moog5050

Funny thing is that I started hunting because I liked shooting guns at the range so much. Now I wouldn't trade bow hunting for anything. I find it much more exciting than gun.

I wasn't serious about ducking the arrow - just making a point that that action is instinctive (as you point out). However, I do believe that deer can learn and reason (according to one definition - capacity for consciously making sense of things). What you call conditioning can be interpretted as reasoning. For instance, a salivating pavlov's dog may not be thinking or reasoning, but a dog that rolls over on command has made sense of the fact that if he rolls over on command he will get a treat - that's not instinctive as dogs don't understand that when born. I believe deer have the same capacity. Understanding cause and effect is a form of reasoning - again, not at the same level as humans or most humans.

I thought some were arguing that deer only act on instinct - I disagree there, although certainly much of a deer's actions are instinctual. Not sure the level of learning limits can be quantified. Heck, we can't do that for humans, let alone animals. But if a dog can learn commands, I suspect deer learn much more than most give them credit for.

There is a lot written on this subject over hundreds of years - all without a definitive answer. My opinion is that deer have the ability to learn and reason, but not at the same level of most humans - but perhaps better than the goldfish Phade mentioned. If experience teaches a deer to do something differently, that is learning and reasoning. It understood cause and effect - i.e. "I walked too close to that big guy in the stand and he flung something at me (but missed)." AND the deer made a conscious decision " I won't walk close to that guy again." What remains the priority in the deer thought process, however, is food, safety and mating. Now simply ducking the arrow may be instinctive, not learned - the decision not to return when there is a big guy in the tree is learned. That's why most think BBs are stupid - they just haven't learned yet. But if they do learn quickly enough, they are darn hard to kill as they get older. Some deer are better at learning than others - just like humans. Personally, I am hoping to see the big ones that just got lucky and haven't learned much.

Welcome Jerry. Nice kills.

I know one of the families that received one of Phade's deer. They could not afford groceries due to the breadwinner's sudden brain hemorrhage months earlier. It was a blessing to them for sure.

Unfortunately, I think you will find a time (likely when you are arriving for a hunt) when the stand is gone or the ladders are taken. Especially if you know others are hunting in the vicinity. People should know better, but not everyone can be trusted. It will be a crapshoot. Better off preparing the tree and using a climber in my opinion.

Will continue praying for Sydney

Wide enough to arrow for sure. He would be a bigger monster by now, if he's not hanging on someone's wall. Nice buck.

I hope you are right. That would be tough on their longstanding employees most of all.

Man, what was a 5 min drive from my work, just turned into 2 plus hours. Thanks Gov.

Just a suggestion, when you melt the end of the string after tying the loop, use an ice cube to press it flat (widens out). It will ensure that the loop will not come loose. I have tied a few loops based on similar instructions and no problems yet.

Check archery talk. They have a very active classified section with good prices on used bows. Some are bare bow, some are fully rigged. In the end, the best option is to shoot some bows to determine what feels right for you. I started with a single cam and after testing some elites, I made the switch. I was fine with my mathews, but love the binary cam and draw cycle of the elites. I would not have know if I never tested the bow (albeit a bit late for me). All the big manufacturers make good quality bows. It all comes down to personal preference and in the end. For pure hunting, I would look for a 32"ish ATA, a smooth draw cycle, something that is easy to hold and a draw weight that is easy for you.

You are an excellent photographer

Quality employer - college students should seriously consider this opportunity. Of course, you do have to work with Phade .... lol

NICE

Traded the Mathews on an elite hunter and love it. Never shot the pure, but really like the Elites in general, including a GTO I had.

Good guess. He is still at the hospital. Beautiful little girl. He has no idea how this will effect his hunting addiction. lol

To an un-named member (at least until he fesses up) on the birth of his beautiful new daughter. God has blessed both the parents and daughter.

PM sent Eddie. Let me know if your interested.

I have sighted lots of airguns and usually just start at 20yds on a big piece of paper and move the cross hairs as need. Pellet guns can be vary accurate. I have one that will shoot sub MOA at 100yds. BBs not so much, but still can be decent at close range. Wind can be a killer with this light ammo at long range.

Agreed on the kudos. He is a friend and a hunter. I was amazed at how quickly he could butcher the deer clean and how much meat it yielded. Years of practice. He was like a butcher ninja. lol Takes me twice as long and I have less yield, but practice makes perfect. I will not have my deer processed after learning from him. Honestly, I have not had one bad/strong tasting piece of meat from any of the deer I took this year.

I learned to butcher from an actual butcher and he highly recommended removing as much silver skin, connective tissue and fat as is possible, even for meat that will be ground. His view was that those parts tend to make the meat taste gamey or can cause bad texture. I have listened to him on all my deer this year and have yet to have gamey meat. Its worth the extra effort if you are doing it on your own. I am sure most processors don't do it, but after all that time hunting, why not spend a few more hours to make the meat as good as is possible.

I use the EGW mount and rings but they were expensive. I am sure there is a more reasonable alternative. I had a an elite 3200 scope around and it works great.

Congrats