chrisw

I'll second Moog's recommendation for a budget NV scope being the Sightmark Wraith, it'll run you about $500. My buddy has about $18,000 in 2 thermal scopes but bought a Wraith as a backup gun and he said it works really well out to 200 yds or so, a great scope on a budget. I'm looking to purchase a dedicated coyote rifle/NV scope combo. Another thing to consider is the caliber, if you stay under a .22 caliber you can use it during an open deer season. I'm going to buy another 204 Ruger for that reason. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

You have to remember that in the water there aren't the scavengers there are on land, they can't dry out etc. Breakdown is much quicker when it is exposed to air. Same with a fish even, put a fish on land and it's rotted in days and gone in a few more. Put that fish in the water and it'll last weeks. I'm no biologist or scientist but I do know it takes a lot longer to break down in water. My .02 says that deer has been in the water for at least a month from my experience, for what it's worth... it's too bad either way though. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Yea that boy has been dead perhaps months. I found one this May submerged in a creek, all that was above was one side of the rack. It looked pretty similar to this and I imagine smelled just as awful. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

First off, even if it was the largest racked buck in an area don't assume it was dominant. Secondly, that buck could've been a cruiser that didn't even live on the property. Also, if the habitat was good for one large buck, it will be for another. But... It doesn't really work like the way you mentioned. Just because there is a vacancy now doesn't mean there is a deer waiting to move in. Every deer does different things. We have big bucks on our lease that disappear every year during the rut, and show back up late season. We also have several mature bucks frequenting the same few hundred acres. I don't think that because one deer is dominant that the other mature deer leave, it's simply a pecking order. At any one time we can have 3-5, 4+ year old deer working the same area if there are hot does. My advice, get out and hunt that property, don't worry about the dead deer. Deer die every day, in every way. My bet is there are other bucks still around. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

@Just Lucky I didn't want to put a damper on your spirits or give you bad juju last night but anytime I've heard that a deer falls instantly, flops around then gets up and runs off it generally doesn't end well unfortunately. Happened last week to my buddy actually, shot, deer fell and was flipping his neck up in the air, before you know it he was on his feet and gone, followed ok blood for 200 yds then nothing. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Neighbor show you what he shot? Is it the same deer? Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Haha. I built it this summer, 6.8SPC, I did the camo paint, a Leupold VX-3 2.5-8 scope, Rise armament trigger. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

New gun to test out. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Well I'm back home after our flights got delayed and we spent an extra 20 hours in Chicago. Going out for the first sit of gun season, cameras are hit and miss activity but I'm itching to go sit! Hopefully you guys left me a deer or two. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Camo is highly overrated. There's a saying in fishing, it goes: "The fly is more for the fisherman than the fish." Same with Camo, we suit camo to the way WE see it and don't take into account how the DEER see it. Their vision isn't really that great. As long as you aren't wearing, blue, purple, violet etc. They aren't going to see the color. As long as it breaks up your outline you're good to go... Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

I can appreciate the higher end gear but if I'm being honest, it seems to be more of a fashion statement than anything. If that's your game then I'm not knocking it, I just feel that spending big dollars to walk 200yds to a treestand and sit for a few hours is unnecessary. You can get warm, dry gear for a fraction of the price of high end gear. The marketing behind Sitka, Kuiu etc are really good at what they do. I'm on both sides of the debate. I also have some expensive rifles/scopes etc, that I don't NEED to kill a deer. So I get both sides of the topic. But in my opinion, there is a point of diminishing return on high end hunting clothes, and I have a hard time justifying $400 for a Sitka jacket when I can buy a $180 Huntworth that will keep me just as warm. To each their own! Now commence the attack on me for calling some of these high end apparel snobs "Gear Diva's." [emoji16] Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

You aren't allowed to possess deer without a permit/tag/police tag etc... I do agree though that the OP shouldn't jump to conclusions, dead bucks don't last long on the side of the road. People see a dead deer and want the rack. And I'd assume if they were the shooter, they wouldn't come back in broad daylight to get it but you never know. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Cementum Annuli is about as accurate as you can get. I've used deer age, takes longer than it should to get the results back but I'd do it again in the future. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

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Didn't need the long lens for these ladies! Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Yea we are in Taos and Questa for a few days! Elk are the one thing that has eluded me so far. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Thanks! I'm using a Canon T6i with 3 lenses. The big lens is a Sigma 150-500mm so with the crop sensor of the T6i I'm getting around 700mm of focal length. The other 2 lenses are a fisheye for the super wide angles and a Canon 18-35mm for basic wide angles. Most distance shots were taken across the gorge at around 300-500 yds so it pulls them in pretty decent but crisp edges start to diminish at the extreme end of the focal length. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

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A few pics I've put on my computer so far from the Rio Grande and surrounding areas. I'll add more as I get to them. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

The pucker factor was in effect a few times! Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Live from the Rio Grande, walked miles today and found some Bighorn sheep. I'll post up pics in a few days! Such an awesome place. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Will you continue to go that route in the future? How long did the process take you? Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

More like road hunting probably! Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk