WNY Bowhunter

Good question, I can't seem to get on to the big boys this year for some reason?

Awesome, I got the same bow on order...it should be here any day. Looking forward to your review!!!

Your hunting goals need to reflect on the caliber of deer on YOUR hunting ground, not someone else's. If you want to kill a 150" deer but there are none within miles of your hunting ground, you are in for a long, discouraging season!!! Personally, my goal for the upcoming season is to arrow a couple of does and a buck that's at least 3.5 years old. I feel that this is a realistic/obtainable goal for my particular area. PS...I wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger on that big 6-point!!!

This is my philosophy too. Every big buck that's out there right now has managed to make it through a few hunting seasons!!!

It's hard to believe that the little "scrub" below is the same deer only two summers ago!!! It kinda sucks that his right antler didn't develope properly this year or he would have been far more impressive...

I've got the cams in place...just need a little cooperation from the deer!!!

Honestly, I don't think the dry conditions have hindered antler growth too much. The bucks really came into the late spring/early summer in awesome condition. Looking back over the past several years of trailcam pics, the antler growth seemed to be a good 2-3 weeks ahead of schedule this year. Out here they had access to all of the same alfalfa/clover fields that they usually do. All the deer that I'm getting on the cams now look fat and healthy, even the nursing does. I am thinking that the drier than normal conditions have been altering the deer movement a bit making them less patternable than in the past...

Here are a couple more from the same farm. First one was a 2 year old 8-pt in 2009. At 3 years old he was a mainframe 10-pt with a kicker. He got shot by the neighbors on a deer drive in 2010... This guy was a pretty scubby 3 year old 7-pt. in 2009. The following year @ 4 yrs old he blossomed in to a pretty darn nice 8-pt. Unfortunately, some scumbag poached him with a rifle @ 1:30AM on 11/2/10...

Yep, he's on my friend's dairy farm. I assure you it's the same deer. I've been watching him since he was a yearling in 2010. I got pics of him after season in 2010...all through the summer/fall of 2011...after season in 2011 and found one of his sheds this spring too. Deer, like people are all individuals and you can tell them apart by certain facial features.

It should be a great season for big deer. Last year, there weren't many nice bucks killed around here and it shows. Between 3 bachelor groups on 3 neighboring farms all in a mile stretch, I've seen 13 different shooters so far (at least 3 years old) and that's just what you can see from the road. Lots of hidden fields too. Seeing big bucks and putting an arrow in one are two entirely different things. I can't even seem get one on camera so I'm not sure what to think about this fall? I can't wait to get up in a tree though!!!

He's only #4 on the hitlist right now. I haven't gotten any pics of the 3 big ones yet, they're driving me nuts... .

First of all, I don't want to turn this into an antler restriction debate, please!!! One of my favorite things about running trail cameras over the summer is being able to watch individual bucks over multiple years. To me, it's just as fun, fulfilling and rewarding as actually hunting. It's a fascinating process to see a buck mature. This year I'm really struggling to get pics of the better bucks in the area. There are a few bucks that I've been watching for several years. This guy is one of them. Last year @ 2 years old he was a nice wide 8-pt. He really blossomed this year @ 3.5...even though something went haywire with his right antler. He could be a real monster if he makes it through another season. However, seeing how this is NY and not some managed property in the midwest, I don't think that I could refrain from sending an arrow at this dude if given the opportunity.

For now. I will definately put an arrow through her on October 1st if given the chance!!!

She's got twin buck fawns. There's another doe with twins off to the right, the other fawn in the background is hers.

Here's another one from a couple of years ago. Looks like another buck stuck a tine in this guy or someone's broadhead took some hide off of his back...

Looks like someone tried to pull a head shot on this old girl last fall but only ended up piercing her ear. I'm glad they missed because she's raising two little buck fawns... Looks like a rifle hole...

I've been cutting deer up in my family's butchershop since I was old enough to hold a knife and can tell you tell you that most people would be astonished at the actual weight of their meat once its processed. It never adds up to nearly as much as most people believe it to be. I agree on butchering does...I'd rather cut up two lean, rutted up bucks to one fat doe any day!!!

That's a big ole doe!!!

I've killed a bunch with various 12 guages (both smooth bore and rifled), several with a 30-06, several with my 7mm08 and one with a 50 cal. muzzleloader. Honestly, I'd much rather see some white fletching disappear into a deer...

Which would you rather drag out of the woods? Just thought this was a cool size comparison photo. This guy has been eating well this summer. He absolutely dwarfs these fawns and they aren't little runts either. I wonder what he'll dress out come October?

I really don't know? But they sure aren't as patternable this summer as they have been in the past.

I'm thinking that you've already got a certain buck picked out... .

The past two weeks have been totally PATHETIC for good bucks on the trail cams. Lots of little guys showing up but not the ones I'm looking for. I'm starting to get a bit frustrated. Farm #1: There are 5 good bucks hanging out together here. I'm specifically trying to get pics of two deer in particular. This is one of them. Still some bulby tines/beams here... Farm #2: There's been a bachelor group of a dozen bucks or so bedded out in this fields every night with several shooters in the mix, including a STUD 10-pt. Got a few bucks on camera but not the big one. This guy is a shooter... So is the big 6-pt. in the background... Maybe these ones will be in another year or two... Farm #3: There are 5 or 6 shooters that I've seen including an absolute GIANT but I haven't gotten squat on my cams here.. Seems like things are starting to pick up again. Hopefully, my luck will change soon!!!

Covert MP6...

I respectfully disagree. In order for that deer to gross 155" he's going to need 67" of antler per side with an estimated 21" inside spread. Breaking that down further...a 23" mainbeam + 17" mass (4 "H" measurements) = 40". He's still going to need to come up with another 27" for the G1, G2, and G3 to hit the 155 mark. Sorry, it ain't gonna happen...his antlers are fully grown in that latest photo. As stated earlier, he's a great deer and I hope you get a cack at him come October!!!.