Did anyone going hunting opening day?

[indoe]

Don't know if I'll be able to hunt at all this year.  I'm having shoulder surgery on 10/6.
Might be able to bow hunt in January if I'm lucky.

Get a crossbow.  If you are allowed to hunt with them.

[indoe]

I hunted yesterday evening and had a group of 4 deer come in. 2 does and 2 fawns. I was sweating before and after eating for 5 min the larger doe smelled me and took off. I could have shot any of them but waited for a buck. Then a fawn came in so I took a pic of him. When I was about to climb down while I was packing up another doe shows up and must have smelled or saw me and took off when it got to the bait.

[indoe]

He might be invited to dinner later this year. 

[Crabbyd]

They're already on those acorns

yes they are, or at least in both of my woods.  This calls for acorn rage.....   

[capt. ron]

Get a crossbow.  If you are allowed to hunt with them.

Yes we are and yes I have one.  Barnet predator. I still have to carry my stand and lock onto a tree.  And cocking it might be a challenge.  Maybe late December or hopefully by January.  Maybe.

[Crabbyd]

Yes we are and yes I have one.  Barnet predator. I still have to carry my stand and lock onto a tree.  And cocking it might be a challenge.  Maybe late December or hopefully by January.  Maybe.

Check out the Barnett Raptors.  They are small and lightweight but pack a punch.  I have heard some bad stuff about Barnett and their customer service but so far, the only issue I had was from a Jackyl and they replaced the limb with no problems even after I had it 2 years.  Dropped it off at UPS on a Thursday and had it back at my door on Wednesday the next week.  They replaced all the limbs along with the string and cables.  essentially a new bow when they sent it back.

http://www.barnettcrossbows.com/raptor-fx2-4x32-scope

[capt. ron]

I shot a deer from a tree stand one morning and felt the crossbow recoil.  So excited that I shot a nice 9 pointer I lowered my crossbow and backpack down with my rope.  Climbed down the tree, gutted the deer, tied a rope onto the deer so I could drag it out, donned my back pack then grabbed by crossbow.  I looked at the crossbow and noticed that the limbs were not level with the stock.  Just didn't look right.  Turned the crossbow sideways and the limbs moved.  It was then that I saw that the limbs support bracket to the stock was almost broke in half.  Come to find out that when I fired the crossbow the left limb hit the tree trunk which caused the unusual recoil of the shot. 

Long story short I sent the crossbow back to Barnett and they replaced it at NO charge..  Like you said I had it back in 1 week. 

Ronnie

[indoe]

The other guy I hunt with shot the nontypical last night. I helped him drag it out. It weighed 178 dressed out. He loves nontypical deer so I knew he would take him since he was at least a 4 year old.

[arti0972]

That's a decent size deer there. It kind of looks a little evil with that left antler the way it is and the eys glowing and the slender face.

[rdbeard]

 Nice buck, is that a worcester cnty deer?

[indoe]

Nice buck, is that a worcester cnty deer?

Nope

[Hardshell Tony]

That's one neat looking buck.It's great to have pictures of him in velvet.Lots of jerky on that boy.

[Hardshell Tony]

Capt.Ron,tough year lost your lease now this.I use this set up after my back operation,barnett brotherhood with crank to cock,pop up blind on a old hand cart.The crank to cock is very easy to use,you should be able to have one installed on yours about $100.Hunting on the ground limits your view of field,but I love the up close action.Hope this helps.

[indoe]

You can also use a deer cart to cart your stuff into the woods or a 4 wheeler. Deer carts have much bigger tires then hand carts so it is easier go over logs.

[indoe]

I went hunting yesterday and only saw a spike in the morning.  I scared off 2 does from my bait pile when walking in but that is all I saw.  I was going fishing Sunday morning aka today so wanted to shoot a doe as early as possible. In the afternoon  I have 2 fawns come in around 4 but they are to small. I wait and it sounded like someone shot a bow behind me. I look around and don't see anyone. No one should be there so I am non stop looking. I  think it was a bird that must of landed and took off close to my head. I have a bunch of deer showing up on the camera around 6:30. Right when I'm looking behind me I see 3 white tales giving me the finger. I'm like great there goes my chance at getting a doe down early. 30 seconds later I look to my right and here comes a doe about 60 yards away not coming in but going right by me. I'm thinking she is going to go right by and I will not have a chance at her. She is also going right down wind of me and I am thinking she is going to take off. But just then I  see a fawn that is following her but coming kind of close to me. The fawn does a u turn after passing me straight to the corn. It starts eating and the doe follows. She is not a huge doe but I was looking for a med sized doe that would not be to hard to drag out since I was fishing in the morning. When she comes in I thought for a moment that she saw me but she puts her head down and goes to the bait and starts eating right away. She is the perfect size. About twice the size of the fawn. I draw back and let the arrow fly. She drops right there and I know what happened. I spine shot her. So I put another arrow in her to take her out. Hate to make a deer suffer longer then needed but nice not to have to track it. I have a fishing trip in 2 weeks that I will be taking some back straps too. I did have a fox that also showed up and ate my corn for 10 min. Fishing was ruff this morning with the high winds. We ended up catching a few shorts but that was it.

[capt. ron]

 I nicknamed the little ones " Soft shells".  Why?  because you can fry the whole deer.

[indoe]

I nicknamed the little ones " Soft shells".  Why?  because you can fry the whole deer.

My wife would be so mad at me if I shoot a small deer with spots. She still feels bad for the deer. I took a short vidoe of my deer hunt and showed it to my wife. She felt bad for the deer when I shot her. I have thought about grilling a deer whole but dont have something that big to cook one. 

[Crabbyd]

My wife would be so mad at me if I shoot a small deer with spots. She still feels bad for the deer. I took a short vidoe of my deer hunt and showed it to my wife. She felt bad for the deer when I shot her. I have thought about grilling a deer whole but dont have something that big to cook one.  

My wife and I are currently an agent for a crop damage permit for a local farmer.  The permit is good for 30 does.  He wants everything killed.  We both have had numerous fawns come in on us but neither one has had the heart to take them out......yet.  The permit is good until the end of Feb.  Come Feb, I can't promise what happens then.....    Need to keep a balance between the farmer and mother nature.  I would like to have the rights again next year to this property.  It's 135 acres and has some nice deer on it and give us 160 acres of hunting properties between ours and his.  Right now our focus is on breeding does and I feel that is the best bang for the buck.  He was even more upset at harvest.  His harvest was 25% yield.  To say the least he was sick at the numbers.  

[capt. ron]

How can or could I get on that permit hunt?  My buddy and I would love to help take down some of those animals.

Ronnie

[Crabbyd]

How can or could I get on that permit hunt?  My buddy and I would love to help take down some of those animals.

Ronnie

Come on back up Ronnie.  I'll put you in a stand.