Who didnt and why
Whitetail Deer
Honestly, I had the best whitetail season ever and I didn’t fill my tags ( Other than a mature doe with my Muzzleloader)
In preparation of the season, I trimmed lanes, ( Missed a few) put in a new food plot, reset cameras and set up two new sets in areas I found during turkey season.
While in one of the new sets, I believe it was 11/3 & pm on 11/4, I had numerous encounters with mature bucks, and two over 170".
Unfortunately, I neglected to trim one side of the new sets and wouldn’t you know it, I had an opportunity, when one of the mature bucks had a doe pinned 30 yards into the field in front of me. I snort wheezed him from a doe, he turned and headed down wind of me. As he circled, I could not shoot from my left. He didn't see another buck, so he headed back to the doe. That buck rattled me to the core. Shook pretty bad. I remember jamming my leg against the stand and looking away to get calm.
I gave it 6 more days and then again in between the gun and muzzleloader seasons... hence, the tag is not filled.
What an amazing experience... and of course it would have been great if I arrowed him, but I can only smile, he won, again.
Maybe there will be a shed to be found.
You probably looked like Elvis up there, with that leg shakin going on, Rich! Hopefully he makes it through the winter and he’s even bigger this fall. Good luck on the shed hunting too!
Anytime you have encounters with 2 "Booners" in a season....that is what I would call a success. You plan worked for the most part....next year you will probably take one of them. Finding those sheds would be a new priority.
if I had an experience with one booner in a lifetime it would be called a success.
This sort of satisfaction happens over age 60! Congrats on your arrival. C
I agree Charlie. I never understood that about my dad. But Now at 58 it’s more about helping kids or first timers. It’s strange, but with the species I’ve killed plenty of, unless I’m getting it mounted I don’t shoot it. I’ve run out of room and either give current mounts away or add them to the 40 or so in the shop so why kill more. I still have a few animals left that I have the same drive to kill. but for the most part while deer and elk hunting it’s definitely the chase for me. Left holding tags again this year and it doesn’t bother me at all like it used to.
Troy, sure was!
Agreed Bou.
Getting even one of those sheds is priority and would be great.
3 cameras still rolling .......
I shot a deer once a touch over 150". He came in pushing a doe and, had she not stayed around a bit, I'm convinced I'd never killed him. I was shaking so bad in the first few minutes trying to get a shot, the arrow kept falling off my rest. IT took what I'm guessing was 5 minutes before he was in a position I could shoot him. I was able to get it done but, I fell right back aart right after the shot.
