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Knocked down a doe at last light. 3 came in at 5;50 and were munching on winter rye sprouts. 1 baby and 2 Meat-ables. They fed at 35 for a bit, outside my comfort zone. Eventually 1 worked her way over so I drew but she turned I had ti let down. Then she was behind some cover and one more step she's mine. I draw...she freezes and turns away. I let down: the other one now sees me and is alert to something. My nearest target starts heading correctly again so I draw and need to lean a bit awkwardly for a clear shot that was more quartering to then I thought. Good entry- back exit. She wheels and hangs in the field for 10 minutes, hunched up and walks to the corner. Now it's dark but the baby comes back to feed...I hear heavy rustling now off the field. Climb down check arrow and find good blood but gut smell. Return to the barn and wait u til 10:30 to take a look. Find some good blood- not like gut at all so I track a bit and eventually see eyes. Backed out to return at 12:00. Find her in a new bed and kick her further but she's hurting. Wait another hour and take up trail. Find her in another bed and finish her off. I wish I recognized the quartering better-with the other one staring at me I think I rushed. Regardless, she's hanging and I'm shot! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have learned to do stuff myself since buying this house. I have changed a few light fixtures, cut a tree down out back and I painted my house by myself. I replaced an exterior wall on my shed and I thought that was a big deal. I wanted to add a second set of steps to my little porch for a couple reasons. I couldn't get anyone to do it so I did it myself with the help from a brother in North Carolina and YouTube. I thought I could buy the stringers and just get the job done in a couple days, They didn't have them and they are not easy to make. I did mess up and my last step turned out to be higher than it should have been so I had to build a box. It's amazing that I build something like this!

I’m exhausted but what a day of hunting without actually shooting anything. Took a rookie bowhunter hunting in the morning and he made a great shot on a poor man’s spike. Then as soon as I finished taking care of his deer I get a text from a buddy that he hit a good buck. Helped him track and luckily he didn’t go far. It was a nice broken off 8 point. Got him all cut up and in coolers now I’m relaxing. No PM hunt tonight, back at it in the morning.

Live from Lowe’s. #48 of doe filled up fridge freezer pretty good. Ex got the stand up freezer. Should fit a couple in here

Well that was the best sit Ive had in years. Three bucks, one a real nice 8. They were 75 out or so but cruising. Later I watched the big one ease a doe down the powerline and into some cover. A while later he came back out an went away from me followed by a smaller 8. I was hoping theyd head towards my buddys son who I took out today but he didnt see them. He did see two four pointers. This was the only deer I was truly close to but what a show. Dont stay home in early November folks Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Hunt ruined but have a great story. Saw a free set of boobs.

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Can anyone help [mention=4978]NonTypical[/mention] get back on the forum? He can’t log in he told me via Instagram. Btw, he shot a monster! Forum buck counter = 12 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I’d rather shoot a spike then ever see those again.

11/5/22 I was contacted last night by a guy who’s girlfriend had shot her first deer and it was a gutshot. He knew exactly what to do…..back out so you don’t push it. I let Luna take this morning’s track since she didn’t get to chew on a deer yesterday. It was 62 degrees when I left the house at 6:45 this morning. I can’t remember ever wearing a short sleeve shirt while tracking in November before. I expected this would be a slam dunk track, but it was not. The buck was all over the place which makes me think coyotes had been after it. We ended up in a swamp with Luna swimming down a beaver run as I was in mid thigh deep water following her. We didn’t see any fresh sign, so we went back about 300 yards to last blood for a restart. She brought us back the same way, but at one point she clearly was air scenting, but then continued with her nose to the ground. I told the boyfriend to mark our location on OnX because we may be coming back to look around, which did happen a little while later. We searched the thick swamp grass area while the hunter kept Luna there since she hadn’t shown any interest in going in there. We didn’t find the buck or any sign. We went for another restart and this time when we got to that area Luna began air scenting again and started pulling on the leash and pulled me into the swamp grass. She showed me a bloody bed not too far away which I examined and then called the hunting party over. I stood up and 5’ away I saw the buck laying there dead. It was very windy this morning and it was swirling in the swamp, which was definitely a factor. So happy for this young hunter. Nice 6 point for her first ever deer.

A new project I am just getting started on, acquired a pristine like new rifle that has had only 10 rounds put through it. Chambered in the little dynamo cartridge 256 Winchester Mag, made for a few short years during the mid sixties. Will update as things come along. Al

Had this good 8 put on quite a show chasing and grunting and harassing some of the gals. 3rd buck this morning the girls are doing there job

Spring peepers are deafening this is hysterical. Hopefully one gobbles soon otherwise I will run and gun until 9 then go fishing Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Oh yeah andddd

Keep us abreast of the situation. Thanks Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Here's a dumb ass....

You would have won first prize if you could have gotten a rack selfie . Many others have .

Oh. Almost forgot to tell you that the buck I got last week was standing in the exact spot as the doe I got exactly one week prior. Shot her on an observation sit. The “accidental doe” gave me clues for how to get my buck. First deer with a bow from a treestand. Normally I’m on the ground. Both were 12 yards directly down wind, right where I said they would never be. [emoji23] Being tagged out before November is … uncomfortable at the moment. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Warm weather definitely suppressing movement in 8H/8F but tbh my hunts last couple days have been better than I expected. I’ve seen a handful of 2-3 year olds chasing does and more movement in general than I’d expect being so warm. Cameras have slowed significantly so haven’t been expecting much but they are missing a good amount of action…. the other night I was in a 2-3 acre thicket with 2 cell cams on either side and had 4 bucks in there with me but not a single picture. Doubt they are aware of the cams, seemed like using more random trails and just more chaotic movement right now. So long winded way of saying don’t rely too much on cams. That said, all my mature bucks have disappeared across multiple properties. It’s been close to a week since I’ve got a picture and had been getting each buck every 1 to 3 days. Not sure if they are locked down or maybe my cams just missing them…. but very strange as we’re talking about half dozen or so different properties all seeing the same thing. Hopefully incoming cold front gets the big boys moving again Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This thing is itchy.....

Holy shit Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

Playing the game with the bucks today. This morning I was on the other side of the farm when this young guy shows up ten yards from my natural ground blind on the oak ridge. So this afternoon I move over to that spot and see a couple doe's with fawns in tow. While a little spike harasses them. Then I get a picture of this shooter from where I was this morning! I guess that's why we call it hunting! But good thing is, they are out and about, even in these warm temps. I may just stumble into one at some point? Who knows?

We are rolling west.

God it’s hot… not sure why I’m back out but I am. My buddy just sent me this from the driveway. It’s about 500 yards from my stand Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

11/3/pm 62 Was down in my brush blind on state above the swamp. It was very warm and I was a bit warm when I got settled. I used more Evercalm than usual and even kicked up the dirt and rubbed some on my clothes for cover scent. At about 5pm I heard a deer walking towards me from behind in the thick brush. After a bit I saw deer, then rack, then big rack. He was coming directly at me. I had stood as soon as I heard the deer so I was standing, bow in hand and release clipped. My right should leaning into the big pine trunk that my blind is centered on. He is at 15 feet and still coming. He is a 9-10-11 point I know he had at least 5 on the one side and out past the ears and nice tall tines. He stops looking around then comes right by my right side at about 4 feet and stops on the opposite side of the pine. I can hear him breathing. He is right in my wind! My mind is melting at this point. He starts walking. I had turned my head to see where he was headed when he was behind the tree. So I see him walking away 7, 8 , 9 feet and I can see his right eye so I can't move. He finally turns his head and I ease around to face that way. He goes out about 10-12 yards and turns to the right and as he goes behind a tree I draw. He hits a lane and I stop him and put the pin right on the shoulder and hit right where I aimed. Stupid me was so rattled I put a gun aim on him not a bow. I got crap penetration. The arrow later showed 7-8 inches. He ran 30 yards down into the swamp and I watched him walk for anther 30 yards or so until I lost him. I knew with one hole, the arrow still in him and going into the swamp it was going to be a terrible trail. I pulled out and got ahold of a tracker for the next morn. I met the tracker Pauline and her helper Don and pups the next morn. He never bedded. We found the arrow, good blood for a couple hundred yards then poor. He left the swamp, crossed a road the dog figured that all out with no blood. Across the road we did finally hit a drop of blood and the dog trailed another couple hundred yards and we called it. We all felt the deer was not mortally wounded. I did stay and grid searched for 5 more miles just cause I needed to. The tracker was excellent and I would not have been able to advance the track near as far or well. Amazing how those dogs can get off track and circle around not even on the track and go back to last blood to restart! He was a great buck and I will get a cam out there and hope to catch a pic of him. I did everything right except aimed in the wrong stupid spot. rrrrrrr I have had a button sniff my leg one time but this is the closest I have ever been to a big buck. 4 feet pffft.

I was gunna say something dirty But I’ll refrain Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Which is why this site will die a slow painful death as it has been. Bumjohn stinks as a forum runner/owner

You won’t find many that enforce the stupid laws. Unless of course they use the illegal crossbow for other illegal activities and then they will just add the stupid law on the top of the other charges.

He found him! Saw his buck laying down with his head up right on the path he walks back home to. So he just stood there from a distance and watched him. Said the buck got up at least 10 times and would stumble a couple yards and lay back down for a while. He calls me to tell me this and I tell him I'll be there in half an hour. Said as soon as he hung up the phone the buck put his head down, kicked around a little and died. When i get down there I'm trying to walk as quietly as I can and he yells to me "it's ok, he's f'n dead" Straight up gut shot. Had to toss the tenderloins and ribs but everything else is perfectly fine. 120lb spike. So happy for him. He's been struggling these past few seasons Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

I’m thrilled that my preparation paid off. This happened exactly as I imagined it would. Trail cam pic was taken the day before I shot him. He’s a “dork deer.” See his overbite? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Found this buried in my basement today. Not sure how old it is (gotta be at least 15 years old) but I decided to make a fake scrape in my back yard. It smelled good after all these years. It'll be interesting to see if it still works.

Went all in boys!

Best day of deer season IMO.

Very frustrating only hunting does during the rut…. Only bucks seen today… this decent 8 and spike. Had them both dead to rights if I wanted. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just needs some grading and stone. Electric hooks up tomorrow. Some recent pictures. I have had that Rooster for 10 years. Its been in a box in my attic. It was from a photo shoot for Money Magazine. I ended up with a lot of cool stuff, now it has a home. I was up on the lift so I thought I would take some picts!

Son is gonna smoke his first buck in the morning. Feeling it. Spot is getting hot in the mornings with buck activity per trail cam.

Was set worth paying for?

Been a rough couple of weeks at the house thats for sure. Zapped all my energy. Good thing is it’s nothing serious. Talked to my daughter and we are in for tomorrow morning and evening hunts with her behind the crossbow. That will definitely help pick my spirits up. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Buckform! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

One of the advantages of being a handloader is the ability to produce ammo no longer being made. I already have the Redding 3 die case forming set for 256 Win, have done case forming for several other cartridges so I am familiar with the process. Ran a few test cases and so far so good. The barrel on the Levermatic is 23 inches. Al

Funky spike came up behind me to 12 yards then milled around behind me. Was kinda watching over my shoulder off and on. Look back and see a bunch of antler and heck that ain't the spike. Nice 8 point was back always. Grunted and snort wheezed he looked and fed into a bedding area. Little guy was still 40 from me but the 8 didn't care. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just getting it all setup to shoot, scope bases and rings, sling stud installation and ammunition. 256 Winchester ammo has not been produced since the late nineties, any new old stock found is going for up to $5 a round. I will be rolling my own, just waiting for all the components to come in. Al

That’s weird bait lol.

Just got my first call of the year Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

@moog5050 Obsession bow that he sold me is officially broken in. Sent from my moto g fast using Tapatalk

So I got to my spot, rarely hunt this place, has old abandoned cabin. Obvious sign someone’s been in there foot prints and stuff. Tire tracks. So I sit in my stand and wait, here 10 mins later a topless female around 30 comes walking down the hill to 20 yards. I tell “can I help you”. She hits the ground hands up. long story short, property owners brother said she could stay there (she’s homeless) property owner is pissed at her brother and her, told her to get her shit out by tomorrow or she will be arrested. Fun times.

He changed his email back in January and can’t get confirmation email from BurmJohn. Frustrating Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I headed to the rye plot a little after 4:00 and bumped one out and all I saw was a tail. Just before 6:00 I saw deer headed to the plot led by a doe and fawn. I saw a hind quarter which turned out to be a buck rubbing and scraping. Another doe ran into the plot and eventually the buck, which I believe was a seven. He fed at 60 yards away and when the does started to leave he started chasing and grunting. He never got closer than 50yards. Action anyway!

So after having some time to reflect I wanted to share a almost 3 year journey that came to a end this weekend. During the summer of 2020 I got my first picture of him, the big 7. At that point he was just a after thought, there were numerous other bucks on my cameras and he was just one of many. As time went on I got more and more pictures of him. I had my first encounter with him on 11/15/2020 he blew past me chasing a doe offering me no shot opportunity. My trail camera 150 yards away captured this picture of him 15 minutes later. It was around this time that I started to become obsessed. I spent the rest of the 2020 season never seeing him again during daylight, but getting almost nightly pictures of him on camera. This continued until the bucks shed their antlers for the winter and I lost track of him. Fast forward to the summer of 2021 I moved some stands and cameras around having better patterns on him and just waited. The work paid off when I got my first picture of him that year Season rolled around and got off to a good start, had some great encounters with some smaller bucks and lots of pictures of him on camera but no daylight sightings, and then it happened. He walked into my world. 42 yards and behind a downed tree. I could see his vitals were exposed but I was nervous of hitting too high, I drew my bow back and decided I would aim a tad on the low side. Either hit the downed tree or him right in the heart…. Well Tree one, chef zero. This experience gave me some good insight into where he was traveling and A few weeks later I decided to move a camera and then a stand to better set up on him. I moved the camera and planned on going back the next day with my hunting partner to hang the stand I guess I should have just moved the stand the same day because he didn’t waste any time. I actually watched him walk right past that stand from 100 yards away. My next encounter with him came a few days later. I got a hit on one of my cell cams showing he and 2 other bucks were headed my way. I could now see him coming through the brush… just 3 more steps is all I needed. He froze dead in his tracks looking off into the distance. I grunted, he pawed at the ground with his hoof thrashed his antlers in the brush but wouldn’t budge. All of a sudden I hear a twig snap to my opposite side and that’s all it took him and the 2 other bucks he had in tow bounded off in the other direction. I look to my right and see another hunter with his climber on his back walking right towards me…. I wave him off and he moves back the way he came. Fast forward to 12/8/21 I’m in a stand deep in the Swamp and my hunting partner is in one of our early season stands that is on the route from food to bed. My phone buzzes and it’s a text from him. It’s a video of the 7 walking out of his bow range and sort of parallel to my position. He then tells me how cool the encounter was and that he’s still shaking. He says the buck is kind of headed my way but not really. About 15 min later while scanning I see antlers about 100 yards out but moving parallel to my position. All of a sudden he makes a 90 degree turn and is headed straight for me. He’s coming, just cross the creek all you gotta do is cross. He stops at the creeks edge and leaps across. I raise the cross bow, put the site on his heart and pull the trigger. I could have sworn I watched the lighted nock sink into his chest cavity. He leaps back across the creek, looks back at me and slowly walks away hunched up. I know this reaction…. Gut shot… dead deer but it needs time. I look around for the lighted nock and see nothing. It’s getting dark now. I back out and say I’ll come back in the morning. I come back in the morning and look for my arrow, blood, anything. I can find nothing except for white hair at the hit site I grid search for hours… nothing. A trail cam pic a few days later confirms it.. he’s fine I missed somehow and just gave him a haircut. It’s now summer of 2022 and the pictures start again Many pictures but no encounters. Season starts off great, get my hunting partner his first bow buck. I’m not seriously working him at this point, just sitting a oak tree that’s producing and seeing what’s out there. And then it happens antlers in the brush, I can swear it’s him. It’s getting dark but I can still see. If he clears that tree I’m shooting… he does and wham the arrow zips through him. Shot looks good a little high but good… I follow good blood for 250 yards before loosing it. Called deer search and they came out the next day… no dice I’m devastated I killed him and won’t find him. Search for days looking for birds, coyotes anything.. no dice. Fast forward to Friday October 14th I finish work early and head out to my stand. I’m in for about 15 min when I see my first deer. A small 5pt he comes and goes quickly. A little later I have a altercation with 2 hunters trying to hunt with crossbows out of season… they walked right under my stand. I also have pictures of these idiots stealing cell cams of mine. I yell at them and they head back to their car and leave. I figured I blew up the spot and I should leave but in the end decided to stay. It turns into a great sit… two smaller bucks come by and are sparing out of range. Some does join in the mix and decide to watch while they eat.. finally the commotion scares them off. The small bucks leave and the does come back and start eating. It’s getting close to sunset. About 30 Min to go when I see him. He’s 80 yards out and headed straight towards me he makes it to 20 yards and turns broadside slight quarter to or so I think. I draw my bow settle the pin on him and let one fly… he takes two big jumps stops stands there for a second and then takes off running. I hear what I think is a crash but I’m not sure. I climb down and check my arrow… it’s covered in dark blood and smells kind of sweet sour. I go look to where he stood before bolting and found 2 pin pricks of dark blood. I decided to back out go home and look in the morning. It was a long sleepless night I woke up on the hour every hours… finally at 5:30 I can’t take it any more and get dressed and head out to start my search. I go back to the pin pricks and see what I can find… nothing. The pin pricks were 5 yards from the power line cut. Let me look there. I step into the cut and shine my flashlight into the opening on the other side… OMG there he is. He didn’t even go 70 yards. I walk up to him and finally lay hands on my prize. He was quartered much harder than I thought, the arrow entered the chest cavity, hit both lungs, cut the diaphragm nicked the stomach hit intestines and exited out the back leg. I know I’m supposed to be ecstatic that I got him and don’t get me wrong I’m over the moon… but I’m also kind of sad he’s gone, sad this chase has ended and this chapter of my hunting career is over. I guess it’s time to move on and do some fishing, shoot a doe or two and get ready for the regular season      Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

9am. Was about to climb down and go home but as soon as I turn around there she is 35 yards perfect broadside. Triple checked all my distances after missing a doe last week so I was confident. Double lung ran maybe 50 yards. Blood was surprisingly not great for the first 40 yards but there was plenty around where she crashed. Feeling pretty blessed right now to be able to hunt from home Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk