RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

Hey bud, where are the pictures and what did you kill ?? Not nice to say you had a successful hunting trip and leave the details out !!!![8D]:D

Tim

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

Good to hear you had some success out in Colorado Antler Eater been sitting out here at the house wondering if you were having any luck. Can't wait to read the story. Been seeing a pretty good buck around our neck of the woods and I do have some information for you on another hunting location if you are interested!!!!!!

Bob

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

Hey everyone! Sorry, I haven't been on here for a while. I have been busy looking at trail cam pictures, sighting in my broadheads, and getting ready for the season. I have a lot of bucks on camera, but nothing too exciting. I know where some are running though and can't wait for next week. Good luck everyone!

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

well everyone I saw the biggest buck of my life tonight hunting.... I had it around 45 yards and im just not comfortable with that distance. he was unreal. i saw 17 deer tonight, 7 bucks all on public land on an island that they allow 25 people a day to hunt with the bow. i let a 3 point walk by 4 diff times and had a 6 that moved through to fast to even get bow up. I will be out tomm b4 work. I need to find 2 does so that i can then take 2 bucks in the rut.............I am pretty pumped after what happened this evening

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

That sounds awesome whacker. Good luck this morning, let us know how it goes.

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

TJF I know you read the story but here is a special pic, just for you...No mask on .....really I promise!!














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RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

AE, I'm gonna start calling you Wilson. From Home Improvement.

Hidy ho neighbor!

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Antle, now that's what I'm talkn' about, some elk steaks! mmmm, mmmmm!

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Illinois Opener starts tommorow Morning and I Am Ready.... Gonna be hunting For A Doe at Allerton Park.... Cant
wait... I feel like a kid on X-Mas Eve:D:D:D
Good Luck to all my other team mates!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I finally got out to do some scouting at one of the 2 new properties I got to bowhunt this year.
( I just really havent had the time to devote to scouting like I would of liked to this year on this paticullar property) .... ButAlas I Always Do Better On Area's That I Really Havent Had The Time To Scout Like I Would Like.........What an Awesome area!!! But a heck of a walk but by the sign of what I found I do believe it to be worth the walk;)
I found this one by the road and the creek that borders this new property... What a waste it looks like hewas roadkill and died justwhen he was on the tail end of shedding his velvet.
8 Pointer with an inside spread of 20 inches.. he still had small amounts of thin dried velvet still on his rack.

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

Good luck Lady Forge, and to the rest of my teammates!!

I will be heading out the next two days to try and put some venison on the table. Hopefully Mother Nature cooperates. I will check back in on Thursday.

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

Lady forge, after reading your having the flu story, it's almost got me feeling bad [8D]i think you implanted a sublimital message in there :Dgood luck this season.

in da woods, how you been buddy? hope you connect as well.

antler eater, that pic is so you :DI like the name Wilson that mobow mentioned :D congrats on the bull.

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

Wellwith opening day having come and gone and the day after its time for some rest;)
Opening morning I headed to University Of Illinois Allerton Park where I was needing to take a Doe before I can take a Buck... So with the Doe with Twins that came as close as only 47 yards , then a Spike followed by a decent 8 point buck whom of course was the only one to present me with a 22 yard shot, I left empty handed........ My husband was also there hunting a different part of the park and he saw 0, Zip, Nothing[:'(]
So with the evening hunt still to come we decided to try another tactic, we headed out to the area of my morning stand but he hung a stand about 45 yards from my morning stand and I headed off a little farther east with my climber.
Come about sunset time my husband had 2 does come into 20 yards from him and his arrow founds it's mark resulting in him taking a doe:D
So come Oct 2nd I decided to bowhunt the some area of my previous mornings stand but about 50 yards farther into the thicket......... and come decent light I had a Doe come into 5 yards from me and had to wait until I had a clear shot at her broadside at 29.5 yards , so I drew and YEEEEEEEEPEEEE... Ishot my doe:D:D:D
So now I am Buck Hunting the park property...... Sorry no pic's but between the heat and the time it took to drag her out, field dress her and get the Bio samples they take from the deer and I needed to open the bow shop at 10:00am We just forgot to take pictures[:@]

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

Nice to hear, at least you drew first blood for the year. Congrats on the doe and good luck on the buck.

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I'm stopping by to let everyone know that Saturday is our opener here in Oklahoma. I will be able to hunt all day Saturday and on the Monday holiday!! Wish me luck!

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Congratulations on the doe Lady Forge! Good luck on your buck now!

I awoke to thunderstorms on Tuesday morning and did not want to risk it with the lightning. I did get out yesterday morning and evening. I had 4 does, 2 within 15 yards, by me in the morning. The only problem was that they showed up 15-20 minutes before daylight. Last night I saw a doe, and what appeared to be a pretty decent buck. With all of the leaves on the trees, and the dense area I was in, I didn't get to see much of him. He had a good sized body, but I will have to wait to see him again to know much more. They were both about 50 yards away when I saw them. I will have to wait until next week now to try again. I hope everyone else is having some luck!

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Congratulations Lady Forge, way to go on that doe!!!

I have been out but have not seen anything I wanted to drag out of the woods by myself yet.

Go Dream Team!!!

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I got my first doe of the year last night.....................with my car! The first deer I have ever hit. I will be going out tonight to try and hit one broadside with a broadhead. I need some good ol' venison to ease my pain!

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

Congrats Lady Forge! Them does R good eatn'! Hopefully I'll be out Monday night. Ryan good luck w/your trip. Has anyone scored a buck yet? Good news, I just put up a ladder stand on some private land, & it turns out that there's a set of 6 rubs about 20yds away. Trimmed up some shootin' lanes. Hopefully there's a big boy doing that. Talk 2 U all soon.

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

I went straight from work last night to the stand. I didn't see anything until right at dark. 2 does walked to the bottom of my tree. They had no clue I was there. I arose to shoot one, and I couldn't see my sight pins. I will be trying again soon. The stars should be aligning any day now.

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

With the effort I see being put forth by my teammatesI would say there are some bucks that are "dead men walking" right now....

I continue to put up stands in preparation for the rut.... I have let four "baby bucks" walk so far, one was even grunting and putting the chase on some does. He was a basket six point so he was just feeling "hormonal" but didn't know what to do about it ;):D.

Keep up the good work team.

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UHOH Antler Eater is on the prowl so it is just a matter of time be4 he scores on another Iowa monster. Can't wait to read the story, he is Ernest Hemingway when it comes to describing his hunts.

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Finally, summer's left, & the temps have come down. 55 for a high tommorrow. I'll definitely be going out tommorrow night, Fri eve, & Sat in the morning. Hopefully, we'll put some thing up on the board for the team.

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Yes, same here. I have not been out much this year due to weather and new 2nd job. However now that the 90s have left and we are back to normal, I will be out the next 2 days. Hope to at least get a a doe on the board.

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

Thank the lord the temps are cooling off here as well!!!
Sounds like everyone on our team is getting a bit of this cool off:D
I was in my stand yesterday morning and passed on a 137 to 140 class looking 2.5 years old buck... I got to watch him work a licking branch broadside at 21.5 yards.... I know there are much better bucks at the park I am hunting so I will wait for a better one.
Yesterday evening I watched aSHOOTER with a Non typical rack up feeding at 5:05 pm but he never came close enough for a shot[:@]
I then watched a 5 point 1.5 year old buck sniffing where I had just pee'd...Yep I am my own scent factory getting close to ovulation timejust in time for my bowhunt in Brown County Illinois I leave Oct 22nd, he then walked right under me in my climber, all the while he was oblivious to the coyote in the brush behind me that was stalking him, eventually he figured out the coyote was there and the 2 of them had a stare down stand off... man it was neet to watch. The coyote finally gave up and the buck went about his feeding and slowly feed out of sight.So the evening wrapped up with no buck for me but I got a great call on the way back last night from a friend of mine... One of my friends had the pleasure of getting his 1st deer with a bow last evening on public land. he is so excited I just wish I could of been there to share it with him.... man I am Happy For Him!!
gonna get out again tommorrow morning.

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

No luck here either. I have been out alot, but not having much luck. The cooler weather should help, but the crops coming out will help even more. I have seen a lot more sign than usual this early in the season. 3 more weeks until things should get real interesting. Good luck team!

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

I was in Pulaski, NY for first part of week. Here is a pick of a 24 lber. We caught a few larger. Headed down to the swamps tomm to hunt Sika deer. To bad they dont have a calculation for the contest. They are members of the elk family and found on the eastern shore of MD where i live.

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

Whacker awesome catch and pic! I am jealous.

Lady Forge I cannot wait to see what you end up encountering if your passing 140" deer. That is awesome.

Nothing but does and small bucks so far for me. Waiting for a 125" or better. Deer are moving here in Minnesota now that it's cooled off.

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

Nice catch whacker! Did you smoke him, or fry him in some batter?

I saw 3 150" plus bucks yesterday morning before sun up. They were going from cornfield to cornfield. They were still running together, and with the corn still in it is just a matter of being patient. I have seen 2 of these bucks earlier this year, and they are still running the same pattern. Hopefully the largest of them, 22"+ width and nice height, will give me a shot. Is it November yet?

Good luck everyone!!

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

my old man takes them and smokes them. they're pretty game and all since they are running to spawn and then die. remind me alot of bluefish as far as smell. I work with fish everyday and I can honestly say the smell of them got to me.

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The wind is right this evening I am headed to a place that I have been waiting to hunt till now. There has been deer moving through that area almost every night so we will see what happens

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Well, finally made it out last weekend. Temps were good, in the upper 30's-low 40's, for the morning hunt. Anyway, I whacked a nubbn' buck @ 0730 in the morning. Almost took the doe w/him, but she busted me letting down on my second arrow, (nocked for her). No bucks to be seen that day. I do have about 6 rubsin the creek bottom @ 25 yds away frommy stand. We have a earn a buck in the entire area where I hunt. So the nubbn' had to go. But just in time, I was down to 2# of ground Venison in the freezer. Unfortunately,a 4 day gun season opens this weekend by me, so bowhunting will definitely be affected for a week or two. But, I'll be out w/my 12ga just the same. How's everyone else doing so far?

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

I made it out yesterday morning figured it would be a great morning to hunt since the rain had just recently stopped falling it should have the deer on their feet up and feeding..... boy was I right seen alot of deer out feeding.

Come 7:30 or so I look at 34 yards is a nice real thick and stockey bodied gray faced buck feeding on acorns. I ranged him standing broadside looking the other way at 33.5 yards and I could of kneeled in the stand to get a clear broadside shot at him then I relized that I thought he was on the other side of the fence where I cant shoot him............. so I wait and watch and check out his rack....... he appeared to be a I think a 10 pointer with 4 tines and maybe a split brow on his right side and 4 points on his left side with good width and mass but not real long tines but he was a shooter in my book....... I watched him munch acorns for approx 20 to 30 min and then he started walking my way and crossed the fence line so I readied my self for what I figued what would be a easy 15 yard broadside shot so as soon as he passes the tree in front of me I draw my bow and the he TURNS and heads down the trail that literlly passes my tree at 2 yards[:@]
So he is headed straight quartering at me so I placed my pin on him hoping to hit him between his shoulders at 7 to 8 yards and released my arrow..........HITHIM but the arrow buried 12 to 14 inches in him but farther back than I hoped for and to the right of the spine I figured I got liver and gut[:'(][:'(]:(
I watched him bolt like a Horse out of the gate and watched until he ran off crashing through the woods and dissapeared out of sight... I waited a while and got out of the tree packed my climber and snuck out of the area went and put my climber in my car and changed clothes and after an hour and 15 min I went to look for 1st blood.

The Hit being so high with the arrow still in the deer not getting a pass through created a bad situation for blood trailing so I backed out and we headed back out after him 6 hours after I had shot him. We picked up the blood trail which was sparse but it eventually pettered out I know the shot was leathel but the problem is that with the high hit and the arrow not passing through he is bleeding inside and not leaving a blood trail and headed back across the fence line... we are allowed to search across the fence so the 4 of us split up and started searching thickets , creeck bottoms and the 8 foot tall horse weeds along the river, untill 6:45pm.
No we didnt find him so I will be back out today hoping the turkey vultures will show us where he is or this evening I will be out listening to the coyotes hoping they may lead me to his location.
Sorry to have to share with you all bad news.

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

Aww that really is bad news. Good luck I hope you find him. That is the worst feeling I have been there. Well let us know how it goes. I could of had a easy shot on a 80" 6 pointer. lol Now if just his grandpa would show up. No big buck sightings yet for me but I have a hunch they will be showing up real soon.

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

Just checking in . I have been out not seeing much for shooters just some 1.5 and 2.5 year olds maybe a couple of the 2.5 pushing 130ish looking for that 150 or bigger. My 13 year old daugther shot her first in the youth season a nice 2.5 year old 8 point he was about 18" wide I was a proud Papa . I will try to get some pics on here later . I think I could just take kids and be content .

Good luck all its going to start getting real good .

Shane

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

Been hunting our 3 day early muzzloader and the weather has been horrible. in the high 70's w/ almost 100% humidity and down pours everyday it started thursday and goes till tomm. I was sniped by 3 does in the rain, its a good thing deer do not have trigger fingers. I let a small buck walk yesterday looked to be a fork. tomm is the last day of the early and then its back to the bow.

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

Good News!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I found the Buck I shot Tuesday Morning

I was going Bowhunting this morning and I smelt something dead I was literlly within 10 feet of him.... God what a STINK...What are the chances of stumbling upon him in the dark when I wasnt even looking? After all the searching we did till my feet had blisters in the wrong direction for days[:@]
He is a ten point with a tine growing out of the side of his head on his left side and from his teeth he was a very old gray faced buck who's rack was going downhill , he has short tines but good mass and a 19 inch inside spread with a tip to tip spread of 18 3/4 but I'm afraid he shouldnt score to well with the short tines:(.....but he had a simpley huge body must have weighed 275 or better and a tremendous swollen neck.
I previously thought that I had 12 to 14 inches of arrow penetration but upon inspecting the arrow broken off in the buck I had gotten 18 inches of penetration( it broke off behind the Carbon Express Logo on my Maxima 250's ).

Now the bad news we lost all the meat I had to cover the exposed meat with my shoulder length orange field dressing gloves for the pictures and when we went back to retrieve the rack and take photos in my excitement I forget the bow..... so we have photos of me with the buck but no bow... but we remembered when we got to the truck to take photos with the buck head and bow hopefully they will except the photos for this contest.
We didnt have a camera with us so we took cell phone photos and as soon as I load the software to download the photo's I will post them ......and get him scored hopefully tommorrow night..I am leaving on a Bowhunting trip to Brown County Illinois on tuesday and will be back by the end of theweekend.
After reading the above quote From the offical rules it doesent sound good and if they dont allow my buck entry I must tell my team that
I Am Truely Sorry For Being So Scattered Brained And Letting My Team Down!!!!!!!!!

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

Lady Forge,

At least you know he is not out there wounded. That's too bad about the meatand you didn't let us down. It's good you found him. Andanyone who hasexperience hunting knows things happen.I still can't wait for the pics.

And is there a 2 buck limit in Ill? I wonder since this one don't count can you use your second deer?
Anyway I am glad you found the big guy.

I was out tonight and saw some bucks out moving. A decent 7 pointer who will be a beauty in 2 years.
One small buck was chasing a doe. First sign I saw of that this year. Things are only getting better.

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

Tribal
Yes in Illinois we can take 2 Bucks.
At Robert Allerton Park where I killed the doe and this buck once you kill a buck you must then take a 2nd Doe before you can take a 2nd Buck.
But in the Huntingnet.com contest only your 1st buck counts.
If I can EVER figure out how to load these Cell phone photos I will post them
I could of sworn I bought the cord to connect the #^$#@*cell phone to the computer and now I cant find it

Glad to hear your starting to see some action.. I havent seen any bucks trailing or chaseing doe's here yet.... I did jump and awefully nice I would say 160 class 8 pointer .... boy did he get me Drooling!

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

Yeah I knew that but I wasn't sure if it was you cant use the second cause it was bigger. That would be a drag if they won't accept your first deer but won't let you use asecond one. But I guess if your bow was there it would have counted so I see how that would be fair. At least you recovered the bone.

RE: 9-Official Team Thread
 

Lady Forge try and enter him anyway and the captains can take a vote hopefully. I am sure they will be more than sympathetic with you and your situation. You would have my vote. Antler Eater had something happen yesterday that I have already chewed the kids out about. They decided to take a walk in the timber yesterday afternoon. I hope they didn't screw anything up for you.