Buckstopshere

So many impassioned comments from both sides of the issue. But I think there is one false underlying biological principal that pro-antler restriction advocates should consider. And that is, our bucks and does are wild...and they have their genetic history which is different than farm raised or deer in-a-pen researched animals. Many of the studies which track and chronicle the progress of a yearling buck to mature use top quality genetic animals. Like breeding pure-bred anything. And whitetails have been selectively bred to produce big antlers. Look at the bucks in hunting preserves. So out comes the history in photos of the spike buck that is a 150 class in four years. Our wild whitetails are mutts. Sorry, but it is the truth. Once in a while they will produce a great antlered animal in a few years...like they do in the deer farmer's pen...but that is the rare exception. Chances are much greater that a four or six point at 2.5 years in our wild areas...will be no better than a huge six-point, with coke-bottle bases at three years down the road. Some will never be more than big 7 pointers. They are great animals...that's not my point. We have a genetic mix that is not going to produce 14, 16 point bucks that approach 200 B&C and P&Y at any age. And the promise of antler restrictions to produce "bigger" and mature deer by protecting the yearling buck at all costs is overlooking the fact that our wild deer often will only produce big four or six pointers due to the wild genetics. An old bird dog breeder with many champions told me, "breeding always goes toward the mediocre."

Case in point. Last year I passed what I would say was a 2.5 year old four-point. (I got him on trail cam. I was in the tree stand in the upper corner of the photo.) This year, that buck (IMO) got on the camera a year later. He is much bigger...I would say 3.5 now, shorter nose, big body. But his antlers are the same. Food for thought...all hunters here...enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner!

I would be willing to concede that the concept of shooting the smaller buck to let the larger one mature is not for every area. When we consider buck populations...age structure varies. But, I'm a happy guy when I hear somebody tagged a spike or fork in the woods that I hunt, because I know one, there are so many little junkyard bucks, and two, it means that there is one less hunter to take out that decent 2.5 year old that now has a better chance to really turn into something next season.

Temps here on Sunday when I shot my doe was about 26 degrees. Winds...gusts to 50 mph. Up this high...2,400 foot elevation. Balmy My buck this morning...24 degees, winds only gusting to 30 mph.

Here in Western NY the conditions were perfect to still hunt. High winds, blizzard conditions. Perfect tracking snow. Got a doe and an 8 pt. Saw lots of deer. When the conditions are bad after a warm spell... Great time to be on the ground, moving.

Here in Allegany County the winds were incredible...but little snow. Just a perfect tracking snow. And it was a still hunter's dream. Got a nice fat doe on Sunday and a good 8 pt. today. I hunted hard in the storm and saw lots of deer, every time out.

Pulley system, rachett strap, and plywood loading system came in handy this morning. This 8 pt. would have busted my gut trying to lift into the truck. One other thing...I tie the poly rope off on a sapling or whatever to hold the buck up, once he gets pulled up on the plywood as in the photo. And then it is a surprisingly easy lift. Then just slide the buck on the plywood into the truck. Simple, cheap, doesn't take up hardly any space when the plywood is ripped to the length of the bed so the tailgate can be shut.

Still hunting is a great way to hunt deer when the conditions are right, like this morning. Saw fresh tracks headed for a known bedded area. Big track and small tracks. Figured the deer had fed all night, no sense taking a stand as they would be bedded. Jumped this guy at 50 yards while I was peaking over a knoll about 8 am. Put two in his ribs.

First shot was at 6:15 am. I figure that early, even though the moon was still bright...and you didn't need a flashlight to walk through the woods, somebody shot a hole in their truck, cabin porch or wall. Knuckleheads doing something stupid. Maybe someone was shooting at a deer, and that is certainly possible..but I think at least a high percentage of these crazy early shots are caused by just bad or inept gun handling. I counted 87 shots by 8 am. And probably 150 or so in the next hour, but I had stopped counting. For many years I have been counting shots until 8 am. This morning's count was a slightly below average shot count for Southern Allegany County. A little over 100 is about average.

Love hunting in the snow! Killed some of my best bucks in snow storms...besides deer being easier to see...also to track, blood trail, and drag! Sunday will be an awesome day!

You just never know...that's the great thing about deer hunting. When you think you have them on a string...seems something always happens. And when you think that it is time to leave the stand, they show up.

I don't know where I will be strange as it may seem. At our deer camp we always draw numbers out of a hat that are for each stand on the property. So...I could be in a number of different locations...all good. My preference...is a stand that is on an inside corner of a huge goldenrod field used for bedding cover. The acorns are still thick under some trees there. Good movement zone, bedding cover and feed. But the weather is going to be a factor...here in Allegany County the wind is going to howl in the afternoon with rain, according to the reports. Should be a good morning, but a tough afternoon. Expect to break out the rain gear. Then Sunday we will have a covering of snow...so snow camo...with a bit of blaze orange is going to camp too.

Bucks really test the other deer scents on the licking branches. Big 8 visits scrape movie at Ziptie bouquet .mov

He knows my cam is there, and it is as if he comes back and grumbles...good thing we don't know what they are saying! Big 8 speaking to me movie 2.mov

Hard to say age of a buck from a trail cam photo. A buddy of mine just shot a buck in Connecticut that is 8.5 years old! Weighed 203 dressed. Six point coke bottle bases. There are some really old deer running around. We can give an educated guess, but the only way to really know is to put him on the ground and send his tooth in. Some of the urban bucks have sanctuaries that let them get old now.

And a good topic with "Opening Day," just a few hours away! Hopefully, we all will have to deal with this issue of loading a deer! But...though the anticipation is great for all...and we toss and turn on the eve, statistically only a few of us will be lucky enough to have to deal with this chore! ..."huh, trouble...what trouble?"

Now that takes a big man to heave a deer up on top of his car. But now days, it is inflamatory to tote them around like that. When I was a kid, evening of opening day. Downtown Wellsville was lined with cars with deer on them, hunters going to the restaurants and bars. I can remember counting 117 deer on both sides of the street, about 1972.

I used to have SUV's way back in the day...but I could not stand the ticks (keds) crawling up on me days after I had off loaded the deer! Always bite me at the base of my skull under my hair. Hate it. I love my trucks for that reason alone.

The nice thing about the plywood is that it sits on the bed of the truck and is virtually out of the way, other stuff can be loaded on it etc. Yep, and I zipped it off so it is the same length as my seven foot bed. Plus, don't get all bloody trying to heave them up. And those deer ticks (actually deer keds)...won't get rubbed off on your clothes and end up crawling on your neck like we did when we wrasseled the deer in. I also use the heavier grade stuff, like 1/2 inch. An earlier prototype, I struggled with 1/4 inch.

I don't know about you, but I am not getting any younger. And loading a 150 lb., dressed deer is a challenge, after hauling it through the woods, fields and whatever...So this works for me. I cut a piece of plywood the length of my truck bed. I use a pulley..from Cabelas or whatever system. I use the plywood as a ramp, get the beast up pretty high on the plywood, then lift the plywood. Slide the buck in. Saves this old back!

Bottom of the ninth, two out...a big rutting buck comes trotting in, directly at me. I grunted at him at 20 yards. The leaves were so noisy, he didn't hear me. So I grunted very loud to stop him. It worked at 15 yards. Of course at full draw I settled the pin low, but he dropped and I spin-ed him. Took two more arrows to quickly finish him. Weighed #155 on a scale dressed out. What a haul dragging him out of the wood and getting him in the truck. But how fulfilling to hunt the entire season and scoring in the end on a rutting buck! Some times it doesn't end that way. And you hold out...and it doesn't happen. What a season with so many small bucks passed! Not able to close the deal on a lot of the alphas I had on cam, and some of those would bring me on the edge of divorce...again. I really don't need another mount! but what a great ending to the archery season. Couldn't be happier. Earlier, I watched this guy chase a tiny doe, two scrub bucks were with him. A buck with both antlers broke off was munching acorns beneath me. When the Whitetail Breeding Unit ran by, he took off after them. But he came back soon to pig out on the acorns. That was in the morning, about 9 am. So I decided to spend the afternoon sit in the same stand. He came in about 4:30. I think I have him on a trail cam shot from earlier this month. His right tip of the main beam is broken off. What a blessing.

Your observations are right on. Since the rut is peaking right now, (as predicted) the does are tending to group up in Whitetail Breeding Units. Some call them breeding parties...Usually the WBU's are controlled by one or two dominant bucks and the scrub bucks float around the edges. Smells to good to leave...but if the little bucks get too close they risk a whoopin. Single does are being run and run and run by bucks until they bed down in the shadow of a breeder buck(s). Feast or famine out there. You are in the action...where the deer are, or its pretty much dead.

Thanks. I'll put it in the harvest thread to not co-op Nice 8 pt. Heavy deer for around here. Not the big guy I was after, but he wears my tag very proudly. And it looks good on him.

From my stand this morning I watched a big-bodied, dark 8 pt. chase a tiny doe. Two other smaller bucks were with him. He grunted constantly. At the time I was watching a buck under my stand eat acorns. The buck had both antlers broken off at the bases. When the breeding unit ran past, the antlerless buck took off after them. But returned a short time later to eat acorns. The big 8 pt. made the mistake of walking too close to my stand just before dark.

Been my experience that the rut always happens the same time every year, the week following the second full moon closest to the Autumnal Equinox. Just not the same date on our solar calendars.