TheHornHunter

How you hunt it makes a huge difference too. I’ve seen guys ruin 200+ acre properties by accessing it and hunting dumb. I’ve also seen many people consistently kill multiple good bucks every year off less than 40 acres. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I highly recommend it, at least if you have good neighbors or a bunch of land. The 3 to 4 jump is really impressive, we had one buck put on 40”+ of antler and the rutting behavior is way more pronounced. The 4+ year olds are still rutting pretty hard in my woods. My hunting partner wants to eventually get to passing 4 year olds too in several years and only take 5+ year olds but idk if we will get there. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I was wondering which forum member you were! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nice guy let’s you on his land? I definitely wouldn’t report him. He’s not hunting any more it sounds so have a conversation with him in the spring about it Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Haha, this has been our best year by far. I think it's a mixture of crop rotations which were very favorable this year and several years of passing good deer that's finally starting to pay off. I'm going to be subleasing at least one 150 acre property next year if you're interested... I've got too much land to hunt and my wallet could take some relief next year.

Good day hunting so far. Lots of action and chasing this morning. I had my #1 shooter on this property at 70 yards broadside but he broke off a good amount of antler in the last week and I decided to pass on the shot. I texted my neighbor and he’s going to pass him too so hopefully he survives and is even bigger next year. I know you can fix broken antlers and it’s not all about a rack but there’s still plenty of season left and other shooters for me to go after. Only sat until ten but had a couple three year olds and a few younger bucks running a hot doe too. I put 25 posted signs to deal with some recent trespass issues and now I’m back out for the PM sit. I’ve got about 15 does and a couple small bucks out right now, hoping something bigger makes it way out. Still feels pretty rutty here Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sit in a funnel between the two? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Here’s a pic I found online of the process. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’ve made a “deer back pack” before with does but never a buck. I cut into the knee joint on the front legs so I can break the leg and then I make a cut behind the Achilles’ tendon on the rear legs like you do for hanging a deer. Then I put the part of the front leg I broke through the cut near the Achilles to make a strap. Sounds more complicated than it is. I wish I had a picture but I only do it when I’m by myself and have a ways to go. Works well. Would work on a buck too but Im not that ambitious and just go get a atv or truck in that situation. I usually don’t gut them in the field either so I don’t really end up very bloody. I have a lot of coyote issues so I put my gut piles way out of the way of my good bedding and feed locations. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Big boys still rutting good in my woods! Had a really nice mature buck out cruising at 330 and eventually drove a doe out of my neighbors and all around the 60 acre clover field I was on. He eventually got her into a creek bed and looked like they bedded down. Also had two three year olds chase does hard all over the same field. Interestingly I didn’t see any bucks two or under, probably wore themselves out by now. I would have shot the mature buck but most of the night he was 400-600 yards away. He stopped briefly at 300 which is about my max range under perfect conditions, at least with my muzzleloader, but I was covered up in does and no way I was going to be able to get a good shot off. I’ll be back out tomorrow evening hopefully. The action has been really good on evening food sources. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks! Just what I needed to sneak out of the office Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Anyone see rutting activity last few days? I’m at the office and have the itch to sneak out for a PM hunt, just debating whether it’s worth it or to leave my spots unpressured. I had a really good hunt Monday night and had a stud chasing does hard (unfortunately just after legal light) and got a lot of reports of other big bucks running does. I didn’t hear a peep yesterday or see much driving around. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Haha, i'm the same way. I had too much pride of my first few renovation projects to sub it out, but now I'll gladly pay someone $20/hour to tape and sand. They get it done way quicker and I avoid one of my least favorite processes.

Congrats!

Nice! I’m down in the city all the time for work Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You NYC based? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks! The yotes got some payback coming. My predator rig is ready to eat as soon as deer season is done Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sounds good to me! I’m always down to meet up and trade war stories... especially when it involves beers Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks! That was my first thought but I didn’t see any evidence of that while gutting. I think he may have damaged the beam early in velvet and caused it to get all gnarly. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Found my buck about 150 yards from where I shot him last night and about 100 yards into the timber from where I saw him go in. I was right I caught him far back. I hate to do that to a deer but I’m glad we retrieved him. I also lost a good chunk of one of the rear quarters to coyotes. I knew that was a risk but I was hoping we could beat them to it. I have no history with this deer but it’s definitely got some character and is pretty unique. Now I get a couple days to get my shit together for gun! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The woods were on fire tonight! I sat on the ground overlooking a standing bean field and at first the wind was swirling back into a creek bottom where several does kept blowing but eventually it straightened out and the deer started to feed out. Had a shooter 9 point come out at about 100 yards and started to come into a grunt call but the neighbors dog happened to run out at the same time and cleared the field. About 45 minutes later there was probably 10-15 deer in the field when six does came out right in front of me and I could see another body lingering in the woods. A few minutes later I saw it emerge and caught a large main beam that told me shooter so I got ready for him to come into my shooting lane. He hung up for a few minutes where I couldn’t see him even though he was only 10-15 yards away but eventually he started to push the does around. I tried to stop him with a grunt but he wouldn’t stop and I ended up shooting him at a brisk walk about 40 yards away. It looked a touch back and the arrow and his reaction looks like liver, maybe clipped the back of lungs. I saw where he went in and am going to go in at first light to look for him. I’m pretty sure it’s a lethal shot and he’s probably dead already but I don’t want to risk pushing him. I am hoping he bedded down and died right inside the timber. Hunting on the ground is so addicting! That adrenaline rush having them in close right in your face is like nothing else. I was still shaking when I got back to my truck Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

He did. We didn’t want any personally identifiable info with this buck, at least not for the internet. We’ve got our hands full already with poachers and people trying to get onto our spots Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well here is he folks! Only went about fifty yards from where my buddy shot him. An absolute hammer with 15 scorable points and grossing out at 173. I actually know this buck well and have his shed from last year which I found about a half mile from where he was shot. I’ve got a ton of trail cam pics of him last year too. He was about 140 and we passed him because we thought he was 3. Looking at him this year I’d say he’s five now so must have been four last year. But boy are we happy we didn’t shoot him, what a jump! I told my buddy he owes me a gross booner now since I set the stand yesterday for this buck and was the one to find him when I almost stepped on him haha. But he’s taught me most everything I know about killing big bucks so glad to pay some of that back Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My buddy shot the stud I jumped scouting last week. I snuck in yesterday during the snow storm to hang a stand where I thought this buck might be cruising and this morning my friend saw him at first light and eventually shot him at 7 yards. Going to track soon, don’t think he went far but it’s a river bottom so pretty thick. I was guesstimating this buck at 170-180 so can’t wait to see what he looks like up close. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Evenings for sure. Mornings will be better the next week but after that and into late season they are back to bed before day light most of the time. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk