Consolidated Gun Season Success Thread

[bclark1]

Slow one in Western Wisconsin, and statewide. I'll hopefully get out for shotgun sometime this week in Ohio, but here's Wisconsin so far.

Shot the doe opening morning (Saturday) because it was cold, one of the few cold days last week, and I wanted to get out of my stand around 9. Probably somewhere between 50 and 75 yards, hit her kind of far back offhand from a tree stand while she was on the move but she flopped right over and rolled down the hill anyway (made for a fun drag back up). I am a big believer in the 165 grain Remington Accutips - 6 for 7 on flopping so far, and the outlier was some freak 90-pound doe that could take two through the lungs and still run for a third.



Buck was Monday morning. I'd normally try to let a guy like this walk except I hadn't seen a darn deer since opening day. Wanted to get some meat... Similar story as above, close offhand shot. He walked in and I took him under 50 yards, I was sitting against a tree and he was quartering-toward for a shot through the chest. He also flopped, although I gave him a followup because he was still fading when I walked up. For a 2.5 year old, he had a nice spread, would've been a wall-hanger in '09 for sure.



Speaking of which, picked up my mount from last year. It's hard to show the character with one picture - the longer brow tine looks like a Ka-Bar from the side, it's got some depth to it. I'm happy in any case, he was a big-bodied sucker. Most of the heavy-racked deer are way, way too smart around where I hunt. The fields are littered with them after dark but they evaporate during shooting hours. Only one hunter I know consistently gets trophy bucks, and he basically quits work and lives on his hunting land from August until December, so...



Passed on a few other lousy opportunities on doe, it's nice to fill a couple tags relatively fast because you don't end up taking iffy shots later on.

So those who haven't already shown, what'd you get?

[simonkenton]

Very nice deer. They will eat good.
Good shooting!

[hunter33]

No big game this year But I had my chances.

[RB98SS]

Got this nice 8 around 10:00 Saturday morning on the Minnesota opener, Ely, MN. He was after the doe scent pads I set out.

My dog Snoop didn't know what to think about it.

[bclark1]

Looks like he's got some weight on him. Nice high rack, too - is the one brow tine chipped from rattling past?

[simonkenton]

How is the deer hunting around Ely?
I like that little town, I have driven up there from Georgia 8 times to go out camping in the Quetico.
Also I went up to Ely once in February to check out the winter scene.
In the morning it was 22 below zero, my truck wouldn't start. The mechanic said "You have that thick Georgia oil, no good up here."
He sold me a dipstick block heater, never heard of that before.

[RB98SS]

Looks like he's got some weight on him. Nice high rack, too - is the one brow tine chipped from rattling past?

I'm guessing he went a little over 200lbs. My father and I had a time getting him in the trunk of my LeSabre. The tine is chipped, I'm guessing you're right.

How is the deer hunting around Ely?

I've only hunted up there the last two years as we bought some property there. Last year we did not get a deer. I really don't know how it is up there historically speaking but I have to believe it's decent because I see deer year round through the seasons.

[Longun]

Caught him chasing a doe jest off a little known bedding area day four of the Mich. firearm deer season. Seven point with a 17.75 out side spread dressed at 173 lbs. A 20 yd. shot with a Marlin 45/70 350 gr. Oregon trail cast Bullet with a gas check pushed by 50 gr. of IMR 3031at about 1750 fps. I was vary impressed with this load. I was able to cut right up to the wound channel. Extra sweet my first hand loads

longun

[Kreyzhorse]

Got this nice 6 pointer on the opening day of the season in Kentucky. Watched him for several minutes before I could tell his size. He finally cleared the heavy brush allowing me a clear view of his rack and offered me a broadside shot at 53 yards. He took one leap and was down with a lung shot. I'd guess he traveled no more than 10 yards after he was hit. My gun was a Savage 110 in 7mm Rem Mag using 150 gr Winchester Ballastic Tips.