Mossy Oak Forum / Hunting / Whitetail Deer

How's the deer hunt going?

tracer — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 08:14:38 GMT

The archery season opened OCT.1 here in southern Ontario and I've been out for four evening hunts. I've passed on two young bucks, a fawn and one doe. I only have one tag for this wildlife management unit, so I'm waiting for an older buck to show up.

This one of the bucks of interest in the area.

How many days do you take off from work to go hunting?

Whitetails247 — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:31:54 GMT

I go to Illinois for a full week during the November rut. Can not wait for it to get here.

2011 Huntin' season

bloodhound — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 05:58:38 GMT

Hey guys, i havent been able to hunt for a while(sucks) so i'm looking forward to this season but just one problem! I need a place to hunt with my bow. I live in Fayetteville, N.C. so if anybody can help me out let me know.

Last Day, Last Hour, BUCK DOWN!!!

BowBo — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:23:36 GMT

My 2011 Indiana 9 pointer with my muzzleloader at 140yds............

little buck

SkyPirate — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:55:06 GMT

not sure if this counts because I didnt find this deer I shot until 2 years later when I was boar hunting ,.. I thought I missed him when I see wood fly when i squeezed the trigger,..he was moving to my left about 50 yards away and I didnt find any blood where I thought I had or should of hit him,..

1st photo 30 plus 2008

2nd photo 10 pt 2009

3rd photo another 10 pt last year

Mossy Oak's Whitetail Pro Staff, IL, MO, & KS

Magrew — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 13:18:13 GMT

My fellow Mossy Oakers,

We are looking to make a few additions to Mossy Oak's Whitetail Pro Staff in Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas. Some of the areas in the above states are packed with Pro Staffers and other areas are in need of a little help. If your interested in being a part of Mossy Oak's Team contact me at mmagrew@charter.net.

Respectfully,

Mike Magrew
Mossy Oak Pro Staff
Regional Manager

Black powder 2009

SkyPirate — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:03:32 GMT

It's the last day of black powder season in central Missouri,..it's raining ,..wind blowing ,..cold,..I'm in my stand watching a field,.. the clock is ticking,..sunset is fast approaching,..at 3:30,..the 5 cups of coffee I drank at noon to warm up are working on me pretty good ,..and I'm doing the "dance" 3:45 strikes and I can't stand it any more,..so I remove the cap from my TC inline and get out of the stand ,..I walk( actually running on tip toes ha ha ) over to where I parked the ranger,.and relieve the discomfort,..as the wave of relief overwhelms me,..not 10 foot away,..up jumps this buck,..I'm sort of occupied with my current task,..but manage to pull the rifle off my shoulder and bring the barrel up aiming it at the vital area of this buck,..I knew it had horns in excess of 4 on one side ,..which is or was the rule that year for bucks,.. I squeeze the trigger....CLICK!!!!!! I had forgot that I removed the cap prior to getting out of my stand,..so now I have 3 tasks at hand ,..1 the first task is still at hand ,..no pun intended,..2 I'm trying my best to retrieve a cap out of my pocket with out disturbing the flow of the first task,..and 3 keeping an eye on the deer as he is moving now to my left and away,..
I retrieve a cap..DANG IT!! I dropped it!!! now digging for a second cap... I get it placed in the rifle ,.and raise the barrel again,..the deer is about 50 yards away in the woods and still moving to my left ,..I line up on the vitals,..leading by about 4 inches,..squeeeeeze BOOOOOM!!!!
I see wood fly~!!!,..well after searching til dark ...I find no sign of blood,...
Fast forward 2 years,.I'm hunting Boar now,..there was report of a large male boar in the same area that I was in when I see that buck,.. using my 30-06 ,..I see the boar and shoot ,..took his left shoulder right off,..those hornadays sure did the job,..200 lb boar,..so I'm looking around this area for more Boar sign,..in the thickest bunch of rasberry bushes I see horns ,..I'm thinking ,..OMG~!!! wait ,..it's spring ,..the deer don't have horns this time of year ,..after laughing at myself for thinking there was a live deer bedding there ,..I start cutting the rasberry bushes to get to this deer,..as I get closer to it ,..I vaguely recognize the rack,..then I remember ,..this is the deer I shot at 2 years prior,..it was cleaned to the bones,..what a great day~!! shot a 200 lb Boar and found the deer I had shot at 2 years prior ,..I thought I had missed him,..because I see wood fly and no blood in the area where I had shot at him.

Well here is a photo I can hang a ring on over 30 of the points

NC Public Game Land

chrisgarris128 — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 09:05:03 GMT

I grew up running dogs with friends of mine. I love running dogs to hunt, but I do not want to pay the high dues to join the dog hunting club. Problem is there is no land by my house in eastern NC that is not leased to dog hunting clubs. So this year I decided I wasn't going to let that stop me from hunting. So I took off this morning, opening day, to drive 40 miles to the closest game land. To my surprise I found the paths full of trucks, 150 yards apart with people hunting the paths and cut downs from their truck. It looked like dog hunting without dogs. I did not want to get out for all the trucks hunting the paths and cut downs for safety issues. Is there anywhere in eastern North Carolina to hunt!?

EHD in NJ

Flintlock1776 — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 12:34:29 GMT

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/newsrel/2011/11_0103.htm

What Pattern?

jlong — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:17:39 GMT

What pattern are you going to start out with during archery?

I am going to wear Infinity and then move to Treestand after the leaves begin to fall.

Mossy Oak Bottomland for Treestand Bowhunting

scottemory72 — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 14:36:04 GMT

I'm getting back into bowhunting after being away from it for several years. I hunt waterfowl and I have a bunch of Mossy Oak Bottomland camo, my question is can I use my Drake clothing in Bottomland for late season bow hunting? It sure would save me some money

hello

jlong — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 15:07:40 GMT

just joined the forum and wanted to say hello!

Had a good season

RajunCajun — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 19:08:47 GMT

Been hectic past 7 months with surgery, more chemo etc, then hunting season.

Hunted my lease hard and killed four deer:

1 doe and 3 bucks.

Last buck was a cull.

Buck 1.......... 8 point 180 pounds 2.5 years old.

Buck 2

Got him one day and he busted me, adjusted next morning in my climber and killed him at 7;30 chasing a doe

Main frame 9 point with three good stickers (12 point total)
weighed n at 230 pounds

Killed buck number 3 Sunday chasing a doe, 2.5 -3 years old, 170 pounds turned out to be only a 5 point, good one to cull as he should have had more bone on his head

Another one

Flintlock1776 — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 15:42:22 GMT

Bow was early in season. I traveled out of state for this guy with rifle

OUT OF HOME STATE KILLS!!

hookedonbigblues — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 20:10:11 GMT

Got this Great Buck In the state of MO. My home State is Ohio, This is my first rifle Whitetail green score of 142 7/8, On a Wounded Warrior Hunt.

Venison Processing at Home

Acts1013 — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 19:12:56 GMT

I want to ask a question of all you home processing experts. This season I wil begin to process my own deer at home since the processors in my area now want almost $100 for basic cuts. They would hang the meat for 3 days before processing. Is this necessary? I know it ages the meat but does every one do this or can you just butcher the deer and freeze without hanging? Or can I quater the deer and age it in the fridge? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Got it done

Flintlock1776 — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 19:55:58 GMT

Same stand all the week prior to MLK day. Three years in a row and this is the latest addition to the tally

http://s155.photobucket.com/albums/s286/1776Flintlock/?action=view¤t=3df1ced1.pbw

Anybody on here run deer dogs down here in south mississippi

doghunter26 — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 16:00:46 GMT

Just wondering if anybody else on here run dogs down here in south mississippi? I'm looking for a club to join down cause the club I hunt in now is losing land and alot of the public land is bein gated off.

Off to Alabama!

Flintlock1776 — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 17:08:25 GMT

Just about 1 1/2 hours south of West Point, MS. If I could squeeze some time in, I'd stop by MO HQ.

Anyway, weather will be cold and even a 20--30% chance of snow. Rut should be kicking in!

More to report when I get back!

My Deer Hauler

B4x4 — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 01:50:03 GMT

Ok not sure exactly where to post this thread but figured I'd post it here because this is one of my deer hunting tools
Here are a few pics of her

And here she is in action

My 2010 Deer Season

Squirrelhunter91 — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 14:57:35 GMT

Hey folks.. I know I've been a ghost on these forums the last few months and I wanna apologize. Things have been crazy and have finally settled down just in time for the holidays. I had a great deer season. In total I killed 6 deer. All with my bow. I was lucky enough to find time to get out in the woods and fill all of my tags. Please forgive me for the picture quality but my camera broke and most of these are cell phone pics.

I killed my first deer of 2010 in a spot I had never hunted before other than a walk with my bow in 2009. Its a huge 30 acre field that my buddys family owns.

Doe #1 - 10/18/10

My next deer, also a doe, came 5 days later while hunting with a family friend in the next town over. I had never hunted here before and he wanted to get in the stand around noon. He sent me in a general direction and told me where to expect the deer to come from. I had come across an old dilapidated wooden ground blind and figured that it must be a good spot if someone else thought so as well. I had set my climber up on the straightest tree I could find downwind of a small swamp thicket. But right before I climbed up I had trimmed a few green limbs off a semi up rooted tree because they would block my shot at a main trail. Well to make a long story short, a doe and a fawn had come out of the swamp around 5:15pm and the doe fed her way right in to feast on the green limbs I had just cut hours before. She was practically underneath me at a mere 8 yards. She looked up and made me but it was too late. I hit full draw as she jumped 5 yards and stopped. She was hard quartering but I aimed for the exit and the Goldtip zipped right through her with ease, exiting out her lower brisket. She went 30 yards and piled up into an old fence.

My next deer came on 10/31/10, Halloween. Not much of a story to this one. I was in my favorite tree and she had come by with 2 button bucks. And well, I've read articles saying does will run off button bucks when they come into estrus and with another doe tag in my pocket and the rut not more than a week away, when she came by at 18 yards, I gave it to her too. She went about 60 yards before piling up in a ravine. She was a big old girl, dressed 125lbs

My next deer, also another doe came on 11/11/10. This one I shot out of the same tree as the Halloween doe. I let her feed for 45 minutes with the two orphaned button bucks and she didnt have a boyfriend. So I had a fourth dmp on me and she bit the dust too at 42 yards. I shot her with a 3 blade NAP Bloodrunner. What a terrible name for this broadhead. I mean, yes, she piled up within sight but the blood trail was minimal, even with a perfect double lung hit.

So now comes 11/14/10. The last day of my weeks vacation from work. I was back to hunting at my friends property in the field and before I went out, his dad had asked me to take another doe if I got the chance and I obliged. So as it happened, about 30min before dark, a young doe had fed her way in to exactly 61 yards. She was perfectly broadside and absolutely relaxed. I don't reccommend shooting this far with a bow unless you are absolutely confident in your equipment. I have the utmost confidence in my equipment. I practice each year out to 70 yards and can keep 3 arrows in a 4" circle and 70 yards. So I knew I could make the shot. I hit full draw and let her fly. The flight of the arrow was so beautiful as it arched up real high and look as if it was going to go over her back and then zipped straight through her lungs. I didn't see her go down because of the high grass so I let her lay overnight and returned the next morning to find out she only went 50 yards.

So now this brings us to my last deer of 2010. 11/25/10, Thanksgiving and my 19th birthday. This day found me in my favorite tree that I had already taken 2 does out of this season. I got in my perch about an hour before daylight and sat tight. Daylight came and I saw a nice 8pt running around 3 does. He was grunting and chasing but never coming near me for a shot. He ended up walking off with the 3 does and after I watched them walk away, I looked over at the two button bucks I had orphaned earlier who were now bedded down 25 yards to my left. I sat tight and about 45min later, when the buttons had fallen asleep, a small but very cool looking four point had come by and jumped them from their beds as if they were does. He was basically a very heavy spike with browtines. I had him at 30 yards quartering away and was at full draw when my phone started buzzing. I let down and picked up the call. It was my friends stepdad tellin me he had just smoked a nice 6 point. 15min into the phone call and I looked up to see the 8 point that was with the does was working scrapes on the hill about 100 yards out and was more importantly, alone.

I told Mike I'd call him back and he certainly understood. So I watched the buck work a scrape for about 5 seconds before I threw a grunt at him. Nothing. Grunted again. Nothing. Snort wheeze. He looks my way. I give him another grunt and man did he turn and come running down the hill! He stopped facing me at 40 yards looking around. I had ditched my grunt tube at this point and grabbed my bow. When he stopped, I was at full draw and waiting for him to turn. From a dead stop, he started walking toward me with his ears back, hair standing up and stiff legged. He was slightly quartering toward me but I stopped him with a loud "MEH!" at 31 yards and the Slick Trick tipped GoldTip buried itself right behind his right front leg. He ran 20 yards uphill, tipped over and rolled another 10 back down the hill. He was down for the count. I couldn't sit still I was so jacked up. I had to stay up in the tree for 15 minutes just to calm down. I couldn't speak when I called Mike back. He's not my biggest buck but I'm dang proud of him. No other deer that I've killed put on a show like that.
He turned out to be a solid 3.5 year old 8pt probably in the 80" range. I love how symmetrical his rack is.

Hope you folks enjoyed reading about my season as much as I enjoyed creating these memories. Merry Christmas and thanks for reading.

Worst season ever.

carollo22 — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 19:24:18 GMT

I'm 20 years old. Been hunting since I was 10, its all I think about, I live in the woods. Because of the economy, my areas where I used to hunt were getting expensive so I had to stick close to home. I hunt a 20 acre parcel of woods connected to about 40 more acres. Its a suburban area. I can see a cabelas from my treestand. But anways, i couldnt get out til october 9th because of work and school. First night out and I'm happy as can be. About 10 minutes before dark and Big 6 steps out into the field 40 yards away. I flung my arrow, right under the belly. Problem is i guessed 30 yards when he was 40. So on to the next one. 3 days later I'm back at it. Sitting for only 10 minutes when another 6 walks right under my stand and into the field, 15 yard shot. Looked good when I hit, ran away with his tail tucked so I'm excited. Get down and can't find my arrow and theres barely any blood. Followed little blood for 200 yards or so then circled the woods. Nothing, no deer no arrow. At this point I'm sick to my stomach but I know I can't give up. The next week I shot a nice little 7 point out of the same stand, drilled him. Confidence back up, until the next time i went out... Its late october, all of the crops are down and I have no confidence because in the past years these woods are worthless without corn around because all the deer go to the river bottom and head south to the rural area. About 15 minutes before dark, havent seen a deer and I happen to look behind me and see a nice thick 10 point feeding 30 yards behind me in the field, never heard him coming. Only problem is, hes about to walk right into my wind, and as luck has it, he wasn't feelin it and walked away. I hit my grunt call to try to get him to change his mind and I instantly here another one coming in the woods. The 10 takes off and my heart starts reallly pumping. Out steps a bruiser of and 8 point. 20 yards broadside, I can't Screw up again. This is the biggest deer I've ever shot at, I let my arrow fly. WHACK. right in the shoulder. I toss my release to the ground in disgust with myself. Get down follow blood for 80 yards then it stops. I hate wounding deer, i didn;t eat for 3 days. I went out one more time about a week later even though I figured i was waisting my time because Ive never seen a deer in this set of woods this late in the year. low and behold I see a little 7 point. My confidence is so low that I was willing to shoot him to reassure myself that I still have it. 10 yard shot, another complete miss. I give up. HAvent been out since, calling it a year. I think about these deer everyday and it makes me sick. Can't wait til next year because this is without a doubt one to forget..

Muzzleloader Buck

ingramj — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 09:57:39 GMT

Haven't been on this forum since early bowseason, but got this buck during muzzleloader season in NE Oklahoma. I overslept that morning, and got in the woods about 20 minutes after daylight. As I was walking to my blind I seen a spike and basket rack walk across the field, and stopped to watch'em. Then this buck came out from behind the pond, and walked about 70 yards from me. I was in the woods about 15 minutes, and made it back to school for my 11:00 class.

Idaho Field Staff

DuckSlayer10 — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 21:08:53 GMT

I am wanting to find out how I can become part of the mossy oak field team for the Idaho area.

B4x4's 2010/2011 log

B4x4 — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 17:27:55 GMT

I took a new job 2 years ago that requires me to do allot of travel, but I still find time to climb a tree now and then.
Being that I travel 90% of the time I started taking an extended vacation last year and will be doing the same this year starting Thanksgiving until Jan. 8th
At any rate I was home for a few days off and on during Sept and Oct this year and was able to get in a few hunts.
Sept. 15th opening morning of Bow Season I took a nice Doe

Oct. 8th was an evening hunt where I took another doe and funky looking buck

The following evening Oct. 9th I took a wide 7pt.

Then on the 2nd day of our early muzzleloader season Oct. 22 I put a tag on a nice 13 pointer that I had been watching while bow hunting and he just wouldn't get close enough but the ole muzzleloader helped me to even the odds

I needed to shoot 2 Doe so I could have the opportunity to purchase a bonus buck tag for the late muzzleloader season and the following week was Doe only for muzzleloader so I got busy
Oct. 25th I took a nice big Doe

And on Oct. 28th I connected once again with another nice big Doe

So which brings me to the present....... Only 2 weeks and I will be back home and up in a tree with my 300 Win Mag in my hand

South MS Prostaff

jeremyc11 — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 10:14:52 GMT

I am an avid outdoorsman and also a huge Mossy Oak supporter...I am interested in joining Mossy Oak Prostaff...let me know if I can be of any help...if anymore info is needed please contact me at coach_cothran@yahoo.com

Thanks,
Jeremy

best day and worst outcome!

jod — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 23:48:49 GMT

got a late start,12;15 in stand watched 16 turkeys for the better of 3 hours,then around 5 pm i spot a deer ,then 2,then 3 bleated the "where are you " bleat and one came across,bleated some more and the other 2 came on in! i have shot many a deer but these were the biggest doe i've ever seen in the woods!and dang if i didn't miss!the adrenaline rush got to me! dang i luv some deer hunting,but i'm kicking myself for missing!

Rut activity ...??...

billnsarah — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 10:24:21 GMT

Anybody seen any evidence of good solid rut activity yet ? If so , where are you located ?? what did you observe ???

the time of movement

bbmartin — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 21:13:02 GMT

what time will whitetail move in the morning of november 12 2010 in grenada ms

Camo Patterns

Zryan22 — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 12:15:37 GMT

I am in need of some advice on camo patterns for hunting whitetail in the lowcountry of South Carolina. I am new to the area and have no experience hunting here. So if someone knows the area or just has some ideas I would greatly appreciate it. The camo patterns dont have to be strictly mossy oak, it can be any brand. Thanks

NIce SE PA Buck

AmericanWigeon — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 11:15:39 GMT

My nephew arrowed this one last Sat. 10 pt., 25" spread, 249 lbs.

2010 Rut Map

Flintlock1776 — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 20:28:54 GMT

http://www.versus.com/blogs/rut-map/rut-map-week-13/

Prostaff openings in the West TN area?

timgreen555 — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 03:20:01 GMT

I just joined the Mossy Oak forums.

I have been an avid outdoorsman since I was about 12 years old, I am currently 26 years old...I have been wearing Mossy Oak Camoflauge for deer and duck hunting since I was about 14. I would love to become a prostaff member, and help out in any way that I can.

If there is any need for help in the West TN area, please let me know.

Thanks,

Tim

31 Days later

Flintlock1776 — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 20:29:22 GMT

So, I got the Doe on 9.11.10 and 31 days later I got a 6 point buck. A 4x2 that needed to be culled for sure.

10 yard shot, arrow went through although I did not find it.

All but 2 deer in my career went straight down, the other two went about 20 yards and down but this buck? Down the freaking hill, across the stream and he started to go up the hill but, thankfully, he expired.

It took me one hour to get up the damp and slippy hill; across the field and off to the processors. I have some bumps and bruises to remember that hard haul.

For some reason this year the Hunters Feeding the Hungry Program did not fill out the quota of donated deer so, in lieu of the small required $10 donation and letting them keep the deer for the needy, I added some money to help the program going. I have until the end of 2/11 so I'll be able to fill my freezer but I thought the needy could use it first.

DOE DOWN!!

BowBo — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 11:53:55 GMT

Took this doe this morning at 27yds. She ran MAYBE 60yds, hit a fence and never got up!

Switchback strikes AGAIN!

DEER CONTEST ENTRY THREAD

BowBo — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:37:33 GMT

This thread is for posting the photo of your deer....... to enter the deer contest for points.

GOOD LUCK ALL!

Post some pics of your Gambrel/Game hoist setup

DVFD236 — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 10:29:42 GMT

What do yall use (if anything) to keep your Gambrel from spinning with an animal on it? I was thinking about building some metal hooks to lower the rack onto to keep it from spinning when working on a deer ect.

Missouri Success

Travisnichols — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 16:23:49 GMT

The first night on the stand this year in our maximum plot and it was a dandy. We have been wathing this buck all summer. Finally the 3rd day the wind was right and we snuck into the stand that afternoon. This buck made his way across a bean field into our plot and the rest is history!!!

best caliber?

b53klz — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:47:53 GMT

I am planning to purchase a handgun in the very near future to hunt with. My question is what would be the best caliber for whitetail? Is a .357 enough stopping power?

Oklahoma Bow Opener

ingramj — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 09:50:14 GMT

Any other okie hunters getting pumped for friday?