Hunting!

[Yooper]

I'm an avid forager/hunter/gatherer and today was the opening day of bow season in Michigan. I got up early, and wasn't very optimistic for a morning hunt but it's supposed to rain and be windy this afternoon/evening and for the next few days. So I went out before dawn to set up.

I've seen about 6-8 different bucks (buck only hunt where I live) but not routinely or during the day very often.

But I did see this beautiful boy on my trail cam three days ago:

So I was hoping to at least see a deer. I saw four- a doe, a spike, and then a forkhorn, and then this guy. He came in FAST- and I barely had time to set up. I took a shot quickly, because he and the smaller buck were getting ready to jostle each other.

And here is the result- my biggest buck taken with my bow.

What a rush it was for me- I rarely even see big bucks and this one had my heart pounding!

 

[jschm19]

Nice buck, to this day my heart still starts pounding even when the small ones walk in. Something about how close they get during bow season. I have to say I'm a fan of the antler point restriction, in my 20+ years of hunting I've seen two nice bucks. Sadly my side of the state is still full of hunters that have the theory "If it's brown it's down." Beautiful deer though, should taste great! You going to do a mount?

 

[jcav]

Great buck Yooper! I bet your heart was pounding when he came in range! Now you'll have all that great venison to look forward to!

John

 

[orionol73]

Congratulations!! Nice Deer Do you have APR's in your county? We are in year 5 i believe and have seen a marked difference! No doe tags at all in your county either? Seems odd!

 

[AkTom]

Very nice.

 

[Yooper]

Nice buck, to this day my heart still starts pounding even when the small ones walk in. Something about how close they get during bow season. I have to say I'm a fan of the antler point restriction, in my 20+ years of hunting I've seen two nice bucks. Sadly my side of the state is still full of hunters that have the theory "If it's brown it's down." Beautiful deer though, should taste great! You going to do a mount?

Yes, just a cap/antler mount for our cabin with the photos of him from the trail cam. He was gorgeous, but I don't have a ton of $$$ to spend for a full head mount. If I was going to do it, this would have been the guy. Not huge antlers, but totally symmetrical, and a gorgeous blonde head.

Congratulations!! Nice Deer Do you have APR's in your county? We are in year 5 i believe and have seen a marked difference! No doe tags at all in your county either? Seems odd!

No doe tags for about three years, even with a bow. And we get either a combo license, which has APR, or a one buck per year per hunter license. We used to be able to take a deer in bow season, and then a deer in rifle season, but not anymore. And our county is being overrun by deer, at least in the south part. We are likely having a city hunt next year just to thin the deer herd. It's weird, but the Natural Resource Commission is mostly political, and not based on biological evidence recommended by the local wildlife biologists (my husband was one of them, now long retired).

 

[Cyclman]

Yooper, you rock life!

 

[Elkobrewer]

Awesome buck congrats Yooper

 

[bkboiler]

Well done!
Time to make some venison jerky (south African method: Biltong). Delicious!

 

[beerlover77]

Nice whitetail!

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Nice shooting Yoop!

 

[smurfjuice]

You always hunt in crocks ?? …

 

[Yooper]

You always hunt in crocks ?? …

Of course smurfy would notice the crocs!

No, I clean the deer in crocs, which wash easily. It was COLD yesterday morning, and I had on wool pants, long johns, and boots.

 

[yeahfairly]

Congrats Yooper...... You are awesome... I love Deer roast cooked with potatoes, carrots and onions and Deer stew..... I usually turn everything but the backstrap into small roasts and stew meat....

Cheers!!!

 

[TwistedGray]

Every time I fly to WV to visit the family I come home with a hindquarter or more

 

[smurfjuice]

Of course smurfy would notice the crocs!

No, I clean the deer in crocs, which wash easily. It was COLD yesterday morning, and I had on wool pants, long johns, and boots.

Of course … good kill

 

[casualbrewer]

Already shot 4 bucks and a doe so far this year. Filling freezer fast!

 

[Hammy71]

Very nice Yoop!

 

[Homercidal]

He's so cute! Sticking his tongue out at the camera like that!