Five Seasons

your boy rocking sitka makes me jealous. Hell of nice buck, congrats!

saw this and it's too real looking to fake. theory i heard was a combine perhaps. just illustrates how tough these bastards are.

I don't think you did anything wrong and I hope your dad is ok. You have a dead buck and that's all that matters. I myself stated that I drew on a doe saturday and let down due to light and angle. It's not to say that if I let if fly she wouldn't have piled up in 30 yards. Like you, I've had those decisions work out and backfire. Each hunter has to make that call and my comment was only that I would never prefer to leave it to luck, but agree that I've probably had luck work in my favor.

I wouldn't get discouraged unless it continues through November. However, the lack of summer movement isn't great... anything else change in the area? New factories, sub divisions, new property owners possibly poaching? Sometimes too much food isn't good either. Usually it's best to have limited food/oaks as that concentrates them more. Maybe they have a preference for food that's drawing them away?

couldn't disagree more with this phrase. I hate it, but will leave it at that as I don't want to piss in anyone's cheerios who just got a nice buck. So congrats man, I'm sure he may have expired soon but I would have been out there tracking too!

If it's of any hope, the last 2 weeks have been dead across the 8's and 7's and I'm sure other WMU's as well. When did you start your cams? I had all sorts of deer in September and very early October and I know they didn't all just teleport somewhere.

agreed. In fact I can think of 3 or 4 off the top of my head. Thankfully they don't seem to go far though and still pump good blood if a double lunger.

Yep I check the weather when I wake up and when I opened the garage door I was like wtf is this shit lol. It quit around 8 and wasn’t a drencher but enough that I did have nice peaceful morning and didn’t hear either deer coming in. I have good camo that doubles as good rain gear, so the boonie hat and I was all good haha Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Congrats to the successful hunters this weekend. Was ready to go sat morning but too windy and rainy for this early and back to bed. Hunted Saturday night and had the big lone doe I wanted come in but on a rope to my stand and the shot was at 6 yards which I don’t like 25’ in the air. I drew anyhow but didn’t feel it. This stand is far back and no wheeler access. Was losing light and the thought of tracking and dragging in the dark wasn’t appealing. It was odd that with 15mph the wind was up her ass. Sunday morning in 8F was a bunch of rain that wasn’t called for or even on the radar. Another big lone doe around 8, no shot. Then a beautiful shooter 8 at 9:15, again no shot. Enough to get the knees shaky though. Pulled some cams and 2 properties are pretty dead or like 2am. But action has picked up mid week and the bucks this AM was cruising so i think the chase is starting. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

that's awesome man. Good idea not showing anyone the ozone generator in the pouch hahah

While I can't say I've done it, those who get lucky today and worried about temp, don't be afraid to skin and quarter and place in a cooler if you don't have time to process. Layer the bottom of the cooler in ice, but don't let the meat soak in melted ice/water.

Had it in my mind to hunt this afternoon. Not too many worknights left where the late after work hunt can happen... but warm and still rainy and satruday morning looks great. Wanted to get a bunch of the fall chores done saturday, but will try and do some of that tonight instead.

that might be a record for "fish hands" deer pics. damn they must be 6' back! congrats to him though

the rain is a blessing really. I want to sneak out some afternoon but really it isn't worth it and when it's pouring it doesn't make me feel guilty.

that's a cool story and congrats! arrows can work their way out too as the deer runs and hits things. glad you recovered her and had the chance to try and figure it all out. I'll admit I'm still a little confused by your description of impact and exit haha.

who's cutting onions this early? great buck and sorry for your loss skillet and skillet's wife

welcome. my quick advice is if you have no deer or little deer under your belt, it should be "brown its down", maybe only passing on buttons... but even then. good luck and may your arrow find its mark.

this made my morning. good luck man and remember there's more meat on the big bucks than there is on the little ones!

where's sweet ole bill at? not after the fall turkeys?

one thing is for sure, it's impossible to know where a deer is hit and if it's dead even with good video footage. Arrows do funny things and deer are incredible animals. The best we can do is search our asses off. Sounds like you did everything you should, but I must admit that "covered in blood" has me thinking you might not have hit brisket at all and perhaps high... I might suggest you do a little grid search in the AM if work allows for it and you could still save the meat.

a brisket shot will bleed for sure. I've lived it as have others. And yeah you'll find enough of a blood trail to give you hope, but it'll stop at some point. In fact the only deer I ever lost with a bow was brisket and the blood trail wasn't the type I was really excited to follow, but it was enough to keep me hopeful. Here's to hoping we're wrong and she's dead, but if not i think you can find solace in that she will live.

now if you had guts or dark red blood, 2 hours insn't enough, but she's either fine or dead after 2 given your description.

both are unlikely to be lethal. But archery is a funny thing, need to know angle, because if it was steep it could very well have just cleaned up on the way out but still blown through lungs. There's also an artery in the back but you should see blood from that area, assuming you're looking in the right spot. My advice, given rain is coming in 8F anyhow is to back out 2 hours and then go back in. If you jump her (this has happened to me) check the bed. A little to medium amounts of blood means she's probably fine. A LOT of blood means something else, but unlikely given the muscle on the arrow. If it was brisket, and that's my guess, she will be sore but fine.

still leaning towards brisket, which generally means she will be fine.

i hate to say this, and it's not a given... but that usually means high or brisket, usually the later in my experience