Bolt action

For anyone getting into butchering deer, these guys put out a great Youtube channel. They're career butchers and are good about breaking down the process in a clean, easy to understand way. Worth a look for anyone who's unsure but curious.. https://www.youtube.com/c/BeardedButchers

Is it deer season yet?

AR .350L with extended mag and lpvo. Would work on just about anything I'd need it for in that scenario.

That's awesome that she's so excited about getting out in the woods. If you're worried about it hurting your chances of shooting a deer, take her scouting with you. My 7 year old is showing more and more interest, so I plan to bring him scouting with me before the season opens. He'll still get the experience of being in the woods, the camo, trying to be quiet, learning about movement and scent.. and I get to teach him, scout, and not have to worry about spooking deer while actually hunting.

Wow. @JimC1965 that's a bit more adventurous than I am.. I've heard and read good things about canning, but my understanding is that it requires a pressure cooker. That's probably the next addition to my pile of equipment..

Found these and plan to use it when in my climber this fall. Simple, light, and inexpensive.

When I started out i would average a deer each year and drop it off at the local shop. It's what the guys who showed me how to hunt did, and so I just accepted it. Over the years though, processors became a little harder to find (Monroe county) and I was getting more and more curious about processing my own. I don't have much of a yard. No trees to hang a deer from. And only a 1 car garage (full of kayaks, bikes, junk, etc..), so finding a clean place to butcher them was a challenge. Then a few years back I decided to take the plunge. I shot 2 or 3 that year and didn't want to pay the $80 apiece to have someone else do it. I made a space and hung them in my garage. It was cold enough that I wasn't worried about temps. I'd go out after work, cut off another quarter and bring it in the kitchen to break down and package. I use a vacuum sealer and haven't found a reason to change that. Before last season I cleared a spot in the garage and put a 36" base cabinet with a 48" top on it. I mounted a shop light over it and one of those long surge strips on the wall. All of my meat processing equip fits nicely in the cabinet and I have a clean, dedicated space to work with. At this point I've probably done a dozen or so. I love the convenience of just dropping it off, but don't know that I'll ever go back (unless circumstances dictate otherwise). Youtube and this forum gave me the confidence to start, and I've learned from experience since then. One good tip - skin them when they're warm! if you wait til they freeze, you've just made a lot more work for yourself!

I don't have the youth model, but I shoot the XP in .308. I've used it for the past 7 or 8 years as my primary deer rifle. I've put hundreds of rounds through it and never had an issue. Cycles well and is an accurate gun. I generally can shoot under 2 inches at a 100 yards with it from a rest. The reason it's 2 inches and not less is entirely on me as the shooter and not on the gun. I've used a few different rounds, but mine seems to like the Hornady Amer. Whitetail in 150gr.

bow: Diamond Provider with 525ish gr Victory arrows and NAP Doublecross heads xbow: Carbon Express but I doubt I'll use it this year. Gun: Savage .308 and the new "MSR" in .350L smokepole: Traditions Vortek Ultralight, although usually by this time my freezer is full and I've had enough of the cold.

This past weekend I took a drive out to the farm to get some prep work done. I cleared shooting lanes around 4 stands and pulled cards for a few cameras that were soaking for 2+months. Haven't had a chance to look yet, but I probably have 1000's of pix of squirrels, raccoons, birds, branches, and maybe a few deer. I have 2 hang on stands in solid locations, but I find that I don't use them during the season. They're at the back of the property, so a longer walk in. I also just don't feel as secure in them for some reason. I may end up selling these in the near future. While I was out there I checked the zero on the two guns I'll be using this season, the .308 and the new .350. Both are shooting better than 1.5 inch groups at 75 yards. At this point I think I'm as ready as I'm going to be.

I got the itch as well.. wait.. let me rephrase that.. i also made it out to the woods this weekend. Cleared shooting lanes on 4 stands yesterday and changed batteries and cards on several cameras. I saw i nice velvet 8 feeding in the beans when I got there. He took off when he saw me and i thought a fawn followed him. I saw this brown fuzzy thing bounding in the grass going in the same direction. Turns out it was a fox. I lost a few pounds of sweat.. felt great to be out!

Is there a ton of pressure there? I've got to think that place gets pounded during gun season. The access I have to private land may only have another year or two before it changes, so I'm looking for a public area to hold me over until I get a place of my own.

Beautiful gun. Good luck with the sale.

Has anyone hunted this state land for deer? I was down that way in Springwater over the weekend and saw the state forest signs. I've small game hunted down there and kayak fished both lakes, but have never pursued deer. Seems like good habitat.

I've got to think the reason for this one is so that ECO's can ID a hunter from a distance if needed. This law never bothered me, although I wish that camo companies offered more upper options with those built in loops for the back tags. I've punched holes in most of my jackets, fleeces, vests, etc..

I figured out where it was right after i ordered the new one. Left it along with my adjustment tool and my spare release at a buddy's house. I'll end up using this new one and giving my older backup to my son.

New release arrived today. These are the first shots of the season at 15 yds.

So I take it you're hanging out on the front porch on 10/1?

I own a bunch of the Field and Stream single person stands with the shooting rest. I think they were called the Scout or something like that. They're functional, but I don't love them. Pros - cheap, semi comfortable, the shooting bar and the seat both raise. Cons - the shooting bar is awkwardly low, making it mostly useless as a shooting rail compared to other ladder stands I've used.

Those are all nice deer. The one in the middle in the distance in those first two pics made me do a double take! Is it the same deer that shows up in the later pix at the end of the set?

Welcome to the party!

Fingers are crossed... "AMERICA’S WORST DEER HUNTING LAW COULD CHANGE NEXT WEEK" https://www.themeateater.com/hunt/whitetail-deer/americas-worst-deer-hunting-law-could-change-next-week?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=8%2F9%2F21_Whitetail (America's Worst Deer Law) (Rvg8KZ)&utm_content=None&_kx=dOyaGDSQlZtXeCniwYOvpF2kq3MQLYVNjY8fRpY45HU%3D.YygWQ7

My son (7 years old) helps me out when I make the sausage. Anything I can do to help him help me, and keep the area a little cleaner in the process, is a win.

Well that's a nifty idea. I think I'll pick one up next time I'm out.

Went to shoot today for the first time this season and couldn't find my release or my backup release or my tuning tool. I typically make a deliberate point to keep them in the same location (usually in my bow case!) so that I don't lose them, but apparently that failed. I know they're all together, wherever they are. I've searched the entire house in all the possible places where I keep my hunting stuff, but didn't come up with them so I ordered a new release. Hopefully it arrives soon so I can get some practice in.