Foggy47
5 year old buck +
In defense of "other hunters"......we were all Fudd's at one point in time. And that is the real world of WILD game.
Big 8’s
- Thread starter Howboutthemdawgs
- Start date
Mortenson
5 year old buck +
Sorry to hear that. Was hoping you connected on that deer. You would've been the most deserving, but we all know that's not how it works.
Foggy47
5 year old buck +
Actually, I'm one of the "Lucky Land Owners" in this part of Minnesota. If you go about 15 miles north of me....you get into the "wolf zone". The wolves north of me have killed most of the deer in that area. It's really tough country for deer to live.....even in the best of times.....as there is only the buds and shrubs that the deer can feed on.
I hunted this area for many years....and there is allot of public land but now few deer. We really had to work at it to find some deer in the best of times.......30 years ago. I have a neighbor that has hunted this land for perhaps 50 years or so. He camped by himself (his old partners gave up a few years ago) in the area he hunted for many years. Spent three long days in a ladder stand....basically pre-dawn to after dark. Never saw a deer or heard any shooting in his vicinity. Saw no deer tracks but saw a few wolf tracks.
Tonight he told me he was ready to sell his guns and give up hunting. Just no fun anymore when he doesn't have a decent chance of connecting with a deer of any kind. Can't say I blame him.
I drove near this area when I took my deer(s) to the processor in Emily. It used to be that the road would have cars parked at most of the driveway access's along my route. And I would see a huge number of folks with orange clothing coming and going along this area. NO more! Most folks have given up on this area.....as the wolves, bears, coyotes, and tough winters have beaten the deer down to nothing. Really sad to see. And many business's that made a good good share of their annual income from the hunters are paying a price too.
Sad.....no other words. Just Sad. Pita and the wolf lovers have won their day.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
^ ^ ^ ^ Much of the non-hunting public has no idea how many $$$$$$ are spent on outdoor gear / brought into areas because of hunters and fishermen/ women. Many of the "wild, untamed" areas non-hunting folks like to enjoy by hiking, biking, canoeing, rafting, nature studies, picture-taking, or driving through were purchased by hunting & fishing license dollars. Much of the undeveloped, preserved lands in the U.S. - and the critters living in them - are due to hunters & fishermen / women.
Take away those hunters & fishermen ..... lots of economic damage.
Sorry you didn't get a shot at that nice 8, Foggy.
Take away those hunters & fishermen ..... lots of economic damage.
Sorry you didn't get a shot at that nice 8, Foggy.
Hoytvectrix
5 year old buck +
Maybe it is a good opportunity to have a conversation about why the quality of bucks are improving?
One thing that I have done is literally show proof of me passing a good buck the year prior as a sign of good faith. You don't have to have fancy camera equipment. Even a cell phone photo or video of the buck will show your trigger restraint is one of the reasons why they were able to harvest the great buck this year. That of course opens dialogue for management goals going forward.
One thing that I have done is literally show proof of me passing a good buck the year prior as a sign of good faith. You don't have to have fancy camera equipment. Even a cell phone photo or video of the buck will show your trigger restraint is one of the reasons why they were able to harvest the great buck this year. That of course opens dialogue for management goals going forward.
omicron1792
5 year old buck +
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
BLACK tarsal showing on that rear left leg. Big neck too. Great buck.
Some real beauties on here, for sure. Many of which I think most would have a hard time passing up when the walk under your stand. I've got a few nice 8s floating around that I would love to see make it another year or two. I ran into the gentleman that hunts the adjacent property to mine the other day (fella was driving up my driveway uninvited snooping around a little). After a few minutes of chatting, he told me he has plans for "only 8 people or so" to hunt his 190 acres this year. Also told me that he told them "shoot anything with an antler" because he is worried about getting a shed into his tractor tire and needing to repair it. Needless to say, my hopes for seeing these buck mature diminished substantially after that discussion. I've still been selective only willing to cut one loose on 2 of my target buck this year with hopes that they're relatively unsuccessful during our short rifle season. It is disheartening for those who don't have several hundred+ acres to try to let them grow another year or so. My area could develop some really nice deer if all the locals could exercise a little self control,
Howboutthemdawgs
5 year old buck +
It’s so frustrating. My area could grow world class deer, has grown world class deer. Drove past the stupid ass outfitter by me Sunday morning and he had a deer that you wouldn’t shoot in north Florida public land hanging up. Self control is an underutilized characteristic.
I might have missed it if you posted it somewhere else on here, but how did your group do during the gun season?
I think that the guys who do nothing and leave their properties untouched most of the year have a great chance of bagging a good one if they have thick cover and can get in and out of their stands without spooking everything. Those old bucks like bedding in those areas with the least human pressure in the neighborhood and often times that is the neighboring property where people only enter the property during deer season. They should at least bring you over a cold beer as a thank you for keeping the buck they shot well fed!
S.T.Fanatic
5 year old buck +
Did you offer to go pick those sheds up before he starts his field work in the spring?
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T-Max
5 year old buck +
Howboutthemdawgs
5 year old buck +
Bait pile and rifle got this one. Take him off the list
Mortenson
5 year old buck +
Damn. Sorry for your loss.
Foggy47
5 year old buck +
We only hunted 1.5 days on opening weekend of rifle. I killed a 6 point basket-rack buck to get some meat.....and my grandson killed a ten point buck. We saw a number of small bucks and does .....but had little time to hunt as most of my family had to go back home to work (and they all had wives with them for this trip). Some will hunt a bit more in the weeks to come. My wife and I had to return to AZ as she needs radiation treatment for breast cancer (started today).
My goal was to get at least two decent deer for steaks and sausage.....and we accomplished that. My son in law will hunt some more.....but my property will not be hunted much this season. We still have some good deer using the property.....so I hope some are available for next year.
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Dogshooter
5 year old buck +
Here’s a big 8 I had a few years back. He was 6 at the time and was a real horse of a body. I ended up killing him with the bow but unfortunately the wolves got to him before I found him because of a rain washing away the blood. He broke a brow tine off but would have went 148” with it.
