Jump to content

Anyone going out for the early ML season up north?

Caveman

By Caveman,
in Muzzleloaders

 Share

Recommended Posts

Caveman Contributor

Caveman

Posted
  • Author
Posted

We didn't get a tag on anything, but it wasn't for lack of trying.  Saturday morning I had two does about 30 yards off, but it was way too early to shoot. We did a drive in the afternoon and kicked a few out, but they didn't cooperate and ran directly between two shooters.  Luckily our group isn't comprised of complete idiots so no one shot.  Two guys in our group took shots during the evening sit, but one clean missed and the other one hit a sapling he didn't see.  Someone else's drive ruined Sunday morning.  Similar story for our afternoon drive with uncooperative deer, and the evening was a bust. 

Still, there are worse ways to spend a weekend in October. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Culvercreek hunt club Enthusiast

Culvercreek hunt club

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, Wildcats160 said:

We didn't get a tag on anything, but it wasn't for lack of trying.  Saturday morning I had two does about 30 yards off, but it was way too early to shoot. We did a drive in the afternoon and kicked a few out, but they didn't cooperate and ran directly between two shooters.  Luckily our group isn't comprised of complete idiots so no one shot.  Two guys in our group took shots during the evening sit, but one clean missed and the other one hit a sapling he didn't see.  Someone else's drive ruined Sunday morning.  Similar story for our afternoon drive with uncooperative deer, and the evening was a bust. 

Still, there are worse ways to spend a weekend in October. 

Sure was beautiful weather, almost too nice. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
nyantler Apprentice

nyantler

Posted
Posted

Passed on a huge male bear that came up behind me and to my left while walking up the mountain... Maybe 400 lbs. at 25 yards... I was just too far in to even think about getting him out of the woods. Talk about an itchy trigger finger!! Trophy bear with round ball? My God I wanted to shoot him soo badly, but it just wasn't the right time. I must admit too... I was ready to shoot him.. then he stopped behind two trees and gave me a second to think about it... after making the decision to pass I got a bit nervous when he hung around for a minute or so that close. He moved on however without ever knowing I was there.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites
BizCT Grand Master

BizCT

Posted
Posted
Passed on a huge male bear that came up behind me and to my left while walking up the mountain... Maybe 400 lbs. at 25 yards... I was just too far in to even think about getting him out of the woods. Talk about an itchy trigger finger!! Trophy bear with round ball? My God I wanted to shoot him soo badly, but it just wasn't the right time. I must admit too... I was ready to shoot him.. then he stopped behind two trees and gave me a second to think about it... after making the decision to pass I got a bit nervous when he hung around for a minute or so that close. He moved on however without ever knowing I was there.


I would have shot and then put an ad on her for some Help to get it out! Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
LJC Newbie

LJC

Posted
Posted
On Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 11:00 AM, Salmon_Run said:

Town of Morehouse (about 20 mile West of the village)

Great area, been hunting there for years and finally we built an off the grid cabin up there for the family..I also am from Saratoga County !!

IMG_0134.JPG

Nice area have not  hunted there yet .

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LJC Newbie

LJC

Posted
Posted
On Monday, October 17, 2016 at 8:52 PM, Buckmaster7600 said:

 


If I knew then what I know now I would never have shot my big adk bear. 2 days of pure hell over 2 mountains worth of dragging was not worth the rug and a 75lbs of terrible meat!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

How much did the bear  rug cost you to have done .

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BizCT Grand Master

BizCT

Posted
Posted


If I knew then what I know now I would never have shot my big adk bear. 2 days of pure hell over 2 mountains worth of dragging was not worth the rug and a 75lbs of terrible meat!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Should have quartered it up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Link to comment
Share on other sites
BizCT Grand Master

BizCT

Posted
Posted


No, I should have not shot it and let it live a long and happy life because no one else is even stupid enough to get to where he lived let alone shoot him up there!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Lol. That could be said many animals out west, in Canada and Alaska.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Link to comment
Share on other sites
LJC Newbie

LJC

Posted
Posted
On Monday, October 17, 2016 at 8:52 PM, Buckmaster7600 said:

 


If I knew then what I know now I would never have shot my big adk bear. 2 days of pure hell over 2 mountains worth of dragging was not worth the rug and a 75lbs of terrible meat!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

How much did the bear  rug cost you to have done .

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LJC Newbie

LJC

Posted
Posted
10 minutes ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

 


No, I should have not shot it and let it live a long and happy life because no one else is even stupid enough to get to where he lived let alone shoot him up there!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

So the meat sucked  is that because it took you time to get it out of there or does bear meat just suck in general. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
wolc123 Grand Master

wolc123

Posted
Posted (edited)

I skipped opening Saturday and Sunday morning (I did not know how I would have dealt with a carcass up there in those warm conditions), but was out a bit on all the other mornings and afternoons of the week long season.  I also hunted a bit in the morning of opening day of rifle season with my 30/06.  The deer were not moving much on their own, probably due to the warm temps.   In many hours of sitting, I did not see or hear any.   Still-hunting between spots was definitely more productive.  Monday morning a couple must have winded me, down in a trickling creek-bottom, as I walked the ridge up above.  They snorted and crashed thru the brush, but it was to thick for me to get more that a glimpse of their white flags.

Tuesday morning, I initially started out a little early (ML uncapped) and headed for a spot out back where I intended to rattle.  This spot was down-wind of the creek bottom where I had spooked the two unidentified deer the day prior.   I quickly realized that I had forgotten a couple things (including my tree umbrella). There was rain in the forecast again that day.  By the time I got the umbrella, read the directions, and assembled it, it was past sunrise, so I capped my ML for the walk.  The leaves were wet from an overnight soaking rain, so I was not making any noise as I still-hunted towards my ratting spot.   When I was about 200 yards from the cabin, I looked to my left and noticed a mature doe, standing broadside and unobstructed, just 25 yards away.   I brought the 50 cal to my shoulder, centered the cross-hairs behind her shoulder, and fired.     She turned tail and bolted right back towards the cabin.

My father in law (who does not hunt) had been awake for a while went outside when he heard the shot.   He yelled "did you get one" .  I relpied. "I think so".   A few seconds later, he yelled: "over here", when he saw the doe piled up in a clearing, right behind his barn.   While I was gutting her, another doe ran across the back of the clearing.  After hanging the carcass for a short while, from a tree by the barn,  we ran her down to Lowelville for processing.  They had about 30 deer stacked up there at 11:00, about half bucks and half does, and one small bear.   My kids had finished up our last pack of last season's ground venison the week prior, so I was very thankful for the 115 pound field-dressed doe.  I had them grind the whole thing, except for the back-straps.  I also saved the tenderloins for breakfast, along with the heart and tongue for pickling.

I helped a guy at the processor's, stack his decent sized, 2-1/2 year old buck on the pile in the skinning shop.   He said that it was the largest of a group of four that came in that morning while his son was rattling.  It was about 75 degrees by 11:00, so business was booming at the processors.   The two skinners estimated that they could have that whole pile skinned and in the cooler within two hours.   They were definitely knocking them off fast.    

Over the rest of the week, I tried rattling multiple times, mostly in the rain, with no response.   While walking to my spot Friday morning, I flushed a button buck and slightly larger doe from a bush-patch, again very close to the cabin.   Momma stopped in the power-line cut, offering me an unobstructed,  40 yard, quartering away shot.   I left the hammer down, put the crosshairs in the sweet-spot, and touched the trigger.   The hammer would have been back were there not two nice bucks at home that I am saving my "either/or" tag for during our Southern zone crossbow season.   

It would have been nice to see some antlers, while hunting up there, but I am very thankful for that doe.   There seemed to be no shortage of them up there this year, probably due to last winter's total absence.   The country was gorgeous as usual, especially early in the week, before the wind and rain knocked down all the leaves.   I probably gained a few pounds from eating my mother-in-law's fine cooking all week.     

Edited by wolc123
addition
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
wolc123 Grand Master

wolc123

Posted
Posted

Good luck on your next trip up there rac.  I will be heading up again on Thanksgiving weekend with my rifle.   A neighbor dropped of another big doe for us yesterday, so I will save my buck tag for that trip unless a real bruiser shows up down here in the Southern zone on opening weekend.   As far as the bears go, I would shoot one any size.  Those under 200 pounds are real good eating and my father in law really wants a rug for his new place up there (and would pay for it I hope).  A 199 pounder would be perfect.     

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...