Legacy- 2018 Deer Season

[garrymny]

My season was pretty good, but could have been better. I did alot of prep work in aug and  sept and it seems in bow season I am still scouting and prepping for gun season! I hunt a heavily hunted area that is  swamp. It is very tough hunting, so much cover, and pressure.  I ended up getting 3 does in NY, and passed up several small bucks in archery, and passed up several small  (or younger) bucks in gun season. A low spot in the season is the day a nice buck and a spike chased a doe into my stand. I shot the big buck, but wounded him. Crossbow, at 35 yards. He was a slight quartering shot, towards me, and somehow th arrow went low,and struck his opposite hind leg. I think I estimated the range wrong. It happens. Should have waited for him to come closer but when they are chasing a hot doe, they are allover the place. Lots of blood, so I thought just maybe, but within 30 yards he was in the water, and there was no blood trail. Swamp hunting.  Nothing in PA, but in PA I saw some bucks that were not legal. They have to have 3 points on a side down there, not counting the brow tine. My friend Dan came again to hunt for 2 weeks.He is from Idaho, and comes every year. He passed on shooting does, and did not shoot a nice legal buck in PA because he didn't understand the rules (he should by now). High point was my 81 year old dad shooting a huge doe on the last day of the PA season, at 4 PM, in a shanty I built him, using some reloads I loaded with reduce recoil because of his bad neck.250/3000 savage, in model 99. Another highlight was my nephew's 8 year old son getting a spike and a doe,one shot each! Using a single shot 243 I loaned him. Mentor hunt, PA. So, I have more work to do,already started, need to find easier spots to hunt, as my friend and are getting older and getting deer out is getting harder.  

 

 

 

[Gator]

My season was here and gone in a flash, as per usual. When I look back on it, I wish I could have gotten out more, but my hunting log shows that I managed to sneak into the woods nearly every other day, albeit for only an hour or two at a time. But at least I gave myself opportunities by being there. 

 

The bucks showed on my property on October 12th, as per usual. There were multiple ghosts running around that I never put eyes on, making me think that access is still an issue and we're busting deer walking in. The peak of the rut came (and went) fast. Chasing started on Tuesday, October 30th with mainly small rack bucks in the game through the weekend, then the big boys came out to play the following week. And by mid-week it was done. Oh, there was activity here and there after that, but not the craziness that multiple doe going into heat simultaneously brings.

 

I shot the one and only deer that I took this year on November 5th, on a quick Monday morning hunt prior to work. I'd already climbed out of the stand at 8 am when I almost got run over by a small buck chasing a doe toward Brian. So I ducked into cover, thinking to watch the show or help if Brian shot a deer. When the doe spun 180 degrees and ran back past me, there was a nice nine-point on her heels. He came to within 15 yards before turning broadside and saying "shoot me here" lol. Honestly, I had to shoot around one of my tree tubes, but that was it. Chip shot. And likely the most exciting thing I've ever been part of in the woods - I know that's a set-up, but no snarky comments please .

 

I also passed on numerous small buck and doe over the course of bow season, but -as per usual- my property rotted during gun. It was only after season ended that I had graduate students asking me when the "venison party" was going to be held this year. I told them they missed the bus by not placing their order before the season. I'll shoot deer, but only if I know they're going to be eaten. 

 

I also passed on a stud nine the last Sunday of rifle season in Albion. Why? I don't know. I'd already shot a buck, I was hunting alone and I just didn't feel the need. Maybe he'll make it until next year. 

 

One thing that this season emphasized to me is the importance of tree stand safety and maintenance. I had numerous situations on the land we lease where stands were in disrepair and either prevented my hunting effectively or that I felt unsafe hunting. It's hard as you get older to keep up, but this stuff is important. So, as soon as the season ended I bought four new stands and planned to work last week in the woods. Three days on my back sick and an unscheduled surgery to remove a lump in my finger put a nix on that, as did a new puppy (fox red lab) that kept me up most nights. But the stands are in my garage and as soon as I'm able, they'll go up. Like Rob last year, I'm hoping to get the heavy lifting done early - and maybe avoid the yellowjackets this year lol.

 

It's been a great time interacting and sharing everyone's adventures; stay well in the New Year; we'll do this again come fall!  

Edited January 2, 2019 by Gator

[Legacy]

[JakeyBaby]

Off to Ohio tomorrow morning! 4 more days to try and get it done. Hopefully someone in our group puts one down. Cant wait!

[GAMBLER]

1 hour ago, JakeyBaby said:

Off to Ohio tomorrow morning! 4 more days to try and get it done. Hopefully someone in our group puts one down. Cant wait!

Good luck Matt.  You are due!

[thumbburn]

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[wallaholic]

Here is a Jefferson County Giant that didn't get mentioned.  Green scored 193 and change.

http://www.newzjunky.com/deer-of-the-day/

 

 

 

Absolute buck of a lifetime!

 

This other buck came from Hannibal.  A friend of mine was bow hunting with his wife behind their house the day before this monster was killed.  His wife had the beast at 22 yards rubbing a tree and could not get an arrow to him.  She had him there for  20 minutes before he walked directly away with no shot.  My friend didn't believe the description on the beast until the next day the neighbor killed him.  His wife hasn't taken a buck with a bow and is now scarred for life after this encounter.  What a first buck it would have been!  They didn't have any trail cam pics of this buck either.  You just never know.  It was definitely kept very quiet if someone knew of his existence.  What a bow kill!  Just thought I would share.  There are probably many more that do not ever get recognized.

[Gill-T]

Wow!!!!

[tangledline]

 

totally impressive

[Chas0218]

On 12/26/2018 at 2:54 PM, Legacy said:

25 biggest Upstate NY bucks killed by deer hunters in 2018

 

https://www.syracuse.com/expo/sports/erry-2018/12/12c0fe67b43e4/25-biggest-upstate-ny-bucks-ki.html?fbclid=IwAR3AoqastPuZanll3BG9kpNK7VnrghT1sEPoqLqS5MwZ6raIZO8qp2qtXK0

 

They missed my sister's deer. No hero shot needed. 2nd biggest taken off our property in 10 years. Green score is 157 with 23" inside spread. Pretty decent for an 8 point. Shot in 8F.

[JakeyBaby]

Well........ Ohio was a bust to say the least. Only saw 3 deer on stand or walking around! Did see a couple decent bucks while driving around but all were on private property. 50- 60 degrees every day did not help. Had a great time with the guys but the hunting was awful. Going to try and come up with some different areas to target next year.

[Legacy]

17 minutes ago, JakeyBaby said:

Well........ Ohio was a bust to say the least. Only saw 3 deer on stand or walking around! Did see a couple decent bucks while driving around but all were on private property. 50- 60 degrees every day did not help. Had a great time with the guys but the hunting was awful. Going to try and come up with some different areas to target next year.

 

Im working on a couple of things for Ohio next year. Fingers crossed I can make one of them happen.

[Legacy]

 

According to the Boone and Crockett Club and the Pope and Young Club this whitetail buck taken during the 2018 Illinois archery season could be the largest hunter-taken non-typical whitetail on record.

Bowhunter, Luke H. Brewster arrowed a buck from Edgar County, Illinois on November 2, 2018. Shortly after the harvest, photos circulated online stating it had a green score of 311. After the required 60-day drying period and consultation with both scoring organizations the official entry score of 320-5/8 confirmed that it is only the 5th hunter-taken non-typical whitetail to exceed 300 inches in history. If verified at this score, the buck would be the third largest non-typical whitetail in Boone and Crockett and the new Pope and Young World's Record.

The World's Record and number two all-time non-typical whitetail deer recognized by B&C are picked-up trophies scoring 333-7/8 and 328-2/8 B&C points respectively, and were found in St. Louis County, Missouri and Portage County, Ohio. The largest hunter taken, and current number three All-time non-typical whitetail on record with B&C scores 312 and was taken by Stephen L. Tucker from Sumner County, Tennessee in 2016.

"To put Luke's deer in perspective this deer could surpass our current World's Record that has stood for 18 years by more than 20 inches," said Eli Randall, director of Big Game Records for the Pope and Young Club.
The current P&Y World's Record was taken by Michael Beatty from Green County, Ohio, in 2000 and scores 294 points. The second largest on record is a deer taken in 1962 in Nebraska by Del Austin with a score of 279-7/8 points.

Using the Boone and Crockett Club system of scoring, the Pope and Young Club maintains the records for all archery-taken trophies. Boone and Crockett recognizes trophies taken by all legal hunting methods, as well as picked-up or found trophies.

The 38-point buck has a gross typical frame of 151-5/8 with 178-3/8 inches of abnormal points. After an accepted entry score, all potential World's Record entries for each organization are verified by a panel of official measurers. A panel of B&C and P&Y measurers is being scheduled next to verify the buck's measurements.

[Guppy35]

Got my rifle buck back a few weeks ago (from Dave Thompson in Savona, NY).  Always extremely pleased with the work that Dave does!  Here are a few pictures of my 2018 Rifle buck, and my 2017 bow buck.  The last two seasons have made for an expensive hobby!!

[NymphO]

Look great ! Is it really a bad thing to have a taxi bill ???

[steelie]

Look great ! Got mine back last week. My daughter was with me when I was lucky enough to take him. He now resides in her bedroom!!

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[Outdoor Lover]

1 hour ago, Guppy35 said:

Beautiful Bucks!! What was the actual spread on the one on the left in the bottom picture??

 

[Guppy35]

Outdoor Lover - The inside spread was exactly 20" 

[BSmaster]

Sean, those deer make you look small.