4 Pointer Down! (3N - Putnam County)

[BizCT]

Hunted 3N (Putnam County – Shotgun) today. Got into my spot sitting against a big tree by 545am. Was watching a valley with heavy pines to my left. Literally did not move except blinking my eyes and moving my head only slowly. At 735am, I spotted a spike that I had a tons of trail cam pics of this year. Could have shot the spike easily, but decided to pass. As I was watching him through my bincos at about 40-50yards, I caught movement behind him. The deer behind him was a decent 4 pointer. The 4 pointer spotted me watching the spike and didn’t follow the spike. Instead this 4pt stood there trying to figure out was I was. I kept trying to get a good look at this 4pointer to see if there were any other points. Was hoping for a 6+ today. As me and the 4 pointer competed in a stare down at about 50 yards, the spike went down the hill and out of sight. Then to my right I heard snorting/wheezing. Figuring it was a doe, I took a peak anyway. Spotted a deer and then saw it pick its head up and I saw antlers. It was a 3 pointer. This buck was about 50 yards to my right. I sat between to these two bucks for about 2 more minutes until they both ran downhill right into the valley in front of me. I thought they were going to spar or something, but they didn’t. They met up about 60 yards in front of me. I put the scope on each of them and pretended to shoot each of them several times. I decided I was going to pass on these guys. Then the 3 pointer sprinted into the pine trees to the left, as the 4pt followed, I felt a little regret. Wondering if this might be the biggest buck I see this year. The 4pt made a turn right at the pines and headed back up alone to my left. I decided that I would take this buck if and only if I give me a nice easy shot, no tracking, etc. Well sure enough it stopped 35 yards away looking right at me, slightly quartering towards me. I aimed and hit him right where I wanted. He dropped and it was over.

This is my 7^th career whitetail buck and my 6^th from NY. I have now shot 5 whitetail bucks in the last 6 seasons in NY. Today was the 5 year anniversary of my biggest NY whitetail, an 8pt on 11/17/07, also opening day. I also have another 4, 1 3pt, and 2 spikes. Maybe someday I will become more patient. My dad met up with me after I killed my deer and he informed me that he saw the same 4pt at about 715am and passed him up. He stayed out till dark and didn’t see any other deer.

It’s been an amazing 6-7 weeks for me. From October 1^st till today, I have killed my first antelope, my first mule deer, my first mt. lion, my first 2 gray fox, and now this 4 pointer. I have 2 DMP tags, but I don’t care to shoot a doe. I’ll be back on December 10^th for a buck with my crossbow. I might go out before then and watch my Dad.

2 years in a row with the heart shot for me.

Set my trail camera up to watch the gut pile.

[Guns&ReligionCop]

First picture of you without a baseball hat on backwards

[BizCT]

First picture of you without a baseball hat on backwards

Haha, actually the pics from Wyoming and Arizona are the only hunting pics I have like that. The only 2 times I ever hunted in such warm weather lol.

Edited November 18, 2012 by Biz-R-OWorld

[HuntOrBeHunted]

Good job man.

It will be cool to see them picture's near the gut pile. Make sure to post some of the cool ones.

[oneidacountyhunter]

Congrats Biz!

[BizCT]

Thanks all. My Dad is hunting the same area. I told him to pull the camera when the bait pile is gone. I'm sure he'll give me the camera on Thanksgiving.

[Pygmy]

Good shooting Biz-R-O... Congrats on a nice clean kill..

I assume you're having hin mounted ?...

[Lawdwaz]

Thanks all. My Dad is hunting the same area. I told him to pull the camera when the bait pile is gone. I'm sure he'll give me the camera on Thanksgiving.

Could be some cool things on the video but I bet it is mostly crows.

Congrats and looking forward to the mount pics.

[BizCT]

Good shooting Biz-R-O... Congrats on a nice clean kill..

I assume you're having hin mounted ?...

Could be some cool things on the video but I bet it is mostly crows.

Congrats and looking forward to the mount pics.

I assume these are jokes? No, he wont be mounted. I only have 1 whitetail from NY mounted. An 8 pointer I got in 2007.

I think the cam might catch some predators. There are red fox, coyote, and bobcat in the area. The entire gut pile was gone by this morning my Dad said. I will check pics on Thursday.

[Lawdwaz]

Seems like you mount everything you shoot. You (or your future partner) would certainly regret mounting too much stuff at some point. Even I get a bit tired of looking at the mounts in my family room. I know my wife does.........

3 deer, a pronghorn, a couple coyote pelts, elk horns, and some woodies. Oh, and a couple European mounts of deer. Too much..........

[ryanrobb52]

Seems like you mount everything you shoot. You (or your future partner) would certainly regret mounting too much stuff at some point. Even I get a bit tired of looking at the mounts in my family room. I know my wife does.........

3 deer, a pronghorn, a couple coyote pelts, elk horns, and some woodies. Oh, and a couple European mounts of deer. Too much..........

I have to disagree. Everytime i look at my mounts it brings me the same joy as the day it was harvested.

[BizCT]

I have to disagree. Everytime i look at my mounts it brings me the same joy as the day it was harvested.

I agree. I love looking at the stuff I have mounted. All I have right now is a coyote, 2 whitetail deer and a porcupine. I always save all the antlers of all the whitetails I have shot.

[Guns&ReligionCop]

You kil them and you have money do whatever you want. I know a guy that has mounted everything he ever got with a bow. Has a huge man cave and looks pretty cool but cost a lot of money. With your last few posts of hunting trips it does seem like you get a lot mounted that coupled with the pics of your dads trophy room

Edited November 19, 2012 by Guns&ReligionCop

[BizCT]

Yea it just happens to be a year with several hunting trips. Of course, I have to mount my first Antelope, Mule Deer, and Lion, especially since they are all trophies in my opinion.

After 2 trips, 11days of crayz hunting, I will probably never go for a lion again. I won't be going for a Mule Deer/Antelope trip anytime soon either.

My dad's room is made up of over 40+ years of hunting.

Edited November 20, 2012 by Biz-R-OWorld

[Guns&ReligionCop]

I would have more mouinted if it wasn't so damn expensive

[BizCT]

I would have more mouinted if it wasn't so damn expensive

Yea, the expense sucks. But a good mount will last a lifetime. The worst is the people who get a great trophy animal, but then cheap out on the mount and it ends up looking horrible. Trying to save a couple of hundred dollars on a mount make no sense. If you are going to have the mount for the next 50-60 years, you're talking about a few bucks a year.

[BizCT]

Update:

Figured I would give an update on what my Dad has seen. He has hunted the private 8 acres we have access to. He has hunted dark-dark everday.

Saturday > He saw and passed up the 4 pointer I shot, about 15-20 minutes before I shot it.

Sunday > He saw 2 does in the afternoon.

Monday > Nothing.

Tuesday > Nothing. But did see and shoot at a big (40+lb. Coyote). He took a shot at it at about 50yards away. It was standing behind some brush, about to be out of sight. He went to the spot and found some hair, but no blood anywhere. He checked around for about an hour in the direction he saw the yote run off, but no luck. He must have nicked the yote when the bullet got deflected through the heavy brush.

[BizCT]

Wednesday > He passed up a spike and 2 does., hunted dark-dark

Thursday (Thanksgiving) > He passed up a different spike. Hunted dark - 12pm.

Friday > He saw nothing. Hunted dark-dark

Saturday > He passed up a doe and 2 fawns. Watched them bed down for over an hour. Saw a red fox running, couldnt get a shot.

[the blur]

^{I like the picture of the busted heart}

[BizCT]

My Dad has hunted 13 out of the 16 gun season days so far.

12 days dark-dark.

Thanksgiving dark - 12pm.

It has been the slowest year in a while for him. So far the biggest buck he has seen was the 4pt he passed on opening day, which I shot 15-20minutes later.

[Guns&ReligionCop]

I don't know if its the weather or what but this is the slowest season I remember. I'm seeing deer but its been streaky and in unusally patterns. I think part of its the lack of apples the other thing I had a lot of trees down across deer trails that caused them to divert

[BizCT]

Yea, glad I took that 4pt opening day. I plan to hunt the 10th, 15th, and 16th with the crossbow. Try to get another buck.