Finally Found the Food Plot
- Thread starter Winelover
- Start date
F
freebullet
Guest
Very nice!
I have a permit ready & a permission slip for Brad's front yard farm(ok, not his front yard but just down the street a min) but it's not cold enough for me to shoot them yet. I struggle with deer hunting in 50+ temps. Seems like fishing weather still.
I have a permit ready & a permission slip for Brad's front yard farm(ok, not his front yard but just down the street a min) but it's not cold enough for me to shoot them yet. I struggle with deer hunting in 50+ temps. Seems like fishing weather still.
Winelover
North Central Arkansas
Exactly, why I'm taking pictures out the kitchen window with A/C running.
fiver
Well-Known Member
we got about 11 more day's.
it's gonna be pretty rough this year.
I haven't seen any small bucks with the doe's, which are starting to move down into the private property which surrounds the public hunting area's.
[so a 200yd. hike is now a 2 day event to get in around behind the fence lines to hunt the little coulee's they will be hanging out in]
there is snow up high but not enough to start moving the bigger Deer or Elk down yet,
which really messes up my two main area's.
it's gonna be pretty rough this year.
I haven't seen any small bucks with the doe's, which are starting to move down into the private property which surrounds the public hunting area's.
[so a 200yd. hike is now a 2 day event to get in around behind the fence lines to hunt the little coulee's they will be hanging out in]
there is snow up high but not enough to start moving the bigger Deer or Elk down yet,
which really messes up my two main area's.
Winelover
North Central Arkansas
Two non-legal spikes came in together, last evening at 5:30 PM.....considered going out on back porch and running them off. Stayed for 1/2 hour, while we were eating dinner. Didn't look out before dusk, to see if any bigger ones came in. I know there is a eight or ten point, with the same kind of spread as the one I posted above. About a month ago, we had lost the internet from a lightning storm, just before dusk. Couldn't watch any TV, since we only use internet television, I sat looking out the kitchen window. Between flashes of lightning, I could see him, just enough to get a eyeful of his headgear.
yodogsandman
Well-Known Member
It's bow season here in NH. It started Sept 15 and I've only gone out opening day. Temperatures have been brutal, in the high 80's and some days, low 90's. Plenty of humidity too, with the two hurricanes passing by. Good thing the season is long, till Dec 15. Muzzle loader and rifle are concurrent during Nov.
Winelover
North Central Arkansas
Arkansas Bow season started Sept. 23...it was 72, in the AM with high of 90 degrees. We've been having extremely high humidity all year. First day, I went tree sitting, was on the 28th......was 62 in the AM. Hunted the AM's the next two days, lows were in the 60's. Deer were active, especially Saturday, Had two does and their three offspring, surrounding my stand. Passed on them. Was only hunting bucks, like the one posted, above. Half hour later, a spike walked by....wasn't legal, due to three point rule.
I usually only hunt the mornings, early in the season. Temperatures are significantly cooler. I get fussy on Saturday's, butcher of choice, only open during the week.
Sunday's, I generally, don't hunt. Wife and I went Striper fishing, yesterday, caught two.
Was 69 degrees and breezy, this morning at 4 AM. Still contemplating, whether to go out or not. Our bow season goes, throughout February.
I usually only hunt the mornings, early in the season. Temperatures are significantly cooler. I get fussy on Saturday's, butcher of choice, only open during the week.
Sunday's, I generally, don't hunt. Wife and I went Striper fishing, yesterday, caught two.
Was 69 degrees and breezy, this morning at 4 AM. Still contemplating, whether to go out or not. Our bow season goes, throughout February.
Hawk
Well-Known Member
Winelover,
How old do you think the buck in the pic is, 2-1/2 years maybe with an 18" or 19" spread? it's hard to tell from the pics.
I used to pass on small 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 year olds with a lot of points, only to have another hunter on my lease bring them in the next day. Sometimes they would bring in 10 point deer that had antlers that looked like small baskets. Some of them are meat hunters first and I tell tem to shoot an older doe.
It's taken me years, but I've finally got my lease buddies to start aging deer and letting the younger ones with a lot of points walk and grow.
A 10 point 1-1/2 or 2-1/2 year old with a 13" spread will be a 12-14 point with a 20-22" spread when he's 5-1/2 or 6-1/2. Trouble is, getting the guys to pass them up and let them grow.
Last year the hunter across the fence shot a 10 point that I had let walk. 1-1/2 year old deer with a 13" inside spread. He was kicking dirt clods the entire time we visited. Said he had never shot a 10 point couldn't let it walk. Ground shrinkage was quite a shock when he got to it.
We have the potential for some really big deer on our property. Just need to let them reach their potential.
Of course, we have a one month bow and a two month rifle season in Texas, so we have time to wait. With short seasons, you can't always be picky if you want meat in the freezer.
How old do you think the buck in the pic is, 2-1/2 years maybe with an 18" or 19" spread? it's hard to tell from the pics.
I used to pass on small 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 year olds with a lot of points, only to have another hunter on my lease bring them in the next day. Sometimes they would bring in 10 point deer that had antlers that looked like small baskets. Some of them are meat hunters first and I tell tem to shoot an older doe.
It's taken me years, but I've finally got my lease buddies to start aging deer and letting the younger ones with a lot of points walk and grow.
A 10 point 1-1/2 or 2-1/2 year old with a 13" spread will be a 12-14 point with a 20-22" spread when he's 5-1/2 or 6-1/2. Trouble is, getting the guys to pass them up and let them grow.
Last year the hunter across the fence shot a 10 point that I had let walk. 1-1/2 year old deer with a 13" inside spread. He was kicking dirt clods the entire time we visited. Said he had never shot a 10 point couldn't let it walk. Ground shrinkage was quite a shock when he got to it.
We have the potential for some really big deer on our property. Just need to let them reach their potential.
Of course, we have a one month bow and a two month rifle season in Texas, so we have time to wait. With short seasons, you can't always be picky if you want meat in the freezer.
fiver
Well-Known Member
that's our thing here.
14 day's, public land, bucks only, take what you can get. [bow and rifle]
there is one section of the state that is 2 point only, I don't understand what that reasoning is, but it looks to me like it is 2 point on either side so they might be looking to clean out some of the gene pool.
14 day's, public land, bucks only, take what you can get. [bow and rifle]
there is one section of the state that is 2 point only, I don't understand what that reasoning is, but it looks to me like it is 2 point on either side so they might be looking to clean out some of the gene pool.
I had to get past trying to get guys here to "age" Deer,be they bucks, OR does(a mature breeder vs young,tender,may not get bred).Let a guy hunt here,explicitly sayin DON'T shoot the young bucks,only to have them drag a 3y.o. outta the woods?
But that's just the way it goes?Waiting on a recurve pickup today.Got my 2,matching A handle TD Bear's out practicing.Only difference is poundage,one @46#,the other @51-2......59" on both.
But that's just the way it goes?Waiting on a recurve pickup today.Got my 2,matching A handle TD Bear's out practicing.Only difference is poundage,one @46#,the other @51-2......59" on both.
Winelover
North Central Arkansas
That age would be a good estimate. I don't think there are a lot of hunters around me. My meager 26 acres, is bordered by larger forested parcels. I can't see any houses, except on the far ridge. Never ran into another hunter, during the five years, I've lived here. Last Spring, after hunting season ended, I counted ten bucks in my over grazed food plot. All but one 8 point had shed their antlers. Even though the landowners might not hunt, I have a strong suspicion that they regularly feed the deer. There is no field corn grown, in this area, yet deer I have harvested had stomachs full of it.
I will, usually, take the first legal buck that offers a good shot during archery season. Sometimes, that maybe the only one you get an opportunity at. Once that tag is filled, I concentrate on the wall hangers. We are only allowed a combined total of two bucks, throughout Bow, Muzzleloader and Modern Gun.......three point rule, in effect.
I don't see as many does as I do bucks. That's a good thing when it comes to archery. Hard to get a shot off when you have multiple sets of eyes/noses to deal with. Bucks are usually alone, so it's much easier. In the five years in Arkansas, I have yet to harvest a doe. Granted, usually, I'm holding off because of the length of the seasons. Two deer, per season, is plenty of meat for me and the wife....... and I prefer, not to end my hunting, early in the season. BTW, we can harvest 4 does, per license.
Hawk
Well-Known Member
We have a two buck, two doe limit. On the bucks, one has to be a quality buck (13" inside spread) and the other has to be a spike (one unforked antler, can be a 3 point). We see a lot of quality deer that are 1-1/2 years old.
A lot of our hunters are Deep East Texas Gentlemen looking for meat for the freezer first and a wall hanger second.
We get a lot of pressure in our area. After the first week of the season, all the big boys go completely nocturnal until late in the season when the pressure eases off. If you don't get him the first week, you usually won't get him (big one that is).
We have a lot of hogs that visit our feeders, also. The deer definitely don't like the hogs.
A lot of our hunters are Deep East Texas Gentlemen looking for meat for the freezer first and a wall hanger second.
We get a lot of pressure in our area. After the first week of the season, all the big boys go completely nocturnal until late in the season when the pressure eases off. If you don't get him the first week, you usually won't get him (big one that is).
We have a lot of hogs that visit our feeders, also. The deer definitely don't like the hogs.
Winelover
North Central Arkansas
Thankfully, no hogs or sign of them, in my area. 
However, only a couple of counties away, as is Chronic Wasting Disease.
I sporadically see the big boy's......usually when I'm not hunting. Best time to connect on one is the first week of November, a week or so, before Modern Gun opens. I have, on occasion, called them in but they stay just out of bow range. Once the leaves are down, it gets harder.
However, only a couple of counties away, as is Chronic Wasting Disease.I sporadically see the big boy's......usually when I'm not hunting. Best time to connect on one is the first week of November, a week or so, before Modern Gun opens. I have, on occasion, called them in but they stay just out of bow range. Once the leaves are down, it gets harder.
Winelover
North Central Arkansas
Some of the mature deer, seen on my property, while not out hunting.......but during hunting season. BTW, I had my first knee replacement the middle of Nov. 2015 so I didn't hunt the full season.
10/22/14 @ 6 PM
11/12/15 @ 4:56 PM
12/29/15 @ 3:54 PM
11/26/16 @ 10:36 AM
1/9/16 @ 4:25 PM
10/22/14 @ 6 PM
11/12/15 @ 4:56 PM
12/29/15 @ 3:54 PM
11/26/16 @ 10:36 AM
1/9/16 @ 4:25 PM
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freebullet
Guest
The best tasting deer I've had were acorn fed 6-8 year old doe. I'd rather shoot a big Bertha doe than a buck of any age. If her teeth are ground down to nothing she'll be the most tender steak a fella could ask for. Mmm, now I'm hungry. Guess I'm in the meat crowd, but I pass on little bucks for big doe.
Some hunts age is irrelevant. We take part in a number of management hunts where a deers a deers a deer, the rest don't matter. With a 2 day season you shoot or don't. A safe, clean, & ethical harvest being the goal.
No limit on doe permits here, but can only have 2 tags that allow bucks. Open seasons from mid Sept thru mid Jan. Lucky, with a fair bit of public ground too. Very rewarding to come out of public ground with a harvest fairly regular.
Nice pics WL.
Some hunts age is irrelevant. We take part in a number of management hunts where a deers a deers a deer, the rest don't matter. With a 2 day season you shoot or don't. A safe, clean, & ethical harvest being the goal.
No limit on doe permits here, but can only have 2 tags that allow bucks. Open seasons from mid Sept thru mid Jan. Lucky, with a fair bit of public ground too. Very rewarding to come out of public ground with a harvest fairly regular.
Nice pics WL.
