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For 28 seasons I have gone deerless on my bday. This buck changed all that. What a great night, had my dad and my son ( who led the tracking job ) with me for an epic evening. Possibly my best bday ever ! Got years of pics of this guy who actually had 2 names, "1-eyed willy" or "the pirate" because he has severe damage to his eye and only one would reflect on trail cam pics. Sent from my LM-V405 using Tapatalk

Well I said the first decent buck gets it . 10 pt almost dropped in sight little under 20 yard shot , stopped him broadside with a “burp “ .

Yes, it’s true. Full story and pics to come. 1/2 mile drag out ButHere’s a sneak peek Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nephew got his first bow kill. First light working a scrape at 15 yards.

Finally.... Last night was my first hunt in a week. Set up my stand by 4....at 430 a real nice 8 point comes to 60 yards...I grunt...he looks....and walks left away from me. I grunt again....he stops looks....continues on his way. Soon after I look up and coming down same trail is another nice 8. So I got situated. ...and set.. He walked to 30 yards and made a left towards the other buck....I drew back and released the arrow without stopping him.....I watched my lumenok disappear into the boiler room....and stick in ground behind him....he ran 25 yards and tipped over....wow....I needed that.. Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Just shot a buck. Then had 3 spikes come through. Not the biggest buck, but one I told myself I would take. Guess I’ll climb down and check him out. He only went about 20 yds.

Saw a couple bucks around 4 cruising, big ol doe and fawn came in at 5:55. Center punched her at 20 yards with a pass through, she jumped ran 30 yards, looked around and fell over. Freezer is awfully full now, gonna give the next one to a friend.

Kind of a unique buck I named Blade because of the left main beam going straight up. Came in behind me and offered me a 20 yd shot. He ran about 20 yds and crashed within sight. Of course Blade got back at me when I cut my knuckle while dressing him. 3 spikes wandered through about 20 minutes after I shot him. Gotta love November.

Got him! Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

8pt in 8N. Crossbow at 9:30am. Double lung and down within 10 seconds. Unfortunately he tumbled into this gully which made for a long steep drag. I saw so many deer this morning, it was just a fantastic hunt.

11/2: hunted with xbow with dad on his land. 29 degrees and barely any wind. Sent him to lower end of property and I went to the acorn flat blind. Cam showed a 8pt on 10/30 and a spike with a 4pt. I got into my blind at 630-ish. At 645am I heard a deer coming and saw a deer 28yds broadside but i couldn’t see antlers since it was too dark (sunrise 727am). The deer slowly walked away. At 745am I was glassing up to my right when I saw a deer. It was a tight 4 or 6pt. Eating and rubbing his antlers on some trees. He was about 80yards. I decided to try my grunt call to see if maybe he was with a bigger buck who would come In too. After hitting the grunt I got His attention, but I heard movement to my left. I looked left and saw an 8pt. 19 yards away making an aggressive scrape in the spot I always scrape in front of my trail cam. I knew right away this 8pt was a shooter but he was facing me with head down making a scrape so I couldn’t shoot. I planned to wait till he turned broadside either way. Instead he lifted his head way up high and started rubbing the branches above him. I had read a lot about frontal shots for year and to aim for a “front shirt pocket”. Being that i had the xbow and felt steady (while shaking mentally) I took the shot since it was wide open and so close. I heard a loud crack as the bolt went right through him. He tried to run uphill and tumbled back down. I saw him go down. He died 16 yards from the shot. My cam 2 pics of him before I shot at 750am. As I got my stuff together to leave the blind, the small 4/6pt came right in under 30yards. What a day! His antlers were all rubbed with trees and on the drag out I saw 3 fresh rubs. I believe he just came into the area recently (10/30-ish). 151lbs dressed at Amato’s butcher in Somers Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Shot him 1 second after this was taken. Followed blood but was hard in the dark and didn't want to bump him. Long, loud grunt at him. He was at least 150yds away pestering a doe, he trotted right to my stand. Heading back at sun up. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Decent movement today in 6R. Ventured out after being at work for 25 straight hours chasing all of the outages. Small bucks cruising and following all the does that strolled through. Good afternoon to be in the woods. Double lunged at 26yds. Raptor tricks did there job. I put the hydro tractor/lawn mower to work for the recovery!!

Little bit about@Treeguy ; he spent his birthday morning helping a friend of mine recover a buck he shot in the rain yesterday. A guy he’d never met. And the Deer Gods were watching! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Up in the tower with Evan for the evening sit. Having some sammies for lunch!

Just started using a bow two weeks ago and smoked my first buck with a bow. My daughter and I got into the stand at 6am and by 730 he was out in the field 200 yards out and we grunted him in to 25 yards. With Lilly at my back I let it rip and went right through the heart. This is my 1st bow kill and 3rd deer I have taken, I just started hunting last year. Shot on 10/26

This 2.5 year old 8-point may have been my easiest shot with my Barnett Recruit, since 2014, but it was the scariest recovery. For the first time, I did not hear a crash within 40 yards or see him go down. Chest girth was only 39-1/4" and I still have not calculated the dressed weight, from the PA chart (with the 9F NY correction factor applied), but definitely my highest scoring crossbow rack and the first in a long time with no "rut" damage. I passed up a 1.5 year 3 point at 8:00 am. This one followed the same path, but hung up 50 yards out and stared at me without even a twitch for almost 1/2 hour. Finally he started moving closer and I moved my crossbow into position in "super slow motion" When he entered the view in my "green dot" Barnett sight, I put the center dot on the spot and sent the bolt. It looked good but I waited a half hour to pursue. I thought I heard a "crash" in the nearby thicket. I said my usaual prayer for an easy recovery before getting down. I followed good blood, to the point I last saw him, where it appeared that he turned and entered the thicket, but the blood petered out at that point. I then did a 1/2 hour grid search of the thicket with no success. I had marked last blood with surveyors ribbon and I went back to it. I pulled the little red Bible out of my pack, opened it to a random verse in the book of John, said a quick prayer, and started looking for more blood. It turned out that he did not enter that thicket where I heard noise after he disappeared. There must have been other deer in there (maybe his little brother had circled back in there). I found blood leading across a field, and continued to mark it with bits of orange ribbon. He was headed towards another, larger thicket. I looked up, and there he laid, belly up, just about 5 yards into that one. My uncle lives next door. He is my God-father and is recovering from some recent surgery. I gave him one of the tenderloins and just finished up the other one for lunch. It looks like a good week to hang the carcass in our insulated garage.

BBD (8 pt 110ish C and

Doe down. Momma and young’un came through within 15 yds. Gave ‘em a pass. Came back 15 mins later. Little one was ten yards and starting to stomp. Felt I had to stop that unwanted behavior. No clear shot at momma, but had the little one unobstructed, could clearly see no buttons and thought why not?10 yd shot, went 10 yds and tipped over. Maybe 80-90 lbs. have to get the PA girth chart to make sure, lol. Hey @Biz-R-OWorld - from the ground. Actually, first deer I’ve ever shot from a pop up blind. Tender back straps for dinner tonight.

Well I've passed this doe for 3 hunts but gf said she needed ground meat so her she is.. 25 yard shot in my apple orchard, had to go back to get knife and golf cart to pull her out , only went 40 yards. 1st deer I had to gut with a flash light in almost 20 years. At butcher more bacon and some cut to be made with gf order for ground... vacation now for 4 weeks.. horn hunting and bear hunting next few weeks.

26 seasons into my career, I finally punched a tag on my bday. It was definitely an interesting day, with a fantastic finish. Started my day heading to the stand with thoughts of helping and the how to's of recovering @The_Real_TCIII friends buck. As I got to the top of my ladder stand, I was greeted by 30-40mph winds and also noticed one of the stand supports had broken. I hadn't even started my bday buck quest and I was already back out of the stand and heading to help on the recovery. We ended up, with the help of a friend and his dog "sky" recovering the deer after what looked like a bad situation. So, I was happy, I at least got to touch a dead buck on my bday which was much more than the last 25 years! Came home, shot the xbow a few times and got ready to head out. My wife reminded me that the kids didn't have school and she would be home in an hour, so I decided to wait. Kids got home, we did some presents and cards, then I went to head out. Before I left, my son insisted that I take a good snack to the stand so I complied. He started with a bag of oreo's which I told him had too noisy of a wrapper, so he dug around in his bag and pulled out a Hershey bar ( my least favorite candy bar) and to save time I said that'll work. He looked at me with a funny face, and instructed me to make sure I wave it around so that the deer would smell it and come in. We laughed about it as I pretended to wave the candy bar all around like an idiot, and off I went. I was on stand for about an hour when I remembered I had a chocolate bar in my pocket.... So out it came. I figured I'd keep the joke going and send my wife a video to show to my son of me waving the candy bar around like a fool. Sent the video, ate the candy bar, and put the wrapper in my pack. Within 6 minutes I heard crashing behind me to my right and out pops a nice doe on high alert. I grabbed a pic to send to my wife to let my son know it worked !! I was literally laughing in my head about it when to my left I hear corn stalks breaking .... I looked around but couldn't see any movement. All of a sudden, there he was, coming right down the path to be directly under my stand. I saw a big body so I grabbed the bow and stood up. He was on a mission and was heading right for me when he did something foolish, he made a hard left and started head out in the corn and away from me, at 15 yards...... MEHHP, whack, then he made the most amazing sound on impact I've ever heard, which I've now named the "death grunt". I immediately saw him opened up and watched him plow through the corn, and into the thickets. The emotions that came after that is the reason I do what I do, and why I'm in the woods !! I called my dad and he immediately knew the deal, cause there's no other reason to call when it's 5pm during primetime. Got down, collected myself-ish, and called my wife to have her bring my son to help with the track. So my dad, and me, led by my son (5 years old) follow the blood trail about 85 yards to a fantastic deer we've had on the farm for years, known as the pirate, or 1-eyed willy due to only one eye lighting up on night time cam pics. I was absolutely amazed that my boy seems to have the natural ability to track ! He did awesome. I cannot tell you how much this deer means to me for so many reasons, and honestly the last on the list is his score. What a fantastic bday it was ! Thanks for reading !! Sent from my LM-V405 using Tapatalk

My first archery buck on the hauler. I’ll post pics over in harvest thread a bit later

11/2/19: 3N, 8pt. 151lb dressed. Story in my member journal Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I understand.....have a 3 and 5 year old.....all but two times out this season one or both comes with me to give momma a break. Plus it's way more fun to hunt with a partner! Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

Ha didn’t know there was a separate crossbow harvest thread , so I’ll post here as well . First crossbow kill, third season . Ten Point crossbow ten point buck . Do they sell a twelve point ? If so I’ll buy one . 17 yard shot a bit more forward then ideal, yet a pass trough ,including the heart . Short “ tract “ hard drag .

Had this guy come down a ravine to my right a minute after I check the wind . As I watched my milk weed float to the left I looked over and thought oh cool nice little buck, no way he’s going to come my way. He started walking toward the trail that we walked in stopped on a dime and started heading my way. Now I’m thinking great how can I draw my bow. The only way was if he walks in front of a tree that was in my way. Well he did , I drew back he popped out 12 yards and the rest is history . So happy I can’t believe the way he came in to me. I huge thanks to @Jeremy K @ Tacks cause I cant find his handle and buddy Andrew who helped dragged out

Out with my daughter. Her first hunt ever. 10 minutes and a 4 point just past 40 yards. Wouldn’t come closer. 10 minutes later he comes out at 70. Hope more to come. She home from college for the weekend studying while she hunts lol Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

BIZ PREDICTION- BIZ SEES 3 bucks by 750am and shoots an 8pt frontal shirt pocket shot under 20yds while it was making a scrape and licking branch in front of trail cam! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Buck down what a morning story and pics coming to a harvest thread near you.

Just got back out with the young buck. We'll be here till dark.

Out in the blind with both boys till dark Borrowed a friends crossbow for the day. A little easier to use this than the compound with the boys in here

0715 hours this morning. Ten Pointer.

I don't know who started the conversation about bacon wrapped back straps, but that's all I've been able to think about this week. So here it goes

Any update on recovery.....I am not deer search but I'm in Lakeview/Hamburg area if you need help tracking/recovery this morning I will take a ride to lend a hand or extra set of eyes. Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

Just dropped one About 6 pt

I predict the Nationals will win World Series.

So close!! Went home and grabbed my youngest to come back and sit for a hour or so and we weren’t in the blind a min before a doe pops out and starts feeding. My boy climbs up on my lap to keep warm and he wasn’t even done wiggling around yet before a big 8 pointer comes running into the field! He stops 50 yards out as I’m scrambling to get my release on and arrow nocked. Before I can even get the bow up he puts his nose to the ground and trots off to the edge of the field where the doe ran off too. I hit the grunt tube and he stopped on the edge and looked our way. He stood there for a few mins then put his nose back to the ground and off he went into the thick stuff. My boy was so excited we almost got one! I hope he comes back!!

Shot one at 530....just getting down Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Shot on 10/25 Got to my stand around 6:10 and didn’t hear or see a thing until around 6:35-40 when I saw a big body about 40 yards in front of me. It was traveling the opposite way the deer usually do in the morning and it was all alone. I’m thinking it was a buck, but it was barely light enough to see a body let alone the head. I decided to text back a few girls that around 7:20 when I decided to look to my left in the middle of a text. I saw a giant body and nice antlers 15 yards from me, so I quickly figured out that it was a deer I would take. I put my phone in my pocket, got up and took the shot. I didn’t aim for more than a few seconds and let it rip once I saw it was in the ughh spot. I didn’t see where the arrow hit due to a few alder branches, but it sounded good and I didn’t see an arrow sticking out so I thought I just might have put a good shot on it. It ran down the same path that the deer I shot last week ran down and got right to the part where it was too thick to see well. I watched that spot really closely because i figured he was right there and just when I was saying to my self that he might be going down, he drops. Man what a feeling to put a good shot on a deer and watch it go down. I thought it was a big 8 at first, but turns out it’s a big 5. No brows as you can see and one of the points broke off. It was a little smaller when I got to it, but still very happy with it. It’s either the biggest body deer I’ve shot or second biggest. It was a damn chore to drag that thing out and my back isn’t too happy about it.

Alrighty.... the police are looking for the guy who owns the property next to me because he said he is going to kill himself and took off in the woods with a shotgun. Who knows maybe they will push something to me. Never a dull moment in east Otto.

My 2 boys do ninja warrior and they are down in Columbus this weekend for a competition. I didn’t go because it’s the crossbow opener. My youngest he killed it this morning ended up on the podium and qualified for worlds . Now I wish I went! That’s him on the far left.

I predict Biz’s dad kills a buck before he does Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

RAGE IN THE CAGE Sent from my LM-V405 using Tapatalk

Stayed out late last night in Olean , told everyone i WOULD make it out hunting. Woke up this morning to wind and rain . Decided it would be a good day to leave at sunrise and take a slow walk . Shortly after starting my walk i noticed i had walked up on small doe eating apples . I figured she couldn't be alone and was able to get to the side of the trail and clip my release on . As soon as i did that i heard a deer crashing away just out of sight . As the sound stopped i heard a buck grunting and saw his antlers over the tall grass headed straight for the original doe still standing there . He came out slightly quartering away and i made a perfect shot and he crashed less 40 yards away from impact . After it ended i thought how happy i was with every thing i did in the heat of the moment and how all that practice with the bow ,i never second guessed or screwed around with the shot , i drew ,aimed and released.

Rolling into Gman’s. 30 degrees, barely a whisp of wind. Saw zero deer on drive. Good luck y’all. Aim small miss small.

I finally got to report a harvest after a two year archery drought. I hunted most of the day Saturday,saw one doe in the distance in the a.m. In the afternoon i got set up with my climber at a friends property 40yds into the woods from the corner of two ag fields,corn and soybeans. The woods were full of acorns and even some hickory trees and some beeches. After sitting until 5.30 without any deer activity I was seriously questioning the point of hunting. I had been hearing turkeys not terribly far of most of the afternoon. Finally i saw them in the soybeans,and then a deer as well.The turkeys worked their way back in the woods and i was hoping the deer would follow. Now i saw three of them..Then they all started running and i saw a decent buck chase them out of the field and into the woods away from me. I thought at least i saw some deer. I tried grunting but nobody showed up. The turkeys were still milling around 50 yds from me. When i watched them i saw a deer through the trees as well,or so i thought. I kept loosing track of it. Now it was close to sunset and i was about ready to climb down when this big doe cautiously came from deeper in the woods on the way to the field. She walked behind my tree,so i had to lean some around the right side of it to get a shot at 25 yds. I thought the hit looked good but didn't sound so good,pretty dull. The lighted nocks were great. The doe just ran off maybe 25 yds and stood there tail tucked. My heart sank. After my horrid season last year where I lost two deer with the bow and one with the gun,more deer than in all my years combined,I was devastated. The doe was too far for another shot,so i watched her and tried to mentally mark her path. She did not want to move,maybe travelled 40 yds in 15 minutes. I climbed down as quietly as i could,which was awkward since i dropped my haul line earlier and had to carry the bow.I went to get my arrow to get information and backed out. Dark blood covered the arrow and no gut smell. That was a good sign. I made it back to the truck and my buddy and he told me about a big black bear he had seen 30 yds from his stand. I told him about my situation. He was nice enough to agree to come back with me several hours later. We wanted to get the doe before the rain started,midnight in our area. We got back to the hit site and looked for blood where i thought she stood but couldn't find any. Off to a bad start. Then we checked another area where she stood behind some fallen logs. There we found sparse blood and managed to pick up her trail. Blood was really spotty,and we came to the first bed soon. I had hoped to find her in her first bed,but no luck. We manged to follow the track,barely. We found a few more beds,then the blood trail got good and she was only 20 yds further. It seems she had been dead for several hrs. All in all she only went a little over 100 yds from the hit site. Took us maybe 25 mins to find her,Chef was right. We got her just as the rain started. I was super excited,I dont know if I could have stood loosing another deer. I was also very glad my friend came out with me,i would have been on edge for sure in the dark with a bloody carcass behind me and a Bear not too far off. Ones imagination tends to run a little alone in the woods at night. I wasn't happy with the beginning of the hunt,but it ended well. It payed off watching the hunting public show on YouTube. Backing out and coming back later saved the day.