Mike - congrats on the great buck. That will definitely add some points.

I have spent the last couple weekends with the shotgun in my hands. I've been seeing a lot of smaller bucks still chasing does like crazy. Opening weekend I did see a decent 9 or 10 point but he's not one of the three I'm waiting for. Last Sunday I had both of my kids for the day (both little girls, 5 and 2.5). I had the itch really bad so I loaded them up and away we went. There is a small patch of woods with a swale marsh that is really close to a dirt road that I can hunt. There is a lane thru the middle of the woods connecting a field on both ends that the farmer pulls his pivot thru. The lane is only about 150 yards from the road, so I decided that's where we were going. I had the jetsled loaded down with my pop-up blind, buddy heater, chairs, etc - and Kamryn (2.5 y/o) in one arm. We got set up and the girls were having fun but making a lot of noise. about 20 mins before dark they fell asleep. The main window of the blind was open facing the swale hole and directly over my left shoulder was the lane going thru the woods. With5 mins of shooting light left, he stepped out into the lane. I picked up the binos and then dropped to the ground in my blind. folded over my chair and slowly/quietly opened my bow shooting hole. By the time I had the deer in my scope he was already 1/3 of the way into the woods on the north side of the lane...NO SHOT! I don't think he's going anywhere, so I plan on hunting him tomorrow night and Sunday night. We'll see. Can you guys imagine what kind of screaming would have came from blind if I would have touched one off with the kids sleeping right next to me. DRAMA!!!

I have two doe tags and one buck tag left. My brother-in-law is going out with me tomorrow morning to do some videotaping. I'll let you all know the outcome.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Good luck to anyone still hunting.

Hey where is everyone??? As slow as it is in here, we should have some bone on the ground by the end of the weekend. Went out lastnight, and didnt see a thing. Will be back outthere tonight. I think I am going to try a stand that I havnt sat in in over a month. Its a stand where I can see a long way ini all directions, so at least I might be able to see where they are going, if I cant get one in close. Hope everyone is having a good weekend.

Howdy guys,

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. We hunted our butts off, everyday. My brother in law and friend both killed bucks. A couple 4x4's. I passed up the same buck two days in a row right under my stand. A nice (120 class)5x5 but only a 3.5 year old. He needs one more year. I saw my big buck 1 time. at about 200 yards out chasing a doe and he wasreally pushing her. He looked pretty danged nice and didnt pay one bit of attentiontomy attempt to call him. I will be hard after it this week and then into my December late archery season. I can't wait this is my favorite time of the year to bowhunt now that its getting cold and we have snow. I am looking forward to the rut tailin off so the big fellas will get back to their winter core areas and start feeding again.. We have good snow now, I did a ton of scouting instead of hunting. The woods read like a book now.

Troy

Hey guys I hope everyone had a good turkey day. I hunted hard all weekend but no luck. I only saw 1 buck and the rest of the deer I saw were does. I hope things get better soon.

BD tell your son congrats on a great looking buck.

It is going to cool off around here so things may pick back up and gun season is winding down. Good luck and be safe.

William

Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving! I have not been out for the deer, I could get a doe tag, but it would kill me to have to pass a monster buck!!!

I have finally made it out to try the duck and goose hunting. What a ball. We only seen 2 ducks and between 30-40 geese. Sure do wish I had some goose decoys, We called in a flock of 8 and got them to circle, but they wanted nothing to do with the 36 ducks that we had out. We let them have some steel, but came home empty handed. We are going to try in the morning again. This time I bought some goose decoys.

Hope everyone is well and hunting there harts out!!!

Get ready, Christmas is coming!!!!!

Hi Guys - sorry I have been scarce - but just busy!

Had a great long weekend - spent with the family, getting ready for the little one- moving furniture from upstairs to the basement and vice -versa - massive organizing- converting spare bedroom to nursery - couple of full loads of stuff to Goodwill - and one to the dumpster. trying to get everything outside wrapped up and ready for winter (and construction).

We put out two lighted moving deer in the front yard - then Garrett got out his PVC bow (arrows are dowel sticks with big yellow foam heads) and started shooting at them for 20 minutes or so. Decided he was done shooting them so he stuck arrows through both of the deer and left them like that. I got a kick out of it - but there is probably a petition being circulated to throw the redneck out of the neighborhood! Got a couple of pics - will try to get them on later.

J scored the rack - ended up 152 3/8 - I will try to get the pic that ryan posted for me on the official score thread ( or - if you want to Ryan - go ahead and post it for me).

BD - tell you son congrats! - that is a dandy!

Good luck to everyone still looking to put some antlers on the ground!

Mike

Mike, great buck, congratulations. Man, you guys are living up to your title...I wish you continued good luck.

Fellas - back from deer camp. Deer were thin, but we had a good time. I wound up killing a really nice coyote on Monday afternoon. I was doe hunting, but never bothered to shoot one, given the scarcity of the deer in general. I did a lot of walking around with the rifle, just trying to get some deer on their feet and keep them moving for the other guys. I saw a decent buck and two doe. It was hot (daytime felt likenear 70)and dry, so the deer were hunkered down pretty tight.

We had a few last-minute additions to the roster, and took 9 guys to camp. Out of the nine, we saw 23 deer total in two days of hunting and a day of scouting, but of those, 15 were seen while hunting, and six were shooter bucks. We had a guy take a whiff on a really nice 4x4? at 30 yards and another guy miss on a slam dunk 75 yarder,but we wound up killing a decent 3x4, and a really nice 4x4.

In all, everyone who hunted hard both days had a chance to fill their tags. Most of the guys who didn't see any deer at all spent the majority of the two days sleeping back at camp and fattening up for christmas.

We were hunting the Allegheny National Forest, which is basically the largest parcel of woods left in the state of PA. The age structure of the herd in there is excellent - and we saw several mature buck through three days in the woods (one day scouting - two hunting). The buck/doe ratio in that area is scaring 1:1. So, it's long, boring days on the stand, but when one comes through, you've got a really solid shot at it being a good buck. The heat surely didn't help.

One of the other guys brave enough to hike back into the far reaches of the ANF killed amonster 6x7just around the ridge from me. Lots of big buck sign, huge rubs, a few scrapes, etc., lots of bear and coyotesign too.

Amazing how things change. Just 15 years ago, you could hunt that same area and see 30+ deer in a day, maybe not a single buck. If you were lucky enough to see a buck, it was always a 1.5 year old. Nonstop action all day. Now, you're lucky to see 3 deer in a day, but the bucks are a whole lot bigger than ever before. Not sure if it's the state's increased doe tag sales (herd reduction program), or maybe the feed, or the increased predation. My guess is that it's a combination of the three factors, but it's made for better mature buck hunting without a doubt.

I'd post pictures but I have none. I have two pics of the bucks on my phone, but the batteries are flatlined, and I left the charger at camp... well... because... that's just the kind of stupid thing that I routinelydo.

Mike- awesome buck bud...cant wait to see the field photos on the scorecard. OH I see him now>...Rybo posted it! Right on..looks great!

Quick, sounds like you guys had a great time. Congrats to all that scored on a good buck. Everyone at my place last weekend filled their tags as well on bucks. Field journal in the making..I should have it posted today or tomorrow working on it now.

I hunted Monday evening and saw one nice buck. Bout 80 yards out, cruising for does. The temps here are cold! bout 9 degrees today. I have a foot of snow... MAN I LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR, I get out today early to get an evening bowhunt in! Lots of does hanging out behind my place no with snow...I'm hunting the girls..hoping they will tow one of my big resident boys by me tonight. I will be hunting the same stand that I shot my nice 4x4 in last season..

Take care Brothers..

Ryan, got your phone call, tried to pull up your # on my Cell..couldnt retrieve it...pm me your # bud, I will give you a call soon..

Troy

OK ILL< HOOSIER< BIGDADDY>>>We only need 175 inches roughly to catch these guys...

Congrats again guys on those who have harvested bucks!

LETS GET R DONE!

how much hunting do ya all have left????