2023 Deer Season

[NewRuger41]

How is Whitetail 2023 for everyone so far?

Any "one that slipped away" stories yet?

Any unexpected didn't plan on seeing that in the woods?

Meat in the freezer?

Good luck and safety with everyone this season!

 

[ChrisRhodes]

Took a mule deer 3 days ago.

 

[contender]

Only archery here right now. Muzzleloading starts Saturday. Firearms isn't until the 18th. Getting close.

 

[NewRuger41]

Took a mule deer 3 days ago.

Awesome!!!

 

[NewRuger41]

Only archery here right now. Muzzleloading starts Saturday. Firearms isn't until the 18th. Getting close.

Which state? Are you archery primitive or modern firearms?

 

[The Happy Kaboomer]

2 Bks in freezer............8 more weeks of season to go. Passed on a lot small bks. Will probably hammer does in Dec.

 

[Mobuck]

The primary blasting season begins Nov 11. We often are hunting bucks only during the first week but the kids sometimes get itchy and shoot whatever happens in range. Primary doe removal begins 12/2 and the final tag filling 'alternative methods' season starts 12/23--that's when any tags left in pocket get used.
Last year, I filled my buck quota within the first 2 hours of hunting and became a guide/doe shooter for rest of season.

 

[contender]

I'm in NC,, and our archery season includes most forms of arrow slinging devices. Then,, when muzzleloading season opens,, we'll have a few weeks of that,, but are still allowed archery equipment to be used. When the regular firearms season opens,, we are allowed all (3) types. Archery, muzzleloader, or firearms. Our firearms include rifle, handgun & shotgun.

 

[Seminole Wind]

I had a buck slip away last week. I was in a treestand and several does were feeding on acorns around me. I caught glimpses of a shooter buck harassing the does, and right at last light he passed through a shooting lane. I tried to put the red dot on my revolver on him but the dot was too bright for the low light and I didn't feel confident in the shot. I'm switching to scope sighted revolvers for afternoon hunting.

 

[NewRuger41]

A doe and two bucks for my boy and I so far 2023.

I found a scrape area a while back and we started watching it. Had 3-4 bucks coming in dropping their cologne at "scrape central" as I call it. Does, bucks, yote, bobcat and even turkey all coming to this lolocation. Glad I set a trail camera there. Awesome footage of the bucks scraping.

We went for our opening on a Sunday. Slept in the van overnight and dressed outside the van around 6 AM. I was in a climber around 7 AM with my boy on the ground below me. Grabbing a few more Zzzz. LOL. The sound of his .243 firing woke him and he just saw the doe turning 180 degrees heading out before piling up maybe 20 yards away. She was a good size doe. I waited before harvesting her to make certain she did not have a fawn or a yearling with her.

After processing her on a tarp on the ground it was shy of 11 AM. Gorgeous Sunday. We decided to stay and play in the woods. We filled a pack with food, drink, first aid, a set of antlers (for my boy to rattle) and I brought one of the does tarsals as a cover scent for us, as well as his .243 rifle. No expectation to hunt but good to have with us. I was taking my boy to another scrape area I call "Buck Alley". We were halfway up the ridge when two doe sprinted in below us alongside the creek bed. I told my boy bucks are chasing ain't no other reason those girls come running in that fast. And they literally stopped and looked right at us. LOL. Buck 1 comes running in and 1 doe vacates ASAP! Other girl still looking at us then buck then us. He us staring at her. So great for my boy to see this! Her eyes said PLEASE SHOOT HIM! LOL. Then 3 more bucks come down far ridge and she bolts. Off they all go. I give my boy the antlers from our pack and he works on rattling them. Between the rattling and the doe tarsal it wasn't long. Heard commotion above us on ridge. Doe comes down toward us then trots off. Soon after we hear a lot of noise and I tell my boy that is a buck, get ready. Sure enough here comes charged up Buck and right down beside us maybe 30 feet to our right as we sit on the ridge in street clothes clear as day. LOL. One tracked mind during the rut! BAM goes the .243 and our opening day now has a buck to add to our doe.

This past Sunday I had to get out since the rut is on. I climbed up my climber near scrape central and bleated off and on for about 1 hour. In comes this thick boy, super stinky rut musk!!! Nice quartering away shot. Went about 30-35 yards before dropping. I just about had him vertical on my gambrel for processing when the line snapped! Grrrr! So another tarp processed deer.

 

[contender]

NICE ones!!!!!!!!

 

[Seminole Wind]

I had a buck slip away last week. I was in a treestand and several does were feeding on acorns around me. I caught glimpses of a shooter buck harassing the does, and right at last light he passed through a shooting lane. I tried to put the red dot on my revolver on him but the dot was too bright for the low light and I didn't feel confident in the shot. I'm switching to scope sighted revolvers for afternoon hunting.

He didn't slip away this time. 8 point buck with FA 454.

 

[NewRuger41]

@Seminole Wind pics of entrance hole / wound area? I haven't used a 454 for whitetail, curious as to damage.

 

[Seminole Wind]

@Seminole Wind pics of entrance hole / wound area? I haven't used a 454 for whitetail, curious as to damage.

This buck was within 10 yds of my stand so the shot angle was almost straight down. The entrance took out his spine and exited low just behind his shoulder. The damage to his spine, top of lungs and ribs on exit was massive. The 300 gr Swift did a super job.

 

[contender]

Kudos!

 

[Mobuck]

We're out the door in about an hour.
I had to make a trip to town yesterday for parts and the influx of hunter dudes was tumultuous. Stores were awash with non-locals collecting stuff they'd left at home. The 'guns and ammo' counter @ Wally had a waiting line far down the aisle.
Funny and bit disturbing was my encounter with a couple of 'older ladies' at Burger King. As I approached the door, an older lady opened her car door and asked if I'd escort them into the restaurant "because it was full of young men in camo and they weren't sure it was a good place for 2 unescorted women to enter". HOLY CRAP, I had no idea that this was a problem but I assured them they were as safe as they could possibly be and escorted them inside.
I guess this is a lesson for us to think on. I/we never travel in camo(or hunting type clothes). One reason is: it targets our group and vehicle as having firearms and/or pocket cash. Second reason: It attracts attention from anti-hunters or as in this scenario, folks who feel hunter dudes are undesirables.

 

[contender]

Well, I've been slipping into the woods here for a week now as much as I could. I've passed on some small bucks, (two yesterday,) as I await the ones I'd prefer to invite to dinner. Out the door myself in a few minutes.
I don't have to go to town or whatever,, but I never travel in my woods clothes either. Scent control. To heck with the anti-hunters.

But you did good with the ladies! (I always figured you for a ladies man!)

 

[bedfordboy]

In Bedford county Virginia the deer are as thick as hair on a squirrel. This year they opened doe season in early September followed by archery in October and muzzleloader last Saturday. I wasn't able to get in the woods until this past Wednesday, in my tree for about an hour and a buck and doe came running up the ridge and stopped about 40 yards out, for a split second I thought about shooting the doe but then got a good look at the buck and figured if I don't shoot him one of the neighbors would. The next one has to be a doe but I'm not sure I'll have room in the freezer for any more.

 

[Mobuck]

Not much activity this morning. It was light enough to shoot 20-30 minutes before shooting time and deer had already left the open fields. The boys saw several skipping from one brush patch to another at the north farm but slow at home. Only one button buck that was just too close to pass up. Grouch Attack can't shoot very far so anything @ 100' is not going to walk away.

 

[NewRuger41]

We're out the door in about an hour.
I had to make a trip to town yesterday for parts and the influx of hunter dudes was tumultuous. Stores were awash with non-locals collecting stuff they'd left at home. The 'guns and ammo' counter @ Wally had a waiting line far down the aisle.
Funny and bit disturbing was my encounter with a couple of 'older ladies' at Burger King. As I approached the door, an older lady opened her car door and asked if I'd escort them into the restaurant "because it was full of young men in camo and they weren't sure it was a good place for 2 unescorted women to enter". HOLY CRAP, I had no idea that this was a problem but I assured them they were as safe as they could possibly be and escorted them inside.
I guess this is a lesson for us to think on. I/we never travel in camo(or hunting type clothes). One reason is: it targets our group and vehicle as having firearms and/or pocket cash. Second reason: It attracts attention from anti-hunters or as in this scenario, folks who feel hunter dudes are undesirables.

Our hunting gear stays in cleaned bags until we put them on outside where we are hunting. When done hunting off come the clothes into a different bag for washing. Wearing hunting gear (clothes and footwear) in public to absorb scents of food, gas, etc ... prefer not to.