2017 - Official Deer Season Thread

[sugarcreekbrass]

I have been fortunate to get permission to look for deer on neighboring property. The worst one was my biggest buck. Weighed 210lbs field dressed. It crossed the road and died in a valley, which was visible from the road. There was an old fence up so I couldn’t drive the 4 wheeler to it. My dad and I had to drag the deer about 100 yds, though I thought it was more like a mile, then load it on the trailer. We took it up to our field and dressed it out next to my dads buck he got that morning.

 

[jblomenberg16]

Got my first deer. 45 yards and she dropped in her tracks. 150 grain 308 in her heart. I was pulling chunks of heart out of her.

Congrats! That is going to make for some delicious venison!

 

[Restroyer]

No deer worth taking today (just one little late birth fawn that we let pass). But we did have 16 turkeys cross in front of our ground blind about 15 yards away. 2 Hawks also sat about 10 yards away in an oak tree across from us. Still a nice day to sit quietly with my sons in the blind and watch nature. We'll try again early tomorrow.

 

[randy68]

Afterr 33 hours in a tree stand this last week I finally saw my first deer. A big ole doe. Should make fine eating. Used my Marlin 336 .35 Rem with handloaded 200 gr corloks. DRT.

 

[trailrider]

Finally quit hunting antlers to fill the freezer. My wife has been on me to get some meat. Got a BIG doe Saturday morning and couldn't pass up a double as another small doe wouldn't leave. The butcher actually went over and checked the head of the big doe to make sure antlers hadn't been cut off. Kinda funny. First deer taken without my compound bow in years. I worked up a Nosler 95 grain for my 243 and it performed well. Turned the heart to jelly.

 

[chemteach]

Took my first doe of the season last night. She's probably around 140 pounds. Used Rossi lever-gun in .44 mag, 240 grain lead semi-wadcutter (Keith design) over .29 grams Red Dot. Hope to take a second one during muzzle-loader season. It's always nice to have that first one out of the way.

 

[Michigan Slim]

Shot this guy opening day. Waited three hours for the thunderstorms and torrential rain to stop before I could get him out of the woods. It's nice to use my Michigan deer rifle down here too.

 

[slipnotz]

Nice buck Slim, what caliber is your Michigan deer rifle in? I just got my great nephew his buck last night, now it is my turn. Was lucky enough to pass up on 4 bucks this afternoon a small 6pt 2 small 4's and a 3 pt. Just couldn't pull the trigger.

 

[Michigan Slim]

I bought that .270 in 95 when we got the cabin up north.
Ben passing small racks all thru bow season. This was the first time I saw this guy. There is sign of a bigger one out there so Kaya is gunning for him. She couldn't go today because of physics homework. WTH!?

 

[Restroyer]

Shot this guy opening day. Waited three hours for the thunderstorms and torrential rain to stop before I could get him out of the woods. It's nice to use my Michigan deer rifle down here too. View attachment 61187

Very nice buck. Congrats!

 

[natdscott]

Shot this guy opening day. Waited three hours for the thunderstorms and torrential rain to stop before I could get him out of the woods. It's nice to use my Michigan deer rifle down here too. View attachment 61187

Why did you buy one with the bolt handle on the wrong side? Discount special?

 

[DEC]

A buck that I called T9 (Tall 9) crossed paths with me for one final time this Saturday. I have watched this buck for at least two years. By the teeth wear my taxidermist believes him to be 4 1/2. I have pictures of him last year as a high racked 8 and I actually let him walk one day last year due to a questionable shot angle. This year he grew longer G3's, longer beams, mass, and a 9th point. I was getting pictures of him pretty regularly, but all at night or right at the end of shooting time.


Sunday, November 12th, he came in 5 minutes into legal time at 25 yards, but it was too dark that morning to get a clean shot. So I videoed him and had to painfully let him walk away. The next evening, he came back out and for 90 minutes I watched him dog a doe, finally breeding her. 65 yards was as close as he would get that evening. I hunted this deer every day except for Thanksgiving after that encounter. I spent 24 out of 28 days in the stand hunting him or one of two other bucks (both giants), as I had made my that I was not settling for any other deer this year. I passed up many real good bucks this year that I want to see make it another year, as my mind was made up.


This past Saturday morning it all came together. I had just watched 4 does mill around and leave not 30 yards from me. Once they had left, I was texting a buddy, joking about getting an itchy trigger finger, when I looked to my left and there stood T9, 40 yards from me. He sniffed around and then came across in front of me. At 25 yards I let the 450 Bushmaster eat. A 15 yard snow plow run and it was over. All of the 100+ hours of stand time over four weeks and it came down to a 30 second encounter. Elation for the reward and sadness that the cat and mouse game was over ... all in one moment.


This has been the most enjoyable year of hunting that I can ever remember and this buck was just the icing on the cake.

 

[phylodog]

Congrats on a great buck and an awesome story chasing him!

 

[Grogmister]

Great buck DEC. Steuben Co. has some nice deer. DeKalb gets all their little brothers I think.

 

[whiteoak]

I chased a bigger buck through bow season and missed him the last week of Oct. Watching him on trail cameras at midnight got old, so when this guy came out I just had to let the Win 270 have him. Hit with a 130gr Partition at 2930fps. at 60 yrds quartering to me, bullet through the front shoulder exited about 8in back from opposite shoulder. He ran about 20 to 30 yards and dropped. Just to little hunting time this season to let this guy pass on buy my stand. He came out at 5:00pm into a half acre of winter wheat by himself and fed for about 3 minutes before the shot.

 

[Michigan Slim]

Why did you buy one with the bolt handle on the wrong side? Discount special?

Genetic disorder I'm told.

 

[possumpacker]

awsome deer, and great memory. and thats why i dont watch football cause i want to be in the game.lol

 

[natdscott]

Genetic disorder I'm told.

hahaha!

-Nate

 

[yetti462]

Took my 5 yr old out tonight, 243 with 80gr Barnes landed this fat doe at 215 yds.

 

[BiscuitsandGravy]

You gotta love those grins all around. Young and old-er.