one side so it would be a 4. Interesting how it’s different.

GA is crazy but the deer population is strong. You can shoot 10 does and 2 bucks. I think the 2nd buck has to have 4 points on one side. I don’t pay attention to it much.
I eat every ounce of meat we shoot but I’m really a horn hunter. I’m looking for bullwinkle! I’ve let numerous 6 and 8 points walk.
Not trying to sound holier than thou. Any kill should be celebrated. If it’s a good kill and trophy to the hunter then I’m all about it (doe or buck). One of my best hunts was a doe kill. I was shaking uncontrollably. Hahaha

 

[Detroitgator]

Out here, they only count one side so it would be a 4. Interesting how it’s different.

I know they do that with elk, didn't think so with deer

 

[Detroitgator]

GA is crazy but the deer population is strong. You can shoot 10 does and 2 bucks. I think the 2nd buck has to have 4 points on one side. I don’t pay attention to it much.
I eat every ounce of meat we shoot but I’m really a horn hunter. I’m looking for bullwinkle! I’ve let numerous 6 and 8 points walk.
Not trying to sound holier than thou. Any kill should be celebrated. If it’s a good kill and trophy to the hunter then I’m all about it (doe or buck). One of my best hunts was a doe kill. I was shaking uncontrollably. Hahaha

Same on all. I will cull old and sick waiting for something special.

 

[NVGator]

I know they do that with elk, didn't think so with deer

Same same. Probably because getting an elk tag is a big deal, they’ve just applied it to deer.

 

[Spearo Gator]

DG, BAG, Fodder, Altitude and Frozen…apologies if I missed any hunters. Always enjoy your post. We all should keep this thread going. I’ll do my part. Kills and or trail cam pics. Nature is amazing.

 

[Spearo Gator]

Cool trail cam pic I got. Big kitty sneakin up.

 

[Spearo Gator]

Cool trail cam pic I got. Big kitty sneakin up. View attachment 51382

Crazy that cat could get so close to her

 

[Spearo Gator]

Right after. Guess he lost. Haha

 

[Spearo Gator]

We named him tank. He’s gotta be on the decline. Belly full of soy beans. Horns…not so much

 

[Spearo Gator]

View attachment 51384
We named him tank. He’s gotta be on the decline. Belly full of soy beans. Horns…not so much

He’s 225 easy. Heavy for GA

 

[AuggieDosta]

Can’t kill ‘em at the house right! I’m just licking my wounds (basically pouting) lol. I’m going back up 12/1. Our rut by all indicators was last week of Oct/first week of Nov. Any hoes (I mean does) not bread should come in again.
This thread makes me miss ol Coot. I obviously don’t post a lot put did when I killed my first deer. Coot chimed in and knew exactly where I was when I stated the town and population 250 in BFE GA. He even knew the 1 red light store in town and the greasy spoon inside that serves a mean fried egg samich. He was one of a kind…

I know you know this but I'm going to reiterate it anyway because IMO it's the most important thing to take into account. Wind direction. You want that wind coming from the corn into your face, not from behind you to the corn.

Most hunters are aware of it but don't place it high enough on their priority list. Also, I too hunt in GA (Vidalia and Sylvania) and we also use stationary blinds (both tree and ground) and so when we gather round the map in the morning to pin our desired locations it often happens that you are left with a stand that isn't a good fit regarding wind direction. You better hope you got cell service because you'll be looking at GatorChatter instead of down a scope.

Also, that's a nice buck your son got! Congratulations to him and I know you're proud.

 

[Back Alley Gator]

Almost all of our stands offer shots of 100yds or less, so wind direction always plays a role. However in Missouri, I'm hunting over a cut cornfield and a treeline that's 200 or more yards out. The deer don't care about wind direction so much at that range. Still feels wrong to set up with the wind at your back when not hunting waterfowl.

 

[Detroitgator]

I know you know this but I'm going to reiterate it anyway because IMO it's the most important thing to take into account. Wind direction. You want that wind coming from the corn into your face, not from behind you to the corn.

Most hunters are aware of it but don't place it high enough on their priority list. Also, I too hunt in GA (Vidalia and Sylvania) and we also use stationary blinds (both tree and ground) and so when we gather round the map in the morning to pin our desired locations it often happens that you are left with a stand that isn't a good fit regarding wind direction. You better hope you got cell service because you'll be looking at GatorChatter instead of down a scope.

Also, that's a nice buck your son got! Congratulations to him and I know you're proud.

That sounds very correct and complicated... at Squirrel Ranch, I just have to go out and I can shoot sumthin'

 

[Fodderwing]

Thats a great story! Congrats to your son on the neck shot at 80. That's some fine marksmanship. Puts em down right there with no blood trailing, plus it doesn't waste much meat at all. I'll take neck shots with a scoped rifle out to 70-80 yards. Farther than that, its shoulder or just behind the shoulder.

I like a high shoulder shot to stop a deer in its tracks or very close. The high shoulder offers a larger target area and there is not enough quality meat on the shoulders to lose any sleep over.

 

[Detroitgator]

I like a high shoulder shot to stop a deer in its tracks or very close. The high shoulder offers a larger target area and there is not enough quality meat on the shoulders to lose any sleep over.

This isn't aimed (pun intended) at anyone here (definitely not you Fodder), but this is my one HUGE issue with a lot (probably MOST) "hunters"... they aren't nearly the shooter they think they are. They really don't understand zeroing their rifle, let alone doping, and I use doping VERY loosely (more like "Kentucky Windage" based on your known zero) because what I'm really talking about is guys that typically hunt at 100 yards or less and don't understand the ballistics of their rifle, ammunition, or themselves.

This may sound judgmental, but I just flat out do not understand people that have to track a hit deer more then 10 yards (yes, 10 yards, maybe 20 tops). To me, it means you took a shot you were not capable of making accurately, whether that was an 80 yard shot or a 300+ yard shot. If you cannot put a round in say a 6 inch circle at 300 yards (and let's say 2-3" circle at 100) and that's being generous on my part), you should not take the shot, period, you're just being selfish, and potentially very cruel if you have a runner you never find (or do find after coyotes finish with it).

Down here, almost all hunting is on plots in the woods. I zero rifles for a lot of people before deer season (which tells me they shouldn't be hunting) and I always ask them at what range they want their POI to be the same as their POA... they just kind of look at me dumb. It's dumb to zero a guy's rifle at 100 yards if his "go to" plot is only 85 yards.

I almost can't fathom hearing stories of someone who has "hunted" a lot missing at 100 yards or less, and it seems to be a lot of people.

As for people that wound a deer and then can't find it, I just want to beat them senseless.

OK, I'm good now...

PS I only hunt with 2 rifles down here, and for 15 years, I only use the same ammunition brand/load in those two rifles, never any other brand/load... know your rifle, know your ammunition, know yourself, zero properly, train a lot... never had a runner, or a stomach blowout because I hit low... If you can't kill it with that shot, don't take it.