2014 rifle season pics, keep the pics from your stand and trail cam pics coming too!

[Luke E.]

I was not going to do that either one of the fawns was maybe knee high maybe.

 

 Wow, that's really small for this late. A lot of the doe at my place have a yearling with them and i'm sure once the rut is over that will be a major source of irritation to me because that's when I shoot doe.

[Wingshooter]

 
...

Nice!

I hope you get the cow problem solved. I haven't set foot in the woods for a couple of weeks (work :( ), but I hope to get out there this coming weekend

[ShaunM]

Got my trailcamera set up on a new property. Hopefully I will get something on it.

[Luke E.]

Nice!

I hope you get the cow problem solved. I haven't set foot in the woods for a couple of weeks (work :( ), but I hope to get out there this coming weekend

 

 

 Well I've got the cattle problem pretty much under control and should be finished up in the morning. I was concerned because I wasn't sure which neighbor they belonged to and I really didn't want it to be one in particular because it would have been like pulling teeth to get have out there in what anyone would consider a timely manner. I got lucky because they belong to a good man and neighbor. I went over to his farm a few times throughout the day trying to catch him around the barn and finally succeeded about 3pm. I tried explaining where I thought they were coming through and told him that I'd be more than happy to walk the fences and help him fix any bad spots in them so he quit what he was doing and loaded up fencing materials and we were off. We worked until dark and I will be meeting him to finish the job in the morning.

 Here's where the story gets funny and irritating... The cows are getting in front of one of the cameras twice per day so one would expect to find a muddy trail with lots of manure leading through a bad spot in the fence but we have yet to find a trail that they are coming through multiple times per day. There's no way to know for sure but after I saw them the first time I waited a day and then checked the cameras to make sure that they'd not been back so when they hadn't been back I patched the 2 8'-10' gaps in the fence. anyone picking up on what I did to myself yet???? Well I patched the hole, patched it while they were on my side... They have been disappearing into the thick woods where they can't be seen and then raping my food plots when they get hungry.. I have had them trapped on our property for a few weeks now and had no idea and honestly it never crossed my mind until we didn't find any hot trails crossing the fence. We got the 3 cows out and back onto his property and ran them 3/4 of a mile over to the rest of the herd so hopefully they'll stay satisfied for the night and give us a chance to fix the rest of the bad spots in the morning.

 My plots were up to 8"-9" inches tall when they started working on them and they look like someone ran a mower over them set at 2"-3". Anyone have any opinions on what, if anything, I should do? My options are, (A),  to leave it alone and hope they fill back in now that they cows are gone, also hope that the deer will allow it to grow some over the next week or two?  (B), get some fertilize and lightly broadcast it over the plots that the cattle have messed up? (C) I have some leftover wheat and oats that I could overseed with and hope that they get enough rain on them to get them down into the soil? (D), fertilize and overseed?

 

 I put some fertilize out when I sowed the seed but only put 1/4-1/3 of the recommended amount so I can get away with adding a good bit more without running the risk of burning up the crop. I'm thinking $20 worth of fertilize would be plenty to add to what I put out with the seed.

[Luke E.]

Got my trailcamera set up on a new property. Hopefully I will get something on it.

 

 Did you not ever see that buck again?

[ShaunM]

I haven't personally seen him again. Thought my trail camera would have caught him but when I went and checked the cam the camera didn't work. The dang batteries had died. I replaced them so gonna check it again this weekend. Edited October 23, 2014 by ShaunM

[Luke E.]

I haven't personally seen him again. Thought my trail camera would have caught him but when I went and checked the cam the camera didn't work. The dang batteries had died. I replaced them so gonna check it again this weekend.

 

 Hopefully he's still hanging around waiting for you!

[Wiljo05]

No pictures, but I shot a tall spike yesterday evening, and as I was getting out of the ladder stand I saw a VERY big rack bounce away at about 30 yards...gonna let things calm down on that place and go back to try to catch him later.

[Luke E.]

 Unfortunately I have ANOTHER cattle update. I have found that there is still a momma and tear old calf still wreaking havoc on my food plots. At this point they are bouncing from one to the other constantly and I am only seeing maybe 1/4 of the deer (if that) that I was before the cows decided to ruin things. I met up with the neighbor early this morning and built a "funnel" out of barbed wire that would force the cows through the gate IF we can find them and get them headed in that direction. We had zero luck today and to add insult to injury I checked a memory card on the way out this evening and the cow was stomping around that food plot while we were stretching barbed wire this morning... I am so far beyond frustrated about this whole ordeal. At this rate if the cows aren't out of there in the next few days there will be no more food plots, it is that bad. They had stomped most everything down into the mud so i'm sure that part won't be coming back up and i'm worried they will take care of the rest over the next few days if something doesn't change. I spread fertilize over them today in hopes that it will shoot up and get some growth back before good frosts start happening but even the fertilize will be a waste if he doesn't get the damn cattle out of there. I'm really at a loss for ideas here short of killing the cows and I haven't ruled that out. If they were my cows and were causing this trouble I would have shot them myself by now but he's not even mentioned it. This land is not easy to run cattle on but if he can't control them then maybe it's time to reevaluate whether he should still have them. I've almost totally neglected work this week because of this and that part stops tomorrow and he's going to either hire some folks to scour the woods and get them back on his property or we will start talking about alternative methods. I feel like I have gone way beyond what a good neighbor would be willing to do and I'm not willing to let him owning these two cows ruin my hunting season. Not to mention I now have 120 acres FULL of human scent that up until now have not had a human footprint in most of it for the last 5 years.. I guess I'll end my rant now but I am just sick over this.

[Luke E.]

No pictures, but I shot a tall spike yesterday evening, and as I was getting out of the ladder stand I saw a VERY big rack bounce away at about 30 yards...gonna let things calm down on that place and go back to try to catch him later.

 

 Isn't that how it always goes?!? Glad you got the spike though.

[ShaunM]

Hopefully he's still hanging around waiting for you!

I have killed a nice buck on this property the last few years. There are some really nice bucks in that area. I will see one of them again I'm sure.

[Luke E.]

I have killed a nice buck on this property the last few years. There are some really nice bucks in that area. I will see one of them again I'm sure.

 

 I'm sure you will. Is it here in the county or do you travel outside of the county to hunt?

[Slappy]

Hunting tomorrow night, friday morning, friday afternoon and friday night!  Wahoo!!  

 

Remember fellas...THIS WEEKEND is Youth Hunt weekend and sadly...none of us are under the age of 16.  So we cannot hunt this weekend.  Maybe take your kid...or someone else's, and introduce them to the sport we love so much!  

[Luke E.]

Hunting tomorrow night, friday morning, friday afternoon and friday night!  Wahoo!!  

 

Remember fellas...THIS WEEKEND is Youth Hunt weekend and sadly...none of us are under the age of 16.  So we cannot hunt this weekend.  Maybe take your kid...or someone else's, and introduce them to the sport we love so much!  

 

 Sounds like you've got a great few days ahead of you Slappy! I have been so preoccupied with this cattle problem that I completely forgot about juvenile being this weekend. I guess I ought to get about finding a juvenile to take Sunday afternoon. 

[Wingshooter]

Sounds like you've got a great few days ahead of you Slappy! I have been so preoccupied with this cattle problem that I completely forgot about juvenile being this weekend. I guess I ought to get about finding a juvenile to take Sunday afternoon.

I figured you'd be grinding beef all weekend :)

[Luke E.]

I figured you'd be grinding beef all weekend :)

 

 You wouldn't  :stir:  would you? I'm not far from grinding beef. If this had been any of the other neighbors i'd have been grinding beef before they ever noticed one missing but these are good people. I have been thinking about offering him about half what the cow is worth that way I'd get the beef and my food plots back. If The shoes were on the other foot i'd have already killed the damn thing and been waiting impatiently for the processor to call me to pick up my meat. I've got my fingers crossed that this problem will be taken care of tomorrow. The worst thing I could do is send my momma over there. She sure doesn't like for me to get wound up and she has no love for his cows since the came up the the house and trampled and sh!t all over her new grill a few years back. I 'm just hoping things get worked out tomorrow...

[Slappy]

 Sounds like you've got a great few days ahead of you Slappy! I have been so preoccupied with this cattle problem that I completely forgot about juvenile being this weekend. I guess I ought to get about finding a juvenile to take Sunday afternoon. 

 

 

I know there are many here that work much more than I do.  I work 9-6 M-F but last week volunteered to work our Saturday/Sunday shift as well.  So I have been working 10 days straight and have off till Monday...so I am REALLY excited about getting out in the woods.  I am disappointed that it falls over the youth hunt weekend, but hey, I'll keep busy.

 

Question: If I want to coyote hunt during the youth deer hunt...can I?  I looked at TWRA and couldn't find a definitive answer.  

[Luke E.]

I know there are many here that work much more than I do.  I work 9-6 M-F but last week volunteered to work our Saturday/Sunday shift as well.  So I have been working 10 days straight and have off till Monday...so I am REALLY excited about getting out in the woods.  I am disappointed that it falls over the youth hunt weekend, but hey, I'll keep busy.

 

Question: If I want to coyote hunt during the youth deer hunt...can I?  I looked at TWRA and couldn't find a definitive answer.  

 

 As far as I know you can hunt coyotes 365 days a year. Deer season shouldn't have any effect on coyote.

 

 

EDIT I just read the TWRA manual and it says Coyote can be hunted "year round" so hunt til your heart is content.

Edited October 23, 2014 by Luke E.

[Wingshooter]

You wouldn't  :stir:  would you? I'm not far from grinding beef. If this had been any of the other neighbors i'd have been grinding beef before they ever noticed one missing but these are good people. I have been thinking about offering him about half what the cow is worth that way I'd get the beef and my food plots back. If The shoes were on the other foot i'd have already killed the damn thing and been waiting impatiently for the processor to call me to pick up my meat. I've got my fingers crossed that this problem will be taken care of tomorrow. The worst thing I could do is send my momma over there. She sure doesn't like for me to get wound up and she has no love for his cows since the came up the the house and trampled and sh!t all over her new grill a few years back. I 'm just hoping things get worked out tomorrow...

Lol. I hope it gets worked out for you soon. If not, it might be neighborly though to invite him over for cookouts on the weekends... return his cow one burger at a time :shrug:

j/k

[Luke E.]

Lol. I hope it gets worked out for you soon. If not, it might be neighborly though to invite him over for cookouts on the weekends... return his cow one burger at a time :shrug:

j/k

Well now, I hadn't thought of that. That might make me feel better about "offing" ol lula bell.

[Grand Torino]

 You wouldn't  :stir:  would you? I'm not far from grinding beef. If this had been any of the other neighbors i'd have been grinding beef before they ever noticed one missing but these are good people. I have been thinking about offering him about half what the cow is worth that way I'd get the beef and my food plots back. If The shoes were on the other foot i'd have already killed the damn thing and been waiting impatiently for the processor to call me to pick up my meat. I've got my fingers crossed that this problem will be taken care of tomorrow. The worst thing I could do is send my momma over there. She sure doesn't like for me to get wound up and she has no love for his cows since the came up the the house and trampled and sh!t all over her new grill a few years back. I 'm just hoping things get worked out tomorrow...

Beef.....it's what's for dinner......just sayin'. ;)

[ShaunM]

I'm sure you will. Is it here in the county or do you travel outside of the county to hunt?

One of spots is here in the county. The other one is in Woodbury. Checked the trail cameras and I've got 2 big bucks out in Woodbury. It's a video. I sent it on facebook for you to see.

[Slappy]

Stupid stupid STUPID!  :wall:  :wall:

 

Yeah, after 18 years of hunting....I make a mistake that likely cost me some backstrap.  

 

So I had a great hunt tonight!  Weather was perfect, wind at my face, clover field thick and lush and deer all over me.  

 

First came out 3 doe.  They came from across the gravel road headed to me.  When they hit about 80 yards out, they alerted to the left and then high tailed it out of there.  I thought, well dang, they were coming right to me...must be a big daddy round the corner!!  

 

About 30 minutes later, 2 nice bucks come from the same area...across the gravel road headed right to me.  They were both 2.5 year old 8 points...one was larger than the other so he might have been pushing 3 years old.  Both trophy's w/ a bow shot for sure!   Nice thick bodies, good racks, just some beautiful animals! Well once they got out to about 75 yards from me...they both alerted to the left and then high tailed it out of there.  

 

I was like BIG BIG DADDY COMING! 

 

Then it hit me...I must have not parked the Polaris quite as concealed as I thought I did.  Sure enough, I walked near to where all 5 deer alerted, and there she was just a sitting right where I parked her.  I mean, this thing is camo and parked behind some sparse brush and about 125 yards away from them....man I feel like an idiot.  

 

Maybe it was a blessing in disguise though because had those doe not alerted and taken off, if one got within bow range I would have taken a shot...and that would have made me miss seeing these 2 bucks....at least thats what I keep telling myself.  :-)   

 

Sometimes I feel like all I learn are lessons! 

Edited October 24, 2014 by Slappy

[Luke E.]

One of spots is here in the county. The other one is in Woodbury. Checked the trail cameras and I've got 2 big bucks out in Woodbury. It's a video. I sent it on facebook for you to see.

 

 Looks like a nice buck, buddy!

[Luke E.]

Stupid stupid STUPID!  :wall:  :wall:

 

Yeah, after 18 years of hunting....I make a mistake that likely cost me some backstrap.  

 

So I had a great hunt tonight!  Weather was perfect, wind at my face, clover field thick and lush and deer all over me.  

 

First came out 3 doe.  They came from across the gravel road headed to me.  When they hit about 80 yards out, they alerted to the left and then high tailed it out of there.  I thought, well dang, they were coming right to me...must be a big daddy round the corner!!  

 

About 30 minutes later, 2 nice bucks come from the same area...across the gravel road headed right to me.  They were both 2.5 year old 8 points...one was larger than the other so he might have been pushing 3 years old.  Both trophy's w/ a bow shot for sure!   Nice thick bodies, good racks, just some beautiful animals! Well once they got out to about 75 yards from me...they both alerted to the left and then high tailed it out of there.  

 

I was like BIG BIG DADDY COMING! 

 

Then it hit me...I must have not parked the Polaris quite as concealed as I thought I did.  Sure enough, I walked near to where all 5 deer alerted, and there she was just a sitting right where I parked her.  I mean, this thing is camo and parked behind some sparse brush and about 125 yards away from them....man I feel like an idiot.  

 

Maybe it was a blessing in disguise though because had those doe not alerted and taken off, if one got within bow range I would have taken a shot...and that would have made me miss seeing these 2 bucks....at least thats what I keep telling myself.  :-)   

 

Sometimes I feel like all I learn are lessons! 

 

 I did the same thing with my 4 wheeler one time hunting a new property that I'd only walked on once. I guess I had looped back around more than I thought and ended up climbing a tree no more than 75 yards from the tree I was in... It happens