From the time they are an egg are in survival mode. Something line 1/100 turkey egg ends up dying of old age
Can’t remember the exact mixture but if you sit them in a boiling concoction of like hydrogen peroxide and bleach and suspend the horns out of the pot you can achieve a very white skull relatively easy. I used our turkey frying pot outside for fear of smell/spilling over but for a budget job it turned out great. European is definitely the way to go, those look great.
To be honest I like the natural staining and yellowish hue more than the bleached white. Eventually may try it though. May hit it with a light clear coat of some kind but haven't looked into it much yet.
Trying out something to see if we can keep the hogs away in spots where we feed. Did a lot of research about exclusion fences and made the decision to build one. I already had several panels we’d used to build a hog trap. So we added a few shorter panels to make entry and exit easier on the deer. We’re a week in so it’s really early to tell, but it’s held up so far.
Im not sure the statistics of it all. North/NW Arkansas has had a large portion denoted on the map for CWD. This year is the first time they've outline a portion of our zone south if us with the CWD advisory. So I have to imagine it's everywhere around us it must be here.
We lost half our hunting land this year after my grandma sold her house/land. Thankfully we still have the lot next to it, which backs up to the pond. My dad went out for the first time over the weekend to load up the corn (which is scarce and expensive as hell down here). He went back yesterday and said everything was gone with tracks everywhere. Season opens Monday and I'll be sitting and waiting
Bit the bullet this year and bought a crossbow, ditched my compound. Two past shoulder surgeries, I wasn't happy drawing back and holding the compound. Really looking forward to archery season this year. (Oct 1st opener up here in Pa.) Busy zeroing and practicing. Side note:Luminocks are awesome.
I’m not sure I could handle being in a treestand next week. Between the mosquitos, gnats, and humidity, the thought seems miserable. Now, if I had a shooter patterned and was fired up about it, I’d figure out a way to manage it.
My fiancee sent this picture this morning and said this how she imagines the conversation going... Buck: "Do you want anything for breakfast?" Doe: "No, I'll just have a bite of whatever you get"
Starting to put out some cameras to see what is roaming around, and this got me fired up. Might be a buck we’ve been chasing for a couple years. Not quite sure yet. The other is a younger buck with very similar genetics and antler characteristics to the second buck I killed last year. He’s gonna get a pass this year, but it’s fun to see them with this kinda potential.
Wasn't really sure where to post this question... but how much does "blue'ing" an antique firearm decrease the value of the gun? Purchased a Winchester model 94, manufactured in 1915. Good condition, but wasn't sure how much it hurts the value.
Finally got it done with a bow this past Friday. Been really hunting hard with the bow the past few seasons and just couldn’t close the deal. And I ended up doubling up with my buddy. It’s really hard to kill one with a bow. It seems pretty rare for you and your buddy to kill with a bow the same day in Alabama. He’s at least 4.5, which is what we’re pushing for with our bucks. I have pics of him from the past two years as a straight 6 point.
Wasn't planning on shooting a buck this year, but if I see this big fucker he's going down. It's been so dry this year. Rained last weekend and all the activity spiked. He's been tearing up the woods since and put the biggest rub on a tree I've ever seen and some really aggressive scrapes kicking dirt like 10ft away.
My sister in law got on the board a couple of weeks ago with this buck. My brother had been watching him every night and put her in perfect position.
Lol, that motherfucker has killed more big deer than anyone I know. He can afford to spread the wealth.
I forget what year my model 94 is but I would never consider bluing it. Just gonna let nature take its course.
Well shit boys and girls, unless I'm reading the on-line database wrong I should have a 1897. Yes/No?
Neither went more than 50 yards. Both were solid lung hits with complete passthrough. 1 1/8 fixed broadheads, 385 grain total weight bolts at about 290-300fps. (GRZ2 is a "slow" crossbow rated at 305fpswith 350 grain total weight bolts.) I don't think either would have been passthrough with my compound bow.
With any sort of bow hunting, if you want the animal to die close, just give it time. If you think it’s a good shot, give it at least an hour before tracking. If you think the shot was questionable, give it up to 24 hours depending on how bad of a shot it may have been. Personally, if you’re physically able to pull enough weight, I believe you should use a compound bow. It’s a different experience to go full draw on a deer than it is to raise and shoot a crossbow. At the end of the day though, just get out there and hunt however you’re most comfortable. GL to all you people out there getting after it.
Agreed on letting them lay down, particularly if they run out of sight. I hunted with a compound for almost 30 years, but two shoulder surgeries later I don't enjoy pulling back enough weight to be comfortable letting an arrow fly at a deer. Crossbow added maybe 5-10 yards to my max range, but they still have to be close enough to hear them crunching on acorns to shoot. There's nothing like fall in the deer woods...
Just missed an 8point. I've been sitting out here like a idiot this morning with this wind from Nicole trying to come in. I finally said screw it and started walking to the car. About halfway there, a doe runs out from just in front of the car. I said oh well and continued to walk to the car. As I'm putting my stuff away, I said to myself, you know, I may go back just for a little bit. About that time 2 8points walk out in front of me about 20-30 yards away on the same trail of the doe. I throw up the gun, one takes off immediately and the other stands there for a second and just as I was ready to pull the trigger he starts to run off too. Goes about 150 yards away into the field and stops. I get my cross hairs on him again and as I pull the trigger, he runs again. Missed just left of him as turned to the right. Now I'm back in the stand laughing at myself knowing they ain't coming back.
Ugh tough break. Always a tough decision after you've spooked them to sit there and pray they double back.
So I've been thinking about getting a crossbow. I've never hunted that way or with a bow before but I figured if I did it, cross bow would be a good start. I have some gift cards to Bass Pro and noticed they had one for $250. Clearly it's the cheapest thing they have. It's the Killer Instinct 405. Has anyone ever used one or have any recommendations on cross bows? I'm not looking to spend a lot of money for something like this that I've never done.
I’ve never used a crossbow. To each his own, but I enjoy hunting with a bow. As a general rule in bow hunting, pay now or pay later. I would imagine the same is true with crossbows.
Took that 6 point that taunted me all last season. His body filled out but rack was just taller and narrower. He hung out for 10 mins or so before he went back into the woods, a few minutes later he came back. Maybe 120-140 yard shot. Weighed 172 lbs
Was getting antsy ~10 days into the season on Monday. Had seen several doe, none that I loved the size on, and the big buck jumped out on them my 2nd morning in the stand and spooked everyone. Saw the big one lurking through the woods a few times but he never got close enough for a solid shot and often never even broke stride walking around me in 2 different stands. So anyway Monday morning was nice and frosty, and my uncle has shot a doe the morning before in the same stand. Saw 2 doe trot through fairly quickly and was hoping they were getting chased. Buck stepped out maybe 5 minutes later and paused so I shot. Knew it was smaller as soon as it went down. Wish it had been different but was nice to have meat in the freezer. Ended up being an interesting little offset 4pt.
Went out this morning after a full 24 hours of rain. Also supposed to be high activity if you follow solunar calendars. Anyway the big boy of the woods this year showed up and yet again quickly slipped through before I could get a shot. But thankfully about 10 minutes later he circled back through from the other direction. Unlike the 4 pt who fell where he stood, this one took off. But I heard him fall on a nearby ridge. Had a solid blood trail. Came up on him like this. Ended up being a 9 pointer. Had only been able to see 8 on the trail cam. 2 bucks, 2 bullets, and I'm tagged out on antlered deer for the year. Solid week of hunting. As you can tell, it was a little steamier this morning.
As an aside, that's my 3rd deer with that 30-30 and I love it. All 3 down with one shot and just feels so intuitive? Comfortable? To shoot. The bullet from the 4pt is buried in a small tree, was a through and through lung shot. The 9pt was a lung shot but ended up in a front leg bone. Dug the bullet out but misplaced it. So bummed would have been cool to put with the euro mount.