TheHornHunter

Good point about time, I hadn’t thought about before. I’m not sure how much of a difference it makes but I guess a best practice for weighing would be to do it all at the same time. I’ve never done or looked into chest girth method but I’d guess we have more ag than PA so our deer are probably better fed. Thanks for the thoughts Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Maybe they wouldn’t steal it if the guts were still in it Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I stand corrected, you certainly beat me Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think I might be able to give him a run for the money it’s was my grandfather’s and is ~80 years old but still running strong Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We may have to have a show down there! Mines old and ugly but she’s BIG Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm not sure how many of you guys weigh your deer, but curious what the dressed weight for some of your bucks have been, especially later in the season? I weighed my buck today and he was 155 dressed. I always weigh the meat from my deer after I process it, but I've only ever weighed a couple of my bucks at the pole before and they were from early November so very little rut rundown. Those bucks were 180-210 and honestly didn't seem bigger than this one other than having big swollen necks so I'm curious what other people are getting for weights post-rut.

Cheers to that and same to you! Only ungutted hero pics in the future Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good post, thanks for the thoughts. It’s a delicate balance. I joined the forum to find like minded people and share my experiences hoping they would help others as I spend a lot of time chasing deer and have been lucky to hunt with some of the best hunters out there. I make lots of mistakes and hope sharing them lets someone else avoid doing the same and I enjoy learning from others experiences and posts. Live and learn… first lesson of 2022: don’t post pics of ungutted deer on here! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

When it’s around 40 or below I think you can get away with leaving it over night assuming you didn’t pierce the gut cavity. Now I agree it’s 100% the best option to gut it right away so if I have time that’s what I do… but with this particular doe I couldn’t gut it on the property she was on, was already running late for something after dealing with some other neighbor BS and the overnight temps were around 40 so I felt fine hanging and dealjng with it in the AM. Again, I never brought this up or encouraged anyone else to do it. I’m fully aware I increased the risk with the meat but from my experience I still don’t think it was that material of a risk or will result in anything different than other deer I butcher. I could be wrong and that’s the risk I took. Maybe I’ll keel over and die when I eat it. Who knows. My point about the south was I’ve witnessed and ate deer that hung in warmer temps for longer than what I did and would have never known it was any different. Your experience down there sounds different than mine but literally every time I’ve hunted there it’s happened and it’s normal business for the groups I’ve been with to leave them up to a day with the guts in. That doesn’t mean you SHOULD do it that way but it gave me confidence I COULD take the risk of leaving it until the AM and be fine. I’m not arguing you shouldn’t gut your deer so if anyone misinterpreted that I’m sorry. Life doesn’t always go according to plan and sometimes doing what’s the 100% best method either isn’t possible or isn’t convenient and you settle for less. Last post on that topic. You all can think I’m an idiot. Don’t really care. It’s my deer, my choice and ultimately my risk. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I shouldn’t have made the comment about a measuring contest, it was childish. Law’s comments about my hunting morals struck a cord that I shouldn’t have let it. No idea about his background but he apparently has the respect of some members on here that I respect so I’m willing to eat some humble pie and acknowledge my poor response. Totally agree on judging. Most of the best hunters I know in NY never talk or share their kills outside their small circle of friends. It’s 2022 and time to move on. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I hope we can put this gutting thing to bed soon. I never claimed it was the best and I’m pretty sure I acknowledged gutting it right away is the 100% correct way. Just to give some context here as apparently this is a super controversial topic, I didn’t gut it right away because the neighbor has a slew of animals from chickens to goats to horses and I figured it would be polite to not entice a ton of coyotes close to their land. I could have brought it somewhere else and done it but I felt comfortable with the temperate to just hang it until the morning which was a lot more convenient seeing as it was New Years Eve. I know that’s controversial and I respect other peoples opinions but ultimately it’s my decision and I’m fully aware of the risks… I never even brought it up as I viewed it as a special situation for myself but I’ve seen enough other people do it and had enough meat from deer it’s been done to that I was willing to take the risk. You all can make whatever decisions you want with your deer and as I said before, vast majority of my deer get gutted right away. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Bill - I’ve been very vocal for people to shoot what makes them happy on here. I love the thrill of chasing mature deer and the inevitable ups and downs that goes with it but I know that’s not for everyone. I don’t really care about the size of the antlers and there’s several higher scoring bucks on my properties than the one I killed but I decided weeks ago it was either going to be that buck or nothing. The #1 thing I care about with a buck is a challenge and this buck was the most challenging I’ve hunted and that means way more to me than what his antlers look like. My way isn’t better than anyone else or the way for everyone, it’s just my way. And that’s the thing about hunting… it’s a deeply personal endeavor that everyone does for their own reasons. My username came about when a farmer asked me if I was a horn hunter or a meat hunter and now it’s my nickname from him. In reality I’m both, but I dedicate 90% of my hunting time to big bucks and am fortunate enough to have good ground that I can still fill my freezer and my family’s by spending relatively little amount of time on does. Now I completely suck at Turkey hunting so I can’t make any promises I won’t blast the first bird to come out. I didn’t grow up hunting and while I was very lucky to find some great deer mentors the last few years, I’ve got no one that Turkey hunts so I pretty much just make an idiot of myself every time I’m in the Turkey woods. Hopefully you’ll share some of that knowledge you have as it sounds like you’re the resident expert here Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It’s a personality flaw I guess. Probably should have just stopped posting after my buck haha Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Fair. I don’t know his history and I got a little heated with the comment about my regards for venison as I go out of my way to process it, prepare and give it to people that have never had it and utilize every piece I can. I love pursuing big deer but at the end of the day I love venison and I’m all about filling freezers. I have to admit I don’t eat the balls though. I know that was something on here for some folks. I save the heart, liver and tongue. Maybe one day I’ll get there Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

He came off as a condescending know it all dick. Or maybe I’m just a soft Karen now. And thanks… definitely put more work into that deer than any other one and was out most days looking for tracks and other sign trying to pattern him. The funny thing is out of the 7 deer I killed in NY this year, only that doe didn’t get gutted and one stupid picture that wasn’t even meant to get into that sparked all this. Vast majority of my deer get gutted, only special situations don’t and New Year’s Eve with the doe was one of those where I felt fine leaving it over night. It’s not like I made some post on here telling everyone to leave the guts in their deer and it was a great method. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Really? If I was embarrassed about what I shot I wouldn’t have shared it. If anything I hoped it served as a lesson to other members. I was disappointed in myself for getting so close to killing a mature buck and screwing up at the last minute losing track of which deer was which, but not embarrassed. It wasn’t like I could see antlers when I shot. And guess what? I found that buck back and killed him a week later. And I can guarantee you I won’t make that mistake again. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How would you feel if someone told you you were wrong on something you dedicate a good chunk of your life to and have done for years? He can tell me he disagrees sure, but to all over the way I do something with MY deer is totally unacceptable and then question my hunting ethics? He has an opinion and I was already fully aware of that opinion before I did what I did and I never asked for it. It was freaking New Years Eve and it hung over literally over night. Would it have been the 100% best way to gut it right away? Sure. But I’ve been doing this long enough to know what I can get away with and can’t and it was fine to do what I did. It may blow your mind, but that meat is fine. You guys don’t wanna eat it? Fine, you’re not invited anyways. You don’t like the way I process things? Great, don’t do it. But don’t be an and act like someone is an idiot because they made a choice you disagree with. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You should go back and re read Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I appreciate the manner in which you did, unlike others. We have different opinions but I understand where you’re coming from Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I never asked your opinion. I can guarantee you I’ve put more meat and more bone on the pole than you. I process it all myself so don’t give your bullshit about having no regard for venison. I really wish little key board warriors like you would make comments like this in person… Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You are one sorry excuse for a human let alone a hunter. Take your petty bs somewhere else. I never asked for your opinion. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No need to be sorry bud. I love the tenderloins. I have two bad experiences; one I liver shot and the other was a big old doe way past her prime. Both were edible but gamey. I’ve never had a bad one off a buck I’ve killed, even 5+ year olds Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The outcome is the same and this meat will be the same as every other deer I’ve killed Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Lol I see that. I’ve never caught so much shit about a damn deer before Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just like every other tenderloin. I’m really blown away here… I literally blew this deer’s heart out and quartered it the morning after I killed it. I think it was low 40s out by time I got it in my fridge. Would anyone be making a peep if I couldn’t find the deer and came back to find it in the morning? What if I gut shot it and had to leave it overnight or all the bow bucks left over night in 50+ temps? You all are way too wound up tight Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk