hey guys, good news and bad news here, good news is that ive been seeing some decent bucks, bad news is that i missed a 145-150 9 pt on friday. he came in with a doe and she got right under me and was smelling my tree stand straps and spooked, he bolted, i grunted and stopped him and shot and barely grazed a small tree that i didn't see and it broke my arrow in half within a foot of hitting the buck. did get a small amount of hair in the broadhead but no damage was done. going back there in the morn

Congrats Don!

I can't believe how well we're doing, I ended up getting screwed at work and also had a problem with a hunting spot so my last day in pa I got in a stand at 2pm then from there I saw 6 different quads/dirtbikes including one that was parked at the base of my trail, I said after all this b.s. There's gonna be a guy in my stand. Well he wasn't in my stand, he was 35 yards away from it in a climber. Anyhow. I hunted there anyway, and saw a spike (had both horns too) and a doe, then I was sitting there as long as I could possiablly sit there, and then it happened. I heard a buck roaring and chasing other deer away, then he chased a deer down the ridge and then I heard him gruntin and snort weezing, and bird dogging a doe. I guess he was bayed up with a doe less than 75 yards from me.

So my early season has been a failure, hopefully maryland this weekend will prevail sucessfull.

Now onto the bad news, a girl I know that my girlfriend was good friends with died this past friday, last monday night, she was walking downstairs to meet with her mom to look at pictures to go to my girlfriends house, and she got to the bottom of her steps and fell over, by the time her mom got over to her (less than 10 seconds) her lips were already blue. She had heart failure, they rushed her to the hospital, and life flighted her to pittsburgh where she spent the rest of the week in a coma, and on life support. Well she had a temperature that was .3 off of dying so she was kept in a bath of ice until that lowered, and then after that they tried to take her off life support, and she was having seizures within 10 seconds of them taking her off. So to say the least I haven't had a lot of desire to do much so hunting kinda took a back seat. She was a cheerleader with my girlfriend. She was 17 and died from heart failure.

Now with all that being said, I'm a pretty firm believer that god has a plan for us all and that the lord works in mysterious ways, I don't do people dying very well but I'm trying to help my girlfriend as much as I can.

Sorry about the lengthy post I just wanted to fill you guys in.

So hopefully my late season works out a lot better!! Hahaha its funny how stuff goes, cause I'm pretty well known for tagging out on the first week!!

Ryan.

Ryan,
So sad to hear of such a young girl dying like that. What a shame, my prayers and condolences go out to the family. That certainly does make our hunting success and failures insignifigant. Don

Ryan,

My heart and prayers go out to you and the girls family.

Dave

So sorry to hear about your gf's friend Ryan. Prayers sent to the family and everyone envolved.

sorry to hear the bad news ryan, hope all goes well bro.

Ryan,
That is very sad and tragic. It's always difficult to understand and to know what to do, but probably the best thing is to simply be there for your GF.

Thanks guys, it means a lot to me to hear it. I just.... I don't know. It just kinda is what it is. Thanks for caring.

Ryan.

It's always tragic when a young person dies, i hate to hear that. When it' s your turn, it's going to happen.
Anyway, more good news/bad news here. Good news is that i shot a buck this morning, the bad news is he's not the 150" i hoped for. He should be in the 130's as a main frame 8. If somebody would post it for me that would be great. I have dial up and it takes forever for me to do it and it only works part of the time. I can e-mail pics this evening with the measurements. I will cape him out and score him this evening. thanks

PJ,

Sounds like a great buck. Not many be can say I only shot a 130 class deer. That is a fantastic deer in any state. A 130 class 8 is big!!!! I"ll post your stuff if you want me to. My email is [email protected].

By the way does anyone know what last years winning score was to win the archery team contest. Looks like we have about 630"s to 640"s with PJ's buck. I believe we are currently in the lead.

Dave

thanks dliz, i'll email it to you shortly. i came up with a score of 131 3/8

thanksdliz ill email it to you shortly, i came up with a score of 131 3/8

oops, small math error; 130 3/8". not too bad, our gun season starts in 2 days so it's nice to get one before that, now I can hold out for a real gagger, i really enjoy hunting the late season, snow and cold and all that good stuff

i shot him on public ground that gets hunted quite a bit as well. I have to boat into this spot, got there and got in the tree and had a doe and fawn come under me in the first 2 minutes, i could barely seee them, then this guy came in with a doe, she was under me before i ever saw her, i saw him at about 30 yards and got the shot at 20 or so, he only went about 50 yardsd and piled up. my tree is only about 15 yards off the waters edge

PJ,

That's a great story. The boat ride to get to this spot and then arrow him makes the buck even more special. Like I said a 130 class eight is great. Looking forward to seeing the pictures.

Dave

Ryan,

Sorry to hear of the sudden loss of a girl so young.


PJ,
Congrats on the buck, man we are really doing good guys, this is great.

congrats PJ and to get a buck on public land is a trophy no matter what!! cant wait to see pics!

PJ,

Your picture and score is posted. That is one hell of a buck. The G2's are awesome.

Dave

Wow guys. Are we in the lead??? Holy crap man. I need to get with the program dang.

Ryan.

I'm thinking were in the lead by around 140 inches? Give or take. Anyone else seeing that?

Ryan.

Here's a picture of PJ's Buck.


By the way guys, last years winning score was 890". That's an incredible score. With PJ's buck we are currently at 641".

damn fellas!! bucks are hittin the ground!! thats a nice one PJ...so who else besides me hasnt shot a buck yet..lol...im proud of u guys.

Congrats PJ! Thats a great buck for public land.

I'm in the same no-buck boat as you mike. Lol it happens to the best of us however. We'll arrow one don't worry, for how my seasons been I need to get some good luck!!!

Ryan.

Yo Guys,

As of this morning 11/19 @ 07:30 added the current scores on the board. Here's the current leader board. Team 24 - 641" , Team 1 - 518 2/8 , Team 36 - 463 1/8 ,
Team 29 - 408" , Team 12 - 406"

In the lead by 122 6/8"

It would be great to get one more down.

Dave

Thats a great buck PJ, congrats! Now that were doing so well, i really wish i would have got that 120, 125 incher that i missed, oh well that the way it goes i guess.

Don,

Earlier in one of your posts you said you hunted in Illinois this year. How that go and did you have any opportunities. One of these years I'd like to make it out to one of those midwest states. Couple guys from work here hunt in Missouri, Iowa and Ohio.

Dave

Congratulations PJ on a fine buck. He looks really nice. Glad he didn't float down the river!

thanks guys, gun season starts tomorrow and as usual i saw one of the biggest bucks of the year today. solid 170's for sure mybe better, has a ton of mass.saw him with a doe today in the bottoms by my house, convinced me to run to town and get another archery permit! I plan to shoot the first 2 does i see this weekend and then hang the gun up for the year. I'd much rather shoot a buck with my bow. don't get me wrong though, if i see a real gagger the ole smoke pole will bark

Yeah PJ, I would agree with you on the smoke pole! I've put my bow away for a little while. Taking my younger son out this afternoon and tomorrow. Trying to get his first deer with a .243.Looks like our team has officially taken the lead! Way to go guys. I'm one of the four that has yet to post a score. Just remember, the MO season lasts until Jan 15. I just hope my wife doesn't get fed up with me hunting. She can only take so much of me being away "wasting the days away" and then it gets a little nasty! Does anyone else here have that problem? So far this year she's been pretty good about it, especially when I take the boys.

Hahaha. You'll just have to tell her how it is!!! Nah just kidding, you gotta do what you gotta do, I'd say taking the kids with you is a memory in itself!!

Ryan.

Going bear hunting on Monday. Had quite a few bear on my trail cameras in the spring and early summer but not much sign now. Bear hunting is usually a scouting trip for me and a chance to get out in the woods. PJ good luck hunting to you, sound like you've got a monster running around by your place. Clay, good luck hunting also, hope you and your young ones score. Ryan, are still hunting maryland, if so good luck. Has any one heard anything from boilerroom?

Looks like we are offically in first place. All scores were entered. I think we have a really good shot at this!!

I'm in a tree in maryland as we speak. Anyone having any luck??

Ryan.

Well to say the least yesterday was a total failure. Didn't see any deer while on stand, then a friend that we were with hit one in the guts/maybe liver, and we tracked it for about 5 miles before the trail went cold.... To say the least I wasn't a happy camper. Wellll when it rains it pours, I was omw home going 75 and comming up over a blind hill and yep there he stood, right on the white line, 35 yards infront of me, and he was walking across the road I'm going 75 so there's not a lot I could do, I cut the wheel into the next lane, and tried to miss him. Slammed on the brakes and that's when it got real interesting, I hit him, then I lost control kindof and was up on 2 wheels, I got it back and kept skidding down the road, I pushed the clutch in and left off the brakes, and it regained traction, I pulled over and looked for him everywhere I could, and didn't find him. I think I ended up hitting his horns it dented my front passengar side fender and wheel well. He was a giant buck, huge body, I'd guarentee that if I'd have hit him how I was going to before I swerved it would have airbagged me and totaled my truck, I'm not real happy about it especially because it didn't kill him hahaha but it could have been a lot A LOT worse, so I'll take what I'm given I guess.

Well whatever, I didn't have much luck hunting but. Whatever I feel like crap about mike hitting that deer but there's nothing we can do.

Ryan.

anyone get out this weekend? i wont be able to get back out until after thanksgiving.

I was out a couple times for does. No shots.
Will be out some more over thnksgiving break for does, then the Monday after I'll be hunting Ohio's gun season. From then on out it'll most likely be handgun/shotgun, the bow will likely be put away for the year.

Ryan, I'm glad that buck in the road didn't totally ruin your day or your truck. That will shoot a big dose of adrenaline through you.
No luck for me and my boy either this weekend. He came face to face with a buck when he crested a hillside. That was exciting for him and kept him pumped for the next trip. I let him shoot his gun before we left and that made his day. He kept watching the video I made of it while we made the trip home. Might be a week or so before the bow comes out. I'll probably do a pheasant hunt while in Nebraska for Thanksgiving. Need to start planning a December trip to Texas to bow hunt with my brother. He's trying to connect on a buck he's seen on his trail cam. Should be fun since I don't see him very often.

Haha. Sounds like you made your son's day. Good job man.

Ryan.

Yeah Ryan, he's the same one that I took to Game Stop on a school night a couple of weeks ago and hung around until midnight so that he could buy the Call of Duty 5 - Modern Warfare game. I told my wife that I was the oldest customer and my son was the youngest! I was really dragging the next day at work.

Bear hunting today, lots of walking no bear. Did see two different bucks. Good walk in the woods.

Dave