Big Game Season 2018

[BDinPutnam]

Finally starting to see some more regular activity. Saw a buck and four does in the side yard but they went down and over the hill. Also saw a big buck by himself but he went down through the neighbor's front yard. They don't seem to be getting up until later in the morning so we'll be out this afternoon but tomorrow plan on sleeping in and getting out about 8:30.

That 6.8 SPC II is on my list though I have about 3/4's of the components for an 18" .223 Wylde I have to build first. How readily available is 6.8 ammo for those of us that don't roll our own?

ETA: depending on how hunting goes the rest of the day I might get out and shoot the November target challenge. Shameless plug for which follows.

NYGF Challenge - November 2018

 

[Robin]

Well, I'm done for the day. I didn't light the flint on anything but so thankful for this beautiful day, sunshine, cold air and the solitude of the deep woods, I'm a new man. My friend Bud has arrived. God bless you all and the best of luck in your hunting, heck, all your endeavours.
Robin

 

[Yeti]

Southern Tier report,very few shots first day and none second day with a single sighting of a doe from the tree stand in the evening.The one we were after took a snowy nap Monday by a barn sitter,fair/square and legal kill so not to disappointing "that's hunting".Been to cold for stump sitting lately and not putting on the driving boots this year so it makes a long season.This is the two year old eight we were after,he is at the local taxidermist now I heard.

 

[Carlos Hathcock]

Southern Tier report,very few shots first day and none second day with a single sighting of a doe from the tree stand in the evening.The one we were after took a snowy nap Monday by a barn sitter,fair/square and legal kill so not to disappointing "that's hunting".Been to cold for stump sitting lately and not putting on the driving boots this year so it makes a long season.This is the two year old eight we were after,he is at the local taxidermist now I heard.

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Was probably already wounded. Nice of you to finish him off.

 

[ryguy]

Just don’t let the wife find out!

 

[MoMan]

Crazy story, buck with 2 heads
Man shoots buck with two heads. One had been dead for quite a while.

That weird event was the next county over from me. Kind of freaky for sure, but it happens.
I'm hunting on my Buddy's farm that needs many, many doe taken. He needs to cull between 30-35 doe/yr off his farms, otherwise his farmer can't make any $$. I did my part the other night, I took 2 nice doe Tuesday afternoon. Dropped both with my 1969, 30-30. One was at 168 yards, the other was at 90 yards or so. AND, i had a deer run into the side of my truck the other night on my way home, did $4k in damage. Could have been worse I guess.

 

[HighlandLofts]

Just don’t let the wife find out!

When are you going to invite up over for deer antler soup?

 

[hooked]

That weird event was the next county over from me. Kind of freaky for sure, but it happens.
I'm hunting on my Buddy's farm that needs many, many doe taken. He needs to cull between 30-35 doe/yr off his farms, otherwise his farmer can't make any $$. I did my part the other night, I took 2 nice doe Tuesday afternoon. Dropped both with my 1969, 30-30. One was at 168 yards, the other was at 90 yards or so. AND, i had a deer run into the side of my truck the other night on my way home, did $4k in damage. Could have been worse I guess.

If you need another guy out to thin the herd I am always available..30-35 doe is a lot of venison

 

[hooked]

I went for the evening and walking in bumped a nice buck, over 100yds away when i saw it so obviously no shots. Buddy shot at a doe and clean missed, we still tracked it in snow for 150 yards and found no blood or hair.

 

[hooked]

Just don’t let the wife find out!

Thats a nice one, worthy of a mount but I am assuming you have bigger ones already.

 

[Airborneguy]

That weird event was the next county over from me. Kind of freaky for sure, but it happens.
I'm hunting on my Buddy's farm that needs many, many doe taken. He needs to cull between 30-35 doe/yr off his farms, otherwise his farmer can't make any $$. I did my part the other night, I took 2 nice doe Tuesday afternoon. Dropped both with my 1969, 30-30. One was at 168 yards, the other was at 90 yards or so. AND, i had a deer run into the side of my truck the other night on my way home, did $4k in damage. Could have been worse I guess.

KY? I’ll come next year! Get me permission. I’ll shoot as many does as I can get in my scope!

 

[MoMan]

If you need another guy out to thin the herd I am always available..30-35 doe is a lot of venison

Yea. it's a whole bunch of venison. I told him I was only going to take what me and Mrs. MO could eat. He has multiple farms down here in the county, probably in the neighborhood of 650-700 acres. He manages his herd really well as far as bucks go. No shooting any under 3-1/2 y/o. I've seen some monsters, that would have already been dropped if I was still hunting in NYS. I've watched him pass on VERY respectable 8 and 9 pointers. BUT, he has a couple of walls in his house that have some incredible mounts hanging on them.

KY? I’ll come next year! Get me permission. I’ll shoot as many does as I can get in my scope!

I could try, and see what he says. He's really particular on who he lets hunt on his property. He doesn't normally grant permission, to protect his buck management efforts. The down side is he ends up with a ton of doe that need to be culled. He gets his landowner permits, plus his predation permits every year. They don't even question him about the number of permits he requires. Normally KY DFW (dept of fish/wildlife) pays visits to farms because some of the guys just get the permits and sell them off. He's been on the up and up for so long they just send him what he qualifies for.
BUT, like I said, I can check for next year. Our season this year ran from 11/10 until 11/25. Our "regular" license entitles me to take 4 deer, 1 buck/3 doe, or 4 doe. We are limited to 1 buck no matter what. We can also buy what is referred to as an "extra deer" tag for $15, this entitles you to take 2 more doe.

There has been discussion about doing a dedicated "doe season" next year, where hunters with valid licenses can take as many doe as they like during the "doe dates". This is still a developing situation, and I'm not sure how it will work for "non-resident" licenses.. I can tell ya, there are a ton of deer down here. I've had as many as 4 nice bucks in my front yard at a time. Technically I'm in the city limits, my road is the city line. I've had as many as 15 doe in my front yard in the evening. There are always deer laying dead on the side of the road.

It don't suck living down here.

 

[Airborneguy]

KY is one of the states I want to explore for a home in retirement. I’m bound to NYC due to my divorce and not ever even thinking of leaving my girls, but my mortgage is cheap so keeping this house while owning another in a cheaper area is a strong possibility. Where abouts is this?

Fyi, hint hint, I have no problem with proving my worth for a few years only being allowed to shoot does.

 

[BDinPutnam]

KY? I’ll come next year! Get me permission.

Why do you need permission to use KY to come?

Sorry, had to go there. Tis the season.

 

[GOYABEAN]

Why do you need permission to use KY to come?

Sorry, had to go there. Tis the season.

since it now comes for him & her pretty soon for other Happy Holidays

 

[HighlandLofts]

Ky, there is only one reason.

 

[MilesTeg]

I skipped this morning I saw -7 o the thermometer last night and decided to sleep in.

 

[tony]

Not that bad out, the wind isn't blowing?

Good choice...

 

[HighlandLofts]

I skipped this morning, I will go this afternoon for a while. It was -2 here at 6.30.
Tomorrow will be better.

 

[MoMan]

KY is one of the states I want to explore for a home in retirement. I’m bound to NYC due to my divorce and not ever even thinking of leaving my girls, but my mortgage is cheap so keeping this house while owning another in a cheaper area is a strong possibility. Where abouts is this?

Fyi, hint hint, I have no problem with proving my worth for a few years only being allowed to shoot does.

We're in Western KY, Graves County. It's mostly rural, and borders TN. I am literally 25 minutes to the TN border.

 

[HighlandLofts]

Today we are trying another spot that hasn't been hunted since last deer season. My oldest son took a doe here last season. I seen deer , Turkey and fox. Tracks walking in to my spot this morning.

 

[Robin]

Good luck Highland!!!
Robin

 

[ryguy]

It was a fun morning in the woods today. Shot this guy at about 45 yards away with the super inadequate 223 pistol. 20 minutes later I had 2 doe come by being chased by a coyote. Shot the coyote on the run and tracked blood for about 300 yards before giving up on him. Really wish I could have recovered the yote.

 

[HighlandLofts]

Great day for you, hopefully the coyote went off and died.
Good eating size deer.

 

[tony]

Funny afternoon too. Butchering and happen to look out the window 10 minutes ago and see a very nice 8 and 10 minutes later a spike or maybe a forkhorn and a couple of does...Full moon last night maybe??

Congrats ryguy.

 

[Carlos Hathcock]

Just got back from Franklinville. Snuck out for an afternoon Friday and morning today. Was like God sterilized all animal life from my spot. I saw a woodpecker, nothing more. I didnt even THINK I saw something move. Opening day my buddy got a 9, his buddy got a bruiser 10, and his brother apparently took a couple neighborhood dogs.




They were hung and frozen solid when they were loaded on the garden trailer so they looked like they were doing the Superman pose all the way back.

 

[Cleck]

NF and I went out Thursday morning, was on a tight schedule needing to get back up in time to get ready for family. Both got does, I didn't hear him shoot his because I was too busy tracking mine about 100y down the hill, through a tight alley of trees. Watched her for about 10 mins when she presented me with a shot. Round went straight through, destroyed the heart and broke her shoulder.

Mine's about a year and a half, his about a year older. Bigger than what I shot last year, heading over now to start cutting her up. Took so long for me to gut and drag her through the snow that we didn't have time to cut them up before we left. Came back the next day to two very frozen deer. Brought them up to his house and put my propane heater on them to thaw.

Happy I got one, some more meat in the freezer but I still want my first (real) buck.

 

[HighlandLofts]

I like the chain falls for hoisting the deer up.
Some good eating right there.

I like skinning them as soon as I get them hung up. It makes it a hole lot easier while they are some what warm. And they cool down faster.

 

[Cleck]

Yeah, definitely a lot easier to work when they're warm, but I'm a slow gutter and dragger, so shit happens.

The chain fall is definitely nice, I think we're gonna go in on a Harbor Freight electric winch together to make it easier. We did it in his garage, wasn't too bad. Propane heater was nice, glad I finally have a use for it after all these years

 

[HighlandLofts]

We have two sets of pulleys that need rope. Tomorrow we will be going to town so we will pick some up then.
To hoist them up we just throw the rope over the 2x6 and hook it to the back of the bones yard tractor and go.

We will be placing that higher and with the pulley system you can rase them up higher as you skin them off.

Out in Washington when I do cows I use a John Deere tractor with a bucket to hoist them up.