2010 Deer Harvest Thread - Post your Pics and Success Stories!

[Localqdm]

NICE job Culver, and nice buck!!

[5.9cummins]

Last chance buck

[jimbodwb]

Nothing like waiting till the last day to fill my buck tag. Shot him at 75+ yards in between 2 trees while it was freezing rain and foggy and hard to see. I could not see him well but my scope picked him up perfect. It was easily my most difficult and best shot yet. Got a lung and top of his heart and he only ran about 50 yards. The doe I shot on opening weekend. She was a big girl, about 160 live weight.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Congrats 5.9 and Jim. end of season victory!

[Fairgame]

Very Nice Buck Culver!  Way to end the season.

[Fairgame]

Congrats to everyone that had a sucessfull hunting season! 

[NYBowhunter]

Congrats 5.9 , Culver and Jim. Great job in getting it done.

Culver that is one hell of a buck, wow...very nice buck indeed.

[Geno C]

good job guys

[cprsailor]

Well, I filled my regular season tags on Opening Day and I have been waiting to get out with my ML. Finally got out today. I was sitting for about two hours in my favorite stand that sits on the edge of a swamp and about 65 yards inside the woods from a large field. After seeing a yote and a few young deer, I saw a nice doe heading out of the swamp. She had her tail up and was looking over her shoulder. I had been out several times since opening day of shotgun and saw a decent 9 following does. As luck would have it, he was hot on her trail. The rut may officially be over but this guy was either in his second rut or didn't get enough the first time around . He was walking toward me and then hung a quick left and was heading back into the hardwoods. I pulled up my ML and waited for my spot. As he passed between two saplings he stopped to look around. I fired, lost him in the smoke, and then turned and saw him running about 50 yards from where I had shot. He slowed down, stopped, wobbled, and went down right there. More venison in the freezer and a successful season for sure.

[First-light]

Way to get it done!

[Culvercreek hunt club]

very nicely done. Congrats

[nyantler]

nice buck sailor

[132 eight pointer]

Congratulations guys.Hey cprsailor I hope that buck bred that doe before you took him home. He's a beauty!

[NYBowhunter]

Very nice buck Sailor....Congrats

[TheHunter]

Wow! Awesome deer to everyone! 

And Culver, that is one big buck. Congrats.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Well I finally got it done.

I had to take the long route to the stand I was going to hunt because there were so many does in the field along the trail I normally take. I made it in and didn't bump any that I knew of. It was a beautiful morning to sit...very light breeze in my face...field at my back and over looking a creek bottom that is often used as a travel corridor. the opposite hill across teh creek is heavily covered with saplings and very thick.

No movement until 10 am when an eight pointer came walking left to right up the creek. His rack was just at the ears with times about 5 inches long. I had passed him during archery but I have had a very slow season with nothing on the ground yet. He would be coming out of the thicket in the bottom at about 50 yards and that is a chip shot with the ML. I was having the shoot him...no wait....argument in my head and was really paying attention to him movements. He was 5 steps from hitting the opening and I was going to have to decide quickly. I noticed he kept stopping and looking up over his left shoulder...up the hill into the sapling covered hill. ...step....look back. step....look back.

since we had 100% snow cover I picked up movemnt at the top of the sapling hill. 3 deer came trotting left to right with another following behind. they turned and headed into the creek bottom and I thought they would be crossing and coming into the field behind me. This would drag the 8 out of the cover he was in. When they hit the creek bottom the 8 bolted towards them and they ras into thick cover as far to the right as I can see. I could see them moving but there was no shots. I went form very excited to "I can't believe this happened" in seconds.

I heard a loud low grunt on top of the hill and a deer came trotting down. I pulled up and this must have been the 4th deer that was trailing the other 3. I cranked up my scope to 9 and could see rack coming down the hill. Since I hunt ofter from this stand I knew the only shot I would have if he trailed the 3 does and the 8 was at the creek at 140 yards.  I cocked the encore and steadied into the opening and he cam in at a quartering away. click....bang....big poof of white smoke and I can't see anything.

I reach for my speed loaders and there is a buck running right to laeft right domn the creek bottom. I get loaded ...he stops....it isn't the buck I shot at. It was the original 8. Where is MY buck. I see movemnt where I shot and the buck is trying to get up. Shot number two on him and I can't tell if I hit him....he jumps up on his feet and my heart sinks. He trotts up the hill and heads towards a golden rod field. by the time I am reloaded he is out of sight.

I regroup and get out of the stand. I call my buddiy and tell him to go out and get the wheeler....I still think I got a good hit on him and we will need it for recovery.

The blood trail is great and I am looking at blood 50-75 feet ahead of me ...not at my feet.

across the golden rod field....into the connecting hardwods...into the flooded timber. Now I am getting worried. I tell my buddy where to meet me and we meet up. I am very nervous because now we are near property that is heavily hunted and I am betting someone will end up shooting this deer. Plus we are coming up to a road and if he crosses...he is lost. It is very hard to make a quiet track and I am worried about bumping the deer...that darn sqeaky packy snow.

about 200 yards and there is very heavy blow down and I do not see any blood out in front or any side of it. 

"he has to be in there"

I slowly approach and just as I see the tips of the tines he bolts from the bed.

I was ready and put him down just as he hit his feet.

My buddy went for the wheeler and I may have just hurt my effort to get him to wait on bigger deer. the two of us had all we could do to lift this guy on the back rack. After a few pics of course. He is convinced now it is much easier to shoot small deer....both our backs are killing us today...lol

He got a nice 1-1/2 YO seven in the afternoon and I still did not get to fill a doe tag. I hae included a pic of the two together....9 point----broke of a G1...19 inch inside spread.....scaled at 185 pounds dressed.

Oh...as a not...either I jerked the trigger or he hesitated. the first shot was top of shoulder and into the neck. When I put my finger in the hole I could feel the neck bones. 1/2 inch lower he would not have moved. the second shot was a bit back but hit the liver.

I couldn't be happier. I think this is also one of the deer we had on the trail cams in August.

Wow, nice deer, thats a pig. Congrats and great story!

[nyantler]

filled one doe tag today with the Hawkin.

[letinmfly]

Not much of a story to tell.  I shot this spike on the first Saturday of the regular season.  It wound being the only deer I saw in 9 days of hunting this season.  When I saw the deer I literally had 2-3 seconds to get him in the scope and make the shot.  Fortunately I was able to do so and my trusted Kimber 84M in 7mm-08 did it's job.

In the pic is my eldest nephew who has been sitting with me on stand the last 4 years and each time I harvested a buck.  Guess he's my good luck charm. 

[132 eight pointer]

filled one doe tag today with the Hawkin.

Nice shooting with the Hawkin.very cool.

[backstrapper]

New to the site so late to post

Attached are the 9 point (ohio)  and the nine point with the rifle.  Took a a couple of doe with the rifle and bow too.

Season tally

Ohio- bow 9 point

NJ bow doe

NY bow doe -  rifle 9 point 2 doe

freezer looks good.

[burmjohn]

Your freezer  must be overflowing

[Geno C]

wow thats alot of deer lol

[backstrapper]

This year was very special opening day for me.  My baby sister 27 (much younger then me) took her first buck and my good buddy took his largest buck to date AND it was his birthday!  Opening morning I let a basket 5 walk and I am so glad I did.  A few hours later while helping my buddy with his largest deer to date we hear BANG over by where I have my sister.  The cell goes off and a very excited (close to hyperventilating) sister calls, she got her first buck, the basket 5 I let walk.  It didn't drop in it's tracks so she did as told and waited for me in her blind before tracking.  Deer only went 50 yards!  Not only did she shoot it she also dressed it and quartered it.  If only my step dad had taken one then it would have been a perfect opening day!!  Also called in a big tom this spring for my buddy on his first turkey hunt. Took a trip to Ohio with a new buddy from my other site and we both scored.  A younger family friend caught his big brown out the resv.  2010 was a very rewarding for me!!

[backstrapper]

wow thats alot of deer lol

Yeah it is but I gave one to a neighbor that is sick and can't hunt any more and I give one away as thanks to those that let me hunt their lands. 

[Geno C]

thats cool backstrapper! its always great to have the girls engage in the festivities of deer hunting! sounds like you guys had a good season