stubborn1VT

One buck is a downer for me. The only way I could go out during rifle season was to hunt coyotes and bear. I get the argument that if I need meat I can shoot a doe, but there is no doe killing during our 16 day rifle season. Those days are my holidays. I plan my year around them. It's not that I need to kill a second buck, but I do need to hunt for one. It doesn't seem fair to take my money and then force me to hunt out of state. I realize there are other considerations than personal feelings and histories, but taking away hunter opportunity seems wrong to me. Also, everyone I know agrees that deer numbers are down. Given what I've seen for deer, I don't want to shoot a doe. So if I can't shoot a buck and I can't bring myself to shoot a doe, then I am basically done hunting already. I'm enjoying watching deer in my food plot at the house, but it's not the same. And don't even get me started on the state's attempt to "balance the buck/doe ratio. All you have to do is take an online archery course and you can buy 3 doe tags over the counter that are good for anywhere in the state and fill them with a crossbow. Oh boy. One buck may be fine for growing mega giants in places like Iowa or Stueben, but for most places it's just a needless regulation that limits successful hunters.

The one buck rule went into effect in VT this year. We may see slightly bigger bucks, but for me it just means less hunting opportunity. It won't fix the buck/doe ratio. It won't make much difference in the age structure. I won't claim to know what the impact would be in NY. I pad for a rifle season tag and had to sit out rifle season, but at least the state got their money first. G-man is absolutely correct that a very small percentage kill 2 bucks The last harvest numbers I looked at show that the new regs could save 1400+ bucks from being killed. Big deal. We just went to full inclusion for xbows too. I was against that. I don't know what their impact was. With Covid I didn't get out and see as many people and hear as many stories as usual. Our kill did go up, but the state also gave everyone 3 doe tags. I agree that xbows do seem to draw a certain element. I use one because of a worn out shoulder and they can be wicked lethal and effective. My biggest problem is the ranges that people will shoot with a crossbow. I know a couple people that killed deer at 80-90 yards. I'm confident at 35 yards. To each his own, until it affects the rest of us.

50/50 overall for me. More kills in the PM with bow. More kills in the AM with rifle. A few midday rifle bucks mixed in.

You can just add your own hardwood branch instead. Just cut the branch you want to use and secure it to the pine tree with a couple zip ties. It will still be effective even without leaves. I only use grape vine on my mock scrapes. They last really well and hold a ton of scent. I have one vine that has been in place for 4 years now.

I think you meant "latter" not "later". Your welcome Teach!

Not sure how you got meat damage. There isn't much meat in the rib cage. If you hit high enough you could damage the tenderloin or backstrap I guess. I suspect it would have been way worse if you had hit solid bone like a shoulder. IMO you did GREAT. Dropped 2 doe and easily recovered them. I wonder about your son's definition of "meat damage" compared to mine.

Looks like a sweet setup! Hope he makes an appearance.

Sitting in my recliner ... wishing I had more buck tags.

Good luck to you and your family Sod. I'm afraid this is going to be a common story over the next couple months. Hang in there and keep up posted.

I just started a new harvest thread for ya. Congrats! I guess it was worth the wait.

Pics and stories here! Please use "Likes" instead of commenting and cluttering up the thread. Congrats to the successful hunters!

X2 for Piledrivers. The bolts that came with the 370 are too light and I found them to be erratic.

Also killed 3 from the ground with my xbow. Two were taken from patches of honeysuckle. I put my back against a small tree and cut a hole to sit in/shoot out. Good to go.

Hope you're on the upswing Taco. Positive thoughts for everyone. Take care Dan. I'm hoping you dodge a bullet and the bucks don't.

Freshened up the posted signs here at the house today in a light rain. Only one half-racked buck on the cameras. The ticks were out in full force. I was wearing work clothes. Should have put on permethrin treated hunting clothes. Can't wait for normal November temps.

Is he missing a bunch of hide on a his hind leg?

Wicked happy for you man. It means even more when you put in the time. Aren't you glad you built that blind? If you build it they will come! Psyched for all the good tasting eats you can make from that bad boy. CONGRATS!

Good luck Bionic! Enjoy the sweet new blind. Relax. Take your shoes off...

Good luck Don. It's tough doing the right thing. Beauty of a morning out there. Wish I was in a stand.

Some big bodied critters! Good luck Eddie. I bet any one of those would fit in the freezer just fine.

Up drinking coffee. No hunting today. I'm spending the day on a "honey-do" list. Spread some stone around the horse barn, cut back a fence line and chip the brush, clean off our covered porch. Not very exciting, but at least it's 50+ degrees out.

What guns? Obama took them already.

Bunch of nice pics! Glad the Tasco cams are working out for you. I seem to have issues with the battery pack making consistent contact. Congrats on your bow kill. Heck of a buck. None of my business, but is this camera on public or private?

I have shot 3 bucks with my Centerpoint 370 from the ground without a rest. None of them were from a manufactured blind. If I was going to hunt with it out of a pop-up I would use a set of shooting sticks.

Have you ever tried Korean War era wool pants? I swear by them (not at them). I think you could get a pair on Ebay for $40-$50. They are real wool, pretty light and have no liner. Just a thought. I believe they M-51 wool pants. The only problem I have is finding the right size. As you can imagine they are kind of picked over by now.