Legacy -The 2022 Season-

[Legacy]

I know, I know I'm behind the 8 ball on starting this year's thread. Funny how I have actually had a few people mention this thread to me in the past few weeks, wondering when I was starting it up again. Good luck everyone!!!!

I know most of us are wrapping up our fishing seasons at this point and have our eyes set on hunting season. The low water this year really forced the hand of a lot of us. I pulled the boat out earlier then I ever have since owning a lake boat. I guess in a good note it means I have time to work on the boat and I'm not as hard pressed to get everything done to the boat before the deer season.

As you all know last year was successful for me as I shot my biggest deer to date.

 

Here's the story of my 2021 bow buck as posted in the 2021 thread...

 

 

"To make a long story even longer... I have seen this buck for a number of years. I estimate him to be a 5 year old and as you can see I have pictures from the 2021, 2020, and 2019 of him. Last year this deer was extremely photogenic. He was all over my cameras however I don’t recall ever seeing him while on stand. He just seemed to be very good at avoiding me but apparently loved to get his picture taken. Fast forward to September 2021.... I was doing a preseason check on an existing set (trimming shooting lanes, checking straps, etc.) and then venture off to hang a camera after gaging the deer sign. I ended up about 75-100 yards from that set and found a ton of fresh sign. While there seemed to be a lot of sign around the other set, It just seemed like this area was the cross roads and a major intersection of runs from every direction. So, the search for a suitable tree began. I found a tree on the east side of where I thought the majority of activity was and hung a stand and a camera. 

On the afternoon of the hunt the weather was perfect, and I had planned to hunt a different set. When I was walking in I didn’t like the wind. It was forecasted as NW but for some reason there it seemed to be W or even SW. As I am wind checking I notice that the wind is actually swirling (which it tends to do in the spot) and considered pulling the plug on the hunt all together. I called an audible decided to switch sets and wind checked it once I was there. Westerly... perfect.

About 4:00 or so, the does and fawns began to flood the field and by 6:00 I had eyes on 18. Not a rack to be seen. Then about 610ish I had a young buck trot down the head row and almost give me a heart attack. First rack of the year tends to do that to me. He got to the base of my tree, winded me, and stopped in his tracks. He seemed more curious then at full alert. And then it happened... I hear something walking the same path that the small buck just came down and it’s this stud. Problem is because of all the leaves on the trees I don’t notice him until he is under 30 yards from me. I try to grab my bow off the hanger and clip my release on without spooking the small buck but he spots me in the tree and takes off. And of course now the big buck is alert. Luckily when the little buck took off running he bumped a few does closer to my stand. The big buck sees that and he lets his guard down. I’m guessing he’s thinking that this young buck is just bumping does. He continues walking towards me. He’s moving from my right to left so I’m trying to plan out my shot. He ends up down wind and stops in his tracks. With a few deer directly in front of him he seemed at ease and continued walking. He changed direction slightly and now is quartering away from me. Perfect opportunity for a shot. I drew and shot. 20 yard shot. Quartering away. My shot ended up high and shot was not a pass through. Lumenock was blazing and the shot looked perfect. Buck ran about 75 yards, stumbled, and dropped. The field is about waist high so there was no way I could see him. I waited until dark to leave the stand because I had to walk out in that direction. Even though I was extremely confident that the deer was dead, I still gave him a couple hours to make sure. It was a long two and half hours!!! Went back with a buddy and was happy to find the buck dead right where I saw him drop.

My best buck to date and extremely happy to get it done with the bow! Nice to have some history with him!"

 

Here's the story on my 2021 Muzzy Buck as posted in the 2021 thread...

 

"December  21 pm
4 degrees
SE wind 5-10 mph
Partly sunny

 

I have been sitting on a winter wheat field all week and decided to change things up a bit. Headed back to a confidence set I have which seems to be great in late season. Does started moving about 330 or so and saw 10-12 does/fawns over the course of the afternoon. Around 440 I checked my phone to see what time sunrise was when something, out of the corner of my eye, caught my attention. 75 yards over my right shoulder I noticed horns walking out into the field. I had to make a quick decision because he was walking across the field and slowly getting farther and farther away. Once I committed, I had to slowly stand up turn all the way around and grab my gun off the hanger. Nice thing about him being over my right shoulder is I could rest my gun on the trunk of the tree. He was about 100 or so yards when I pulled the trigger. Shot felt perfect but with a muzzleloader you never get to see the initial reaction because of the smoke show. However he took off like a bat out of hell and ran about 75 yards before face planting. I could see him in the field and saw a couple of tail flickers before expiring. Game over! Happy to get it done in the late season. Pics coming soon!!!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Legacy]

[Legacy]

[Smat64]

Can’t believe its a week from Saturday!

 

glad to see this thread, let the fun begin. 

[Guppy35]

This season has quickly snuck up on me, but I'm excited to get out there! Here are a few of the better bucks that's I've gotten on camera so far this year.






Sent from my SM-S901U using Lake Ontario United mobile app
 

Edited September 23, 2022 by Guppy35

[john1947]

Last year hunt 

I checked my cam after my hunt .

Big buck walked by unseen

That orange dot behind was me

I hunt south hill but see more deer in my yard

Lol

[fisherman21]

39 minutes ago, john1947 said:

Last year hunt 

I checked my cam after my hunt .

Big buck walked by unseen

That orange dot behind was me

I hunt south hill but see more deer in my yard

Lol

Were you sleeping lol

[Gator]

Next time, tell him where he is on your hit list with one of these

 

 

Edited September 24, 2022 by Gator

[Gill-T]

I took a stroll on some state land around Ellicottville to see what mast is dropping. Zero Beech, zero oak,  a few apples trees bearing fruit and a few hickories. My takeaway from the walk is hunt agriculture because there ain’t much food in the big woods. 

[Legacy]

[bout time]

On 9/24/2022 at 1:39 PM, Gill-T said:

I took a stroll on some state land around Ellicottville to see what mast is dropping. Zero Beech, zero oak,  a few apples trees bearing fruit and a few hickories. My takeaway from the walk is hunt agriculture because there ain’t much food in the big woods. 

We have a lease and also hunt state land (Connecticut hill) and found the same. Little to no food in the woods. We got hit hard with Gypsy moths again. We also have a natural creek that would flow into a main stream and that’s almost bone dry due to the drought this year. Our cameras have been dead on the hill in the woods with almost all sign down at the crop fields. 

Edited September 27, 2022 by bout time

[Roys Boys]

[Smat64]

Lots of pictures the last two nights with bucks fighting all night.
 

Think they are trying to get broken before the season starts and they are smiling on camera. 

[Guppy35]

I've had quite a few pictures of bucks sparring on camera over the past 2-3 weeks as well, but they should start breaking up real soon now.  I'm excited about this season, I recently upgraded to a new crossbow (Wicked Ridge Invader 400), and bought my first ever muzzleloader (CVA Optima V2 Nitride).  Can't wait to try them out this season.  Good luck to anybody that is heading out this weekend!

[Gill-T]

Let’s get ready to rumblllllllllle

[machzrcr]

Good luck fellas! Hopefully it's another good season,. Trail cams are showing a couple nice ones. Got one big boy that I'm letting my ole man get the first sit on him! While I sit on the other side of the property! But hopefully him or my cousin get it done before I got to go show em how to do it [emoji1787]

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[Gill-T]

Not a good start.  They just don’t make zippers like they used to. One doe with flag up ran by me so far otherwise no movement. Not even squirrels. I think critters are sensing the storm bands approaching and are already bedded. 
 

 

[whaler1]

All three kids out today. Older boy this evening has seen a mink and a pheasant lol. 

[Nittanyfisher]

Had 1 opportunity with an 8pt in Webster, but of course just like it always happens he approached from the side that I have zero cover on in my stand.. he came to 20 yards and I tried to maneuver for a shot but I was busted.... Then popped a mature doe about an hour later.. now I can focus on specific bucks...

 

[whaler1]

[Gator]

Hunted for two hours yesterday morning and evening and again this morning. First opening weekend that I remember where I was skunked on potential opportunities. I had a buck of unknown size that trapped me in the stand last night past dark, but he didn't show until dusk and I never had a shot or even a decent look at him. I did see some doe in the fields, but none anywhere close to the stand. As for today - I forgot my Dramamine this morning and was wobbly getting down. The neighbor shot a 2 1/2 year old eight point. There will be better days ahead.

Edited October 2, 2022 by Gator

[chesapeake]

Not a deer hunt but thought I'd share last week's moose hunt.

Wednesday the 21st my brother and I started the drive into North West Ontario. We pulled out of the Quinte area with plans of stopping in Sault Ste Marie for the night. The 22nd we completed our drive to Thunder Bay where we would hotel it one more night and Friday do grocery and other errands before heading into the bush of WMU 11b.

On arrival to the camp site, I wandered down to the river to check on water levels and snoop around. Minutes later my brother comes down saying he just had a cow 80 yds away from trailers. Things were looking good.

Saturday morning and night were slow. Sunday was a right off with heavy rain. During the afternoon during a trip to the local liqour store we came across a bull trying to cross the highway. That bull was on a mission to get across. We were driving along beside him and he would not turn back south into the bush. We got the feeling the rut was in high gear. The weather for Sunday night had the temperature falling to -6C. We were ready for the morning.

Monday morning as we were walking into our planned cut to do some calling. We bumped a spike with a cow. That blew the morning for us.

After a mid day partridge hunt and driving other cuts we located a few cut blocks that were loaded with tracks and showing signs of rutting bulls. We had a location for the evening.

About 5pm my brother and I were walking to our cuts. He was going west from where we parked and I was going north.

I had made it about 2 or 3km from the truck just walking the log road, when my cell phone started vibrating. This was the first signal I had in hours. I decided to stop and check all my messages before going further and starting to call. I put my ravin down needing to send an etransfer for my daughter's hockey. As I am sending it I can hear grunting in the poplars coming towards me.

I run for my crossbow and hide behind a single poplar brush to see the bull step back into an uncut pine stand at 70yds. He goes silent.

Now in panic mode I run to the end of the pine stand find a location to hide, I started grunting and smashing poplars for all I was worth. Within seconds the bull pops out about 100 yds away. He starts grunting and racking the small poplars in the cut.

I gave a few more grunts and another round of thrashing on the poplars I was hiding in. The bull gives another grunt and turns to me on a bee line. Only stopping to tear up more brush.

The bull made it to 13yds before turning from being head on. I stand for the shot. Sure enough the poplar I was racking is covering his vitals. The bull takes off, I give 2 grunts and he stops. Looks back broadside at 37yds. WACK! The lighted nock and iron will passed through and lodge underneath a rock.
The bull run s another 20 yds and stops to my grunting again. I almost got the ravin reloaded before he slowly walked away over a ridge grown up with 6 foot poplars.

I was a mess. Lol. On the radio to call the other hunters... pacing... more radio chatter.

After about 45 minutes with the other hunters arrival and my brother the tag holder we walk about 30 yds from where I last saw him and get my hands on my first moose.

After a night of work and carrying on we ended the trip with a Tues afternoon "eye" trip for a fish fry dinner. We caught our 5 man limit in about an hour, trading up a few and releasing a few pike.


Up next.... a rifle moose hunt at the deer camp in Eastern Ontario in 2 weeks. A rifle deer hunt with the beagles 2nd week of November. Then either archery deer or if I get drawn a shotgun deer hunt in Prince Edward County across the lake from many of you the first week of December.

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[Gill-T]

Special resident partnering license I assume?  Congrats. The meat is delicious. 

[chesapeake]

5 of us hunting. All Ontario residents. Can "party" hunt the one tag. Lots of regulations to follow when party hunting in Ontario. Distance, communication, etc etc

We also had a cow tag. Unfilled.



The meat is fantastic! Been on successful hunts in the past. Never the "trigger" man



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[fisherman21]

Meat in the freezer. Blessed to be able to take this doe on my first sit of the season this morning.