Let's go Huntin!

[Valleysports]

[Valleysports]

I'm about to sit down to Deer Back Strap Medallions (that's the cut my wife called it), wrapped in Bacon, cooked over charcoal...  Fresh Fried Okra, Baked Potatoes, and fresh Colton's rolls daughter is bringing home.  Daughters Boyfriend harvested a Doe off, my stand, in the back yard.  It's been corn fed for 60 days and ready...   

[Uncle Ivan]

Problem is that big bastard probably will come out only at night.

I've had success the past few years with sweet potatoes.  The stuff's like crack cocaine to deer.

[Valleysports]

Really?  Just buy em at the produce department?

Cuckoobird and I have discussed this, since he's waiting till gun season you know he'll be nocturnal, unless he's on a lot of unhunted private land.  Cuckoobird any sightings lately? 

[AirWarren]

Sweet potatoes and persimmons. Will make them do deer cart wheels. 

[Valleysports]

I've got a bunch of seedling persimmon trees I'm growing for specific places. 

[AirWarren]

Got some on two places where I hunt. The sweet smell drives then nuts!

[HorseFeathers]

Tiger Lillies draw them in before deer season, they've mowed down my mom's flowers the past couple of years...Apple Trees work to. The Persimmon thing is weird because the dozen or so my parents have that frequent their back yard leave that tree alone, but then again they also have 2 apple trees that are always loaded down..that the deer pick clean.

[AirWarren]

My parents have two in their yard and the deer flock to it.

[Kazimierz]

My mother-in-law harvested one about two weeks ago with her Volvo S60 on Ferdale Cutoff Road.

[True Believer]

We almost hit one in Edgemont this weekend.  Doe jumped right in front of us!!   Swerved and we missed her.  On a gravel road, you do not want to swerve.    But she sure was pretty  running as we screamed!

[Valleysports]

Attention:  Deer Hunters - Big & J is some good stuff.  However it's simply Distillers Grain, which you can get at the feed store 50 lbs for $10.  Mix with a little Cracked Corn if you want.

[cuckoobird]

Really?  Just buy em at the produce department?

Cuckoobird and I have discussed this, since he's waiting till gun season you know he'll be nocturnal, unless he's on a lot of unhunted private land.  Cuckoobird any sightings lately?

yep, he's been sighted in the back of my brother's pick up! dead deer walking now. scored 158

[Valleysports]

Pope & Young?  Get an after picture for us, please.  I just bought another camera today, wish they'd last and be user friendly.  We have a big boy, people in the neighborhood have been seeing.  I know the deer, been watching him since he was an 8 point.

[Uncle Ivan]

If I had my way, the season would start with modern gun. 

[Valleysports]

LOL - everything in the woods would be scared from the git go...   I just put out a mineral lick - bag of mineral salt on the hill above feeder, behind house.  Going to spread 2 lbs of clover now.  And I did see a fresh rub today.

[Lions84]

That is all good eating.

[HorseFeathers]

I came close to hitting a couple big does with my front bumper last night...does that count as hunting?

[Valleysports]

Possibly scouting - always make note of exactly where you see them..

[Valleysports]

Well it's a couple hours till daylight - do I feel like ambushing a doe this morning.  This is the last day to shoot a doe with a gun, but I hate for the neighborhood to hear a gun go off.  Sometime the neighbors complain about my lifestyle.  Also makes the deer skittish, for bow hunting kids later in the week.  It's wet out there...   talked myself out of it, I'm going to the gym.  ha ha

[Valleysports]

Lot of Acorns, some on the ground, trees loaded.  Deer hitting them in the evening...

[HorseFeathers]

Possibly scouting - always make note of exactly where you see them..

Side of the road near Tilly....and just up the road from my parents off of 27 near Hector lol..When I do deer hunt, it's the back 40 of my Aunt's farm near Cleveland...so I don't think that helps my scouting

[Valleysports]

What you see cross the road is only a small percentage of that area.  Good place to hunt..

I put out my new camera - I wasn't sure if more than one or two were coming in. Well they hit that feeder all through the night and at 00:58 a nice 8 point posed for 1/2 dozen shots.  There are so many deer out, feeding on acorns, it's crazy.  Way too many Doe's.

[HorseFeathers]

What you see cross the road is only a small percentage of that area.  Good place to hunt..

I put out my new camera - I wasn't sure if more than one or two were coming in. Well they hit that feeder all through the night and at 00:58 a nice 8 point posed for 1/2 dozen shots.  There are so many deer out, feeding on acorns, it's crazy.  Way too many Doe's.

Well if that is the case, then Inglewood avenue in Russellville would have been a killer spot to hunt last year. Used to see about a dozen every night when I cut across that part of town...

[Valleysports]

Oh it is!      One of the main reasons they opened hunting in town.

I saw a huge buck, behind the house, this morning.  He was on the hunt for a Doe.  They are running all over the neighborhood, fixing to be a lot getting ran over on the roads.  Be on the alert. 

[HorseFeathers]

Oh it is!      One of the main reasons they opened hunting in town.

I saw a huge buck, behind the house, this morning.  He was on the hunt for a Doe.  They are running all over the neighborhood, fixing to be a lot getting ran over on the roads.  Be on the alert. 

Where ya been Valley....there's been a couple laying on the side of the road between my house and Russellville(through Dover, and through Moreland) most weeks. Bout hit a big doe on Cloud Mountain around noon today as well. Only seen one buck so far this season, but he was to quick to hit with the Durango haha(not that I was trying)

[Uncle Ivan]

Going to put some feed out tomorrow and check the stand.

I grin at the people who go to Wal Mart buying those 40lb bags of corn for nine or ten bucks.  Look around a bit, you can get that much or more for a few dollars cheaper.

[Valleysports]

Alright I got a read on him - put a camera on his trail and a rub he's working on.  He's following Doe's into a bottle neck.  I actually jumped 3 Doe's, drew on one, but she spotted me.  Saw another feeding, but didn't have my scent free hunting clothes.  This is all in the middle of the day.

[Valleysports]

I was watching these Doe's laying in the sun shine while I was cold in the shade.  The wind was blowing west, across a meadow I was expecting them to come through.  So slipped to the other side, started down the wood line towards them, when another Doe came bounding right by me.  Caught me out in the open, so she snorted and took off, while I was trying to knock an arrow.  The others stood up but went back to feeding, until suddenly they trotted off.  Shortly after a weird looking buck got right on their trail...

[Kazimierz]

I've been duck hunting since I was knee-high to a grasshopper... but I never got into deer hunting. Don't know why... just never did.

I live in Missouri now, and it is bigger than duck hunting up here. I have had a few invites and think I may pick it up.

Any suggestions for rifles, bows, etc. I have an old, but true, Remington .270 and I don't own a bow. Will the .270 handle most moderate sized white-tailed deer?

Also, does anybody just wait deer out or track them? Or does everybody bait?

[Uncle Ivan]

Will the .270 handle most moderate sized white-tailed deer?

Sure it will.  I prefer a 30.06 for knockdown, but the .270 doesn't recoil as hard and won't tear the meat up as much.

Also, does anybody just wait deer out or track them? Or does everybody bait?

Bait with a feeder or nearby a good food source.  I don't care too much for hoofing it up and down a mountain following a blood trail, and you can't track the things much to begin with.

[Valleysports]

I've been duck hunting since I was knee-high to a grasshopper... but I never got into deer hunting. Don't know why... just never did.

I live in Missouri now, and it is bigger than duck hunting up here. I have had a few invites and think I may pick it up.

Any suggestions for rifles, bows, etc. I have an old, but true, Remington .270 and I don't own a bow. Will the .270 handle most moderate sized white-tailed deer?

Also, does anybody just wait deer out or track them? Or does everybody bait?

You aren't going to track a deer.  However when you get a fresh snow, even if it's not season, get out there first thing the next morning and follow tracks.  Take notes, where are they coming from and going too, where do other deer tracks merge, do they bottle neck somewhere.  Check a little later to get an ideal of the traffic and times.

In Missouri you'll need warm boots, hat / ear muffs, gloves, insulated coveralls might be nice, anyway you're gonna get cold.  Cause you'll be sitting on a tree stand or in a blind.  Yes waiting.  You'll be set up on a trail or feed area (food plot or feeder), in Missouri probably a crop field.  Go to Walmart and get a $20 scent free kit.  Wash your clothes in the scent free detergent, dry with dirt smelling fabric sheet, put all in a plastic bag so the clothes don't pick up odors.  Shampoo, Soap, Underarm deodorant, spray some scent kill on your boots & clothes when you go into the woods.  LOL  Duck hunting is a social, deer hunting is solitude & patience.

.270 is a wonderful deer gun for White Tail, first rifle I ever had.
A 130 gr. XLC bullet in .270 has a starting muzzle velocity of 3,200 fps and will carry about 1,400 lb/ft of energy out to 600 yards
but I'd use a 150gr. partition or a-frame and only shoot up to 300 yrds.  Hey I've taken Moose, Bear, Caribou with a .270 – until my wife bought me a .300 Weatherby at a garage sale.  Shot placement is always key.  Traded  that .270 for a 3 wheeler.  I do have 2, 30.06's (Wthby & Ruger), if you'd feel more comfortable with a 30.06, I'd trade you one.  Or make a trade for a duck gun.

[Kazimierz]

Thanks for the help guys, appreciate it.

[DogsWin7]

So...I'm thinking I can get this bad boy with my bow;) yes....I can shoot a bow. 

Still trying to decide though, what do you guys think?

[Breitontime]

Stop cheating and shoot a real bow. Crossbow is just like shooting a gun.

Crossbows should be outlawed for everyone outside of handicapped that can not shoot a compound/long/recurve.

Kaz, I prefer PSE, I have a X-Force Omen, had it going on three years now. Bowtech makes a dang good bow, as does Athens Archery, Elite Archery, and Bear. Bear has wonderful entry level packages. If you're looking top of the line, be ready to spend $1,200 upwards of $2,000.

I spend a grand on my bare bow, hundred and a half on a custom stabilizer, three hundred on a sight, a bit over a hundred on a rest, close to a hundred on a good release. Then you have your arrows, depending on what you shoot, can be from $4 each up to around $15 each. Then broadheads, around $40 for three.

[DogsWin7]

Sorry Bre.    I meant bow.  I have the 2013 Elite Hunter in the snow finish.   I was asleep still...and had been talking about Crossbows with a friend. 

[Texarkana_Piggie]

i just about got sick looking at my Facebook feed last weekend.  every other picture was a dead deer with his tongue hanging out.  looked like miley cyrus. 

[cuckoobird]

Lmbo

[Breitontime]

Sorry Bre.    I meant bow.  I have the 2013 Elite Hunter in the snow finish.   I was asleep still...and had been talking about Crossbows with a friend.

Elite's are nice. I got my little bro to check them and Athens out last year. He ended up going with an Athens, they are smooth as butter.

[DogsWin7]

The speed on the Elite is a little slower than on some like the Strothers or Mathews Creed.   

It just depends on preference.   

[Breitontime]

Meh, anything over 300fps is overkill. They killed deer for ages with under 200.

Granted, mine has an rating of 366, and will do every bit of it.

[DogsWin7]

 Bears are good.   

I don't know a lot who have the X force Omen.   Have you actually shot a deer? 

[Breitontime]

Yep, and several hogs.

Beautiful thing about fast bows; I bought mine in 60lbs, and can still shoot a 400 grain arrow around 310 fps. New technology has just about made the 70lb draw obsolete.

[Uncle Ivan]

Yep, and several hogs.

Good eating, just have to get the balls off quickly.

This past weekend was a wash.  A little too warm, only saw a few does.  Too many acorns on the ground to where they're not even bothering with the feeders.

[Breitontime]

I prefer to shoot sows. Better flavor all the way around.

[Uncle Ivan]

Just flat out not seeing any bucks this year.  Five does this past weekend, but nothing following them.

[Breitontime]

There have been some nice ones put down around here.

Baby bro put a 6 point down a few days ago. 35 yards with the bow. He has been seeing a big 9 or 10, but it hangs 100 yards out, no matter where he sticks his stand around its path.

[Uncle Ivan]

They don't get that big by being dumb.

[Breitontime]

True that.

I'd just assume shoot a couple small doe. Meat is better, and I have no intentions of hanging anything on my wall.

[DogsWin7]

Where's that stupid Deer?!?!?