Crossbowguy
Well-known member
Beautiful kid awesome shed, and good luck with the move. That one part of the military I don't miss was all the moving around. Good luck with where ever you end up!!!!
Average Joe's 2018
- Thread starter sn.outdoors
- Start date
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I’m heading out tomorrow morning and Sunday evening! The weather is finally cooling down in Florida so it’s about to get fun!
I’ve also got next Thursday through Sunday off and I’ll be out a few of those days.
One neat thing is next weekend I got invited out on a special hunt. A local on one of our hunting pages always draws a hunt for veterans on one of his properties.
I didn’t get drawn, but my buddy did. Guess who gets to be his guest!
I’m very excited. It should be a neat time.
It’ll be a rifle hunt, fancy box blinds, and I think he’s feeding us lunch. What a nice guy! I’ll bring my camera and maybe I’ll try to record some stuff.
Still plenty of season left down here.... things don’t even get started up until mid to end January!
I’ve also got next Thursday through Sunday off and I’ll be out a few of those days.
One neat thing is next weekend I got invited out on a special hunt. A local on one of our hunting pages always draws a hunt for veterans on one of his properties.
I didn’t get drawn, but my buddy did. Guess who gets to be his guest!
I’m very excited. It should be a neat time.
It’ll be a rifle hunt, fancy box blinds, and I think he’s feeding us lunch. What a nice guy! I’ll bring my camera and maybe I’ll try to record some stuff.
Still plenty of season left down here.... things don’t even get started up until mid to end January!
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2016
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- 948
I was fortunate enough to take another Florida public land doe today. Once I process her I should be at the window where I will focus on bucks only the rest of the season because I should be close to having enough meat for the year!
dirtclod Az.
Well-known member
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- Jan 24, 2018
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- 2,776
That little girl looks somewhat distraught playing on your swingset.She needs a big strong Buck to save her!
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2016
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That little girl looks somewhat distraught playing on your swingset.She needs a big strong Buck to save her!
I agree!!!!
sn.outdoors
Well-known member
Well... We got our house on the market yesterday so I was able to sneak away to chase some deer today.
I went to the same spot I went last week to see if I could turn up the same buck. This time a buddy would be tagging along to spot and Per usual, we saw a lot of does everywhere we looked. Most of the groups of does had a spike or fork horned buck pestering then, but we didn't see any big bucks. We could hear rocks falling below us so we knew there were deer down there, and we also knew there was a lot of terrain we couldn't see from our vantage point.
It didn't take long before we saw the first 3x4. He had a harem of does around him and wasn't in a hunt-able spot. We decided it would be best to let the deer and the wind settle down before making any moves.
As we were getting up to move and check the next drainage, I looked up and saw a buck silhouetted on the adjacent ridgeline....
He obviously saw us too, and wanted nothing to do with it. He stood like a statue for about 5 minutes before a good looking doe walked in front of his nose. He curled his nose, tucked his head back, and followed her into the drainage he came from.
We sat for about an hour longer to let the deer get settled in so we weren't bumping them everywhere we went.
The young 3x4 bedded down within sight in a very hunt-able spot. I hate leaving deer to find deer, and since I'm really limited on time this year, I figured it would be worth going after the 3x4 instead of wandering around looking for the big buck. Either way, I needed to walk to the spot I'd last seen the big one to stalk the 3x4. Maybe we'd see him when we got there.
Well, we didn't see the big buck, but we did see a few other hunters walking down the drainage we assumed the big one was in. Since there weren't many escape routes out of that drainage due to the cliffs and rocks everywhere, we setup on the most likely option on our ridge with the best wind.
The deer didn't come our way and we didn't see the buck come out, but based on the fact that the hunters left and had the same number of arrows in their quivers we don't think they saw him either. So on to stalking the younger buck.
If the buck stayed where we last saw him, I'd have a steep, but easy 25-30 yard shot from the top of the rocks he was bedded below.
Too bad they made a smart move and relocated to the other side of the drainage. 115yds was the closest I could get without spooking any of the sentries.
We were going to take a peak into a different drainage when a random group of does crashed into the drainage where the young 3x4 was bedded. They must have been spooked by other hunters because it was obvious that sticking around was not on their agenda. This actually worked in our favor because all but 4 deer got up and left; a fawn, a doe (who never even stood up), a spike, and the 3x4.
The 3x4 looked like he was going to leave, but immediately turned around when the spike walked past the bedded doe. He pinned his ears back and walked stiff-legged back to the bottom of the drainage. After a 10 minute staredown and a couple near beatdowns, the more dominant buck bedded down in some rocks next to the doe.
It was pretty simple from here. All I had to do was walk back to the other side of the drainage (the same one we were on originally), climb down a few cliffs, conquer a boulder field, somehow quietly walk through a scree chute, tip-toe a narrow ledge, climb a few more rocks and.... boom, easy 20yd shot....
It was going perfectly, until I got 40 yards away and I rolled a rock right past the deer.
They stood up, walked a few yards... no shot... A few more yards... They didn't stop... They turned around... Bad angle, no shot. They walked toward me and behind some rocks. No shot. The buck wouldn't let the doe leave and he wouldn't stand still long enough for me to get a shot.
I climbed a boulder to get a better view. The doe stopped to pee, and the buck had to sniff it. He was perfectly quartered away. I ranged him, set my feet the best I could, drew back, settled the pin and released.
Textbook!
He walked 20 yards before rolling down the hill and stopped 5 yards from where I shot him.
I couldn't be more happy with how it all came together, I'm glad to have my first archery mule deer in the freezer, and I'm looking forward to spending some time with the kids before we move.
The only hunt left for me this year is my wife's elk hunt, and we're not sure if we'll have the time to get it done. We're just taking it all one day at a time right now.
I went to the same spot I went last week to see if I could turn up the same buck. This time a buddy would be tagging along to spot and Per usual, we saw a lot of does everywhere we looked. Most of the groups of does had a spike or fork horned buck pestering then, but we didn't see any big bucks. We could hear rocks falling below us so we knew there were deer down there, and we also knew there was a lot of terrain we couldn't see from our vantage point.
It didn't take long before we saw the first 3x4. He had a harem of does around him and wasn't in a hunt-able spot. We decided it would be best to let the deer and the wind settle down before making any moves.
As we were getting up to move and check the next drainage, I looked up and saw a buck silhouetted on the adjacent ridgeline....
He obviously saw us too, and wanted nothing to do with it. He stood like a statue for about 5 minutes before a good looking doe walked in front of his nose. He curled his nose, tucked his head back, and followed her into the drainage he came from.
We sat for about an hour longer to let the deer get settled in so we weren't bumping them everywhere we went.
The young 3x4 bedded down within sight in a very hunt-able spot. I hate leaving deer to find deer, and since I'm really limited on time this year, I figured it would be worth going after the 3x4 instead of wandering around looking for the big buck. Either way, I needed to walk to the spot I'd last seen the big one to stalk the 3x4. Maybe we'd see him when we got there.
Well, we didn't see the big buck, but we did see a few other hunters walking down the drainage we assumed the big one was in. Since there weren't many escape routes out of that drainage due to the cliffs and rocks everywhere, we setup on the most likely option on our ridge with the best wind.
The deer didn't come our way and we didn't see the buck come out, but based on the fact that the hunters left and had the same number of arrows in their quivers we don't think they saw him either. So on to stalking the younger buck.
If the buck stayed where we last saw him, I'd have a steep, but easy 25-30 yard shot from the top of the rocks he was bedded below.
Too bad they made a smart move and relocated to the other side of the drainage. 115yds was the closest I could get without spooking any of the sentries.
We were going to take a peak into a different drainage when a random group of does crashed into the drainage where the young 3x4 was bedded. They must have been spooked by other hunters because it was obvious that sticking around was not on their agenda. This actually worked in our favor because all but 4 deer got up and left; a fawn, a doe (who never even stood up), a spike, and the 3x4.
The 3x4 looked like he was going to leave, but immediately turned around when the spike walked past the bedded doe. He pinned his ears back and walked stiff-legged back to the bottom of the drainage. After a 10 minute staredown and a couple near beatdowns, the more dominant buck bedded down in some rocks next to the doe.
It was pretty simple from here. All I had to do was walk back to the other side of the drainage (the same one we were on originally), climb down a few cliffs, conquer a boulder field, somehow quietly walk through a scree chute, tip-toe a narrow ledge, climb a few more rocks and.... boom, easy 20yd shot....
It was going perfectly, until I got 40 yards away and I rolled a rock right past the deer.
They stood up, walked a few yards... no shot... A few more yards... They didn't stop... They turned around... Bad angle, no shot. They walked toward me and behind some rocks. No shot. The buck wouldn't let the doe leave and he wouldn't stand still long enough for me to get a shot.
I climbed a boulder to get a better view. The doe stopped to pee, and the buck had to sniff it. He was perfectly quartered away. I ranged him, set my feet the best I could, drew back, settled the pin and released.
Textbook!
He walked 20 yards before rolling down the hill and stopped 5 yards from where I shot him.
I couldn't be more happy with how it all came together, I'm glad to have my first archery mule deer in the freezer, and I'm looking forward to spending some time with the kids before we move.
The only hunt left for me this year is my wife's elk hunt, and we're not sure if we'll have the time to get it done. We're just taking it all one day at a time right now.
dirtclod Az.
Well-known member
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- Jan 24, 2018
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- 2,776
Great story and Great hunt Mike,first Mule Deer with a bow...Awesome.Something I still haven't accomplished.I'm sure you can find a little time for your wifes hunt.SHE didn't grow a mustache after all!
TheBenHoyle
Well-known member
Great hunt. Glad you could connect on that muley.
sn.outdoors
Well-known member
What a crazy string of events that have happened in my life over the last few days. In the midst of a PCS, accepting an offer on our house, shooting a great buck, and traveling home for the holidays, I get this surprise in the mail...
Seeing something I wrote put into print is a lifelong dream of mine. I'm humbled, thankful, and honestly, for once in my life, I'm lost for words. I don't even have time right now to sit down and register it all. Haha. Crazy.
Seeing something I wrote put into print is a lifelong dream of mine. I'm humbled, thankful, and honestly, for once in my life, I'm lost for words. I don't even have time right now to sit down and register it all. Haha. Crazy.
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2016
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- 948
Awesome!!!!
sn.outdoors
Well-known member
Great story and Great hunt Mike,first Mule Deer with a bow...Awesome.Something I still haven't accomplished.I'm sure you can find a little time for your wifes hunt.SHE didn't grow a mustache after all!
Thanks! I'm really looking forward to the elk hunt with my wife. We suddenly have a lot more free time in our schedule since we accepted an offer on the house. We are also trading a bunch of meat of meat in return for some childcare. That'll help us be a lot more effective.
It was a blast. I need to hunt mules more often and dedicate more time to them. They're so much fun!
dirtclod Az.
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- Jan 24, 2018
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Keep it rollin' Mike.I'm in for the duration.
Crossbowguy
Well-known member
That is awesome CJ, another great hunt on an archery muley buck. Hope your transition goes well to where ever your moving to. Very cool seeing you in a magazine article written and photographed by you!!!! Keep it up you might be the next BigFin!!!!
sn.outdoors
Well-known member
Thanks. So far the move is going about as good as it can. I mean... Our house was only on the market for 48 hours. Haha
I have a lot of work to do to even be half of what BigFin is.... I have to retire from the military first, and that's over a decade away! Lots can happen between now and then, and right now I'm just glad to have my first article published. I'm just going to keep hunting and sharing my experiences.
sn.outdoors
Well-known member
Today marks the first day I've hunted in the Wisconsin him deer season since I left home over 9 years ago. I decided I needed to get home to see the family and do a little hunting while I had the chance.
I'm sitting with my cousin who wasn't even close to being old enough to hunt when I left home. It's cold and dead calm. They haven't been seeing a lot of activity, and honestly I have no expectations of seeing anything. I'm just glad to be back where it all started.
A lot has changed since then. The thing that sticks out most is how small this place is. This area was shotgun only forever, but the state changed the laws to allow rifles. What used to be an impossible distance to shoot is now a piece of cake. I can pretty much cover the entire property from one central spot.
The contrast between eastern and western hunting has never been more apparent.
I'm sitting with my cousin who wasn't even close to being old enough to hunt when I left home. It's cold and dead calm. They haven't been seeing a lot of activity, and honestly I have no expectations of seeing anything. I'm just glad to be back where it all started.
A lot has changed since then. The thing that sticks out most is how small this place is. This area was shotgun only forever, but the state changed the laws to allow rifles. What used to be an impossible distance to shoot is now a piece of cake. I can pretty much cover the entire property from one central spot.
The contrast between eastern and western hunting has never been more apparent.
dirtclod Az.
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2018
- Messages
- 2,776
Yep Mike a country mile is A lot longer out here than back east.Although I did go out jogging in Ohio once upon a time.After jogging one block I fell on the ground unable to breath!The humidity was unreal.Give me Az. and a dirtclod to throw anyday!
SPDSpappy
Active member
Good luck out there!
sn.outdoors
Well-known member
No deer yet, but.... at least it's really cold?
The only deer we've seen were on the neighbor's property, but we're hopeful they'll eventually cross the fence.
The only deer we've seen were on the neighbor's property, but we're hopeful they'll eventually cross the fence.
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2016
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Today was an uneventful day in the woods. Didn’t see any bucks, but I’ll be back out there tomorrow. I’m not letting off this big boy the entire season (minus Saturday’s hunt and Feb 1-4 for my controlled hunt)
His days are numbered!
sn.outdoors
Well-known member
There's lots to be thankful for today. Being home with family is at the top of the list, and this guy is just a little icing on the cake.
I'll write up the story sometime soon, but for now I'm just going to celebrate with my uncles and cousins.
I'll write up the story sometime soon, but for now I'm just going to celebrate with my uncles and cousins.
