Deer Hunting
What’s up with this?
The other day Mom and I were talking on the phone. She heard the car alarm go off in the garage, and told me she’d call me back. She called back later with a fantastic story. It seems that when she got out to the garage, there was a doe and her fawn in the driveway, looking like they had just left the garage. Mom used the remote to stop the horn from honking. About this time, Dad came around from the back yard and spied the deer. He tried to shoo them by yelling and throwing a plastic jug … More . . .
Are Deer Getting Smarter?
I remember this same discussion over bass many years ago. The question was this: It used to be a sawed-off teaspoon would catch bass. What happened to those bass? Why won’t they bite a sawed-off teaspoon any more? In largemouth bass there is no room for culture. Big bass don’t teach their young. The answer was that perhaps the original population of bass had a segment that were more easily fooled. They quickly ended up on the plate. Were bass getting smarter? Perhaps they were, but it was also likely that folks stopped sawing off teaspoons once better lures came … More . . .
How long do hunting clothes last?
I’ve got stuff still from 1982. My sons are wearing the stuff I started out with. You replace them when they stop doing the job. Some things I’ve learned over the years: 1) Rotate your clothes. To keep scent down, I always have one or more changes for the weekend and let one set out to air while I hunt with the other. It also doubles the life of your clothes. 2) Detergent kills. Sun kills. Driers kill Hot water kills. I switched to baking soda years ago and it does a passable job of cleaning as well as getting … More . . .
Mossberg 500 Muzzleloader
From the 24HourCampfire: Registered: 07/18/05 Posts: 7 Loc: BFE, Kentucky Anyone have any experience with the 50 cal black powder barrel that screws onto a Mossberg 500? I think its kind of a neat idea and was mulling over springing for one but would like to hear some opinions, if anyone has one of these barrels. #1647469 – 1 second ago Re: Mossberg 500 BP barrel? [Re: auk1124] shaman Campfire Guide Loc: Neave, KY I bought one for Mooseboy for his birthday this year. Yesterday I went out for the first time to shoot it. He was supposed to be … More . . .
On Treestands
From the 24hourcampfire: (about a year ago) 09/22/06 08:10 AM Re: Treestands The shaman’s treestand rule #1: Don’t use other people’s abandoned stands. They’reabandoned for a reason. No, I will not sell you my stand. I just would not want it on my conscience. See if you can compare the API and the Summits. I have no direct experience with the Summits, but I picked the API back in 2000, and since then most people who make the comparison pick the Summits. The API Grand Slam Super Magnum that I have is bulky, but once you’re up it’s like sitting … More . . .
Which 30-06 Bullet?
From KentuckyHunting.net DixieBoy22 which 30-06 bullet? What 30-06 bullet do you like best for deer? I’m thinking about 165 gr. nosler partitions this year, even though it is probably overkill. What will yall be shooting? I shoot 165 grain Hornady SP in all my .308 caliber rifles. It is absolutely devastating. I’m quite certain that it’s overkill on a whitetail, but then I shot a 180 grainer for years. It finally dawned on me that deer are not all that hard to kill. My advice is to shoot the bullet that shoots the best out of your rifle, and don’t … More . . .
Beginner Advice
FROM 24hourcampfire.com: whitkid22 New Member Registered: 11/20/07 Posts: 1 Hi guys, I am new to your forum and thanks for having me. I have a few questions about deer calls. I find it neat to try to call in a deer. I was wondering if anyone could tell me long/how many grunts/wheezes/ between each use. I watched the DVD (instructional) but it does not speak of duration…Any tips on this would be helpful. I am hunting in southern maine. Thanks a lot guys. Whit Until about 7 years ago, I was always trying to add something to my hunt … More . . .
More on Deer Intelligence
Posted By: Youper on the 24hourcampfire: “Now, after five deer, daughters have seen mothers die. Mothers have seen sons die. They know.” A little too much anthropomorphism for me. Your deer are smarter than ours shaman. Now mind you this didn’t happen to me, but to my dad. At a bait pile he shot a doe that had come in as part of a group of does and fawns. The doe was a bang flop, and every one else scattered. Since it was near dark he just sat tight to see what else might come in. Sure enough they all … More . . .
Blood Trails, etc.
KevinDK asks: How do I make sure I get a blood trail? The higher you hit a deer, the longer it takes to have a blood trail. Basically, you’re putting a hole into a bucket and waiting for something to slosh out. If there are two holes, that’s better than one. If one is high and one low, even better. If you have a layer of fat, sometimes this can block the hole, and the there won’t be a lot of blood. I shot one this year, shot low, had optimal entry and exit wounds, pulped the lungs and removed … More . . .
How does the .270 caliber work on whitetails?
Originally Posted By: THORNTON86 on the 24HourCampfire How does the .270 caliber work on whitetails? Know several people that use one but never owned one myself… all opinions welcome…. THANKS!! You really do not have to give this a whole lot of thought from a purely technical side. Whitetail deer are surprisingly easy to kill. A 270 WIN will work just fine. You can kill a deer effectively with a wide range of sensible centerfire rifle cartridges. If you are attempting to shoot inside 100 yards, just about anything will do. Out beyond 100 yards, you are limited more … More . . .
I’m back
Sorry I’ve been away. The day job has been rather hectic, and there has been a lot of other stuff going on as well– none of it particularly bad. For instance, the shamanic home computer died. I had to get it rebuilt. It was going on three years old in it’s present incarnation, but there were parts going back to 2001. I figure it had lived a good life. It’s just been busy. I saw this thread, and it’s been begging me for a response for a couple of days. Now that it’s before sunrise on the day after, and … More . . .
The shaman backs into a buck at Newstand
There have been many seasons that have ended out in the middle of a field somewhere, with me clutching an unused tag and railing at the heavens for the unfairness of it all. Then there would be the long drive home in the dark, trying to explain to myself how it was all still worth it. It would end up like the guy trying to marry the blond by telling her she’s pregnant, but it would eventually work. Last week I spent a half hour in front of the freezer, trying to fit yet another doe in. Little white packages … More . . .
The shaman gets a doe
I’m back from the hunt, with the 7600 back on the bench and a doe at the processor. I looked over the Garand Friday night and the 7600. The 7600 looked like it would be easier to clean after a drenching. I left the Garand in the case. Yes, it is a proven all-weather rifle, but it is now one of the more expensive rifles in my collection. Saturday was everything I had expected and more: thunder and lightning, driving horizontal rain, and wind that was strong enough to knock me over. I had the same buck in my scope … More . . .
Tink’s 69
My technique with Tink’s is 5 film canisters filled with a 6X1″ strip of polyester fake fur– anything fluffy will do. Polyester hold scent pretty well. I got mine by shaving strips off an old baby blanket. I also have 4 1 foot long strips of the fake fur tied in half with a piece of rope that forms a noose around my ankle. The whole kit is stored in a ziplock bag. I dose the scent drag and the scent bombs the night before. When I get within 100 yards of the stand, I put on the scent drag. … More . . .
Changing
Armednfree: I hear what you’re saying. I’ve got a case of whatever it is as well. It manifests itself a bit differently with me, but there two main factors at work here. One is hormones and the other is attitude. The big thing that hits you as you get older is a change in hormone levels. That changes everything in your outlook. Twenty years ago I was still fathering children, and I HAD to get out and hunt. It was an imperative. My neck swelled in October, and I started knocking over saplings with my head. My youngest turned 18 … More . . .
KY Muzzleloader season has come and gone
Kentucky Muzzleloader season has come and gone. There were no deer on the meat pole to show for the weekend. The Hawken is back on the bench, and will soon be in the safe. It performed flawlessly, but the only two shots were into the ground to empty it out on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. Why should I be so happy? Saturday was the hands-down best day of deer hunting I have had in twenty some years. I was at the new stand. I had deer at hand in nearly constant succession from an hour before sunrise until 0930, … More . . .
Moose Scores Doe in KY Yute Season
Moose and I were up in the stand called Campground for the opening of 2006 KY Yute Season. Local sunrise was at 0740. By 0805 Moose had a doe down. He had sent one round from the Garand through both lungs and the heart. Her legs buckled and she crumpled. Few seasons are going to be that short. Mark another bang-flop for Mister Garand. The doe appeared with a friend, walking through a creek bottom at fifty yards. Moose had about a minute to size things up and plan his shot. When the lead doe stepped into an open shooting … More . . .
Angus Passes Hunter Ed
Angus, age 8, passed Hunter Ed in Bracken County on 10/7/2006. Herb Rumsford had announced his retirement after 15 years as a hunter safety educator, so George Mountjoy stepped in at the last minute. Angus got only 2 wrong on the test and was most pleased with himself. Dad was pleased and proud too. This post has already been read 1735 times!Views: 2 Related posts: Mooselette Passes Hunter Ed Indiana Passes New Deer Rifle Rules Angus’ Last Yute Hunt Youth Hunt SNAFU PT III Mooseboy Scores Saturday Openers Don’t Say My Kid Can’t Shoot . . . The First Moose … More . . .
QDM, Shaman-style
I’m not trying to crow here. I’ve done so little over the past five years to make this happen, it would be hard to take credit. As late as the end of last season, I had a hunter ask me, “Why is it you never see and bucks around here?” The reputation for our ridge for quite a while has been lots of deer, but no bucks. Frankly, I was just so happy to have 200 acres of my own to play with, I didn’t much care. There have been a few exceptions. I took a nice 125-incher in 2003, … More . . .
The Buddy Stand II
I put the first of the two new buddy stands into place yesterday with the help of Angus and KYHillChick. This was the first time I tried the pulley-and-rope method of getting a buddy stand into place– MUCH easier. 1) I put up a climbing stick 2) I put a sheave on a rope and tied it around the tree about 14 feet up. 3) I ran a rope through the sheave and back to the ground. 4) On either end of the seat, I attached a rope and then made a loop. 5) I attached one end of the … More . . .
What I think of the WHA
Worldhunt.com Here’s the link. I posted in a thread on the Deer Forum a few weeks ago. My reaction: tell me it’s just a joke like the Bonzai Kitten site. Then I can laugh at it and move on. Hunting whitetail deer isn’t all THAT hard. Granted, they’re a wiley species. However, if you find a place that has deer and you take an elevated stand over a place they frequent, it isn’t all that hard to do. Furthermore, a big one gets shot just as easily as a small one. There are just fewer of the big ones. A … More . . .
Treestands — A survivor looks back
Something occurred to me this summer as I was getting ready for the start of deer season. I was in the shed, moving unused stands around, and it hit me how far removed from my earlier hunting experiences I had become. I’m now 48. I’m now well into my 20-something-th year going after deer. What has changed? The biggest change is my choice of treestands. My first few stands were home-brew jobs. The first was an ill-conceived bit of wrong-headedness based on the assumption that a nice piece of marine plywood could be hung on a tree with a piece … More . . .
Buddy Treestand
SportmansGuide.com has the Hunters View Buddy Treestand advertised for under $80 bucks. I’ve got three of them already– I ordered another two. It has a 500 lb weight rating– perfect for me and one of the kids. When I’m hunting alone, it’s positively luxurious– all that room! Buddy Treestand Walmart usually carries these. I’ll buy the 4 foot extension from Wally World as soon as they hit the stores. That will take it from 12 feet to 16. This is a fantastic stand at a terrific price. I’ll also buy some burlap camo to hang on the rail. First wrap … More . . .
Making the Switch to H4895
With gas prices, inflation, etc. kicking me in the wallet, I decided that I would try a new reloading project. Before I got started in reloading, I had foresworn that I would refrain from trying to push the velocity/pressure envelope too far I have previously embarked on projects that optimized for accuracy and recoil. That usually left me using H4895 for a rifle powder. I reload in the following rifle calibers: 30-06, 308 Win, 35 Whelen, 30 WCF, 7.62X54R and .223 Rem. Over the past five years, I’ve used a bunch of powders: IMR3031, Varget, IMR4895, BL-C(2), to name a … More . . .
Super Double Secret Ultimate Outdoorsmen
From the 24hour Campfire: I’ve got a very strange hunting partner (deer -) he’s a new hunter and doesn’t have near the drive as anyone else I hunt with. Last year he called me on the radio at around 9:30 and said he was done. Turns out he had forgot his shells, went to the stand, didn’t even think about loading the gun until he saw a deer. He said he pulled up, clicked the safety off and CLICK. hehehehehehe…. This guy is really a character … The next weekend I took a two does in the morning and he … More . . .
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