I have not bow hunted in 25 years. I got myself a cross bow and decided to give it a try. The following is a brief synopsis of the season's first week:

9/15- Not 15 minutes after shooting light and after passing on an 8 and a 7, I stuck a 12 point (including 2 stickers). It ran no more than 20 yards. It is a damn good deer for these parts. It scored 122 and change. I don't care about the score but we are required to record the score in our log book.



9/19- I went to a different lease for one morning. Around 8 AM, a large 8 point walked in to the food plot. I arrowed him at about 32 yards. He ran about 30 yards before he piled up. He has 11 inch G-2's and scores over 120.



Later that morning, a car hit a true giant for these parts. He is no doubt over 140. He weighed 208 pounds.



I took off for my other lease. A Polaris Ranger was being delivered to me. On the way back to the camp in the Polaris I noticed a GIANT non-typical buck laying by the road. He has not been there 5 minutes before. He was dead as a door nail from natural causes. What a shame.


9/20- I heard deer behind me. Shortly after 7, I see a big buck appear in front of me. He is an 8 with good mass and dark horns. I stick him at about 20 yards. I could see blood on the arrow from the stand.

I got down after an hour or so. Tracking conditions were HORRIBLE. Wet pine straw and leaves. I almost gave up but didn't. After 2 hours of looking, I got hot on the trail and found him in short order.


It has been a hell of a first week of the season. I almost regret heading to Zimbabwe next Saturday.

I will post some pictures next week.

Larry, you've got to tell us your secret! Clean livin'?

Hope you don't use-up all your luck on deer with that trip coming up...just sayin'

friar

Good for you.
Stories like that get the juices flowing.
It will be a couple weeks before I get to go. I've seeing turkey, hogs and whitetails on my game cams. I'm more than ready.

Best

GWB

Larry,

You Da Man!!

Great job Larry, Crossbow hunting is fun. Have a good time on your trip.

Better start buying lottery tickets while your on a hot streak!!!

Heck of a week! Hopefully a harbinger of bigger and better things to come on the dark continent.

Great week!

You're heading back?

Altough i havent been able to connect. Deer movment has realy increased in the last week.

Congrats by the way, those are some nice deer for Florida.

What a week! Congratulations!

How big was the non typical? A shame he died like that but at least you found him

Larry;

I'll go to Zim for you, so you can keep deer hunting!!

Regards, D. Nelson

Me too!
+ "test" that sweet Round Action

That non typical is a FREAK! Are you able to keep him?

All of those bucks are great! Congrats again!

Drummond

Love the palmasion on that first book, kinda looks like a fallow buck.

There does appear to be a pretty decent gene resulting in the palms on the horns. I have seen some other bucks like that.

Hell, you've killed all the trophies in your area. Go on and hunt africa, we'll come and take care of the whitetails for you.

Dang. Those are all nice. Time to head to Vegas before your streak runs out.

I did quite a bit of deer hunting in FL when I lived in Pensacola. I always got deer but nothing as good as any of those. Well done Sir!

Great Job Larry.
W

Wow great Florida bucks! Congratulations! Love those long g2's and the palmation.

Excuse me for getting off topic...

Do you have any information regarding an Osceola hunt in the southern zone by chance? I killed one two springs ago in the central zone and although was a true Osceola, it had more white barring on the wings than I would have liked.

Obviously I'm willing to pay to hunt, but would like to do it own my own and not with an outfitter. I'm willing to pay a trespass fee and a kill fee if I connect. I wouldn't need lodging or food.

No idea.

If they are in the southern zone, they are far away from eastern birds.

Solo:

You might try one of the management areas. Some are in prime turkey country. For example, Three Lakes.

Unless you know someone, all private land is extremely expensive to hunt. Most is leased. I am one one lease with 14 others. It is 7,500 acres. It costs me $12,500 plus utilities.

You are having too much fun Larry. Xbow season opens here next week and I am itching to get my kids out so they can "bow" hunt. They love it and I love watching them...