Deer Season Update (appointed, live, legal)

[Maineah]

Well I'm done for the year. I got a nice mature doe around 115-120 pounds this afternoon. We didn't think today was going to be all that great of a hunting day due to last night's storm. The storm rolled out early and the afternoon in Southern Maine was real nice. Quiet, still and warm...unusual for November but a great deer day.
Nice acorn fed doe....she'll be fine eating!


How is everyone else doing??

[Kracer]

This guy passed by just out of range, when he got about 90 paces away and seemed to be gone forever, I made three grunts and he took off like a freight train.....right to me!

12 paces away, he pawed at the ground, grunted and continued to walk past me at 5 paces. The few seconds it took for him to strut past for just the right angle to place an arrow properly, made time and motion stand still. Real time set in a full second after the arrow passed through and stuck in the ground.

The first night meal of heart and tenderloins was the best, I mean the best meal of venison I ever ate. Perfectly cooked tenderloins laying on a drizzle of honey and fresh ground black pepper with a side of finely diced mushrooms and onions made this feast a communion of sorts rather than just a meal.

Good luck to everyone afield, be safe, shoot straight and happy eating!

[Maineah]

Excellent!!! Nice deer. The meal sounds scrumptious! That's what I'm having tonight. I gave the heart and liver to my buddy who helped me tag it. It's his favorite so it was the least I could do.

[Maine Writer]

Kracer, I'm so envious! What an experience!

Last Wednesday - I think I saw the first buck I've seen since I started hunting deer two years ago. It sniffed the air for the lure I had out. It was after sunset but still legal time. I tried to get that deer off the dark treeline to see antlers but he wouldn't come out a few more feet. I think I saw antlers. I wasn't 100% sure so I didn't pull the trigger. I was sick to my stomach over it for two days because I wasn't sure I'd done the right thing and probably blew my first chance.

I'm still kicking myself. I wasn't nervous or overly excited. I took my time making my decision, looked through the scope and binocs several times. I made a rookie mistake. I forgot about dialing up my scope. I had it on three and that was perfect for the shot I'd have taken. If I'd remembered to dial up to nine or ten I could have been certain about the antlers. My scope lightens up whatever is in it. I was disappointed when I left the stand and could have cried when DH asked if I'd adjusted the scope. Stupid, stupid mistake that I won't make again. I'd rather make that rookie mistake than have to tell the landowner, a very close friend of ours, that I'm sorry I made a worse mistake on his land. He manages his land with the deer and moose in mind.

Saturday afternoon was fun. I found buck tracks on a logging road and followed them until they disappeared into a stand of thick alders. I walked further and picked up very fresh moose tracks. I followed them into excellent moose territory, a three year old harvest full of tasty saplings. The tracks went into the woods and since that wasn't what I was looking for, I didn't follow them. A few minutes later I heard noise to my right. There he was, a yearling bull, 200' away, watching me. I grunted at him (deer grunt but what the heck, right?) but he couldn't have cared less. I moved on. DH texted to say he was back at the truck. I told him to walk my way, there were a lot of rubs. We met up and walked a side road I wondered about earlier. The trees had been harvested on one side but not the other. We saw a much larger moose walking away from us. Steve called and got his attention but he wouldn't turn enough so that we could get a good look at him.

I'm not getting much work done and supper, dishes and laundry are done on the run but I'm having a lot of fun. I was in a stand over bear bait for nine hours over two days. The bear was so close the first day I could hear it breathe, had the rifle up, safety off and waiting but he wouldn't come out of the woods. I don't know what I did to let him know I was there but he knew. I don't know how many hours I've spent sitting in deer stands this year. Seems like I just get there and five hours have flown by, it's after legal time and time to go home. Each time I've been on the friend's land I've watched two turkeys. One limps. I went to a different field last night, closed the door to the stand and a few minutes later they came out of the woods to eat clover. They were still eating when I left. No vehicle today but I'll be out tomorrow morning with a friend who will be on his first hunt. I'm excited about that.

[Maine Writer]

Nice Maineah! She'll be good eating.

[Kracer]

Just before the big buck came by this red fox decided to cooperate for a photo.

Watched her for about 10 minutes hunting in the tall grass. She would freeze on point, move her legs in ultra slow motion, Wiggle her butt and suddenly leap into the air to pounce on probably a vole or field mouse. She made several unsuccessful attempts to get some fast food to go.

So take heart, hunting success is spotty for all hunters even if you live among your prey, have four legs and a bushy tail. Think persistence and always carry a camera.

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/7065/foxdsc0014xsmall.jpg (broken link)

[fxtrader]

Congrats Maineah and Kracer on your harvest. Will be getting out this weekend and spending the week of Thanksgiving at camp, can't wait.

[Taxed in Maine]

Kracer, wow thats a nice one.

My 13 yo son has missed 2 so far, he's getting discouraged.

But, I got this one Saturday morning.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by Taxed in Maine

Kracer, wow thats a nice one.

My 13 yo son has missed 2 so far, he's getting discouraged.

But, I got this one Saturday morning.

Nice Deer!

Looks just like the one standing on my lawn last night.

I got back from taking my buddy back to get his car . He had helped me get the doe in the truck and hang it here in the barn. When I got back there was a buck just like the one in your photo standing on my lawn... Never fails!

[brava4]

Gee, photos too.