Legacy -The 2024 Deer Season-

[whaler1]

52 minutes ago, HOLY DIVER said:

Hunting -

I gave my 18yo nephew a full partnership deal this year at my place giving him access to all the cell cams and stands,  he spent every minute he could in the woods while working full time, he harvested his first bow deer (doe) while I was in the ground blind filming for him. That deer ment as much as a 20pt buck to us that october night!  He put in his time and would passed several smaller bucks  playing cat and mouse with shooter bucks appearing on cam opposite of where he sat often.  It was down to his last bow hunt opportunity on a rainy Nov 10th Sunday evening,   he climbed into the stand early and txt me at 4 that he was soaked to the bone -  I said stick it out it's power hour and these deer have to move after the rain let's up,  4:30 my phone rings - "I  juSt.  sMokEd  oNe!!!!"   

Smoke it he did !  A great shot on a great buck, His first bow buck and  memories we will never forget!  

 

His father - my (brother and best friend)  passed away a few years ago , to say this means a lot to me would be an understatement. 

 

Truly fantastic!!

[GAMBLER]

1 hour ago, HOLY DIVER said:

Hunting -

I gave my 18yo nephew a full partnership deal this year at my place giving him access to all the cell cams and stands,  he spent every minute he could in the woods while working full time, he harvested his first bow deer (doe) while I was in the ground blind filming for him. That deer ment as much as a 20pt buck to us that october night!  He put in his time and would passed several smaller bucks  playing cat and mouse with shooter bucks appearing on cam opposite of where he sat often.  It was down to his last bow hunt opportunity on a rainy Nov 10th Sunday evening,   he climbed into the stand early and txt me at 4 that he was soaked to the bone -  I said stick it out it's power hour and these deer have to move after the rain let's up,  4:30 my phone rings - "I  juSt.  sMokEd  oNe!!!!"   

Smoke it he did !  A great shot on a great buck, His first bow buck and  memories we will never forget!  

 

His father - my (brother and best friend)  passed away a few years ago , to say this means a lot to me would be an understatement. 

 

Awesome story and great for him to have someone like you to mentor him!  

[Gator]

x4! Great story over lunch, plus makes me want to get into the woods.

[machzrcr]

8 hours ago, Legacy said:

Here's the story and some better pics...

 

I finally had a chance to hunt a new set (on a new piece) that I have been very patient to get into. I needed a northerly wind so I jumped at the opportunity with a NE forecasted. I haven't been in there since I hung the stand a month earlier. So slipped in there about 1 and on my way in I moved a camera closer to the set hoping to get a better idea of what was happening. I spent the afternoon trying to to read the ground and analyze pictures from the two cameras on the property trying to learn what the deer are doing and how they are traveling. 

So before 5 I had something catch my eye. It was my buck cutting through the swamp stopping to work a rub. He literally spent about 20 minutes thrashing this bush about 75 yards away. It was this point that I gave myself a green light and hoped to get an opportunity. Well that buck walked to me like he was on a string and I pulled the trigger at him broadside at 6 yards. That's where things got interesting... his reaction wasn't what I expected. He was walking from left to my right when I shot. He ran 10 yards in the same direction then he turned 120 degrees and ran quartering away towards the corner of the property. He slowed his pace about 75 yards away and I thought I saw the classic tail flicker as he disappeared into the thick stuff. My initial thought was dead deer. I turned back expecting to see my arrow buried in the ground on a hard angle with my lighted nock in plain sight but it wasn't there. I did not see the arrow hit the deer. When the deer ran off I thought I saw a tiny entry hole but never any blood. When he turned I didn't see an exit hole or blood or an arrow. I packed my stuff and climbed down to do a quick analysis of the shot site while I still had some light. I knew the deer was at least 100 yards from me in the opposite direction so I wasn't too worried about bumping him on my way out. I couldn't find my arrow. And had zero blood at the site. There is a trail cam picture that I posted here and I can tell you my head was spinning when it was taken. I walked out and spent the next 4 hours scratching my head and questioning what the heck happened. It was a tough 4 hours to say the least. I originally thought about waiting until morning but I went back in at 9pm with my kid hoping to find the lighted nock. We walked back into the property and I quickly walked him through the shot scenario. We scanned the woods with our lights off and still no arrow to be found. We started walking the bucks escape route and my kid spots blood 5 yards from where the buck spun to his left and changed directions. And then good blood. And then I realized I have blood coming out of two sides. Then 75 yards into trailing I can smell him!!! 25 yards later BBD and the hooting and hollering starts! Deer was dead 25-35 yards from where I last saw him. No doubt he died on his feet and expired within seconds of losing sight of him. Autopsy... I center punched the liver (shot him as he was walking). No history with this deer. I went through my pictures and found I had one series of trail cam pics of him. He was a unique 11 point but unfortunately he is busted up pretty good. 5 broken points including both brows, 2 tines, and a sticker off the base.  The roller coaster of emotions you experience in this "blood sport" can make you go mad. The highest of highs and the lowest of lows. From me not seeing blood or finding my arrow to me living the moment with my kid as we grab antlers four hours later... what a f•cking ride!

 

 

 

 

 

can't beat him not going far that's for sure!  

 

[machzrcr]

3 hours ago, HOLY DIVER said:

Hunting -

I gave my 18yo nephew a full partnership deal this year at my place giving him access to all the cell cams and stands,  he spent every minute he could in the woods while working full time, he harvested his first bow deer (doe) while I was in the ground blind filming for him. That deer ment as much as a 20pt buck to us that october night!  He put in his time and would passed several smaller bucks  playing cat and mouse with shooter bucks appearing on cam opposite of where he sat often.  It was down to his last bow hunt opportunity on a rainy Nov 10th Sunday evening,   he climbed into the stand early and txt me at 4 that he was soaked to the bone -  I said stick it out it's power hour and these deer have to move after the rain let's up,  4:30 my phone rings - "I  juSt.  sMokEd  oNe!!!!"   

Smoke it he did !  A great shot on a great buck, His first bow buck and  memories we will never forget!  

 

His father - my (brother and best friend)  passed away a few years ago , to say this means a lot to me would be an understatement. 

 

That's awesome if you to do for sure sharing the tradition with family!

[whaler1]

Tomorrow’s weather and the current state of the rut around here, great time to be in the woods.  Good luck to all getting out. 

[Legacy]

29 minutes ago, whaler1 said:

Tomorrow’s weather and the current state of the rut around here, great time to be in the woods.  Good luck to all getting out. 

 

a fresh tag on saturday cant come soon enough

[whaler1]

1 hour ago, Legacy said:

 

a fresh tag on saturday cant come soon enough

Speaking about tags, the new ones are a pain. 

[Gill-T]

The stuff I am seeing in Kansas is crazy right now. 

[Legacy]

10 hours ago, whaler1 said:

Speaking about tags, the new ones are a pain. 

 

so i have always used zip ties with my tags so i just bought these to go along with that... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NBRQ4RR?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

[whaler1]

8 hours ago, Gill-T said:

The stuff I am seeing in Kansas is crazy right now. 

Let’s go Gill!!

[GAMBLER]

I bought something similar to Rob.  I bought a 200 pack.  GatorNY bought some waterproof paper that is pretty cool too.  That paired with the holders, its easy.  

[Missdemeanor]

I got the invite to hunt whitetails in Northern Canada .. 1800 miles one way and we reached the most remote destination I've ever seen. The guides were fantastic .. day 1 and I'm in a ground blind .. I see a doe walk in and she was 2x bigger than any doe I've seen in NY... An absolute Clydesdale!   

   A short time later a big body, Chocolate horned monster walks in... The guide told me to look for a buck with a split G3... This guy has no split G3, but was the biggest buck I've ever seen... I level the Weatherby on him and letter bark... The buck hauls the mail past my blind and disappears. After a short tracking job, we find him piled up .. the buck broke off 7 inches of his G3 split just hours before I shot him. I'd love to see the buck he fought with...

   What a trip.... I'm not going to forget the Giant bucks of the Northern Canadian bush . 

Edited November 14 by Missdemeanor

[Reel Doc]

5 hours ago, Missdemeanor said:

I got the invite to hunt whitetails in Northern Canada .. 1800 miles one way and we reached the most remote destination I've ever seen. The guides were fantastic .. day 1 and I'm in a ground blind .. I see a doe walk in and she was 2x bigger than any doe I've seen in NY... An absolute Clydesdale!   

   A short time later a big body, Chocolate horned monster walks in... The guide told me to look for a buck with a split G3... This guy has no split G3, but was the biggest buck I've ever seen... I level the Weatherby on him and letter bark... The buck hauls the mail past my blind and disappears. After a short tracking job, we find him piled up .. the buck broke off 7 inches of his G3 split just hours before I shot him. I'd love to see the buck he fought with...

   What a trip.... I'm not going to forget the Giant bucks of the Northern Canadian bush . 

Wow!  Beautiful animal and sounds like an incredible trip.  Congratulations!  Where are you hunting in Canada?

[Legacy]

What a beast Matt!

[Legacy]

Well a plan is in place for Saturday. Im looking forward to get back out there with a fresh buck tag. Weather looks like it should continue to be great.

 

Deer movement has lockdown written all over it. Does have been treading lightly since the the week leading up to Halloween with lots of single deer traveling by them selves. Does have been avoiding open landscape. However, this week I noticed larger doe/fawn family groups forming up again in the afternoon. Seems like a sure sign that some of my does that have breed are not afraid to be social with each other again.

As for the gentlemen... up until about the 10th I saw quite a bit of all day activity. Including bucks of all sizes. Currently there seems to be some great buck movement for the last hour of hunting light but the majority seems like the am hours are the time to be in the woods. From daybreak to about 10-11 ish). I have had pretty consistent activity in the am hours with a shooter on cam just about every day. (as I type this my notifications went off with a big 9pt at 805)

 

What are you guys seeing?

 

[GAMBLER]

46 minutes ago, Legacy said:

 

 

What are you guys seeing?

 

The walls of my office.........

[Missdemeanor]

17 hours ago, Reel Doc said:

Wow!  Beautiful animal and sounds like an incredible trip.  Congratulations!  Where are you hunting in Canada?

Saskatchewan 

[Legacy]

[machzrcr]

I got 85lbs of hot dogs and 25 of slim Jim's back today!     Def a couple big boys daylighting,  Some big ones moving at night in  more pressured spots.  

[machzrcr]

5 hours ago, Legacy said:

Old school hunters  - applied for a party permit to shoot a doe. 

.new school hunters- here's 5 for tags for every person!   

Lol

[Gill-T]

Tagged out in Kansas. Unbelievable hunt today. 

Edited November 15 by Gill-T

[Legacy]

[whaler1]

8 hours ago, Gill-T said:

Tagged out in Kansas. Unbelievable hunt today. 

Beautiful buck!

[whaler1]

Friend of mine wanted to get his teenage son and 81 year old grandfather out. Put my buddy in a stand in my side yard, the other to in a ground blind in my foodplot out back.
Ten minutes in this guy showed up at 20 yards. Poor kid missed it. Hoping something comes by for him before dark.