Buck at the butcher. (PIC)
 

Yesterday morning I was blessed with the opportunity to harvest a young 5 point buck from Kankakee county. I had been in my tree stand for less than 20 minutes when he walked by at a mere 12 yards completely unaware of me. He expired quickly after the shot and again I was blessed with an easy recovery without having to track the deer.
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[/align]My wife and 4 year old daughter were able to come out to take a few pictures, and to see the field dressing process which neither had seen before.My little girlis proud of her Daddy, andmy wifeis a real trooper for coming out. They even brought celebratory coffee and doughnuts.Bowman was huntingnearby that day, so he helped out with holding the deer steady for gutting and snapped a few pics of his own.
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[/align]Pic below.

RE: Buck at the butcher.
 

Congrats Bulz!!!!

RE: Buck at the butcher.
 

NICE JOB!!!!!!!! Now ya need to get that little one involved in a few years!

Mikey

RE: Buck at the butcher.
 

That's why she's out there with me now. She's alreadygone onsome low
key scouting trips with me, and now has seen and felt a dead deer in person, and she seems to have accepted the blood and guts, which she understands will be food for coyotes and other animals.

At 4 years, she's still too antsy to sit still in a blind for more than a few minutes, but she likes seeing deer, finding tracks, and understands that the deer are here for us to make use of as food. She may not grow up to be a hunter herself, but I want her to have an understanding of it.

RE: Buck at the butcher.
 

Bulz:

That's awesome! We need more parents like you! I have a daughter that will be going out with me this year (she's four also) on some retrievals as well, and possibly some goose hunts.

Good luck with the rest of your hunting!

Mikey

RE: Buck at the butcher.
 

Congrats again Bulz. That's gonna be some tender meat. Remember me when you want company for dinner, since your sweety doesn't like venison.

We did the autopsy and found that Bulz hit everything ; the liver, both lungs, knicked the heart (another 1/4" and it would have been fatal itself), and cut the aorta, which is one of the main arteries leaving the heart. No wonder that deer went as quick as he did. It doesn't get any better than that. That artery is about the size of a man's little finger. That's as humane a kill as you can get!

Now you can take yourtime and wait for one of those big boys out there! The rut's starting real soon.

RE: Buck at the butcher.
 

Just look at those smiles! :D

Nice job.

RE: Buck at the butcher.
 

One of my favoritebowhunting memorieswaswatching my daughter sucessfully bloodtrail a doe I killed. She was six years old at the time. There's just nothing finer! Congrats again on your deer.

RE: Buck at the butcher.
 

So that's what those things look like. I'm starting to forget. ;)

RE: Buck at the butcher.
 

I know the feeling...

RE: Buck at the butcher.
 

Congradulations, bulzeye! Been out a few times with my grandson the last two days. We seen 9 yesterday, one small 6pt being chased by a coyote. I actually got a shot at the coyote at 30 yds. Forgot how hard it is to hit something farther than about 10 feet. Went out again this morning and seen 7 of which were 2 small bucks. They are starting to move some, but wait until next week..yepee

RE: Buck at the butcher.
 

That's great Bulzeye! I'm still pounding the stands trying to get my first. They're definately up and moving!

RE: Buck at the butcher.
 

Seen two bucks chasing does today. The first activity that i have seen. The one was grunting and really after it. He had a broken rack so let him pass. had a button buck right under me. Was watching him through my stand. was fun.

RE: Buck at the butcher.
 

Congrats Chris nice one thats the way to do it buddo hang in htere spring is on hte way.....;)

RE: Buck at the butcher. (PIC)
 

Hey Bulz,

Nice deer! Your daughter is as cute as a button (buck)!

Judd

RE: Buck at the butcher. (PIC)
 

Nice buck bulzeye. What is a button buck?

RE: Buck at the butcher. (PIC)
 

A button buck is male fawn - it has the start of antlers called 'buttons.' They are considered antlerless and they are very good eating because they are so young.

They look like small does so you don't really know you've bagged one until you recover him.

RE: Buck at the butcher. (PIC)
 

Yup.

Tyler,
Whenyoung bucksare in their first year (at about 6 months old), they often (maybe always)only have bumps called pedicles where the antlers will grow from when they get older. These bumps looks like little buttons on their heads, and can make the deer look like a doe. In IL, a deer is considered 'antlerless' if its antlers are less than 3 inches long, regardless of actual gender.

Here is a nice close-up of the pedicles.



From the front, the top of a button buck's head will appear more or less flat, where a doe's will appear more rounded, but it is hard to see the difference unless you are very close or have good binoculars. After the bucks drop their antlers in late winter, they all look like this.

RE: Buck at the butcher. (PIC)
 

Good Job! Congrat's

RE: Buck at the butcher. (PIC)
 

Thank you bulzeye and fish point.

RE: Buck at the butcher. (PIC)
 

Goodanswers alright. It's nice to be able to call on this group and their accumulated knowlege and experience.

Thanks everyone.