Fletch

Sad news. Good dogs just have a way of filling up your heart.

Dude I was so looking for my same copy of this pic! You won't be in hell alone!!

No the mushrooms were for the steak! Chili separate! Sent from my SHIELD Tablet using Tapatalk

Well just to support you die hards. I am in the kitchen making up a big old pot of venison chili And cooking up venison steak on the grill With stout mushrooms While these two wander into the back lawn to eat apples They better look out I got doe tags!

So not even one steak?

The rib bones on a bison gotta be pretty formidable. My deer setup would bounce right off lol!!

It is hard for me to imagine not growing up in the sport with father, grandfather, uncles... to guide the way. That said I think it can be done self taught but I think you are right that finding a good mentor or two would really ease the way and improve your experience. Even if it is just someone to call and say hey I saw this or what would you do in this instance...to bounce ideas and suck in knowledge. Or take you on a scouting trip to show terrain, animal sign, likely spots....... As others have said safety is top priority. Knowledge of land and the animals use of it. Proper shot selection. And then what to do with what you took. Cleaning any animal the first time or two without guidance is a bitch. I am a long ways off but keep searching there are a lot of good guys/gals out there. You find them congregating at outdoor shows, archery shops, sporting good stores......and forums like these.

I have started to notice that my cameras are missing pictures. I first noticed when I put one (MP6) covering an apple tree by one of my stands. All the apples were being eaten and had some pics but there would be apples left on the ground in one pic and then gone with no pics? Then on that same cam I came out last week by that spot and there were two 1.5 year old buck in front of it in the clearing eating then busted me and ran off all in front of the camera. Not one pic of them?? There were other pics of deer at different times. Then on another camera (MP8) yesterday I had an 8 point walk right past the cam at maybe 30 yards before I shot it. Not a pic. Again other deer pics at other times and it picked up a deer right where this one walked 2 weeks ago at night. So now I wonder over the last 2 years for the MP6 and 1 year for the MP8 how many pictures of deer am I missing? Does anybody have some experience with these cams? The settings were on normal sensitivity and I jacked them up to high a week ago but as the result yesterday....................... A cam is worthless to me if it is missing activity.

That last pic is an awesome pose!!

Thank you, No this is a different property. This guy was walking right between my two mocks I made here without giving them a glance lol. I had one fuzzy night pick of a good sized buck crossing in the same spot about 2 weeks ago so it might be him. This dude covers some property. He was full of soybeans and apples and the closest soybeans I would say is a mile and a half. The 8 at the other property will probably get a pass if I see him in gun. I would like to think I can hold out for a hope I see something really big!! Need a doe or two for the freezer yet though!

I am glad I am not out there today!! Man it is nasty out. I will probably ease up( a bit ) on the hunting until 11/7. I really want to get a doe with my new crossbow. Good luck out there. The rut has not even hit gear yet!!

Thanks guys here is a pic of me with him.

I am not a fan. Get up an hour earlier yik and basically lose my after work hunts unless I scoot out of work early. Not even sure why we do DST anymore?

10/27 am 29 I was going to head to the hole property this morning but I had a 9:30 conference call. I hunted behind the house so I could sit longer and get back into the home office on time. I hunted the far stand and it was nice and cold. A bit before 8am I hear footsteps off to my right so grab the bow and stand up. Here comes a nice buck just cruising along. He is angling across in front of me and about 20 yards out. He hits a nice big opening and I grunt he stops and I put the hit on him. I was a bit nervous it was high a touch and not a pass through. The arrow was deep though hitting just past halfway back angled towards the front of the far leg. He ran out of site and I heard a big crash. I could not see him though so I waited 45 minutes and got down. After I walked 25 feet I could see white, no track job needed. The arrow was still in him and he went maybe 60 yards. The arrow punched through the diaphragm and into the boiler room. The arrow penetrated about 14-15 inches. Got him gutted out and dragged him across the creek to my trail and went back to get the zero turn!! lol I sold my sons 4 wheeler so hey work smart not hard!! That was the plan anyway until I could not get the zero turn started! So I ended up dragging him all the way out the old fashioned way! He is a solid buck. He hit 166 lbs on the scale. Oh and he was stuffed full!! I never gutted a deer that had so much food in his gut! When I was cutting him open his stomach was exploding out the cut. I had to be super careful. He had a lot of soybeans and apples in him.

10/27/15

Thank guys! I'll post pics in a bit and the story will be in my journal.

[emoji106]

10/26 pm 48 Just snuck out back in the field edge stand for an hour after picking kids up from practices. The back neighbor was out in the woods on his 4 wheeler so was hoping but figured not likely. It was a dud.

Out for a short sit on field edge out back. 46 out but neighbor running 4 wheeler back in his woods. Maybe he will kick some deer to me

Looking good!! I actually made a venison and barley soup this week yum. Looks like we are all scraping the bottom of the freezers out!! I am making venison chili this week. Had canned venison with mushrooms and gravy over noodles last night and have venison steaks in the fridge marinating for the grill. Also have some bass fillets thawing for a meal. It is outdoors menu week!!

Awesome on the tourney!!

10/26 am 32 Out back in the far stand for 2 hours this morning. It was crisp out! Before light I had one run in behind me and just stop and never heard it again. Did not see anything on watch. On the way out I jumped a 4? pointer eating apples in front of one of my brothers stands. Pulled two cam cards, one by my far stand not much interesting and one off the clearing by the tower stand. That cam is not working well and is new replacement from the company. I am going to have to change it again.

Here I am in Berlin Germany last year with a nice mug!

5.5 year old bow kill in 7F. One back leg had a lot of scar tissue we figure the buck at one point had been hit by a car causing the rack. This was an antlered doe from 7M

Well nothing but squirrels and bout time to head in and get to work, yik!