Buckstopshere

Still muzzleloader hunting so focus is still on deer hunting. But nice to think gobbler season is just around the corner and seeing some nice bucks that made it through. The stuff dreams are made of... These guys were on the trail cam yesterday. They will be nice bucks next season.

restraint...After all, it is a sport. Doesn't mean anything if you don't play by the rules...no matter how hard we try to bend them..

As and ahem...older hunter I appreciate your understanding that the benefits of hunting go far beyond that wonderful venison and times hunting. I have lost 12 pounds this year. I hunt hard...usually I lose more. But I am better fit now than a few years ago. I like to think that 12 pounds is like strapping two five pound bags of flour on...plus a bit on each side. What a difference in the knees...just a little weight loss and hunting hard works miracles on the body and mind.

Another buck passed in muzzleloader this afternoon. That makes four bucks within close range so far for muzzleloader. But technically can't say I passed them because I am tagged out and can only shoot an antlerless deer. But anyways... the first photo shows my muzzleloader sight under the bedded buck, about 50 yards away. Watched him come in and bed down in front of me. At first I thought he was making a scrape, but he was just making a cozy bed so he could flop down in it. Sorry for the shakes with the camera, but it was about 12 degrees F. and at 2,400 feet the wind was blowing pretty good. Lowered my gun and climbed out of the stand...got away without disturbing him. Love doing that! Snow camo! But I can't help but think how many late 'loader seasons gone by I would have given away my dog for a shot like that. Movie_of_buck_bedding_muzzleloader_8_pt._.MOV

Nah. It was bar room talk. Some guys are such bull shitters when it comes to deer hunting. Anything to impress.

To me your dad's passing had an extra dimension of meaning, not just because he was a brother deer hunter, but because he died precisely on the Full Super Moon, a very rare astronomical, cosmic moment indeed. Last time the moon was this close and full was 1948 the year I was born. The whitetail's rut and many other behaviors IMO are fine tuned by the full moon. I do not know what it all means. Just wanted to point it out that it certainly happened.

Actually, that would be my biggest fear to shoot that buck. I hope I can get him on some of my trail cams, find his sheds (I doubt it...he has a sanctuary that I can't get on...I think.) And Then, next year he will be such an amazing critter to look at and hunt, get on trail cam. Stories...dreams...anticipation. I hope he makes it. But there are a lot of butt heads in my neck of the woods. They ran down a racker stud at night with their four-wheelers and shot him with handguns last summer, guys and girls on big hot four wheelers. I had him in velvet on my cams...I hope karma gets them. I heard that they felt bad after they did it.

Heartfelt condolences. My buddy's Dad died from a massive heart attack while training his grouse dog in the beech woods. He was my mentor. Truly, for an outdoorsman, the best way to go.

Well...that part was real. I got caught up in fooling with the music, and effects of the movie.

How did you do? I had an incredible hunt. Still hunted in snow camo quartering the wind...had a 130 class 10 point in my scope at 50 yards. Couldn't shoot, tagged out. He was with a 2.5 eight point and a 2.5 spike. I had to laugh that the spike and the eight point were the same size. The 10 point dwarfed them. I have 2, 130- class 10 points...so I know what they look like. The eight got spooked and caught my scent...the three ran only 75 yards...I moved on them again. They did not want to run...stood in the thick stuff but were totally baffled by my snow camo and quartering the wind. I know it is fashionable to only have one buck per hunter per year...and we have two. But what about three? Bow, rifle and muzzleoader? Now I have to get some trail cam shots of him while I am stuck with my antlerless only tag. Not complaining! At least I can hunt.

It is very common to see busted up bucks in my neck of the woods. Here are two...and I made a video a few years ago of shooting one. I am a bit embarrassed by the video. But I shot a doe...and it was a buck back in 2010.

Exactly Grow. I still have a bunch of trail cams out and it is weird how hard I am pulling for some of the little rackers to have made it through. But then, I know how happy it makes a deer hunter to finally punch the tag. So it is a complicated, ambivalent feeling. From this discussion I have realized that I live in an area that is overrun with spike, three-pointers, and bucks with both antlers broken off because the headgear was so small and spindly. But others have said that their properties are different. But if it really doesn't matter if a hunter is just as happy with a spike as a six-point, then I still maintain...shoot the smaller buck to the let the older one grow. Evidently some just don't understand and think that the sacred little spike should never be shot. That knee-jerk mentality is the one that doesn't have merit.

I would have said 125. Net. But it is really tough for an 8 point to get to 140. Congratulations! Beauty.

The question is...where was he going and why? Did you track him? Best way to learn.

Be there or be square. My experience is that when a cornfield is cut late in the season like now is a perfect time to be there, downwind, at first light. The deer don't know that they are not in cover anymore. Take advantage. They wise up quick.

No merit? Gee thanks. I thought it was a good point instead of the knee-jerk reaction to always pass on the spike or three point. I thought it kind of opened up a buck management issue for some who have maybe not thought on those wavelengths.

Good video. So true.

I really like it because it is a bit bigger and keep it very sharp with a diamond whetstone. That way when I get into the top of the upper chest cavity, it quickly gets the heart and lungs out. I don't even need to roll my sleeves up or take off my coat...and have very little blood on my sleeves. Also, when ringing the asshole on a big buck, it goes in deep and the piss sack comes out whole with just a bit of trimming. Different strokes! Cool knives one and all.

Something old and something new...for me. First knife is my old Soligen, made in Germany, antler-handled knife I won in the Belmont Archery Big Buck contest in 1971. I shot the biggest buck and this was the 1st place prize. Dressed well over 100 deer and miscellaneous other critters around the country with it. Don't carry it any more. Second knife is the one I carry now. I have carried a Buck knife - #119 for about 20 years or so now. IMO... best field dressing knife for whitetails I ever had. Not to big and not to small. And a lot of knives between the two.

Sounds like they are crab apples. I have a two yellow ones I know of on two different properties I hunt. Sounds like a good spot to set a cam this late in the season!

Well, my mistake. I have seen lots of bucks do this at a scrape...stand on their backlegs and work the overhanging branch. Pears...don't have that fruit in my neck of the woods, that I know of. Little crab apples,... but pears?

High licking branch...slam dunk!

Great deer. But....why do two guys, Zak Novan and Jeff Binga have the same deer? (Scroll just a little way down.) Did both shoot it? I thought it was a little weird that two guys hold the same buck...and it wasn't annotated. Maybe a lot of others don't notice or care. Or are they just goofing...

That's the media business (advertising.)

Can't wait to get the muzzleloader outside and hunt again!