Happy late thanksgiving to all, I hope you all had safe travels and a good time with your families. I am finally back in the land of fast internet, so I though i would share my opening week.

After a 14 hour drive friday and getting very little sleep, Dad and I got up opening morning and headed to a new patch of ground. I have never hunted or stepped foot on this place, and its all hardwoods. I have hunted fields all my life, so it was different. i took my climber in and went up on a ridge Dad said was supposed to be a good travel corridor. he was right, i had 9 deer within 20 yards of me that morning. all does and small bucks though. that was my theme for the weekend, does and small bucks.

tuesday morning i decided to hunt as late as possible, as i would not be able to hunt again until thursday morning. i got out of the tree at 10, and began still hunting down the logging roads until noon or so. tuesday was a good day for seein bucks. i saw 4 different bucks, one nice 2.5yr old 6 point that will be a bruiser next year, just not big enough this year. at 11:15 i jumped a big boy. Dad caught a glimpse of him saturday morning. we have found his rubs, and they are on large trees. this deer i think is the 10 pt the land owners have on trail camera. he is about 20" wide with kind of short tines. this guy is a brute. i saw him for a short time and could not get a shot. he has real white antlers and good mass, i wanted to get a shot at that guy. he had two does with him, and when he saw me he pushed them out and took off with them.

thursday morning was my last morning to hunt last week, so i had to make it count. about 7am a doe came out of the thicket and into view. she wasn't running, but the way she was acting i knew something was up. she stood in one spot for close to 10 minutes, bending down to get an acorn every now and then. finally she bolted and i knew he was on his way. she ran across from my right to left, and up from the thicket comes this 8. i didn't have much time to look at him, but i could see his good side with 3 on the beam. i whistled at him, but he wouldn't stop, when he got in front of me i grunted and stopped him. i looked at him through the scope and could see he was outside his ears, and if i dont' shoot now he will be gone in the trees,... so quick decision.. BOOM!
he ran maybe 50 yards and fell dead. he's not a giant, but 17.5" inside with pretty good mass and nice brow tines. he has a broken beam right after his g3 unfortunately.

My younger cousin and protoge Duncan, got a nice 9pt friday morning. this young man is turning into a good hunter, i couldn't be more proud. this deer was passing by unseen in the woods behind him, and duncan grunted him in. said this deer came running in on a string, and he shot him at 30 yards. hopefully Dad will keep going and get a shot at the big boy we saw. I will get to hunt a couple days over Christmas, otherwise i am basically done for the year. A great week with the family and being out in the woods though.

my deer


dad and i


duncan's 9 pt


dunc and i

Looks like you and the family have started this year off with some great looking deer.
Hope your Dad can connect on the Big Boy.

quote:

Originally posted by crabyx78:
Looks like you and the family have started this year off with some great looking deer.
Hope your Dad can connect on the Big Boy.

+1...nice going!

Those are a couple of very nice bucks!

Here's hoping either you or your Dad will locate the big bruiser. If not, the one you took is still a fantastic buck!