How Was Your Opening Weekend???

[Skoghund]

The weapon in the picture is a Merkel 211E Combi in 7x57R-12 bore. It was made in 1976 and has a factory fitted a Khales 2.3-7x32 scope with soldered claw mounts.
As the roedeer is quite a small deer we can shoot then with a shotgun #1-3s work well as long as the range is kept to under 20mtrs. The rifle barrel is handy if they are beyond shotgun range.



A moose calf shot with the Merkel

 

[schlockinz]

Not really opening day, but the first real day that I got to hunt with a bow this year, and sadly has been my last for too long.

 

[peyton]

I am stuck in Iraq, have missed 4 deer seasons by being in the OIF army of one.

 

[UpTheIrons]

This is what I saw wandering past my stand near Doss, TX early Sunday morning. He was about 90 yards out and on the move (well, a gentle lope) when I shot. And yes, that is a 50 year old Winchester Model 94 in .30-30 behind him. It does have a 'modified' stock to make the use of the side-mounted scope easier. He may not be that big by everyone else's standards (he scored B&C 97 3/8), but he was the biggest buck anyone has taken on our lease in at least 3 years, and the third biggest buck we've seen in the same time frame.

For what it's worth, I'm using Remington Core-Lokt Pointed Soft-Points in 150 grains. Maybe next year I'll try the 'new' Hornady LeveRevolution rounds, but these seem to do the trick. One shot, one kill.

 

[schlockinz]

really? He's below 100? Looks like a pretty nice deer to me, thought he'd score better

 

[UpTheIrons]

Yeah, 99 7/8 before the deductions. So close! :banghead: Too much point length differential and his beams aren't quite as thick as they need to be all the way up to break 100.

I did see one that would have likely been close to 120 Monday morning in the fog and rain, but couldn't bag him.

 

[dakotasin]

irons - that's a good buck - you need not feel compelled to defend his score... nice work!

 

[RockinU]

irons - I'm not trying to question you, but are you sure that is right? I know I am only looking at a picture but trying to be conservative I get 18 inch beams for 36, 16 inch spread gets us to 52, eight mass measurements should get us around 24 inches and that gets us to 76. The two G-1's should add up to 6 or so, that gets us 82, the two G-2's should get us another 15 inches at least (I think maybe more), so we are already at 97 with the G-3's left, and they should get us another 9 or 10 inches. So I was conservatively going with 107, and would think I was light at that.

 

[UpTheIrons]

No offense taken, guys. I'll measure him again in a few days. This is the first buck I've ever scored, so I may indeed have done something wrong. I used the online 'worksheet' at B&C, so I couldn't have gotten the math wrong. The measurements may be a different story, though.

 

[AKElroy]

When I signed on to my current lease, I did not expect to see trophy bucks & I have not been disappointed. I am frankly jazzed about the camping, plinking & plentiful hogs. But...These pics & trophys are AMAZING!! I have SERIOUS trophy fever now. Keep these pics & stories coming!!

 

[schlockinz]

When I signed on to my current lease, I did not expect to see trophy bucks & I have not been disappointed. I am frankly jazzed about the camping, plinking & plentiful hogs. But...These pics & trophys are AMAZING!! I have SERIOUS trophy fever now. Keep these pics & stories coming!!

Each deer that you can take is a trophy, some have big horns, some don't, but everyone symbolizes a succesful hunt.

I've passed up bucks for 7 years with my bow before I got him (well, not quite, I missed the largest bodied deer of my life with a bow, its sickening to hear a twig send your arrow the wrong way...) but I honestly have more fun shooting does in a group, its like flushing quail when you crack the silence. I never smile as much when I shoot a big buck, but a big buck puts more meat in the freezer, and that meat comes pre-seasoned

 

[LEVRLOVR]

That "IS" a really nice buck Irons.

Ignore that whole scoring crap and enjoy that successful hunt with a fine old rifle.

I would certainly be proud.

 

[retrieverman]

I bagged another doe this morning with my BBF, and Annie wanted in the picture this time.

 

[millertyme]

You guys are killing me. Is there some kind of deer infestation out in Texas that allows you to get so many animals? Do you know people that DON'T bring home a deer? Out here in AZ we first have to be drawn for any big game hunt, then we have to find them. About 60% of the tags go unfilled for elk and about 65% for deer, and that's after paying out the nose for a tag. I was born in Texas and as a "natural-born Texan", I think I should petition the Republic for some kind of deer allowance due to birthrite. Man, I hope Tech accepts my law school app so I can get back there and help you guys out with your deer "problem".

 

[UpTheIrons]

Deer are very plentiful in many areas of Texas. Our lease is in Gillespie County which, IIRC, has the highest deer population in the state (or is it deer per capita?) either way, we got lotsa deer!

Because of that, some counties have seasons open from the beginning of October through mid-January: Archery-only Oct 3 - Nov 6, Rifle Nov 7 - Jan 3, and late antlerless only Jan 4 -Jan 17. Not to mention the special early and late youth-only seasons, too.

Some counties restrict the number of deer, or the size of the antlers on bucks, but our county is still pretty much a free-for-all of 5 deer, no more than 2 bucks and you can take 5 does, if you'd like (I still remember "the old days" when the state maximum was 3 - 1 buck and 2 does).

The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department takes wildlife management pretty seriously, knowing how quickly whitetail reproduce, so they are pretty proactive about keeping the population under control.

In the last 3 years, everyone on our lease has killed out, even with having to wait for the acorns to rot so the deer would come out of the woods.

 

[Ditch-Tiger]

Took a doe on opening day and this 4x2 mule deer the next day.
He has a 25'' inside spread and is at the taxidermist right now. He's my first Mule deer buck and my best buck as of yet!
(i really wish he hadn't broke off that other tine, but it makes him unique)

 

[ojibweindian]

Took my son out on Saturday for Alabama's youth hunt. Did a bit of still-hunting just to the north of Skyline, at the Walls of Jericho tract. We saw a few deer while still-hunting, but the thick vegetation really prevented a clean shot at anything.

Still, all in all, it was a successful outing. We saw deer, and my son is slowly learning the finer points of stealthy walking through the woods.

 

[Kentucky Jelly]

Took this opening rifle in Kentucky. I saw 20-30 deer was the best day hunting I have ever had even if I didn't harvest this guy. He came in full speed with 20 minutes of light left. I sat in my climber for 11.5 hours. There are "bigger" deer where I was but I am satisfied with this one.

rem 700 .270 130grain hornady under 50 yards. He jumped into a full sprint and then slid. Only went 15 yards. Of course I forgot my camera so didn't get any good field pics.

 

[dakotasin]

great deer, fellas!
i busted a 5x6 mule deer. no pics, though - didn't want to lug the camera where i was at. maybe when he comes back from the taxidermist...

ditch tiger - what county were you in? i was just outside sturgis...

 

[Ditch-Tiger]

dakotasin-
Custer county, a few miles outside of Fairburn.
I just moved to SD 1 1/2 years ago and this was my first opratunity to take a Mule deer as i only drew whitetail tags last year and my previous state does not have Muleys.

 

[retrieverman]

You guys are killing me. Is there some kind of deer infestation out in Texas that allows you to get so many animals? Do you know people that DON'T bring home a deer?

I am in east Texas, and we have an abundance of deer but not an "infestation". Of the people that I am acquainted with here, I am one of the few that has tagged a deer much less a nice buck. I am proof that even blind hogs do find acorns.

 

[schlockinz]

just finished my first day of rifle, went out with my dad for the first time in ages (was only able to hunt morning this way).

Saw two young does, decided that they were too small, even though they were tempting to break my 45-70 in on...

How bout the rest of the Okies?

 

[BCCL]

Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge opening day.

From 5:45am to 11:30, we didn't even see a deer, left the field and ate and returned about 1:30 and within 10-15 minutes got this large doe.



.20 gauge NEF pump.

 

[kermit315]

Well, my personal opening day was 23NOV, and I was home in Illinois. Saw a nice buck walking in, but he was at least 125 yds away, well out of bow range. Got down in the timber and didnt see anything. Went back out in the afternoon, and thought I heard something moving behind me, but he never appeared. Went out the next morning, more of the same, heard one moving, but never saw him. That evening, went out again, and nothing. The timber I was hunting was right in between two planted cornfields. I am pretty sure that they are heading out to the fields to eat and staying their most of the day, only coming back in for a couple of hours well after sundown. Hopefully when I go back in three weeks, the corn will be picked. I set up a trail cam anyway, trying to pin down when they are moving and what they are doing.

Good news is that my cousin got two on the first day of shotgun.