phade

I certainly enjoy blood trailing as long as it's not a poor hit...ha. I always get a bit anxious or nervous if: I don't see it go done I don't hear the crash I don't see and/or find the arrow within a short distance of the shot If that happens...the time between that realization and the first blood droplets giving me info...I get nervous. I heard my buck go down this year with a massive crash, but even then, I was still nervous until I found blood. Only found the arrow walking back to the truck to drop off gear after finding the buck...arrow backed out and was tucked in briars.

Sounds kind of funny, but taking a pic in the back of the truck and actually hanging a deer is my most favorite part of hunting outside of the camraderie. Not much beats that final lug and toss into the bed, out of breath from the drag with a buddy, and you take a seat on the tailgate and get your pic snapped. Sure, not exactly the most magazine-quality setting, but really, that's what I'm going to remember most.Then you get to string it up...to me that's really the final chance you get to admire your acccomplishment...take a step back and say "Yeah, I enjoyed nature, made a good shot, and had a memorable time with a friend or family member." Hanging by head or legs...to me, matters not. The beast is slain and it's time to reap the reward.

What precisely defines the rut as being "on"? Always wondered that....Mid-Oct. in Rochester area to me has never qualified as being "on". Not saying I don't believe you at all, I've just never personally believe it in general. I would loosely classify this period as pre-rut and at the beginning portion of it. Things will heat up in the next week as sign posting hits high gear.

I'll be honest, I haven't had the best luck with processors. Used to be better and more processors out there. I shoot quite a few and at times, I'll kill one when my time is limited or when something comes up unexpectedly. I have one guy that is real cheap...$35 but no wrapping...gotta do that yourself. He is good, but it's not as easy to always drop off since he only does small amount of deer a season (50 or less) as a means for xmas money for the kids. Larry's in East Avon is really the only other one I have used, and it's scary. I cringe when I have to go there. If I have time, I'll do it myself.

Apples if there are any on the tree, especially this far into October. Corn transition hasn't fully taken place in some spots, but it'll depend on your area...both are worthy options to investigate.

Sacketts Harbor is nice...friend has a house up there a mile or two to the NW. Beautiful place. Letchworth has some huge deer...huge.

While I agree that the days are good, I do not like choosing a Mon/Tues off because of the pressure. You'll have pressure from the weekend going into the two days you took off. Certainly more people take Fridays off as compared to Mondays, but I prefer having the benefit of the days before the weekend to hunt. Miniscule point, but I think it is a factor. That's why I opted for the following Thur/Fri in my suggestion.

Congrats!

uh, who is the dummy who wrote that? Apparently a bird brain....Kansas and other midwest states hardly have winds under 15 during hunting season. he must have inside info as to how all the hunters for eons have been killing book bucks there.

they just verified dob and us citizen. no worries. just like some gas stations slide your dl to read the bar on the back to verify age. same can be done with dl number.

usual sale...truballs rock!

Love my dakota, but I've had enough issues with it to never buy one again. Too many suspension issues overall, and then the PCM crapped out on me. Engine-wise it has been good, same with transmission and 4x4....but the suspension components wear out FAST. Drove mine off the lot and it's paid off...

What is this? A scrape made with Jamison or something?

Nice truck...get rid of that chrome on the wheels and window trim...blah! The deer will see you coming a mile away, lol. I just bought a 2010 Escape Hybrid for the old lady at Simmons Rockwell on Saturday. WIth the troubles my Dakota has given me lately, I was looking long and hard at their longggg line of 150s...and plenty of them were 30k or less brand new. They had a 2011 crew cab with low miles for 26k. I was kicking and screaming all the way to the lot where the hybrid was. But, I will say, I do like the hybrid after being in it for the day.

I've used the TC volume measurer and I haven't had all that good luck with consistentcy. Don't know why, but I've done better with the scale.

Wow...talk about nice! I still would look at the tail end of that first week and the first part of that second week imo. If you get a cold front coming in...game on...phone call to the bossman and running out the door!

You learn more from your defeats than victories. Use it as ammo. I'll be the first to admit I have suffered from major bouts of buck fever...it was unmanageable for the first few years...my knees would shake so bad, the whole ladderstand and tree were moving. Such an adrenaline dump...part of what draws me to this sport to say the least.

SZ has a different date then NZ and places down by the city. OP...if you hunt bow and gunt...I'd do three days of bow around Nov. 7-9. That way you have 7-11...good chasing and action there imo. Any early and with that short of window...you run the risk of a warm front slowing things. Too much gamble imo with three-four days. Take a day for gun somewhere...

I'll try that. It's a decent scale, but not what I would call a long-term scale for longtime muzzleloading use.

While I certainly feel your frustration and agree with many of your points, deer can be predictable to a degree at certain points of the calendar enough so that many hunters can take advantage of it. Deer sure can come from any direction at times; I think we have all been there. But, deer can certainly be predictable at times. After this season...find your best-producing Oak that can be adequately set up on...then do what you have to, to release it to maximze it's ability to take in sun light and produce. Then, give it some tree spikes or even some light 10-10-10 in spring and then again mid-summer at the appropriate time. This tree will more than likely become one of the first trees to produce/longest lasting to drop/and honestly, deer will pick acorns from that tree over other ones because of the increased nutritional quality. Heck, do it to two or three of them to ensure you have one of them in a bearing condition next year.

rough deal. hope you find him. if you think the hit was high, maybe you knicked a lung. the lack of blood is odd....no sign of anything on the arrow?

seeing lots of deer from my house...7 and 18 turkey. movement is on due to rain around daybreak.

Nice job Grow!

Thanks! Been looking at some Natural Gear stuff on AT classifieds, but I've seen some NG stuff that just hasn't been durable.

I know people seem to be "reporting" this info, but please keep in mind that a buck is ready to breed year-round. They get agitated at this time of year and will do some "seeking/chasing" behavior, but the does are not ready/willing. Sure a doe or two may have come in early as she is an early estrous doe...but just be skeptic about the rut coming "early" as people like to say most years. The real rut data doesn't change much...just what we see of it. One doe in estrous in the area could make bucks go bonkers no doubt, tailing and checking any doe that cross his path or nose.