First-light

Just wanted to wish you guys good luck on the gun opener! My brother is picking me up about 1:30 Friday afternoon in the city and we should make camp by 6:30. It will be nic to get up there at a decent hour and settle in. My neighbor saw a giant 12 pt 2 days ago cruising the corner of my property. He said it was one of the biggest deer he has ever seen. Hope I run into him on Saturday. Weather looks to be real good in the morning, it's a special time when you have a cool still morning on opening day, can you dig it? Good luck to all and be safe I'll report back in Monday/Tuesday.

Great story and a real nice buck!

Rich-Grandfathers are a blessing to young boys. I can relate to your story, best of luck!

Thanks everyone-good luck to you and your hunting party!

Well there is this guy who has hunted for maybe the last 65 years of his life. Camped at Indian lake, Catskills and hunted the Finger lakes. Has more stories about hunting then you would care to listen to. My 6 hour drive to camp would be filled with stories from the past, I've heard them a zillion times but when he tells them it's like the first time hearing them. He would wear his boots and gloves he brought back from Korea, the tent we camped in, from Korea. After a while he didn't wear gloves and I swear he lost the feelings in his hands but he was still able to pull the trigger. He has passed down some really nice firearms and hunting equipment, each of us has something of his. Yea he is really angry right now, this will be the first year in probably 65 that he will miss the hunting season. He actually left his bride the day after coming home from Korea to hunt at Indian lake! He had to be put in a nursing home this year because he can't walk anymore. It got to a point for 24 hr care and that could not happen at home. My brother in law has spent the last few seasons with him on opening day, getting him out to a spot so maybe they could take one more deer together. That never happened but it didn't matter he was out in the woods. I'll miss him at camp and for sure the ride up. My gun season is dedicated to my father in law Gus. We took a lot of deer together and may I'll take another one this year so I can tell some stories by his bedside. Be safe this year and bag a big one!

My first was at 16 years old. A spike horn I dropped at 40 yards. Gutted it myself, local guy came by and congratulated me on the kill and gut job. On my drag out met an old timer. He to gave me the thumbs up and asked if he could retrieve the heart! The next day I went out without a gun tagging along with my friend. We met the old timer that afternoon, he thanked me for the heart and asked "where's you gun son?" I told him remember the deer from yesterday? He looks at me and says "go get another!" My spike horn was a trophy to me and the old timer was priceless!

Yea what Steve said.......just not on my property! lol Seriously any deer is a trophy, you pay for the license hunt what you like. Some of the best tasting venison I've had came from yearlings. That is not to say the meat from an old doe or buck isn't good. The little ones well... just taste like veal.

Sit all day! I hunt an escape rout and can see deer at any time. One thing I have learned from opening day is Expect the unexpected!

No problem it just got a bit heated over the "Gray area" if you know what I mean. It's a good question to bring up.

OMG the thread continues from last year!!!!!!! Knew this was going to happen.

http://www.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_c3#/video/us/2011/11/15/mi-deer-sheriff.huron If you had to write a caption what would it be? Officer please-please don't send me back in there. There are two crazy guys in the forest, they want to shoot me and eat my heart! Names are Steve and Doewacker, you get the picture??? D O E W A C K E R ??????? If you don't find them in the forest they are usually at Burt's place drinking his beer and-ahhhh, you know what else they want. I'll be fine right here waiting for the semi to come along, won't feel a thing!! lol

Yea right now Saturday morning mid 30's which is fine. Warms up a bit to 55 during the day. Sunday seems to be the clunker day, showers low 40's high mid 50's. Monday cools off with highs in the mid 40's. I can deal with that forecast. Good luck.

In 8P temps will be in the mid to low 50's on Saturday. 40's would of been great, guess Mother Nature is looking out for her own. Won't make an all day sit that uncomfortable either!

I think you did the right thing. An officer can pull you over for speeding and choose to give you a ticket or not. There could be a host of different reasons to dictate their action. Who knows maybe it went to a needy family, maybe the officer kept it for herself? You showed the boys the correct action to take and I'm sure they learned something from this experience. Maybe driving around to some of the camps to find out who's deer it was could of been another option? Don't beat yourself up over your decision.

Oh that was good!

30 years-4 bow 1 gun not recovered.

I was full draw twice on one deer and let up. The shot wasn't 100%. Know your limits when your out there and practice!

Zem way to go! Last weekend of the season way to get'er done!

That would suck for all of us if that's the true story. I wouldn't want to be associated with that in anyway but we are................

Nice guys!

Neighbor has a full mount in his house, looks great. No it doesn't bring him bad luck.

I love with my 1187, 20 years old and going strong. Good choice of gun good luck.

What is the difference between spotlighting at night or just sitting in your truck watching someone's field at dusk. The spotlight itself?? The way it's done. We had this conversation last year and my thoughts were that if someone was spotlighting my field I'd get the plate # off the truck. First sign of poaching that number would be handed over to the authorities.

Money and losing their jobs. Wow what a small price to pay next to a kid having a totally screwed up life.

I'll second that!