DEER HUNTERS! Lets see the pics, hear the stories!

[aspeck]

Re: DEER HUNTERS! Lets see the pics, hear the stories!

Sweet "ghost" buck! I think all our bucks are ghost bucks! Sure aren't deer in the woods like their used to be ... the "Quality Management Program" that PA instituted several years ago, liberalizing the doe harvest and limiting bucks to 3 points on one side, has been a bust as far as I am concerned. I haven't killed a big buck since the program started about 10 years ago and where we used to see 20 - 30 deer a day we are seeing 1 - 6 a WEEK! I have seen 8 deer in a week and a half of hunting! (I have seen about 15 driving to and from hunting in the dark). 2 more days and we will see what happens. Did hang my tag on a couple antlerless deer so there is PA venison in the freezer also. Hoping for the big one today or tomorrow. If not, there is a month of Black Powder (I use a flintlock) after Christmas.

 

[mommicked]

Re: DEER HUNTERS! Lets see the pics, hear the stories!

I cannot imagine trying to hunt w a flintlock. Talk about primitive weapons! I hear they can be tempermental and sketchy in moist conditions or rain. I've also heard that if it doesnt go off when the trigger is pulled, keep aiming, cause it might go off in a few seconds Good luck w the rest of the season and the smokepole. I hunted yesterday w my inline,shotgun primered BP rifle and had the hammer pulled back for 10 mins. watching another doe w 2 yearlings approaching in dense brush. I had a few decent shots but held out too long trying to see if the other deer behind her, them, was a buck. On the ground at 25-30yrds, they finally winded me and quickly snuck back the way they came. I'm kicking myself for not shooting when I had the chance, or getting buck greedy:facepalm:, our season ends Jan 1. No more pics of the big buck, I'm afraid he won't be seen again

 

[aspeck]

Re: DEER HUNTERS! Lets see the pics, hear the stories!

All day hunting and saw a fox squirrel, a grey squirrel, a cat (about 8 miles from the closest house????), a mature bald eagle, and a silhouette of a deer when leaving the park in a "no hunting" area. Last day of rifle tomorrow ... YIKES!

As for the flintlock, you are right, they are temperamental, and can go off anytime after pulling the trigger. The trick is not to use too much powder in the flash pan (fires faster that way) and change flash pan powder often so it doesn't draw damp. The primativeness of the flintlock adds to its charm ...

 

[mommicked]

Re: DEER HUNTERS! Lets see the pics, hear the stories!

Aspeck, I believe the "too much powder" advice, and would also think "too much" might burn your face and eyes if you did not turn your head and shut them when it's dry!! You got be tough to pull the trigger on a hot charged flintlock!! Do you shoot patched roundballs or conical bullets? I had a TC Renegade percusion rifle years ago and could not get much accuracy past 60 yrds. no matter how I charged or loaded it. It was devestating when I hit something w the 385 grn. conicals at that range though.

 

[aspeck]

Re: DEER HUNTERS! Lets see the pics, hear the stories!

Have the best luck with conicals, but also shoot round balls ... just depends on my mood.

Well, today was the last day of rifle season, and I blew it! Must have hit a branch, causing the deer to stop. Then gun jammed (shells would not come out of clip), but I did turn the 16 1/4" spread 8 point so he ran to one of my hunting buddies. Also had a doe stand 50 yards away and say, "shoot me, shoot me!" It was the end of the day, so I did. She fell on the road and we loaded her up in the truck as we were coming out of the woods. No dragging required. So, 10 of us hunting off and on for 2 weeks. Final tally, 2 buck, 2 antlerless buck, and 5 doe.

Today's buck:

Last week's buck:

I shot neither, but watched them both fall!

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: DEER HUNTERS! Lets see the pics, hear the stories!

So that's what they like! You weren't shooting a Rem 7400???????? Last day of the special Herd Control 4 day doe hunt is tomorrow. Going to set the alarm and sit in the stand and hopefully see one(at least). If I do, I'll decide at that time whether to shoot or not. Getting burnt out, especially since I haven't seen a deer since Nov. 19. Hunting is done tomorrow night for any gun.. Not sure if I want to be packaging deer when I need to buy and package presents.....

Been quiet from Pauly's camp. Wonder how he did during the BP season?????

 

[aspeck]

Re: DEER HUNTERS! Lets see the pics, hear the stories!

I was using a Remington 710. Won the gun at a fire company gun raffle. Cheap gun, occasionally jams and can't get the bolt to run smooth, but it is the largest calibre gun I own (30-06) and I had it shot in for CO. Didn't have time to test any of the other rifles, so I took it to the woods and blew the front shoulders off the deer I got. I do like my smaller calibre guns for whitetail (.220 Swift, 6mm, .243, .257 Roberts) and will occasionally use the 7MM-08 or .270. Started out with a .35 Remington and still like that gun ... just about like using a shotgun with slugs! LOL!

 

[HANGEYE]

Re: DEER HUNTERS! Lets see the pics, hear the stories!

Does whacking one with my favorite car count?

Wouldn't that be considered GRILLED VENISON?

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: DEER HUNTERS! Lets see the pics, hear the stories!

Sweet "ghost" buck! I think all our bucks are ghost bucks! Sure aren't deer in the woods like their used to be ... the "Quality Management Program" that PA instituted several years ago, liberalizing the doe harvest and limiting bucks to 3 points on one side, has been a bust as far as I am concerned. I haven't killed a big buck since the program started about 10 years ago and where we used to see 20 - 30 deer a day we are seeing 1 - 6 a WEEK! I have seen 8 deer in a week and a half of hunting! (I have seen about 15 driving to and from hunting in the dark). 2 more days and we will see what happens. Did hang my tag on a couple antlerless deer so there is PA venison in the freezer also. Hoping for the big one today or tomorrow. If not, there is a month of Black Powder (I use a flintlock) after Christmas.

Art I feel your pain. I live in area 5C and in this area you can basicly hunt from the end of september with bow right up till january 29, with all forms of weaponry, shotgun, crossbow,muzzleloader, inline muzzleloader. With unlimited doe tags. It has been a slaughter of the does for years now. Where I used to see herds of deer 30 or 40 strong I see 5 or 6 deer. I spent a good deal of stand time this year in archery. Passed up every buck I saw, because none of them was more than three years old. The one older buck I did see was a huge bodied Y- buck that had be 6 or 7 years old. Huge rack but not legal. Anyhow as I sit in stand I do lot of thinking. It occured to me that in Pa. (at least in my area) we now have a whole generation of hunter that knows nothing about selective harvest, the mindset is if its brown its down, if it runs it its done. This is not healthy for the deer population. I have been on websites where guys proudly display pictures of 60 pound deer they harvested. Heck I would be ashamed to even mention it if I did that. The results of such practices is starting to show. Guys will hunt an area for a year or two and kill every single deer they see, then they wonder why there spots are not producing deer, like I said they just dont get it. For every doe killed thats three less deer for the next year. I think it all boils down to money, The PAGM wont give up the money they are used to getting in fees for surplus tags, which in area 5C is as many as you can buy. The white tail deer managment program in this state stinks to high heaven, everyone knows it, but it will never change. Not much anyone can do. Sadly the hunter are playing right inot this and decimating the deer herd. I think they base a lot of the info on returns of harvest report cards, what a joke, I would estimate that 60 percent of doe in 5C kills go unreported. Another problem that is cropping up because of this "Extended harvest" is the posting of land. People dont mind a few shots a year ringing out on thier land, but when it gets to be everyday and closer and closer to the homes people dont want that, and then the posters go up. So the kill them all hunters move to the next area and eventually spoil that with over harvest and encroaching on peoples land and peace and quiet. A guy across the road from me is a perfect example. He moved in three years ago, we always could hunt the properties over on that side. This guy killed so many and was so nonethical that every single property on that road is now posted. I always say you reap what you sow. Sorry for the long rant.

Come on Goose season!!!

 

[mommicked]

Re: DEER HUNTERS! Lets see the pics, hear the stories!

If you must bag them w an automobile, aim for the head and neck, otherwise you'll bruise/ruin alot of good meat! However this method generally causes more damage to the side of the vehicle also, so it's best to have a older, beater, for hunting w the bumper/grill.

 

[ehenry]

Re: DEER HUNTERS! Lets see the pics, hear the stories!

Ground Checked with a smoke pole.......

 

[mommicked]

Re: DEER HUNTERS! Lets see the pics, hear the stories!

Nice one, for a second I thought the left leg was a drop tine!

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: DEER HUNTERS! Lets see the pics, hear the stories!

Nice!

 

[aspeck]

Re: DEER HUNTERS! Lets see the pics, hear the stories!

Congrats ehenry!

Come on next Tuesday! Goose season starts, then when the "after Christmas" muzzleloader starts we can take the boat out with the shotgun and the smokepole ... that way if we see geese we can get set up and if we see deer we can hunt accordingly. Have the rods in the boat also ... lake trout and stripers might be biting! Great time to be ready for ANYTHING! Nothing like boating in sub-freezing temps!:facepalm:

 

[ezmobee]

Re: DEER HUNTERS! Lets see the pics, hear the stories!

Come on next Tuesday! Goose season starts, then when the "after Christmas" muzzleloader starts we can take the boat out with the shotgun and the smokepole ... that way if we see geese we can get set up and if we see deer we can hunt accordingly. Have the rods in the boat also ... lake trout and stripers might be biting! Great time to be ready for ANYTHING! Nothing like boating in sub-freezing temps!:facepalm:

Try not to get confused Art and start shooting the fish and hookin' the deer

 

[mommicked]

Re: DEER HUNTERS! Lets see the pics, hear the stories!

Cast AND blast, could it get any better? Should work well w the aforementioned "season" syndrome. "pay no attention to the harmless fishermen".................BOOM, or BOOM BOOM BOOM, splash splash splash!

 

[aspeck]

Re: DEER HUNTERS! Lets see the pics, hear the stories!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=003v8w_yrto

 

[mommicked]

Re: DEER HUNTERS! Lets see the pics, hear the stories!

That was pretty good I knew where it was going when he said "200 lb test".

 

[deltawolfshadow]

Re: DEER HUNTERS! Lets see the pics, hear the stories!