OMG 444 marlin is way overkill, 265gr FTX hornday does to a deer. I seen it hit the one and I have 3 tags for landowner and today was meat day to thin out some does = 2 does. So now I will see if I can get one of those dang bucks running around. The one had button bucks and the other was the one we called the single doe. She didnt have any little ones with her this year. The button bucks were off limits between us on our land. Dad seen a buck on the hill across from me about 1/4mile away walk stalking. Had them hanging like this to wash out real good before hanging from rear legs.
Got this boy about 9 this morning....opening day of gun here today. I think this is the same one I had pass me during bow but couldn't get a shot on him.
Finally was able to put a little tender meat away in the freezer. I passed on a big bodied buck just 5 minutes after shooting time on Monday. It looked like an 8 pointer or so although it was still too dark to count points, too big for what I wanted. Came into some apple cider I had spread on a tree trunk about 30 yd away from my ground blind. On Tuesday, I missed a 75 yd shot at a medium doe using an open sighted 20ga 1100 that I'd bought for my daughter. The eyes just aren't what they used to be, that rear sight was looking kind of fuzzy when I tried to hone in on that deer. On Wednesday, I decided to get serious and got out my 70's vintage 12 ga 1100 with an early Hastings slug barrel with a Nikon scope. The barrel has a lower twist rate to it and prefers those slower heavier sabot slugs, 2 3/4" or "regular" 3" ones. Had a button buck come by at the exact same 75 yd spot as the doe the day before. This time, the results were a little different, he dropped right in his tracks! Now, if I can just put some more "buckeye veal" in the freezer I'll be set! The view from my ground blind, where the woods meet the now cut corn. The shooting lane is right down the center of the picture! Looking back at my blind from a deer's perspective ....................
That will be good eating Boog. I know too well about the eyes/sighting in thing/shooting an 1187 with open sights but this year I left my contacts at home and wore my bifocals.....finally scoped my Muz last year.
Finally got my buck tag filled. I passed a lot of nice bucks this year and seen a few much bigger but couldn't let this mature deer walk.
This was my best friends New Mexico buck this year. Mule deer is all we have hunted.. Loving all the pics of whitetail.. Might need a trip out east...
Helped my partner pull this one out of the swamp last night. Biggest 4 point I ever seen. 247# on the hoof must be on his way down.
We wrapped up our gun season on Wednesday. Our group of guys had a great year this year, everyone was safe, and we all had a fun time. We hunted hard for 5 days straight, covered lots if ground. My brother in-law, father in-law and I all got good bucks, we saw some other monsters to, but gotta leave some for seed. (Lol we missed) Brother in-law's 10 point 140-150 class: Father in-law's massive main frame 8 point, with a split G2, 170ish? And my heavy 9 point, 150-160, personal best. These 3 bucks where all within 3/4 mile of each other on the same creek bottom. Headed to the taxidermist, group discount!