Any deer hunters out there...

[Orange Ribbon]

Hey! A deer hunting thread! How about that?

I guess you can tell I'm a deer hunter also. I'm 47 and been at it since I was 15. My wife and I bought 45 acres which we live on about 15 years ago, and I've taken over 30 deer on it. Some of them have been pretty nice bucks.

I was born with a heart defect and last year it finally caught up with me. I couldn't walk 5 steps without being out of breath and tired. Luckily I could take my ATV to my blind which is built on the side of a ridge with a ramp going straight into it that I can park in front of and walk in and set down. Shot a 4 pointer early on with my crossbow as I knew my days were numbered before surgery. Got my brother and dad to help me get it. I was walking along behind them and collapsed on the ground. Laid there a long time, then had to just scoot down the hill to a place where they could give me a lift in a vehicle. That was the end of my hunting last year. A couple weeks later I had surgery for what they call Tetrology of Fallow. According to all the specialists in my area that worked on me I am the oldest living person with this problem they know of. One knew of a boy who made it to 19 before he had surgery. Most children are diagnosed and have surgery within their first year. I guess they never realized what all was wrong with me back then. So I got a hole patched, part of my pulmonary artery trimmed out, a repaired artery and a new pulmonary valve. The valve is a pig valve which means I now oink every time dinner is called. I'm hoping that will be a help in getting a hog if I ever get to go south for a hog hunt!

Anyway, as far as my heart goes, I'm doing fine with that now. It is an amazing difference. I also have leukemia which is in remission, but the medication I take is sort of rough on me. I also have spinal stenosis which is painful and I still can't walk a lot, but at least I don't huff and puff when I take a few steps anymore. HA! So, as you can tell, I am looking forward to this season. Got to make up for those deer who got it easy last year with me gone. Our bow season comes in Oct 2, I think. I just hope it cools down a lot by then. I don't like going when it is too hot. That doesn't mean I don't go, I just like it much better when I don't have to be in a hurry to find help to get my deer out and get it processed.

Ain't I a long winded sucker? Actually, you all are lucky I stop it right here! Good luck to you fellow hunters this fall. AND BE SAFE.

 

[Flyboy718]

Huge bow hunter here from Louisiana...recurve and compound.

 

[magistradomina]

My family hunts. We own land that we all hunt on, and we've seen lots of does, but no bucks. We also hunt on some relatives property, (we call it the "family farm") and they've seen lots of bucks. I'm excited to go to the "family farm" this year.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

My DH and I are big bow hunters, although I don't know if I will be able to pull my bow back this year. I have been fighting frozen shoulder.

 

[Stuck in the Coop]

Thrilled to see so many female hunters here

Add myself and daughter to that list, and of course the hubby and son. Heck the whole extended family hunts and fishes. Not seeing much move in North Mo yet. It's hot and they don't get out til after dark, I see the tracks in my garden

.

Good Luck everyone!

 

[SillyChicken]

I've hunted for 32 years and still love it! Back when I started.... it was still quite the boys club. Glad to see so many women hunting these days! With all the land in my area being bought up and delveloped or other hunters moving in, my hunting grounds have shrunk considerably. I get more frustrated as the deer are not managed like when just dad and I hunted. We used to see huge bucks every year, now, we're lucky if we see a small 6 pt...I generally just take doe anymore, and pass up on the small bucks only to be shot by the neighbors... seriously, they all sit along our property lines.. very frustrating!!! I've actually considered baiting deer this year which is something I've never had to do before. Some day I'd like to see the return of bucks like this one...

(14 pt, can't see all the pts in the photo)

But for now I'll stick to the big ol fat doe like the one I got last year! Tracked by my old mastiff, Delta!

I've been seeing alot of deer on the move and out in the day time!

 

[wyoDreamer]

Quote:
As my dad say's - you don't eat the horns!

Nice buck. and yes, I remember seeing one of those silently raise up out of the thin layer of fog in the swamp. Never heard him, only got a glimpse before he faded off into the mist. Never even had time to pull up my rifle. Pricklies on the back of my neck made me turn my head and look. (thanks for the memory)

Did you train your mastiff yourself? I assume she tracks the blood trail, is that right?

 

[SillyChicken]

Quote:
As my dad say's - you don't eat the horns!

Nice buck. and yes, I remember seeing one of those silently raise up out of the thin layer of fog in the swamp. Never heard him, only got a glimpse before he faded off into the mist. Never even had time to pull up my rifle. Pricklies on the back of my neck made me turn my head and look. (thanks for the memory)

Did you train your mastiff yourself? I assume she tracks the blood trail, is that right?

I love that feeling.... I've had it a few times, but only the big boy's 'll do that to yah. I get excited when I see any deer, but when I saw this one, so close..everything became still and felt like it was all unfolding in slow mo!

Yes I've trained some of them. My male, that had recently passed, was really good at blood tracking. Delta wasn't really trained, but has a good nose, she's just "special" cause of some minor brain damage and so I thought she'd enjoy tracking the deer. (It was a great blood trail that I could see, though the deer went fairly far) so I could guide the dog easily. Delta had some really bad seizures when she was younger and it left her a forever puppy. We had to retrain her basics and her routines need to be kept the same or she gets easily confused and panics. She's 11 yrs old and has the sweetest temperment.

 

[sparkles2307]

Found out yesterday that the state of MN reduced bag limit to ONE deer per person... argh! This means that you have to choose to use your ONE tag on bow, shotgun, rifle, or muzzleloader season. And NO landowner bonus tag this year. What am I gonna do with ONE tag!?! I like shooting THREE deer.

 

[stubbornhill]

10 more days! WHOOT!!