Good Luck!!!!

[retrieverman]

Just got set up for a quick evening hunt. I was instructed not to shoot anything because we have to plan out a haunted house for her school.

So, this will probably be evening I get one.

I hate cleaning deer in the dark, so it’s got to be a “boomer” before I shoot one on an evening hunt.

 

[dennishoddy]

Just got set up for a quick evening hunt. I was instructed not to shoot anything because we have to plan out a haunted house for her school.

So, this will probably be evening I get one.

How did it go? I alway kill a good one when leaving my knives or dragging equipment at home, and catch the most fish when leaving the dip net home.
Its called Murphy's law I think.

 

[SnowCamo]

How did it go? I alway kill a good one when leaving my knives or dragging equipment at home, and catch the most fish when leaving the dip net home.
Its called Murphy's law I think.

That's the way it goes. I've gotten pretty good at shooting them before Thanksgiving dinner.

Tonight I had a 9 point trail a couple doe with a yearling onto my green field. They stayed from 6:20 until dark.
The buck was young but he'll make a heck of a deer in a couple years if the neighbors will let him go.

 

[dennishoddy]

I hate cleaning deer in the dark, so it’s got to be a “boomer” before I shoot one on an evening hunt.

I've cleaned so many it doesn't matter anymore. I do prefer the morning kill for the record though.
A great head lamp does wonders.
I'm not hunting a DMAP anymore. That regimen of having to take it to the barn, weigh it, pull a jaw and fill out the paperwork makes one get home pretty late, then I like to hose them down to clear all the blood/mud off the carcass, then Ice it down for the night.
My processor appreciates it though, and the extra detail might just make it taste better.
The processor gets pretty disgusted at some that bring in a deer covered in mud/leaves/grass and expect a clean product coming back to them that doesn't taste like crap after they don't take the time to properly prepare it. Most processors operate under a low profit margin, so if their help has to clean up an animal that is brought in nasty, they don't spend a lot of time on it and the customer gets bad meat.
Consequently, venison gets a bad rap in some families.

 

[SnowCamo]

I hate cleaning deer in the dark, so it’s got to be a “boomer” before I shoot one on an evening hunt.

We've got a pretty decent cleaning set up so I don't mind shooting them in the evening during rifle or muzzleloader. But I won't shoot late with a bow just because of trailing concerns.

 

[dennishoddy]

We've got a pretty decent cleaning set up so I don't mind shooting them in the evening during rifle or muzzleloader. But I won't shoot late with a bow just because of trailing concerns.

I'll shoot one 30 minutes before the last legal time, but that's it.

 

[Coach_1]

My daughter shot her first deer last season. A doe came in at 12 yards right before dark. Perfect broadside so I told her to take it because it doesn’t get any easier than that. I knew it wouldn’t be a lot of fun in the dark but she let the arrow fly and hit the heart. Waited, tracked it then all heck broke loose in the heavens. Unbelievable rain fall. When we left I was only able to go 35 because of the amount of rain coming down. Made for a long night but was actually fun and worth it though.

 

[makeithappen]

Sunday I didn't get out of the house until much later than I wanted, due to family obligations. I went to setup a new spot for if my daughter wants to go with me.

As I'm setting everything down, I hear turkeys putting 150 yards away. I look at my phone and it's 2pm. I tear off to my truck and grab my bow and ghillie suit. I stalk to 30 yards and they flush before I see them. I trailed for 15 minutes before thinking they were over the property line and went back to clear some brush.

5 minutes later I hear putting again. I grab my bow and ghillie suit, running toward the sound. I setup about 60 yards from where I thought it was, but after a few minutes, I heard nothing.

I'm now frustrated as I'm creeping in on my my deer hunting time and go back to working on the blind.

30 seconds later...Put put put. Fine. I'll try this again. I dress and grab my bow, tearing off into the cedars. I find a spot with a small trail going through the trees and a shooting lane to the opening I knew the birds would use. I didn't have a call with me, so I knelt down and checked yardage. A minute later, I saw a turkey appear at 20 yards. I haven't shot a turkey in 17 years, since I hunted private land in Alabama.

I was shocked as he turned to me and walked the trail. I realized he was on his way to being in my lap as he started trotting. I drew straight into my chest to minimize movement she held. He paused right as he was about to round the cedar I was behind. Put put, turn. Put, turn back. He stuck his head out at 5 yards, but I was waiting for his chest. He turned and I knew he had an exit strategy. I found a hole in the branches and anchored. Add his chest entered the hole, my arrow exited my bow. It knocked him over, but knowing turkey run like hell, I jumped up and ran as he did the same. I was running after usain bolt. He hit a larger open area, made it a total of 30 yards and fell over without a flop.

I couldn't believe it. I just sit a turkey, with my bow, no blind or call, at 5 yards. What an adrenaline rush! 6" beard and mosquito bites for spurs. He's my trophy though!

 

[dennishoddy]

That's a damned trophy!
Good Lord, I love it when a plan works out.
I'm impressed you can hear a putt at 150 yds. I can't hear one 30 yds away, but that's another story.
You had one heck of a hunt today. Congrats!

 

[Okie4570]

Nice congrats on the bird!