That's better!

[tucker301]

Luck can turn on a dime.
I went back to where I'd been seeing small bucks for days, and my luck finally took a turn for the better.... and then it got even better!

I'd forgotten my grunt call, so I was sitting up the tree and doing an occasional grunt by mouth, which was sounding pretty good, and watching the squirrels frolic.

Caught the 8 pointer sneaking in from the other side of the creek at about 75 yards.
The .45 caliber powerbelt placed high in the shoulder dropped him in his tracks, but he was kicking a bit, so I climbed down and reloaded.

He was finished when I got to him.
I was standing over him and planning my drag strategy when a doe came trotting down the hillside, almost ran over me, and hung a sharp left outta there.

The six pointer was a few seconds behind her.
He stopped facing me at 35 yards, and then turned just enough to allow for a good shot.

I couldn't get the high shoulder on him, but I drilled him through through the heart.
He whirled and ran about 70 yards in the direction of the field (good deer!) and expired.

Sure am glad I reloaded :D

http://www.hunt101.com/img/448703-big.jpg

[tucker301]

And before it becomes an issue, the limit here is two per day / six per year.

[TMAC]

Nice bucks Tucker! Take them anyway you can get them. Our deer gun season here begins in a week and I cant wait; we will hunt the next 5 days steady and I hope I find some of you luck.

[tucker301]

Thanks.
These were with the muzzleloader.
Regular firearms opens 11-18 here, same day as ducks.
I was worried about wanting to do both on the opener, but since my freezer is suddenly overflowing, I'll probably be duckin'.

[sdkidaho]

Wow - great story! Congrats man. :D

[sbeIIfan]

Tucker which deer did you take first. I shot my first deer ever this season and I got it with a bow. He was a small buck, only 2 points. The points were 10 inches long. That was good enough for me. My dad didnt even want me to shoot a big buck, because then I will have nothing to look forward to.

[tucker301]

I shot the 8 pointer first.

Congrats on your bow kill!

I gave up bowhunting several years ago because of a shoulder problem and because the weather's too hot, and because I hated tracking wounded deer half the night.

Shoulder's fixed.
Weather was very good this year.
Crossbows are now legal here in regular bow season.
Hmmmm.....

[Liberty or death Jr.]

Congrats on the deer. I was lucky enough to get a very nice 10 point mule. My brother got a bigger one that was an 8 point and my other brother got an 11 point white tail. I'm pretty happy though because this is only the second buck I have ever shot. The one I got last year was just a forked horn.

[Liberty or death Jr.]

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k52/bbmcgrath/CopyofJoshsbigbuck.jpg
I am a minor so I blocked my face.

[sdkidaho]

Nice muley.

[Liberty or death Jr.]

Thank you

[JPN800]

i had a year like that last season, but with the bow.

how do i get a pic up here?

[ 12-09-2006, 06:05 PM: Message edited by: JPN800 ]

[69beers]

Had two bucks come in together, 30 feet apart, in OH. Platinum Tip'd the second. When I fired two more jumped that were bedded in the brush 70 yards in front of me that I didn't know were there. All were 2-3yo bucks within a 100yd radius.

Any ideas why 4 bucks would tolerate each other's presence in late Nov?

https://publish.insightbb.com/personalfile/personalsite/beers4ken/OH%20Deer%202006sm.JPG

[ 12-10-2006, 07:16 AM: Message edited by: 69beers ]

[tucker301]

A couple of possible reasons:

If the second phase of the rut is in, bucks may be camping out near heavy travel corridors, hoping to catch a second chance doe as she passes by.

Some hunters say that the late rut is the best time to catch mature bucks with does, because they'll hang with an unbred doe for several days, waiting for her to come back in.
Several bucks may do this and tolerate each other as their hormone levels are subsiding.
They're more of a lover than a fighter at this point in the season.

If the rut is over....
Crazy juice levels are back down to normal.
In colder weather, deer will begin "yarding" into social groups.
Does and yearlings will get together and bucks will get together into bachelor groups.
Probably an instinctive throw back to the days of higher natural predation for strength in numbers.

Other common factors that bring deer together can be pockets of cover that are less pressured by hunters and good late season food and water sources.

[BenelliBoy]

Hey Everyone! Dont know how many of you remember me, i aint been on here in a long long time..

Great Bucks Tucker!!

I got my first deer ever on the opening day of gun season. 7 Point (Would of been an 8 but he had a broken tine) 18 inch spread, About 200 pounds dressed. I plan on doing a European Mount with him.

Glad to see yall are havin great huntin seasons!