Buckstopshere

I've killed a lot of late season toms, maybe over the years, more than in the early season. My hunting buddy was kidding me before this season that I may as well not go out the first two weeks because "I always get it done in the 9th inning." But I surprised everybody this year by getting one on the third day... Good advice above, but I would add that many turkey hunters think that all gobblers behave the same...or nearly alike, no matter where they are. But I have found that when it is quiet on one hill, go five miles away and the are lighting the place up with gobbles. A hill that is quiet for the first two weeks of the season, all of a sudden can change. Some gobblers are with hens, some are starting to group up, some are loners...some even pair up...like a dominant bird and his toady. There are many scenarios...and many ways to get the job done, the main thing is...never give up and if it isn't happening one place for you, go someplace else...just never give up!

Got a nice one on the third day of the NYS season. He came in like they should. Carried a 9.5 inch beard, 1 1/8 inch spurs, weighed 21.2 pounds. He came in with a yelping sub-dominant tom. I let that one pass by and shot the strutter.

Depends on the situation. I like to have a bullet that will do the job at close range and still will give me the accuracy out to 400 yards. So there is a lot of compromising going on...so I like a 180 grain in my 30.06, but the 220 grain is a good "brush buster," while the 150 grain is a great long range round.

Man, that sounds good on a venison sandwich! Shave a rare venison roast...homemade horsey sauce on a bun...man! Too close to dinner!

Opening morning, about 11 am. Got a lot of venison off my 10-pt.

Since I hunt pretty hard in four areas in Unit 9Y, I have a pretty good handle on it. I would have to give it a B+. Lots of deer, lots of bucks...but the problem is too many little spikes and forks and scrub bucks. Everyone seems to have to shoot a 2 year old, and passes the spikes. I wish they would shoot a spike or a fork and let the 2 year old grow into something that we could really get excited about. Not that a lot of three year olds were taken this year in 9Y...it was a great year. Every year it is getting better. Evidently other areas in the state are not doing so well. I have to think that a lot of the improvement I have seen over the last 10 years here is the increase in food plots, feeding the deer and amending the soil...our deer seem bigger and their antler mass seems to be increasing...but any individual's observations are just a little slice of the big pie. Maybe it has to do with the milder winters...

In 9Y 1 doe /bow 1 buck/rifle 1 doe/rifle Three other guys in camp, each took a buck/rifle

None of us are perfect, though we should always strive to place the arrow or shot perfectly. It is an imperfect world. Lucky for us, the deer aren't perfect either or we would never get one!

Back to the topic...I think it is good for someone of our ranks to bring up the necessity for us all to constantly recommit to making the best and quickest kill possible no matter what the weapon. And we always need to be rigorous when it comes to our equipment to sort out the gimmicks from the real deal. This site is filled with a lot more successful kills ...than the few that got away. And don't forget...if you were a deer,...let's say if the deer could vote...like what Peta wants... (they are talking about Seaworld with Killer Whales in the courtroom)... the deer would all vote for a longer archery season. Wouldn't you, if you were a deer, rather have someone after you with a bow than a modern firearm? The deer win!!! on election night! Good to be a bow hunter when the deer are voting for you!

My opinion...as you say is that yes, the rut will...is kicking in with this Full Moon, as it always does every year. But it sounds like you are not in the right spot. Problem with hunting the rut is that it is feast or famine. Either you are in the right space and everything is wonderful or you are on on the edges of the galaxy and not much sign of life. If you are not in the right place, move, scout. Don't think the deer have their earlier fall feeding patterns. Bucks now are just beginning to care more about the south end of a doe going north than feed now. But the girls got to eat.

Big buck like that will run a long way with a hit like that. From the photo, could be above the backbone. The schematic is not quite correct, doesn't give the right image, in that there is more meat and skin and especially hair above the backbone. That's what we see. When I arrow a deer, I try to say to myself, "Err on the low side, aim low." Even with a fast arrow, a deer can drop a bit at the shot. I cut up my own deer and have been doing it for 40 years. It gives one a real understanding of a deer's anatomy. But good luck. It's a dandy buck and you just never know.

I've shot three antlerless bucks in the last four years, thinking they were big does. I made a little video of one. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/user/MrBuckstopshere#p/u/4/UN9MG7vdrsw

Congratulations! Nice job. Smart to have an experienced bow hunter with you...to back out. Thanks!

Scrapes are really getting pounded in 9Y now. But still mostly at night, but some daylight action just beginning. This next week as the moon gets full should see a lot more daytime activity...up until the rut pops.

Monday or Tuesday (11/1/11) I had two more trail cams stolen on posted property. (Different property) in Wellsville, in southern Allegany County. That makes four ripped off this year. I told the police, and am offering a $100 cash reward to information leading to the arrest of the perp. What a bummer...just at this time of year when I was starting to get some really good scrape and buck photos and clips!

Nice buck! Congratulations!

I still remember the image in Serpentine ad...I think it had an apple with a funky hole cut in it like the Serpentine would make... at least the artist thought so... I never bought any, but I wish I did, they do have some collectible value now. Roger Rothhaar sent me my first box of Snuffers in 1978. I still have the box, it is from the Tool and Die company he worked for at the time. And he made the heads himself. Not only is he the originator in print of hunting whitetail bucks over scrapes, he came up with the broadhead design of the Snuffer, which the Wensel Woodsman heads and the G5 Montecs are knockoffs of... I like the design because of the ease of sharpening, once you have the knack and the incredible lethal effectiveness of the heads. But I killed my first 10 or so deer mostly with Bear Razorheads...some sans "bleeder blade." Because I was told the heads would fly better without it. But I did manage to kill a couple deer with the Hilbre. It is a "nylon" ferrule I believe. That was about impossible to sharpen! Hunting heads have come a long way since those days, course so have the bows. Back then it was recurves...and some of us hunted with long bows. I saw my first compound bow at an archery shop... about 1976. I resisted for 20 years until my shoulder went!

I have used Snuffers (cut on contact, three-blade) for many years after starting out with Bear Razorheads, Hilbre, Razorbacks, Satellites, Deadheads, Savoras (three and four-blade) Rocky Mts., Thunderheads, Muzzy, and I can't remember a few others...I've killed close to 100 deer with my bows (recurves, long bows, compounds.) Now I shoot a Bowtech and my Easton Camshafts are 2413's tipped with the 150-grain Magnus (Used to be Rothhaar) Snuffer It is very lethal, but the heads need to be shaving sharp. No matter what head or setup you use, if your heads are not scary sharp, your effectiveness will diminish. I use a 10x4 DMT diamond whet stone to put a very sharp edge on all my heads. I obsess about the sharpness of my heads and touch them up all the time. Many do not know how important it is to use a shaving sharp head and in my experience with my deer, and helping others track their deer...as much as placement, it is about the sharpness of the head.

I would take it later. The full moon is the 10th of Nov. and when it starts to wane...like around the 13th...on things should be popping. JMHO. I hate hunting at dusk with that bright almost full moon beaming down. I think it holds up the deer from moving because it is so bright.

Right you are. There were two rut peaks last year, one was in the last few days of October and the first few days of November. The second rut peak was around the 18th of November. Now that's the peak, or when most does and bucks interact, highest frequency of sightings of running and chasing. That second week of November was slow last year for most. But this year, it should be just the opposite. We'll see. If hunters will post what they see. If everyone does it, we will get a good snapshot of how the rut unfolds this year. No BS. Just say what you saw.

I've found that it is quite easy to over-hunt an area and alert older deer to your stand site. Where I hunt, deer wise up quickly, and spook easily at this time of year before the rut starts, so I rotate my stand sites and hunting areas continually.

Actually, the Full Moon in November is on the 10th, not the 5th. However, being in the First Quarter on the 5th, we will see the moon hanging bright in the sky when we are on our late afternoon stands then (if it's not raining!) I've never had much luck seeing deer in that First Quarter. But as the Full Moon starts to wane, the rut should be peaking. And anytime in the woods can be great...or quiet, feast or famine, as the deer tend to bunch up in breeding groups.

I carry two different sizes, all Winchester Super X power point, I like the 165 gr. for all around long distance and 180 gr. for all around and for thicker brush (less twig deflection.)

So you want to be a bowhunter...? You thought taking up the challenge was easy? But it tests our weaknesses.

And good luck to you and all the deer hunters here!! I've really enjoyed being on this forum...shoot a big one and let's see the photos and hear the story! It will be windy...so hunt low, great for still hunting. They hate the windy days...can't smell...they know they are more vulnerable. And a good time to scout. Rain washes away scent.