Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    Jim,
    
    Nail them, bust em', put the whammy on them!  I know what you mean
    about "going nuts."  I went on opening day of bow season and have only
    been out one other time for an hour in the rain, but I was smiling!
    
    I see deer almost every day on the way to work along the interstate,
    mostly does.
    
    I haven't looked anywhere else for Harris' reply, so "What about it
    Bob?"  Share last weekends hunt with everyone, unless of course you
    have somewhere else.
    
    Coyote Shaddix, put one in too!
    
    Wess

I didn't figure anyone would care to hear about a dry hunt, which is
what I just finished.  5 days, 7 hunters, and not a single shot fired.
Toward the end of the hunt, a local game warden did come around and
tell folks that the local elk herd suffered a 40-50% winter kill.  Maybe
that explains some of it.

Jerry

P.S.  Did I forget to mention that two of our hunters jumped the same
HUGE buck a day after deer season closed?

    OK Wess, here goes.
    
    We arrived at deer camp on Friday, around 1:30.  First thing we did was
    to unload the cooler and open a beer to celebrate the long awaited
    arrival of opening weekend.  After downing half the reebok (kobeer
    spelled backwards) we unloaded the rest of the truck and preceded to
    wait on Lamar and Curtis to arrive so we could make one trip to put up
    stands. 
    
    We got the stands put up before dark and went back to change into some
    dry cloths since it started pouring about time we arrived to my stand
    site.  After supper we sat around the fire and told stories (BS) and
    talked about who would kill the biggest.  I turned around 10.
    
    The alarm went off at 5 and there was a slow rain falling.  I heard Bob
    ask  Lamar if we would hunt in the rain or sleep in.  We got up and
    started breadfast.  After eating we headed out to our stands before
    daylight.  I arrived at my stand about 5 minutes before daybreak.  I
    finally saw deer at around 8:30.  The sky was so dark from overcast and
    combined with the heavy canopy of trees I didnt see the deer til they
    were 20 yards away.  2 bucks. A spike and a 3 pt.  They came within 15
    yards of my tree.  One stopped a took a pi**.  I decided to have some
    fun so I pulled out my grunt and hit it a couple of times.  Boy did
    that get their attention.  After messing with them for about 5 minutes
    they decided to hit he trail.  They turned 130 degrees and put it in
    high gear.  They didnt want to have anything to do with the big buck
    that was grunting.
    
    Around 9:30 I heard Lamar shoot.  He grunted in two 8 pts, one was a
    young deer but the other was nice. The deer weighed 175 live weight. 
    At camp Lamar decided to cook one of the hind quarters for supper so
    Bob and myself started cutting up some hickory for the fire.  Lamar
    seasoned the quarter with everything he could find and then asked me if
    we had any sausage.  I replied that we did and he said get it.  He made
    four to five cuts,  three inches deep and three inches long on each
    side of the quarter and packed it full of the sausage.  He then wrapped
    it in foil and we put it on the grill.  I had decided to not hunt the
    afternoon hunt and stay at camp and keep the coals of hickory going and
    maybe have a reebok or two.  After three hours on each side the deer
    ham was ready.  It was fantastic.  The best I've every eaton.  Wish you
    could have been there.  All the other members came over from their camp
    and we all talked for a while before it was time to turn in.
    
    Arrived at my stand at daylight on Sun and was hoping for a good hunt. 
    At 8:00 I looked to my left and saw a coyote approaching.  He stopped
    and turned to go back the way he came.  I picked up my gun and as soon
    as the cross hairs hit him I fired.  He never even heard the gun shot. 
    Man does that winchester shoot sweet.  That concludes the wildlife I
    saw on that mornings hunt.
    
    We packed up and headed home, but we'll be back.
    
    Happy Hunting.  
    
    COYOTE SHADDIX
    

    EARL,
    
    SAY IT ISN'T SO!  BOB ASKED IF HE SHOULD HUNT OR SLEEP IN!!!!
    
    THAT DEER SOUNDED SO GOOD MY MOUTH IS WATERING.  I MAY HAVE TO TRY
    THAT ONE OF THESE DAYS.
    
    GOOD JOB ON BUSTING THE COYOTE.  
    
    HOPEFULLY I CAN GET OUT SATURDAY MORNING EITHER FOR SOME DOE HUNTING
    WITH MY BOW OR COYOTE HUNTING WITH RIFLE.
    
    GOOD LUCK
    WESS

    Hey Wess, I cannot reply to your title of the previous note, because
    this is a non profane enivronment.  However, I think you know what I
    might say.
    
    Now.  Let's get the story straight, ok Earl?
    
    Who was the last one out of bed Saturday morning?  I can't believe
    you heard what I said over all YOUR snoring.  Damn straight I'm not
    going to hunt when it's pouring rain.  I got brains.  Why hunt in the
    cold, and wet.  Why did we build a deck?  I got all season.  
    
    If you all think you are sick of my countdowns until deer season, Earl
    had a greaseboard in his cube that actually went down to hours!  And
    then he was the last one out of bed Saturday morning, and the first
    one in bed Friday night.  Did Earl get his beauty sleep?  No, he is
    still ugly as can be.
    
    Enough kidding now.  I rattled in a deer Saturday morning, but the wind
    changed directions, and it caught wind of me.  No sighting.
    
    Saturday evening, I went hunting.  Earl did not.  Who wears the skirt
    now?  Anyway, I rattled at about 6:15, and soon as I put the rattlin
    bag down, I turned and looked into the cotton field, spotting a buck
    cutting through.  As I was reaching for my rifle, I was watching the
    buck.  He was thirty yards away, walking directly away from me. 
    Rearview only.  He had about a 20" spread.  Nice main beams.  Could not
    determine points.  By the time I got the rifle up, he was gone.  I saw
    him for about 5 seconds, total.
    
    I hunted the same stand Sunday morning, and saw nothing.  It's ok. 
    This is doe day weekend, and we will fill the freezer up this weekend.
    
    
    I'll remember your comments Earl, for our next hunting update note, ok
    pal?
    
    
    Bob"Who will sleep in his nice comfortable sleeping bag if it is
    raining bigtime"
    
    

    Bob
    Just like I told you at deer camp, it doesn't matter if I was first to
    bed on Friday night and last to get up on Saturday morning, I was in
    the truck, going to my stand with everybody else.  Besides, there wasnt
    any room for me to get up and get ready with you and Lamar taking up
    half the cabin.  In regards to the skirt, I saw 2 bucks and you saw 1. 
    Enough said on that subject.
    
    Coyote Shaddix                        
    
    

    Yeah, but my buck was bigger than yours!  Quality, not quantity BABE!
    
    Enough of this rathole pissin contest.  Back to the program.  I can't
    take it anymore!
    
    
    Bob
    

    Guys,
    
    Thanks for the laugh, I needed it today.
    
    Anyone ever seen a teal land in a cedar tree?  I saw one yesterday on
    the way home flying down the interstate all alone.  He veered off to
    the side and went right into a cedar.  I was so surprised that I almost
    slammed into a semi that was stopped beside the road, I had better keep
    my eyes on the road!
    
    We are supposed to get a cold snap this weekend, it should put the deer
    into overdrive!  
    
    Anyone getting out?

    
    My two brothers and I all have next week off for vacation which for
    the 3 of us covers opening week of muzzleloader in New Hampshire and
    also for me the first week of Bow season in Massachusetts if I tag 
    out like last year. Tough choice to have tags and seasons open at 
    the same time.
    
                                                  Good Huntin',
    
                                                     Guy
    

    You want a laugh.  Here goes.  Earl and myself are headed out to deer
    camp afterwork.  It is doe day weekend.  Well, the truck was loaded
    down last night, and I hooked up the camper this morning.  Driving down
    the road, I hit a pothole, and SCREEECH!  The camper came off the
    hitch, and was scratching the hell out of the road.  Thank god for
    safety chain hookup!
    
    Well, I pulled over and hooked it up CORRECTLY!  Should have done that
    the first time.  Anyway, we are going to have rain tonight, ending
    tommorrow.  Windy tommorrow.  High's in the 40's, lows in the 30's.  My
    neck is so swollen, I am in full rut.  My hocks are jet black all the
    way to my ankles.
    
    Good hunting.
    
    Bob
    

Guy,

Mass bow opener Monday, and i'm seeing some nice deer in NH, but just 
out of bow range...  I have monday and tuesday off... who knows, if I 
whack one in mass monday morning, i just may head to NH for an evening
stand... ;^o  ya right, I should be so lucky!!

Good looking sign in both places...  i'm running out of tree stands... ;^)
Here's to an eventful weekend for everyone!!!

God, I love this time of year!!!

Fra

    New Englanders,
    
    I picked up a copy of this months Buckmasters and 3 "New England" bucks
    were featured.  One from Maine, New Hampshire, and Conn.  Boy, were
    they nice!  Two of the tree are now State records, all were shot last
    year!  I wish I could just see one that big, of course chances of
    seeing one that big are probably 1 in 100,000.
    
    My buddy called me last night breathing so hard I though he just got
    off the phone from a 900 number.  He said he went out to the cornfield
    to do some scouting and happened to take his bow.  As he rounded the
    corn(which butts up to an alfalfa field) he spotted a big buck staring
    right at him.  He froze and the deer continued to stare, from 75 yards.
    He said after about 5 minutes the deer put his head down and started to
    feed.  He then slipped into the standing corn a couple of rows and
    started sneaking closer.  He said he closed the gap to about 45 yards
    when the deer looked the other way.  He decided to move over 1 row to
    better conceal himself for the final 10 yard sneak when the big deer
    swung around and stared right at him, of course catching him with one
    foot off of the ground.  He said he held it for a minute or two and
    finally had to put it down, when he did the buck blew and ran off.
    He guessed the deer to have about an 18" inside spread with heavy mass.
    
    Now I feel like I just called the 900 line!
    
    Good luck,
    Wess

    I can't wait til Monday, either. I've been seeing deer pretty 
    regularly during scouting missions and my bow is shooting the
    broadheads better then my fieldpoints. I'm just starting to see
    rubs but no scrapes. Withen a week they should be more active. I've
    decided to try rattlin' and a gruntin' this year. Should be 
    interesting. Good luck Fra and the rest of you Bozos 8^)
    
    
                                        Butch
    					

>          <<< Note 1313.2 by CSC32::J_HENSON "Who elected Hillary?" >>>
>                            -< not much to report >-

>I didn't figure anyone would care to hear about a dry hunt, which is
>what I just finished.  5 days, 7 hunters, and not a single shot fired.
>Toward the end of the hunt, a local game warden did come around and
>tell folks that the local elk herd suffered a 40-50% winter kill.  Maybe
>that explains some of it.

>Jerry

	Uh, must be the same state I hunted in.  I went with two groups of 3
to area 23, southwest of Meeker, CO, and we didn't see any elk.  The packing
plant reported 40-60 percent fewer elk coming in during the 1st and part of the
2nd season.  Rumor had it that heavy first season snows pushed them all very 
low.

	We were tripping over doe mule deer for the first three days (buck 
season), and while I had a doe permit, decided not to take one for logistical 
reasons (it was hot out, and a nasty 2-hr. drive to Meeker).  Needless to say, 
right after buck season ended, the moon popped out over clear skies, and we 
couldn't even drum up a stinkin' doe until it snowed on Thursday night.  Then, 
all three of us got doe Mulies on Friday, with 4" of snow.  Mine was very 
small, but the shot was well-placed at 50 yards and the kill was very humane.  
Offhand shots are tougher than rested ones, for sure!  Being only my second
hunting trip, I was pleased with the gun and my ability to use it.  All I had
to aim at was a head with a big set of ears ;-)  Heavy aspen and tall grass 
hid the rest.

	The camping and 4WD weather was great, though, although still rather
grueling.  If you want things to break, just take them elk hunting.  Beautiful
scenery, of course, with hawks, owls, porcupines, field mice, chipmunks, and
all the great things you expect to see while hunting.  Wonderful smelling aspen
forests and thick hoarfrost provide other sensory enjoyment.

	So, while I don't have a cow elk hanging anywhere, it was a successful
hunt by my definition.  Beats the heck out of another day in the office!  And
I now have 51 weeks to plan for next year.  Am I that stupid as to go again?
Probably.

	Good luck to the rest of you.


Steve

    The deer were on the move yesterday.  On the way in I saw 4 does and on
    the way home I saw 4 does and 2 bucks.  The first buck I saw I just got
    a glance, and slammed on the brakes.  I backed up and watched him for
    about 20 seconds from 60 yards.  He was about 160-170lbs est with about
    a 14 inch spread.  The spread wasn't overly wide but the tines were
    really long and thick.  His neck was swelled up and he had his nose to
    the ground in hot pursuit.  I'm glad I didn't have my bow in the car,
    because I probably would have tried something stupid.
    
    The second buck was about 130lbs est with a small rack.
    
    Our gun season comes in Saturday, I'm going to take my .50cal flinter
    out and try to pop a doe.  
    
    
    Good Luck to everyone going out.
    Wess