2014 Off Season Support Group Deer Season Thread

[rugerla1]

I was smoking Canadian Bacon, Bacon and Breakfast Sausage. That's how my day went.

 

Dave

:up:  Much more productive than my day HA HA! I bet the whole house smells good......Now I'm hungry, time to eat!

[DaveS]

:up:  Much more productive than my day HA HA! I bet the whole house smells good......Now I'm hungry, time to eat!

At least the outside smells good. That's where the smoke house is. I really wanted to hunt, but my gut said stay at home.

 

DaveS

Edited December 7, 2013 by DaveS

[TNMTBik3r]

I arrived late, 1:30. Passed 6 does on the neighbors corner lot when pulling in. Those were all I saw tonight, am undecided about going in the morning. I should have hunted the field line instead of the ridge I think.

[rugerla1]

At least the outside smells good. That's where the smoke house is. I really wanted to hunt, but my gut said stay at home.

 

DaveS

HA HA! I didn't mean the smoke was in the house, but I guess that's how I typed it. I meant after you brought all of the finished product inside. You still have tomorrow to hunt now that your done smoking. Good luck in the morning if you make it out.

[Luke E.]

Anyone have luck? I didn't see anything

 

 I shot a pretty good size doe about 3:45 and heard at least 10 different people shoot around me between 2:30 and 3. 

 Now here comes the fun part! She is still in the woods, I felt I had made a great shot but she took off. I followed blood for over half a mile probably closer to 3/4 mile and she dropped off of no fewer than six bluff rock 2 stream beds and went way off up the next hill before she accepted what had happened. As i'm walking up to her I was thinking that My shot must have been off but I got to her and it was exactly where I pointed. I've never field dressed a deer in my life but since there is no way to get within 1/2 mile from her with a 4 wheeler and there's no way I can drag her (hard enough just walking) so I set to field dressing her. As soon as I got her opened up I saw that one of her lungs was back near her tail pipe and pretty much everything else was liquefied like it had been run through a blender. I feel like she should have been able to make it no further than 50yds in that condition. It was my first deer taken with my Blackout and I had the Nosler ballistic tip bullets loaded for it. I was impressed with the damage it caused but my feelings sure are hurt that I have to head all the way back in there to quarter her up and cart her out on my back.

 It's all part of the hunt and I sure am thankful to have her.... just wish I owned a helicopter to lift her out with  :rofl:

[rugerla1]

 I shot a pretty good size doe about 3:45 and heard at least 10 different people shoot around me between 2:30 and 3. 

 Now here comes the fun part! She is still in the woods, I felt I had made a great shot but she took off. I followed blood for over half a mile probably closer to 3/4 mile and she dropped off of no fewer than six bluff rock 2 stream beds and went way off up the next hill before she accepted what had happened. As i'm walking up to her I was thinking that My shot must have been off but I got to her and it was exactly where I pointed. I've never field dressed a deer in my life but since there is no way to get within 1/2 mile from her with a 4 wheeler and there's no way I can drag her (hard enough just walking) so I set to field dressing her. As soon as I got her opened up I saw that one of her lungs was back near her tail pipe and pretty much everything else was liquefied like it had been run through a blender. I feel like she should have been able to make it no further than 50yds in that condition. It was my first deer taken with my Blackout and I had the Nosler ballistic tip bullets loaded for it. I was impressed with the damage it caused but my feelings sure are hurt that I have to head all the way back in there to quarter her up and cart her out on my back.

 It's all part of the hunt and I sure am thankful to have her.... just wish I owned a helicopter to lift her out with  :rofl:

HOLY CRAP! Yep, pretty sure we're kin, that is my luck right there. Amazing what these animals can do even with the destruction a gun or bow puts on them. Hey, if you need a hand dragging her out, let me know. I'm in Smyrna and will help you if you'd rather not quarter her up and pack it out. Just let me know.

[Guest Bonedaddy]

Yep. Amazes me what a wild animal is capable of on adrenaline alone. Some just don't know they're dead for a long time, it seems. Too bad Americans ain't that tuff. Sho' would make for a skeery army.

[rugerla1]

Yep. Amazes me what a wild animal is capable of on adrenaline alone. Some just don't know they're dead for a long time, it seems. Too bad Americans ain't that tuff. Sho' would make for a skeery army.

Amen to that!

[ShaunM]

 I shot a pretty good size doe about 3:45 and heard at least 10 different people shoot around me between 2:30 and 3. 

 Now here comes the fun part! She is still in the woods, I felt I had made a great shot but she took off. I followed blood for over half a mile probably closer to 3/4 mile and she dropped off of no fewer than six bluff rock 2 stream beds and went way off up the next hill before she accepted what had happened. As i'm walking up to her I was thinking that My shot must have been off but I got to her and it was exactly where I pointed. I've never field dressed a deer in my life but since there is no way to get within 1/2 mile from her with a 4 wheeler and there's no way I can drag her (hard enough just walking) so I set to field dressing her. As soon as I got her opened up I saw that one of her lungs was back near her tail pipe and pretty much everything else was liquefied like it had been run through a blender. I feel like she should have been able to make it no further than 50yds in that condition. It was my first deer taken with my Blackout and I had the Nosler ballistic tip bullets loaded for it. I was impressed with the damage it caused but my feelings sure are hurt that I have to head all the way back in there to quarter her up and cart her out on my back.

 It's all part of the hunt and I sure am thankful to have her.... just wish I owned a helicopter to lift her out with  :rofl:

I have had this happen to me a few times using ballistic tip ammo. I do not use it anymore because of this reason. It may work well for others but not for me. I have never ever ever had any run that far when using soft points or interbond bullets (98% drop in their tracks or just make it 10 yards or so). I shoot a 300 Weatherby magnum now and that 9 pointer I shot this year dropped in his tracks. I was using Remington core-lokt. I do understand each deer is different and reacts differently when shot but they usually act the same way when hit with a good soft point, which is DRT lol.

Edited December 8, 2013 by ShaunM

[DaveS]

 I shot a pretty good size doe about 3:45 and heard at least 10 different people shoot around me between 2:30 and 3. 

 Now here comes the fun part! She is still in the woods, I felt I had made a great shot but she took off. I followed blood for over half a mile probably closer to 3/4 mile and she dropped off of no fewer than six bluff rock 2 stream beds and went way off up the next hill before she accepted what had happened. As i'm walking up to her I was thinking that My shot must have been off but I got to her and it was exactly where I pointed. I've never field dressed a deer in my life but since there is no way to get within 1/2 mile from her with a 4 wheeler and there's no way I can drag her (hard enough just walking) so I set to field dressing her. As soon as I got her opened up I saw that one of her lungs was back near her tail pipe and pretty much everything else was liquefied like it had been run through a blender. I feel like she should have been able to make it no further than 50yds in that condition. It was my first deer taken with my Blackout and I had the Nosler ballistic tip bullets loaded for it. I was impressed with the damage it caused but my feelings sure are hurt that I have to head all the way back in there to quarter her up and cart her out on my back.

 It's all part of the hunt and I sure am thankful to have her.... just wish I owned a helicopter to lift her out with  :rofl:

If I lived closer I'd help you, but keep us posted when you get her out.

 

Dave

[EastHipster]

Luke E,

 

.300?  You didn't get an exit wound?

[Lumber_Jack]

I shot a pretty good size doe about 3:45 and heard at least 10 different people shoot around me between 2:30 and 3.
Now here comes the fun part! She is still in the woods, I felt I had made a great shot but she took off. I followed blood for over half a mile probably closer to 3/4 mile and she dropped off of no fewer than six bluff rock 2 stream beds and went way off up the next hill before she accepted what had happened. As i'm walking up to her I was thinking that My shot must have been off but I got to her and it was exactly where I pointed. I've never field dressed a deer in my life but since there is no way to get within 1/2 mile from her with a 4 wheeler and there's no way I can drag her (hard enough just walking) so I set to field dressing her. As soon as I got her opened up I saw that one of her lungs was back near her tail pipe and pretty much everything else was liquefied like it had been run through a blender. I feel like she should have been able to make it no further than 50yds in that condition. It was my first deer taken with my Blackout and I had the Nosler ballistic tip bullets loaded for it. I was impressed with the damage it caused but my feelings sure are hurt that I have to head all the way back in there to quarter her up and cart her out on my back.
It's all part of the hunt and I sure am thankful to have her.... just wish I owned a helicopter to lift her out with :rofl:

I've used 110gr Hornady with a double lung shot and she ran only about 40-50yds. I have a box of 125 Nosler I'm going to use as well this is interesting.

All the talk in 300blackouttalk.com is the Barnes bullets are best.

If your shooting supersonic rounds there is nothing wrong with the caliber, maybe just a fluke

[TNMTBik3r]

Deer can do some amazing things when shot. One of my does on Thanksgiving ran 70 yards with half a heart and one lung jellied.

I slept this morning because weather said 90% chance of rain last night. Woke up and no rain....think I'm fixing to head out and hunt the field edge tonight.

[Luke E.]

HOLY CRAP! Yep, pretty sure we're kin, that is my luck right there. Amazing what these animals can do even with the destruction a gun or bow puts on them. Hey, if you need a hand dragging her out, let me know. I'm in Smyrna and will help you if you'd rather not quarter her up and pack it out. Just let me know.

 

 I REALLY appreciate the offer! I decided that trying to cut a path for the 4 wheeler through thick brush would take several hours so that was out. I charged my phone and flashlight and grabbed a spare light and packed them as well as garbage bags, knives, bottles of water in a heavy duty mil-surp backpack and then stuffed an extra backpack in as well. I took back off and 30min later I got back to the deer (was worried that the coyotes would move in on her). I dragged her under a few tree branches and tied the wrist strap of my light to them so i'd have both hands free and I started to quarter her up and grab the backstraps but I got to thinking about having to climb back up 2 very large hills through briers and scrub with quarters hanging off my back and decided to switch gears. I went ahead and Completely removed all meat from the bones and tossed it in trash bags as I went which proved to be the only way that I was going to make this happen without having to make at least 2 trips. I ended up with 2 trash bags of meat so I shoehorned the largest into the mil-surp pack and the smaller bag of meat into the other pack then strapped it to the first pack using the molle straps and other adjustment straps on it. Lol there was so much weight hanging out behind me that I had to stay leaned forward because if I stood straight up I would fall on my a$$ (ask me how I know this). I stopped at every bluff rock that was a height that I could back up to and take the weight off for a few seconds and then took back off again. I made it to the truck and have never been so happy to see it as I was then! 

 I rinsed the meat several times and trimmed most of the fat and stuff off and put the meat in a cooler to soak which I finished at 12:30.. I asked my Wife what time she heard the shot and she said between 3:45 and 4:00 so this was a 9 1/2hr ordeal from the shot until I was done! I've never had anything like this happen before and I hope I never do again but I know one thing that WILL happen this summer and that is cutting a trail along all of the bottoms on the property that way no matter where one might run off to, all I'd have to t drag it downhill to a 4 wheeler trail.

[DaveS]

 I REALLY appreciate the offer! I decided that trying to cut a path for the 4 wheeler through thick brush would take several hours so that was out. I charged my phone and flashlight and grabbed a spare light and packed them as well as garbage bags, knives, bottles of water in a heavy duty mil-surp backpack and then stuffed an extra backpack in as well. I took back off and 30min later I got back to the deer (was worried that the coyotes would move in on her). I dragged her under a few tree branches and tied the wrist strap of my light to them so i'd have both hands free and I started to quarter her up and grab the backstraps but I got to thinking about having to climb back up 2 very large hills through briers and scrub with quarters hanging off my back and decided to switch gears. I went ahead and Completely removed all meat from the bones and tossed it in trash bags as I went which proved to be the only way that I was going to make this happen without having to make at least 2 trips. I ended up with 2 trash bags of meat so I shoehorned the largest into the mil-surp pack and the smaller bag of meat into the other pack then strapped it to the first pack using the molle straps and other adjustment straps on it. Lol there was so much weight hanging out behind me that I had to stay leaned forward because if I stood straight up I would fall on my a$$ (ask me how I know this). I stopped at every bluff rock that was a height that I could back up to and take the weight off for a few seconds and then took back off again. I made it to the truck and have never been so happy to see it as I was then! 

 I rinsed the meat several times and trimmed most of the fat and stuff off and put the meat in a cooler to soak which I finished at 12:30.. I asked my Wife what time she heard the shot and she said between 3:45 and 4:00 so this was a 9 1/2hr ordeal from the shot until I was done! I've never had anything like this happen before and I hope I never do again but I know one thing that WILL happen this summer and that is cutting a trail along all of the bottoms on the property that way no matter where one might run off to, all I'd have to t drag it downhill to a 4 wheeler trail.

I believe I would be finding an easier hunting spot...just saying.

 

Dave

[Luke E.]

If I lived closer I'd help you, but keep us posted when you get her out.

 

Dave

 

 I appreciate it.. I could have used some help but by the time help could have made it and i'd have come out and walked them back in I was time ahead just taking care of it myself. One thing I will suggest to anyone hunting in deep woods up in the hills is to ALWAYS carry a roll of the fluorescent orange surveyor tape in your pack. If I have to track a deer I will tie a piece so that i'm never out of sight of one along the blood trail. This may seem pointless but there are several benefits and last night it played a major role in not just finding the deer but also finding my way back to my stand. Most places I've hunted this isn't a huge deal but when you are so far back and away from any building or road in the dark you can get turned around very easily. I'd have never found that deer after I left to go get gear and come back had I not have used it. Also if you tie it of on your way into the woods and as you're tracking, if something happend and you were to get hurt, someone could find you.

[Luke E.]

I believe I would be finding an easier hunting spot...just saying.

 

Dave

 

 It is a great property but because of life and work the past several years I haven't hunted or been able to keep it up. There are lots of deer that move around on it but it just needs some heavy duty bush hog and chainsaw work to whip it back into shape. I'm thinking i'll move a 4x4 tractor and bulldozer out there this summer and knock it all out. It is one of the most peaceful and relaxing places that I have ever hunted.

[Luke E.]

Luke E,

 

.300?  You didn't get an exit wound?

 

 Yes but it ended up traveling the length of her. She was quartering towards me and the bullet went in the right shoulder and somehow came out the left ham. The angle I shot her at should have put the bullet coming out just behind the left shoulder but I either misjudged the angle of the bullet got trapped in the rib cage causing a change of direction. It was absolutely devastating to every organ in her. 

 

I've used 110gr Hornady with a double lung shot and she ran only about 40-50yds. I have a box of 125 Nosler I'm going to use as well this is interesting.

All the talk in 300blackouttalk.com is the Barnes bullets are best.

If your shooting supersonic rounds there is nothing wrong with the caliber, maybe just a fluke

 

 Oh i'm not blaming anything on the caliber at all. This was nothing short of amazing that she made it anywhere at all so you are probably right on the fluke part. I was using a Nosler 125 like you mentioned having and I am not the least bit scared to use them again. Bottom line is it is a 30cal bullet traveling very fast so I expect much better results when shooting a deer that isn't on meth like this one must have been. 

[rugerla1]

 I REALLY appreciate the offer! I decided that trying to cut a path for the 4 wheeler through thick brush would take several hours so that was out. I charged my phone and flashlight and grabbed a spare light and packed them as well as garbage bags, knives, bottles of water in a heavy duty mil-surp backpack and then stuffed an extra backpack in as well. I took back off and 30min later I got back to the deer (was worried that the coyotes would move in on her). I dragged her under a few tree branches and tied the wrist strap of my light to them so i'd have both hands free and I started to quarter her up and grab the backstraps but I got to thinking about having to climb back up 2 very large hills through briers and scrub with quarters hanging off my back and decided to switch gears. I went ahead and Completely removed all meat from the bones and tossed it in trash bags as I went which proved to be the only way that I was going to make this happen without having to make at least 2 trips. I ended up with 2 trash bags of meat so I shoehorned the largest into the mil-surp pack and the smaller bag of meat into the other pack then strapped it to the first pack using the molle straps and other adjustment straps on it. Lol there was so much weight hanging out behind me that I had to stay leaned forward because if I stood straight up I would fall on my a$$ (ask me how I know this). I stopped at every bluff rock that was a height that I could back up to and take the weight off for a few seconds and then took back off again. I made it to the truck and have never been so happy to see it as I was then! 

 I rinsed the meat several times and trimmed most of the fat and stuff off and put the meat in a cooler to soak which I finished at 12:30.. I asked my Wife what time she heard the shot and she said between 3:45 and 4:00 so this was a 9 1/2hr ordeal from the shot until I was done! I've never had anything like this happen before and I hope I never do again but I know one thing that WILL happen this summer and that is cutting a trail along all of the bottoms on the property that way no matter where one might run off to, all I'd have to t drag it downhill to a 4 wheeler trail.

Anytime Luke, offer stands anytime you need help with something like this. I've been stuck and needed help before, sometimes I got it, sometimes I didn't. When I did, it was like receiving exactly what I wanted for Christmas! Lol I bet you slept good after all that work! But hey, kudos for going the extra mile (pun intended) to retrieve your harvest!

[Lumber_Jack]

Yes but it ended up traveling the length of her. She was quartering towards me and the bullet went in the right shoulder and somehow came out the left ham. The angle I shot her at should have put the bullet coming out just behind the left shoulder but I either misjudged the angle of the bullet got trapped in the rib cage causing a change of direction. It was absolutely devastating to every organ in her.


Oh i'm not blaming anything on the caliber at all. This was nothing short of amazing that she made it anywhere at all so you are probably right on the fluke part. I was using a Nosler 125 like you mentioned having and I am not the least bit scared to use them again. Bottom line is it is a 30cal bullet traveling very fast so I expect much better results when shooting a deer that isn't on meth like this one must have been.

Yeah for sure. The 'quartering towards you' is always a precarious position. Chances of hitting vitals other than lungs are minimal unless you shoot on the neck-side of the front shoulder. If the bullet went through the shoulder bone, it's trajectory is unpredictable after that. It's completely plausible for her to run that far without full lung function...animals are freaks.

Now don't get me wrong I'd shoot in that positron too, it's just one of those freak things. Hell, I shoot deer staring dead nuts at me. Not recommended but I've done it. Just aim a little high to avoid guts.

[Sidinman]

Fri. I saw a decent buck chasing a doe, about a mile from the house on a trip to the store. So they are rutting some, that was probably around 3:00.

Went yesterday, saw a couple of does about 7:30, and that was it. Got home, and took the dogs for a walk around the farm next to us. The youngest one jumped a small doe, wasn't able to go today.

[DaveS]

 I appreciate it.. I could have used some help but by the time help could have made it and i'd have come out and walked them back in I was time ahead just taking care of it myself. One thing I will suggest to anyone hunting in deep woods up in the hills is to ALWAYS carry a roll of the fluorescent orange surveyor tape in your pack. If I have to track a deer I will tie a piece so that i'm never out of sight of one along the blood trail. This may seem pointless but there are several benefits and last night it played a major role in not just finding the deer but also finding my way back to my stand. Most places I've hunted this isn't a huge deal but when you are so far back and away from any building or road in the dark you can get turned around very easily. I'd have never found that deer after I left to go get gear and come back had I not have used it. Also if you tie it of on your way into the woods and as you're tracking, if something happend and you were to get hurt, someone could find you.

Those are great ideas. One thing I do that you might want to do is throw a few chem lights in your bag. Pop some chem lights and it makes marking your stand and trail at night a breeze! They are nice to have!

 

DaveS

[Luke E.]

Anytime Luke, offer stands anytime you need help with something like this. I've been stuck and needed help before, sometimes I got it, sometimes I didn't. When I did, it was like receiving exactly what I wanted for Christmas! Lol I bet you slept good after all that work! But hey, kudos for going the extra mile (pun intended) to retrieve your harvest!

 

 Thanks man, same here. I'm always up for a challenge if it's someone else's, kinda that whole 'pipes leaking in a plumbers house thing I guess. If I can possibly find the deer, I AM getting it out no matter what.

[Luke E.]

Yeah for sure. The 'quartering towards you' is always a precarious position. Chances of hitting vitals other than lungs are minimal unless you shoot on the neck-side of the front shoulder. If the bullet went through the shoulder bone, it's trajectory is unpredictable after that. It's completely plausible for her to run that far without full lung function...animals are freaks.

Now don't get me wrong I'd shoot in that positron too, it's just one of those freak things. Hell, I shoot deer staring dead nuts at me. Not recommended but I've done it. Just aim a little high to avoid guts.

 

 I've shot 10 that I can think of that were quartering towards me and you're right, it deserves a bit more time put into picking your mark. One more thing to add about the shot, I was about 25' up the tree on a hill falls off pretty quick she was a good 100yds down hill from me so I would guess that I was 75' above her. So not only was she quartering towards me but it was a fairly high angle shot. If it had not been for the high angle part I probably would have made a head shot but I've onlyshot this Blackout at the range and other fairly areas so I didn't feel completely comfortable.  I snapped a picture while I was sitting in the stand so i'll try to get it and one of the deer posted. The picture from the stand is my attempt at using the Iphone's panoramic feature so i'm not sure if it distorts it to the point you can't tell much about the elevation or not. 

[Luke E.]

 Here a pic from the stand a couple days before but I was in the exact same spot but the stand was rotated to my right a little bit yesterday. If you look at the very right side of the photo you can see the edge of a cedar thicket and she was standing about 10yds out of it when I made the shot. The pic is a bit distorted because of using the panoramic setting. and to give you an idea, the cedars she was standing near are 15' maybe 20' tall so I may have been a bit further above here than I thought. BTW the reason I hunt this particular spot is because it is one of the clearer portions in that particular area but there is briers and scrub brush cover most of this area but it doesn't really show up. I can't remember which photobucket link to use so i'll post both  :pleased:

 

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn158/lukeduke_03/Treestandlocation.jpg

 

[URL=http://s303.photobucket.com/user/lukeduke_03/media/Treestandlocation.jpg.html][/URL]