grampy

Thanks so much everyone. I'm a very happy hunter tonight. Posted story in the harvest thread. My grandson is here. We are heading out in the morning. Him getting one would mean 10X more to me than my own. If not for school today, he would have been with me. Tomorrow is his day!

It has been tough hunting since opening day of gun. Have not seen a deer!! Nothing! Until today. Had seen multiple decent bucks during bow. Passed a bunch of young ones, and even was second guessing myself about not taking a couple shots, I thought were iffy at the time. (glad I did) We had to keep up with the changing bedding areas, and feeding patterns, as the traditional ones along the swamps, were flooded out with all the rain this fall. So most all our spots were changed again and again. Opening morning came with a bunch of snow. We sat what we thought were our "best" options. Saw no deer. Day two, moved to a spot where they "had" to be! Saw no deer, and no fresh tracks at all. Day three, we figured if they weren't in the first two areas, well they MUST be in this one. Right? Wrong again! No deer or any fresh sign again at all! Was actually thinking have they left the property? Got a call last night from work, a machine was down, could I come in the morning, even though I'm on vacation. Sure, NP. Was out of there by noon. Ran home throw on my stuff, and started thinking where the heck could the deer be on our property! Heading up the hill, I decided to try the lowest end, with pines and some REALLY thick brush. After walking down the tractor access lane, I saw a few fresh tracks! Cool! Got to within 100 yards of a small ladder stand I was going to, and in the thick stuff to my left about 60 yards ahead, a bedded doe stands up! And I see another deer stand up behind her, and immediately see it's a good buck! But I have no shot, the doe is blocking him! The doe is giving me the stare down, but he is looking at her, not me. I knew whatever was going to happen, it would happen fast, as she was getting ready to bolt. She took a step left, right before she bolted, and there was the buck in my scope, thrugh a small window, quartering hard to me. He sees me now, and is looking my way too. I was on him, it's now or never, and trusted myself, and my 270 as I squeezed off the 60 yard shot. His front end dropped, he whirled to his right, and I lost sight of him in the brush. The doe bounded away, and as I watched her go, a bigger buck I never saw is on the other side of the lane!!! He bounds away too! Now I'm not sure of my shot. Did I hit him? Was that second buck him? If it was, how did he get there without me seeing him? So I decided to back out and give things, and myself a short time to calm down. As I turn around, a deer bolts across the lane! I'm on him. It's a spike! Don't shoot!......After threes days with not on deer seen, my hearts beating pretty good at this point. I call my partner Gary, he says stay there, I'll be right down. Sounds good to me. Now the doubt really sets in. When he gets to me I tell him I think I missed. I rushed the shot, as he was getting ready to bolt. We split the thicket, me on the side he ran to, Gary on the side of the shot. Shortly I hear a familiar whistle. And I'm crashing through the brush, to where the buck lays dead! He didn't go 20 yards! A quiet minute or two to give thanks, a handskake and pat on the back from Gary and my buck hunt is over this year. I'm so proud of this one! A lot of guessing, and moving set ups this season. Persistence and patience. Along with some luck. Just shy of 180 lbs. Nice three year old for my area of 4-H.

Big buck down!

You are among the best hunters on here. You gave it all you had, that's all anyone could, or should ever do my friend. Sometimes, in spite of our best efforts, it just doesn't work out the way it should. Yes, it stings like hell! Especially to a good hunter, but all you can do is pick yourself up and move on. Get out there with your daughter and take pride in her hunting, as well as your own. Redemption is on the way buddy.

So sorry for the loss of your beloved Max. He was so lucky to have you guys as his human companions. You and Him, gave all you had for each other. The special bond we have with our pets is very strong. We never forget them. RIP Max. You were a good boy.

At work. A machine was not doing what it should. So got a call to come in on vacation. No problem, easy fix. Should be out hunting by noon or so. Just hope to finally see a deer after three days of hunting! Grandson is on deck for tomorrow. Hoping the deer activity picks up for him. Fingers crossed and good mojo sent to WNY, fetch him up John!

Now KC missed extra point! Best game I've seen this year by far! And only halftime! Two very good teams battling it out!

What a great story. Glad you guys got her out! My hat is off to you reeltime. What you did says a lot about you.

Day three, still no deer seen, by either of us. No fresh tracks now either. I think the deer have left us. Really tough season so far.

Reach around, and give yourself a pat on the back! You absolutely did the right thing, by not chancing a shot like that. He's still out there! Hope you get a better shot at him before the end of the season.

I've taken your advice a time or two, and it's worked out for me as well. Nosler BTs was one good one!

Congratulations to Curtis!! He's very fortunate to have a great mentor!

Maybe that has something to do with it? Been seeing deer, and some decent bucks right up to when the snow flew. As I said, the deer are still here. See fresh tracks in the morning, and still getting them on cams at night. We are set up outside of the bedding where there are tons of tracks. Just no daytime movement, to or from those areas right now. Not crying the blues here at all!!! Still enjoying every day hunting! Still going out there every chance I get. If I get a deer fine. If I don't that's fine too. Just trying to adjust to what the deer are giving us right now. And as we all know, things can change in an instant, in the deer woods. Getting a thrill, seeing all the nice deer killed the last couple days! Way to go guys and gals! Congratulations to ALL the successful hunters!!! For all of us still working at it, we got a ways to go, and it's never over till its over. Good Luck!

I don't think so. We've hunted in much more. Got a lot of tracks. Made during darkness. So the deer are here. Just seems like for whatever reason, they flipped the switch to nocturnal?

Day two of no deer seen. Changed set up from yesterday, same result. It's crazy. Until the snow fell, was seeing deer most every sit. Usually after the snow they are very active here. Strange season so far.

No deer seen while hunting yesterday. Will change spots today. The chess match begins. With the snow, the feeding pattern changed. They were eating green grass and food plots. Now they have to dig for it. Will back out a bit to the hardwoods, from the swamp edges we hunted yesterday. That's my move. Will see how the deer counter it! Lot of shots from the bordering state land yesterday too. That should push more deer over to us. But now they are on high alert! Stay tuned. This match up could he a real barn burner folks!

Congratulations! Great deer Paula! Way to go!

Pretty boring opening day. Tons of fresh tracks this morning. No deer seen while hunting. Congratulations to all the successful hunters today!

Lets light this thread up today!!! Best of luck, and keep safe out there!

Got chains on the wheeler. That will get me to the end of the fields. A 500 yard walk, will get me to my spot. My partner went out there today, reset the collapsed hub blind for me. Said there were tracks all over. Pulled the card from the cam near there and two nice shooters! Doesn't mean I will see anything. But will make it easy to get out of bed tomorrow! Good luck and keep safe everyone!

Alarm set for 3:30. Not that I'll need it.

Best of luck to ya Miss Paula! Shoot straight and keep safe my friend! Wishing all my brothers and sisters here at HuntingNY, a safe, successful, and enjoyable season! Can't wait to see all the smiling faces with deer!

Tracks all over this afternoon. Saw a decent 8 just off the road, behind a doe around 2pm.

Good luck Biz, Tacks and sodfather!!! Great team right there! I really enjoyed my trip to WNY last year. Was invited again this year too, but got a lot going on. Hope you have at least half as much fun as I did! Then for sure you will have a blast! Get em boys!

A foot or so? Got a knee, that doesn't like long walks through deep snow anymore. But I do have snowshoes, that is a possibility. Also dug out the chains for my wheeler too. That will get me through the fields. And the snow isn't the wet heavy variety, so that does make it easier. Will think up the plan for the morning, doing snow removal, now that it has ended. An opening morning with snow on the ground is exciting to me! Can't wait to get it started! Keep safe and best of luck out there!