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Live From The Woods 2024-2025 Edition


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Glad to see you recovered her First light. You know that Black Mouth Cur dog of yours would probably make a good blood tracking dog with a bit of training, something I would seriously consider if I were you.

Al

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On 12/2/2024 at 8:46 AM, landtracdeerhunter said:

Bleeding out internally.

We have seen this before. Little or no blood for hundreds of yards. Non vital hit, they can go a long ways without bedding down.

So many today give up so easily, on blood trails, especially with no antlers involved. It's great to see someone so in depth in recovery efforts. A lesson here, for all of us to learn by.

That was a big doe. Do you think that was the triplets mother?

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Last night I had to take another look at the land I was searching. I gave it one more try this afternoon. We used google maps to help find my brothers deer so I went back to that. Wish I did it sooner. My neighbor has this tangled mess with a pond in the middle. This is the sanctuary. He does not allow hunting in there. Probably 20-30 acres. This includes a big pond. Pond is mostly in the middle. There is a funnel of woods that can get you around to the backside. The opposite side is a corn field. I felt the deer may of went through the funnel and bedded back there. I went back there this afternoon and in 10 minutes found her. Unfortunately the coyotes did also. I took two shots at this deer.   1st missed 2nd hit her. I swear she was broadside to me at 80 yards. I guess she wasn't. My second shot hit behind the shoulder(where the snow is) and traveled through the guts and out in front of back leg. I can't make up that angle in my mind she was broadside, I just don't get it. We all have shot deer in the guts. They find the nearest safe place and bed down. This doe went 300 yards until she found her resting place. I even backed out after finding the first bit of cover for two hours the night of the shot. She never bedded down. All the blood in the pictures was from her mouth. Both holes were clogged with stomach debris. She was a mature Doe with a lot of strength. Feel free to add your thoughts. I don't like losing one like this, not a good feeling but may we all learn from it. 
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I applaud you for the effort you put in on the recovery it's more than most would have done. It's to bad you didn't find her in time but now at least you have an ending. Better luck on the next one.

Sent from my moto g power (2022) using Tapatalk

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Well the plot thickens. I just go up to my cornfield to move the deer to then hedgerow so I can put a camera on it. I find a bullet hole in the left front leg. I did not see it yesterday and if youy look at my picture you dont see one. It is claer as day but the thing is it didn't go trough leg. It should of but didnt. It would of killed her on the spot. Also she didn't run after my first shot just stood there. Could crows made the hole??? I would think they would be pecking at the ass end. I'm going for a walk will take a picture and you guys tell me what? 

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10 hours ago, airedale said:

Glad to see you recovered her First light. You know that Black Mouth Cur dog of yours would probably make a good blood tracking dog with a bit of training, something I would seriously consider if I were you.

Al

The older one does well with tracking. I really should of taken him with me. 

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I am still baffled at what happened. The first shot I took actually hit the deer dead on. Why it didn't run I have no idea. Second shot was the gut shot. I still think it was broadside but whatever. So I go to hang a trail cam by the deer and see a bullet hole in its left front leg. Dragging the deer back must of exposed it. The slug entered but did not pass through leg. My neighbor whose property the deer died on said the Browning BXS slugs suck. Could of easily hit bone and stoped the slug. You can see by the pictures shot was perfect ( Steve where are you) but never penetrated body cavity. 80-90 yards 12 gauge Remington 1187 Browning BXS slugs 1600 FPS 1 oz. I'm going to leave it there. It's not everyday I shoot that far and maybe those slugs do suck. Should go back to Lightfield slugs ton of knockdown power but they are no longer producing ammo. Check out the picts and fire away your thought and then we can bury this one. 

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46 minutes ago, First-light said:

I am still baffled at what happened. The first shot I took actually hit the deer dead on. Why it didn't run I have no idea. Second shot was the gut shot. I still think it was broadside but whatever. So I go to hang a trail cam by the deer and see a bullet hole in its left front leg. Dragging the deer back must of exposed it. The slug entered but did not pass through leg. My neighbor whose property the deer died on said the Browning BXS slugs suck. Could of easily hit bone and stoped the slug. You can see by the pictures shot was perfect ( Steve where are you) but never penetrated body cavity. 80-90 yards 12 gauge Remington 1187 Browning BXS slugs 1600 FPS 1 oz. I'm going to leave it there. It's not everyday I shoot that far and maybe those slugs do suck. Should go back to Lightfield slugs ton of knockdown power but they are no longer producing ammo. Check out the picts and fire away your thought and then we can bury this one. 

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Maybe the leg was forward at the shot and didn’t go into the body cavity? Guy shot is what finally killed it?  Maybe????

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54 minutes ago, First-light said:

I am still baffled at what happened. The first shot I took actually hit the deer dead on. Why it didn't run I have no idea. Second shot was the gut shot. I still think it was broadside but whatever. So I go to hang a trail cam by the deer and see a bullet hole in its left front leg. Dragging the deer back must of exposed it. The slug entered but did not pass through leg. My neighbor whose property the deer died on said the Browning BXS slugs suck. Could of easily hit bone and stoped the slug. You can see by the pictures shot was perfect ( Steve where are you) but never penetrated body cavity. 80-90 yards 12 gauge Remington 1187 Browning BXS slugs 1600 FPS 1 oz. I'm going to leave it there. It's not everyday I shoot that far and maybe those slugs do suck. Should go back to Lightfield slugs ton of knockdown power but they are no longer producing ammo. Check out the picts and fire away your thought and then we can bury this one. 

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Maybe it's just the photo but that shot looks a bit low on the leg and don't know if it would have reached the vitals even if it went through the leg. No way of knowing for sure but anyway, why are you using a shotgun in a rifle area?  Way better accuracy, distance and pretty much everything else with a rifle over a shotgun slug. Tell Santa to bring you a rifle this Christmas.

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55 minutes ago, steve863 said:

Maybe it's just the photo but that shot looks a bit low on the leg and don't know if it would have reached the vitals even if it went through the leg. No way of knowing for sure but anyway, why are you using a shotgun in a rifle area?  Way better accuracy, distance and pretty much everything else with a rifle over a shotgun slug. Tell Santa to bring you a rifle this Christmas.

Steve the hole was high enough on the deer that if it went through would of hit vitals. That is a good question about my gun. Since shotgun days I always used this gun. I do have a Marlin 35 that is spot on. After this episode the old Gal (1187) stays on the rack. Used that gun for about 35 years. Out comes the 35 on Friday! I appreciate everyones comments. Looking forward to maybe shooting a coyote or two over that deer. 

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8 hours ago, First-light said:

Steve the hole was high enough on the deer that if it went through would of hit vitals. That is a good question about my gun. Since shotgun days I always used this gun. I do have a Marlin 35 that is spot on. After this episode the old Gal (1187) stays on the rack. Used that gun for about 35 years. Out comes the 35 on Friday! I appreciate everyones comments. Looking forward to maybe shooting a coyote or two over that deer. 

Again, hard to know from the picture but I would say that shot is borderline at best.  If I was to try to anchor a deer with a shoulder shot it would surely be several inches higher than that.  See photo for example of the front leg in comparison to vitals.  But it is what it is, the situation has come to a conclusion,

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1 hour ago, steve863 said:

Again, hard to know from the picture but I would say that shot is borderline at best.  If I was to try to anchor a deer with a shoulder shot it would surely be several inches higher than that.  See photo for example of the front leg in comparison to vitals.  But it is what it is, the situation has come to a conclusion,

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Totally see that. If that shot traveled through might of been just a lot of blood. I guerss I have to take into consideration its a dead deer and the body cavity probably is sagging a bit also. Thanks for chiming in always respect your knowledge. 

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I plan to do an afternoon hunt Saturday in Geneseo with my oldest son and grandson i The woods are like a swamp now so I am staying clear of them . I will take my 2 man chair blind And sit overlooking a huge field and thickets .

 

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14 hours ago, First-light said:

Since shotgun days I always used this gun. I do have a Marlin 35 that is spot on. After this episode the old Gal (1187) stays on the rack. Used that gun for about 35 years. Out comes the 35 on Friday!

All the years I hunted the southern zone I used various shotgun slug models and took my share of Deer with them, a well placed slug kills as good as anything. Back then it was the law so we used what we could. I can understand sticking with a firearm you are familiar with and have had good results with.

For the last thirty-five years doing all of my Deer hunting in the northern zone I have used various rifles, not because they kill better but for their much more precise shot placement especially at longer ranges. With an accurate rifle you can thread the needle through small openings if need be or make a kill easily out to several hundred yards if the opportunity arises. From my perspective a rifle has performance in spades over the shotgun slugs in almost every situation giving the hunter a better chance at success. If I could have used some of the rifles I own now back in those old open country southern zone hunting days it would have been a massacre.

Al

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On 11/25/2024 at 11:10 AM, Four Seasons said:

Love these Letchworth ridge runners. If it wasn’t for the ladies they would live forever. Great Morning. 

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My 2nd target buck returned home last night. Almost sealed the deal on him during bow and then he disappeared until last night.  Will be chasing him next week with the smoke pole. Hopefully he wants to fill his belly !!

 

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Edited by Four Seasons
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On 12/4/2024 at 7:48 AM, landtracdeerhunter said:

We have seen this before. Little or no blood for hundreds of yards. Non vital hit, they can go a long ways without bedding down.

So many today give up so easily, on blood trails, especially with no antlers involved. It's great to see someone so in depth in recovery efforts. A lesson here, for all of us to learn by.

That was a big doe. Do you think that was the triplets mother?

I just read this and wouldn't you know it but she came by with the triplets this morning. The 4 of them are intact, pretty amazing. She never offered a shot but the little ones did but I passed. 

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Only a couple mornings have had deer showing during the firearms season. Thanksgiving morning ,a shooter locked down on a doe at 300 yards. Out of range for me; the turkey didn't taste the same neither . Most of the time, I believed they moved early.. I bumped deer on the walk out yesterday morning(Saturday), then a young 8 pointer surfaced. Pass. This morning , no new deer tracks in the snow since last evening. Thought they could move later when the wind went down, but didn't happen. One more chance to try.

Tomorrow, we go to a new firearm. Good luck to those going out.

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Gearing up for an afternoon sit in Henderson Harbor. The snow is so deep on the hill it's next to impossible to get into where we hunt. Then even my private land is covered by 3 ft making it Alot of work to make that half mile trek. There is only about a ft in Henderson making my choice easy. Good luck to everyone going out.

Sent from my moto g power (2022) using Tapatalk

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Regular season ended with my brother taking a spike. We goy up at 4:45 I looked outside and heard the wind and bed was calling me back. He texted a few times seeing a couple of Does and the 4 together but still couldn't get me out there. Then he texted just shot a buck. Hunched over headed to the thick stuff. Told him to take a look but back out if it doesn't look good. He did at 10 am and we went back in at 1 pm. Again we looked at google maps to see the funnels that the deer may take. The thick stuff was an area inside the hard woods. He went on one side I went on the other. Upon circling around I saw the deer bedded looking right at me. 40 yards shot put him down.  We have been blessed this year with venison. 7 bucks and two doe. Not an ounce will go to waste we all love it so much. Oh BTW scrapes opened up last night here are two. 

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