shadster

Gator, no doubt about the credentials Charles Alshiemer accumulated over the years with his lifelong obsession and work. My thoughts are more along the line of not taking his word as gospel. There is always a wrench in the works somewhere when it comes to hunting whitetails. It is a game of odds like no other. Getting tree time is the best way to beat those odds. Your odds go up when the bucks are comfortable moving. That is most times in colder temps.. When locked down it is all about the doe. If she lays up he lays up. Temperature plays a part in her movement as well. And nine times out of ten that doe will keep that buck from trouble. She lets him know when its time to ride. 50 degrees 30 or 70 she will stand for him. Predictions are fine to know, but we already know that is can happen at any time. As Legacy says it could be as simple as matching time of year and ideal conditions. Or it could be as you put it "hope to stupid into a horny buck." That is the case more times than not, regardless of what some will have you believe. As long as you are in the neighborhood during their time you have a chance. It is up to them to come out and play.

The rut is very predictable regardless of what the magazine hucksters tell you. Happens around the same time every year. The amount of daylight is what triggers the whole process. This is the amount of light the BIOLOGISTS speak of. Charlie is a great writer and a great photographer who sells a lot of magazines to those looking for the best times to take their vacation to hunt. I don't think he holds a biology degree. He gives every prediction a lot of wiggle room so he can appear to be right most times. The one constant he always speaks of is the variable which he calls rut suppressor these days. Included in these are cloud cover and weather. How much moon light comes through the shroud of clouds to hit this "trigger"? It is my opinion that the weather plays a far more important role than the moon for buck movement whether it be the seek phase, the chase phase, or the rut itself. Bucks are ready to go as soon as they are out of velvet and will react to different stimuli as the season progresses toward the peak of the breeding season. There is nothing like a cold snap to get bucks out of their beds and reacting to that stimuli in daylight. The cold fires them up. The deer don't have a calendar, but they do have a body clock that is set for the same time every year in their part of the country. What would explain the difference in breeding dates from Canada to Florida? My bet is on temperature. We all know the effects of warm Octobers, Novembers and Decembers.....

Little Cleo used to make a silver belly, medium green back spoon with red spots and gold bars. I lost the one I had. A big brown took it from me and I have yet to see it in a search almost everywhere. Acme discontinued the color some time ago from what they tell me. I can honestly say it was one of the deadliest Cleos ever tied to my line. I have to go buy some paint and an airbrush I guess.

Nice buck!

Nothing wrong with that one! Way to go on a fine buck!

Great story and a great buck! Persistence pays off!

Nice buck indeed! Congrats!

Nice Buck, Ray. Congrats

Yes, it certainly is a bummer when you lose an animal. Just goes to show how passionate most of us are about them and our method of hunting. I have lost a few myself and to this day still play those in my mind at times. I can remember one long night on hands and knees through rose flora tracking puddles to pin drops back to puddles again. Totally amazed at what I thought was a perfect shot in a perfect place ending up without a dead deer. Then the times when I knew the shot was questionable but still carried out the search to find peace in knowing the deer survived. It has been awhile since a futile search until this year. I back strapped a doe on the first day of the Jersey early season trying to Earn a Buck. Putting the pin right on the spot she still managed to drop and catch the arrow between spine and lungs. I watched as she carried the shish kabobbed arrow off into the thickness of late summer. Knowing it may not be fatal I backed out and returned the next day in a pouring rain. I searched a full four hours covering a lot of acres. I think I eyeballed every rock, stump or resemblance to a deer and peeked under every bush and into every blow down. No arrow. No deer. Despite my success and great memories of dragging deer out of the woods this year, I still see that shot on the doe as well as the rain dripping off my cap when hoping to find her. I am telling myself she survived, Still a little painful. It will subside. Just amazing how tough these animals are. It is what it is. You can only do the best you can and as chowder says, make peace with it.

Nice buck, Vince! The story had me right there with you. Great account of the hunt. I really hope your brother gets it done.

That camera might be better mounted on your hat set to look alongside your bow. You won't get all that vibration, no?

Good looking PA buck and great account of the hunt! Congrats!

Thanks everyone! It was quite the hunt to say the least. Just the way it all came down. Gets the heart going for sure! He didn't go far at all after scaring him with that Razorcap on the end of a FMJ. Went through like a hot knife through butter. That Trebark is the best stuff out there IMO. Especially when the leaves comes down. I wish I could find another set of coveralls in XL. Thanks again all!

They think of everything! Wonder how they are in low light?

Couple of dandy's there! Congrats to you and your brother

I shot his guy from 10 yards hunting the ground on Halloween evening. He was harassing some does and ignored my grunts until the does made their way to a tangle in front of me. He turned and walked right into me. I thought he was going to kick my butt as he came in head low and looking. I guess he didn't see me and turned broadside. Big mistake!

Says pretty much right there.

Ethanol in the fuel is a big problem and if not handled the right way can lead to major headaches. http://www.lakeontariounited.com/fishing/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=19184

That's a Dandy Buck there Billy V!

Talk about a kick in the teeth. This president will stop at nothing to destroy our very way of life. http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmaster/conservation/news/story?page=b_con_EthanolControversy_101014 edit: l&m

Have a great Birthday, Rod! DVD will be in the mail...Sorry it took so long

Great thread, Tom!

Well shadster, if that was meant to be derogatory meaning mods have some sort of agenda you can forget it. The site has specific rules that MODS must follow as well as the members. We give a lot of leeway before removing a post. This was not the intent of the post at all, Bob! The point was that if the truth be known there would be no reason for a parade, good comments or bad. I totally understand the need to separate the BS from the facts. It comes down to how people sort out that difference.

That is a ton of fun for sure!

The truth never seems to get through as it should.... don't on the parade I guess