Fletch

We weigh all our deer. For the area we hunt the general averages follow. For pre and early rut bucks. 1.5 yo - 115-125 2.5 yo - 135-145 3.5 yo - 155-165 4.5 yo - 175 - 185 5.5 yo 185 - 195 older 175- 200 - we personally have not taken a buck over 200 in CNY and I do not remember too many I have even heard of. There are always outliers these are averages. Post rut bucks 2.5 and lower seem to lose less weight. 5-15% Older bucks can lose quite a bit more than that even. As you can figure our sample includes a lot more earlier bucks than late season bucks.

You are not quite right Sir lol!!

Not a chance. One of my good buddies is the Service Manager at my Chevy dealer. It goes in gets oil changed and tires rotated and all point checkup. I basically cant do it cheaper considering mileage to go get stuff then have to take in oil for recycling.

Nice 5.7 year old deer. Do the leaves even fall off the trees in San Antonio? Only been there in the summer poor me.

Very strange.

Well capped off another season. Was a weird year. It took me weeks to really get into the groove and focus on the hunt. Too much at work/home/life took a while to decompress. Once that passed I was enjoying myself finally. Had a fairly normal sighting season and managed to take a mature buck with the bow on my list. Also was blessed to get 3 meat deer on top of that. No swings and misses and lots of passes on small bucks and baby deer. I can't remember a year where I only had one day with more than an inch of snow on the ground at my home property. The other 3 hunters in my family each got a deer. My son, who is not too passionate about it did not but he only got out a half dozen sits and did pass on a small buck. He prefers out of state hunts and hopefully after last year of no trips due to Covid and or missed draws we get back out of state. We should draw gator tags this year as we have 4 points. And we will be looking at another hunt as well. Wish you all a Happy New Year!

I think your all phookin idiots!! That's why I hang here, I stick with my own kind!

If the trapping is nuisance control or damage/overpopulation control I get it 100% and thanks for clarifying on the second half as I misunderstood. Thanks for replying. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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That’s disturbing. Your ok with someone shooting a deer to cut the antlers off and leaving the rest to rot? And fine with trapping and tossing hundreds or thousands of animals to boot? I may be misunderstanding and if so I apologize. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Oh my this is frickin hilarious!! Bar set at highest altitude!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well I guess if a new hunter here took that as gospel and fed it to an old person, little kid or pregnant person who could not fight food poisoning well and died but hey that’s fine……. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don’t think anybody is questioning that 99% of the time meat from a deer left overnight is fine. It was why not do it as soon as possible to negate that 1%? I’ve hunted in the south a bunch and I’ve always seen a lot of effort in getting the animal gutted and cooled. I think it also improves the chances of quality tasting meat but that is just my opinion. That said I eat sushi, raw oysters, raw clams, raw burgers and a few questionable restaurants which I am sure are more dangerous!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I wouldn’t of figured you to be 61 years old. Happy New Year Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

They were all half hour before dark or more. I never shoot to empty my ML just twist out breech. Pellets tip out and go into the practice container and push out the sabot. No muss. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Way to go Wolc and Hornhunter!! I heard 7-8 shots tonight but nothing in my sights Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Trim it and put it in a bowl with water and a couple teaspoons of salt. You’ll be good 3-4 days no problem. I use the quart Chinese takeout soup containers Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Up and in for the last 2 hours. Again 48 degrees! In my double stand past the Hole my brother got his big 8 from way back in bow. Had a big buck on cam over here that I think is the one who gave his buck the bruises and tine marks. Not sure if he’s still alive but he was 2 weeks ago. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have always loved to be out in the woods hunting. Had to take it in as it’s a long time until next season. And yea nuts covers it lol. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Out and up in the deep Hole. Can’t believe I’m hunting on 12/31 and it’s 47 degrees and sunny! Prob my last sit for the season per the weather report. On the menu is big buck or big doe. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If every shot I heard here was a person shooting at a deer that would be amazing! I hear literally thousands upon thousands of shots a year. All year around and plenty at night. Most are target shooting, lots and lots of duck and goose. I’m sure some of the night shots aren’t legit but I hope most aren’t. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I was at Indian Shores near St. Pete’s. Got home yesterday. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I went to a big dehydrator a couple years ago. Perfect for the ground shooter jerky I make. I can fit about 9 pounds in it. I made like 80 pounds last year lol. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Had a lot of these babies over the last week and a half! Few grouper sandwiches too. The Greeks know there octopus! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Interesting thread for sure. Glad Moog asked as I don’t think there is one practicing wildlife biologist on here but sure a lot of experts lol. I do get a kick that one of the one most concerned about deer being over stressed is the one who cages up wild animals for a living. But neither here nor there I do agree the season is too long. I am not against the holiday hunt. I think the regular season should end 7-12 days sooner for a longer break before it and make the Holiday hunt like 3 days. The issue here that some of you are arguing with the others on is moot. The state manages deer on a quantity and overall hunter satisfaction basis not a trophy and more even buck to doe ratio basis. You all need to group up and pull in politicians and figure out ways to get the DEC to change its current goals. I am at least happy the state has been giving in a bit to hunters with the lower age, rifle use and so on. Happy New Year to you all however you choose to hunt or hunt with. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk