Howboutthemdawgs
5 year old buck +
Geez you have tonnage there. Impressive
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The Home 70
- Thread starter Brian662
- Start date
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
Super-looking plot pics!!! You nailed those plantings. Buck pic ^ ^ ^ and signs are all good. Nice work, and good luck tagging that buck!!
Brian662
5 year old buck +
First sit of the year, looking for anything mature. There's a few around or so I've been told.
Sitting in my east wind blind over looking food. I've had some exciting hunts here during this pre-rut phase. Switchgrass is getting a little tall to get an archery shot through my pinch point, but there are a few locations I'll be able to squeeze one off if the opportunity presents itself.
Sitting in my east wind blind over looking food. I've had some exciting hunts here during this pre-rut phase. Switchgrass is getting a little tall to get an archery shot through my pinch point, but there are a few locations I'll be able to squeeze one off if the opportunity presents itself.
Brian662
5 year old buck +
I don't have great bedding on my place, the elevations and layout arent great for where there is good cover at the moment. I'm working on adding cover to the right spots but that takes time. The switchgrass helps in that regard but it is only preferred structure at certain times.
Double Creek
5 year old buck +
That’s some beautiful country!
Brian662
5 year old buck +
Haven't had any luck encountering anything older than a 3.5 year old in MN so far but there is still some mid day cruising going on.
Lots of pheasant sightings and pictures this year. Hopefully get a buck down so I won't feel so bad about busting the brush and grass after a few before the season closes.
Lots of pheasant sightings and pictures this year. Hopefully get a buck down so I won't feel so bad about busting the brush and grass after a few before the season closes.
Brian662
5 year old buck +
Yesterday was an incredible hunt for so many reasons. It was ridiculously cold (below zero) and as high (and rising) of a barometric pressure as I can ever recall, 30.8. I've heard them referred to as "magic X days" for weather. By 3:30 there were 20 deer in the plot and I looked over to notice a bunch of pheasants coming my way. Such beautiful birds.
As I'm watching between the deer and pheasants, and enjoying the fruits of my labor, I see one of the shooters step out from the switchgrass. It's been a fun few years to see the wildlife respond to the work I've put in, especially the pheasants. Shooter is 200+ at this point.
They feed for a while, I count what I believe was 17 pheasants most take off and land in the grass to my north but a few roosters are 10 yards. This property was hay and pasture when we bought it 12 years ago, the transformation has been awesome.
The shooter is a wide 9 pointer that has a heavy body, I've encountered him before but this was the first time where I was in the game. He has been around and recognizable on trail cam for a few years. Normally spends more time on my place after the rut is over (pretty common for this property and the late season food offerings).
A few videos of him from the past few weeks.
Here he is a few days ago and developed a bit of a limp. I've noticed several deer in the last few hunts with decent limps.
As I'm watching between the deer and pheasants, and enjoying the fruits of my labor, I see one of the shooters step out from the switchgrass. It's been a fun few years to see the wildlife respond to the work I've put in, especially the pheasants. Shooter is 200+ at this point.
They feed for a while, I count what I believe was 17 pheasants most take off and land in the grass to my north but a few roosters are 10 yards. This property was hay and pasture when we bought it 12 years ago, the transformation has been awesome.
The shooter is a wide 9 pointer that has a heavy body, I've encountered him before but this was the first time where I was in the game. He has been around and recognizable on trail cam for a few years. Normally spends more time on my place after the rut is over (pretty common for this property and the late season food offerings).
A few videos of him from the past few weeks.
Here he is a few days ago and developed a bit of a limp. I've noticed several deer in the last few hunts with decent limps.
Brian662
5 year old buck +
The buck has slowly fed his way into better view and my range finder is showing 167 yards. I took a buck a few years ago at 150 with this muzzle loader so I have the confidence but lack the practice. Its zeroed at 100 so I am about 6 inches high on a broadside shot and squeeze off. Everything scattered pretty quickly and I have no idea if I hit him or missed clean.
Went back to the house, used the rest room (
), got in my tractor and drove up to the spot where I thought he was standing, still about 30 minutes of light left...no blood. Check a few of the exit trails, no blood. Starting to wonder if I clean missed him when I look across the ravine and see a deer laying there, gotta be him. I drive the tractor around and there he is, went about 125 yards, double lung about 3" back from the shoulder. Died within feet of the property line. Snap a few pics, go to drag him away from the barb wire fence only to realize his from leg is wrapped in the fence! He must have tried jumping the fence and without enough strength got caught in the upper strand, incredible.
He has an 18 1/2" spread and 8 3/4" g2's. Good mass throughout and big body, easily 30-40 lbs bigger than my WI bucks.
You can see his leg tied up in the fence.
Took him to my buddy's semi-heated shop so he didn't turn into an ice block in my barn. Not the best photos but give a better idea maybe over the field shots.
The neighbor shared this pic with me from 2022. He thought and I agree that he's at least 3 years old here, which puts him at 6 or older now. Somehow these deer still sometimes find a way to get old, even with these f'ed up gun seasons in MN.
Went back to the house, used the rest room (
), got in my tractor and drove up to the spot where I thought he was standing, still about 30 minutes of light left...no blood. Check a few of the exit trails, no blood. Starting to wonder if I clean missed him when I look across the ravine and see a deer laying there, gotta be him. I drive the tractor around and there he is, went about 125 yards, double lung about 3" back from the shoulder. Died within feet of the property line. Snap a few pics, go to drag him away from the barb wire fence only to realize his from leg is wrapped in the fence! He must have tried jumping the fence and without enough strength got caught in the upper strand, incredible.He has an 18 1/2" spread and 8 3/4" g2's. Good mass throughout and big body, easily 30-40 lbs bigger than my WI bucks.
You can see his leg tied up in the fence.
Took him to my buddy's semi-heated shop so he didn't turn into an ice block in my barn. Not the best photos but give a better idea maybe over the field shots.
The neighbor shared this pic with me from 2022. He thought and I agree that he's at least 3 years old here, which puts him at 6 or older now. Somehow these deer still sometimes find a way to get old, even with these f'ed up gun seasons in MN.
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Brian662
5 year old buck +
Yes it went straight through him, I didn't walk back more than 10 yards because my trail I drove the tractor in on was less than 10 yards from where I recovered him. There was mostly a mist of blood in those 10 yards. The cavity was FULL of blood when I started to gut him.
I didn't pay very close attention but my guess is the diaphragm closed up over the entry/exit or both preventing much blood from pumping out.
Brian662
5 year old buck +
Thank you, it's been a good run the past few years, I hope it continues.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
He's a dandy, Brian!! Big and mature. What did he weigh - if you had access to a scale?
Brian662
5 year old buck +
He's still hanging, I'll try to get a scale on him before I start cutting him up
