How Was Your Opening Weekend???

[AKElroy]

General Rifle Deer started Saturday in North Texas Counties; I know many seasons opened around the country as well. How did you do???

(Copied & Pasted from a related thread)
Spent the morning Saturday in a ground blind with a scoped .30-30; Saw ZIP. 4 hours. Nada. Game cam shows this pin to be grand central, and on opening day I get the big zilch.

For the afternoon hunt, I migrated to a tower chair a lasered 150 yds from the trail next to the pin; the pin/feeder is not visable from this purch, but the trails leading to it are.

I switched to the model 70 .270, Leupold 4.5X14 OA Vari XIII; Hornady 140 gr. I watched a doe come and go over a two hour period; then a spike with single, thin 8" spikes that I considered culling. I had multiple shots on both; like they were posing for the crosshairs. I passed.

At 6pm, light failing, I am climbing down & see a black blob on the trail; 150 yrds. I level the .270 on a good rest, crank up the scope & focus on the boar's forehead. One gentle squeeze later, and viola--a nice between the eyes lights-out. I did not weigh him, but I am guessing 110-120 lbs? Glad the day was not a total loss. Even pest control is fun----

 

[AKElroy]

This is the first time in nearly 8 years that I have used this .270; I had forgotten how impressive the muzzle flash is from its shorter 22" tube. It was awesome in the failing light Saturday.

My usual 7 mag has a 26" tube & I do not recall it being this flash-impressive.

I am still waiting for pics and or stories of how your weekend went!!!

 

[Autopistola]

apologies.

 

[shaggy430]

At this point I took my seventh shot in desperation at the buck (+500yds away) and hit the doe instead.

This is the most ridiculous story I have ever heard. You shouldn't have been shooting.

 

[sneedb82]

Mine was slow... saw a button butt boar that was texas heart shot as he turned away when the trigger was pulled. His backstraps were pink and tender though. One 4.5 yo Spike buck that I missed at less than 200 yards (friends' gun, with different zero on his reticle than mine). Needless to say, next weekend, will be more productive!

 

[CoRoMo]

One opening weekend didn't go so well. A month later, another opening weekend went so well, the hunt was over before the sun popped out over the mountain.

 

[3pairs12]

Went out bow only this weekend to an area that i had never been. Grayson County. Mostly scouted for trees to climb. Found some really good sign my buddy saw 3 bucks still running together out of bow range and I saw a monster in the brush about 70 yards out. did some mid afternoon tree scouting found a great looking funnel and a couple of scrapes which I thought odd since my buddy saw bucks together still. Going back Weds to put the smack down on something hopefully.

 

[AKElroy]

I hunted on my Dad's farm...waited til sundown and spotted a buck and doe over 1000yds away, on the opposite side of the farmstead. I made my way towards them until I got close enough that I thought they'd get out of my range. I nervously shot several rounds from about 400yds with my scoped Mosin 91/30. The buck stayed fairly still for the first few shots, then the couple started moving south, until I shot two more rounds, and they decided to head east. At this point I took my seventh shot in desperation at the buck (+500yds away) and hit the doe instead. It's so tiny it's almost a fawn...they looked a lot bigger from far away.

I have to comment on this. Taking shots with a surplus rifle @ 500+ yds? Hitting the wrong animal? 7 shots? Do you think it is proper to potentially mame wildlife with obviously sub-par equipment & skillset? Learn your craft & invest in equipment capable of those shots. Better yet, do what MOST responsible hunters do & PASS on shots that long. Were you shooting surplus military ball as well? It is likely illegal in your state. The game deserves a quick kill & this, excuse the harshness, is irresponsible nonsense.

 

[RockinU]

Low fence, no protein before anyone asks. All day deal, fighting yellow jackets for ownership of the stand, but it was all worth it. Slick 8 at 163 5/8.

 

[AKElroy]

DUDE!!! That is AWESOME!! Now THAT is an opening day!! Welcome to THR.

 

[RockinU]

Thank you. I was jacked!

 

[shaggy430]

Wow, what a buck!

 

[Clifford]

Took mine outside of round rock at 6:30 Saturday morning. Shortest hunt of my life I had only been in the blind for 7 minutes when the deer showed up.

 

[retrieverman]

Here are a buck and a doe from east Texas off my parent's place that we have had since 1994. The buck was killed Saturday morning chasing a doe, and he is the largest buck both in body weight and rack size off the place. We get seven LAMPS tags each year, and I killed the doe Sunday morning before church. The buck gross scored 137 and weighed 175 pounds. The doe was a mature doe, and more than likely had not had a fawn this year. I killed them both with my new Blaser BBF 97 Tracker 12 ga over 308 topped with a Leupold VX-III 1.5-5 illuminated reticle.

 

[Flintknapper]

Very nice deer R-Man! Both look healthy as can be.


Even though we had a dry summer here in D.E.Texas the deer seem to have recovered just fine. The buck I took Sunday weighed (180 lbs live weight)....so, very similar to yours.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=485416



I really like that rifle/shotgun combo, just about perfect for the East Texas woods.

The habitat in the background looks very much like what I hunt in the Nacogdoches area.

Good job!

Flint.

 

[sbarkowski]

Great deer! And nice gun, hows the accuracy?

 

[LEVRLOVR]

Wifes deer.

Sunday morning around 7 a.m.

315 yards, slightly quartering away. Most perfect shot I have ever seen and she was under pressure from me telling her she better not miss!

Remington Mohawk 600 in .308 win. Remington 150 grain swift scirocco.

Her best buck to date.

 

[shaggy430]

That's a nice buck, but man that is a NICE rifle! I've always wanted one of those Mohawks.

 

[GarMan]

I saw a Hog, but that was about it. Decided to pass on the Hog. Only had enough money to process one animal right now, so I waited it out for a nice buck. No luck though.

 

[GodGuns&Guitars]

Opening weekend for me is this Saturday near Mt. Ida, Arkansas. I'll be gone a week so I'll report when I get back.

 

[Skoghund]

First hunt with the dog: Classic roe deer drive of about half hour.


Shot 2 more for the dog a week ago.

 

[rodensouth]

Skoghund, that is a beautiful picture. May I ask, what is that fine firearm?

This thread has me wanting a nice scoped double!

 

[GarMan]

Beautiful rifle Skoghund!

 

[AKElroy]

Beautiful rifle Skoghund!

Great pic--Is that a Krieghoff? Very nice.

 

[dakotasin]

opening weekend is this weekend, and the next season opens the following weekend. i will be gone for 11 days or so, unless they go exceptionally well... will tell ya when i get back!

good luck to all hunters w/ tags in their pocket!