2023 Deer Season

[Cavman]

Trimmed some limbs behind me about 24 yds on an old logging trail. Had seen small buck using it, only place for good shot behind me. Well this morning 2 yearling and doe came past, lucky I saw them. Barely had time to get turned around and doe stopped long enough in that only spot. The 3 blade fixed Muzzy got lungs and the heart. Went about 100 yards…. And fell into a 15’ deep ditch. But right where a dead end trail stopped. SxS pulled it right up. About the easiest deer recovery in my life. Already got packed in coolers with ice, take my time later canning it. Now for a buck I hope. View attachment 304742

Congratulations!

 

[phylodog]

Trimmed some limbs behind me about 24 yds on an old logging trail. Had seen small buck using it, only place for good shot behind me. Well this morning 2 yearling and doe came past, lucky I saw them. Barely had time to get turned around and doe stopped long enough in that only spot. The 3 blade fixed Muzzy got lungs and the heart. Went about 100 yards…. And fell into a 15’ deep ditch. But right where a dead end trail stopped. SxS pulled it right up. About the easiest deer recovery in my life. Already got packed in coolers with ice, take my time later canning it. Now for a buck I hope.

Good luck!

 

[jagee]

I haven't killed a deer since 2019...I think. I bought my property in 2020 and haven't killed anything off of it. Hopefully this year is the year. I want to say I'll pass on little bucks, but in reality, if it doesn't have spots and provides a clear shot, it's going down.

 

[DragonGunner]

I haven't killed a deer since 2019...I think. I bought my property in 2020 and haven't killed anything off of it. Hopefully this year is the year. I want to say I'll pass on little bucks, but in reality, if it doesn't have spots and provides a clear shot, it's going down.

 

[phylodog]

I haven't killed a deer since 2019...I think. I bought my property in 2020 and haven't killed anything off of it. Hopefully this year is the year. I want to say I'll pass on little bucks, but in reality, if it doesn't have spots and provides a clear shot, it's going down.

Same situation here but this is our 4th season on the new place waiting for the her to recover and the bucks to mature. The good news is that the genetics that survived are looking really nice, we've got a 2yr old mainframe 11 that'll probably be a 12 next year and we've got a couple nice shooters hanging in the area this year.

Good luck, putting one down on your own ground is something I'm looking forward to some day.

 

[jagee]

Same situation here but this is our 4th season on the new place waiting for the her to recover and the bucks to mature. The good news is that the genetics that survived are looking really nice, we've got a 2yr old mainframe 11 that'll probably be a 12 next year and we've got a couple nice shooters hanging in the area this year.

Good luck, putting one down on your own ground is something I'm looking forward to some day.

I've seen a couple spikes on camera, but that's it. Lately it's maybe 1 doe a week. Turkeys seem to have found the place, though. Picture of the neighbor's (or someone's) dog just showed up before I posted this.

 

[phylodog]

I've seen a couple spikes on camera, but that's it. Lately it's maybe 1 doe a week. Turkeys seem to have found the place, though. Picture of the neighbor's (or someone's) dog just showed up before I posted this.

I've been watching a ton of videos lately, for one I like a lot of the non sponsored guys who are putting out great videos. They're entertaining and they help get me fired up for season. I've also been paying specific attention to the weather conditions that they're hunting when they are having success. I'm trying to erase my biases so I'll stop making excuses not to hunt when I'm tired or burned out lol.

One of the videos was part of a series where they collared bucks and watched their movements. One mature buck traveled 13 miles and stayed for something like 19 months before it returned to the area. I like watching that sort of thing, reminds me that you never know what might walk in front of you regardless of what you're seeing on camera.

 

[Hookeye]

Buck we had on camera after season, was killed over two miles south the next season.
Not many does, patch work woods, lots of ag......they can cover quite a bit of ground.

Why we dont get excited til Halloween

 

[yetti462]

I hope to have my porch project done by Halloween. I won't be able to sit and hunt knowing I have things to do at the homestead.

 

[Michigan Slim]

I hope to have my porch project done by Halloween. I won't be able to sit and hunt knowing I have things to do at the homestead.

I hate that. I'm the same way.

 

[two70]

I've been watching a ton of videos lately, for one I like a lot of the non sponsored guys who are putting out great videos. They're entertaining and they help get me fired up for season. I've also been paying specific attention to the weather conditions that they're hunting when they are having success. I'm trying to erase my biases so I'll stop making excuses not to hunt when I'm tired or burned out lol.

One of the videos was part of a series where they collared bucks and watched their movements. One mature buck traveled 13 miles and stayed for something like 19 months before it returned to the area. I like watching that sort of thing, reminds me that you never know what might walk in front of you regardless of what you're seeing on camera.

I've noticed that the mature bucks in my area tend to arrive in about 3 waves and a particular buck will almost always show up about the same time within a day or two every year.

If, and its a fairly uncommon occasion, I have any mature bucks around in early October, they disappear by about the 20th and are replaced by different mature bucks trickling in over the next week or so. Some of those bucks will replaced by a new wave of mature bucks by the end of the first week of November. The third wave usually occurs around the end of the first week of firearms season and hang around throughout early December. If there were any mature bucks around in early October they usually return around the end of December.

 

[Cavman]

Wonder if the partial solar eclipse tomorrow will affect movement

 

[Mongo59]

The boys are starting to play

 

[phylodog]

I've noticed that the mature bucks in my area tend to arrive in about 3 waves and a particular buck will almost always show up about the same time within a day or two every year.

If, and its a fairly uncommon occasion, I have any mature bucks around in early October, they disappear by about the 20th and are replaced by different mature bucks trickling in over the next week or so. Some of those bucks will replaced by a new wave of mature bucks by the end of the first week of November. The third wave usually occurs around the end of the first week of firearms season and hang around throughout early December. If there were any mature bucks around in early October they usually return around the end of December.

We're still in a transition phase on the new place. Between the herd recovering from EHD and the changes we've made to the layout of the farm we're going to be in a learning phase for a few more years before we can begin to piece together an accurate idea of the patterns on our place. We'd been on the last farm for 15+ years so we had it pretty well figured out but I'm not complaining. I enjoy learning the new setup and the challenge of figuring out what works.

We've got a couple of 3yr old bucks that have started showing up during the daylight. They're starting to feel the itch a bit. Hoping we'll find some fresh scrapes when we go back out.

 

[yetti462]

^^^scrapes are popping up all over around home. Need to be out, got xc sectional today and construction project. Hopefully Tuesday I'll be going.

 

[Hookeye]

Nuthin movin at my spot. Crops still up

 

[tcecil88]

Nuthin movin at my spot. Crops still up

My favorite spot is way up in the timber at a saddle at the head of a big valley. I have killed a truckload of deer there over the years and it does not produce until the crops are out of the fields about a 1/2 mile to the north. I typically don't get excited about that spot until that time.

 

[greg]

Buck we had on camera after season, was killed over two miles south the next season.
Not many does, patch work woods, lots of ag......they can cover quite a bit of ground.

Why we dont get excited til Halloween

This ^^^

 

[Brad69]

Grandson wants "papa" to take him deer hunting after his squirrel hunting.

I bought him a .350 legend savage last year.

I would do the shooting let's see how we do?

 

[Hookeye]

Saw a small 9 on side of field working a scrape today at 3:45.
Picked beanfield north.
Goober might not make it to gun season LOL
Lot of hunting pressure there.

Big and small doe only deer seen on our spot.
Last week's scrapes not refreshed.