OT; Got My Deer

[Jstpssng]

Originally Posted by 20 20

So many city people{non-hunters pretending} comming into this area and ruining it for the local folks. They're fun to watch with all their fancy new outfits and gismo's though . Hate to say it, but hunting for some of us is comming close to an end, to many bone heads running lose through the woods with guns, shooting at everything that moves. VERY SAD

Yeah, we've already been through that. My father is always giving me s*** because I won't hunt in Southern Me; there may be more deer, but there are also too many people.

You live in a nice area though. While working for myself I spent some time cruising timber and laying out wood every year down around Cranberry Lakeup or sometimes in the Canton area, and in the Boonville region.

With all the dairy farms and open country it always reminded me of what southern Maine USED to look like, before it became a suburb of Boston.


How's the moose population looking down there? Think they'll ever let you hunt them?

[Lineman North Florida]

Originally Posted by RalphVa

Hooved rats seem to be attracted to diesel noise. Had two does and a faun a couple years ago that I'd been trying to dispose of, but every time I saw them they'd skedaddle. One day, I was backing the tractor out and saw the 2 does just down the hill. I just lifted up my 410 shotgun with a slug in it and took one down. The other one just stood there looking at her friend. I didn't have a spare slug; so, I put the tractor in park, jumped off and went into the other garage and got another slug. Loaded it and backed up and proceeded to go downhill. The other one was still there!

So, I lifted the shotgun again and shot it. Didn't get it as solid as the other; so it ran away. Only a little bit though. Found the bones and all from it a week or so later not too far away.

Over 3 years time, I took out 7, 6 and then 2. Been trying to get one last pesky does who seems to be eating everything this year. Have seen her about 3 times without gun in hand. Can't even get a shot at her.

Oh, you're probably wondering about the faun. Saw it near my veggie garden the next day. Took it down with a shot at about 80 yards (410 with slug again). It went down but not dead. I put another slug into its head. Something always drags the fauns away. Have to make sure to drag any bigger rats to areas where the vulturs can easily fly in and out. Within 48 hours, there are only bones.

Ralph

Seems like a shame for that good meat to go to waste,You a vegetarian?

[brin]

He's not a sportsman and definitely not a hunter. A sportsman and a true hunter only shoots for a clean kill and will not stop until he finds a wounded animal...he even said it was later found not far away. and to let the meat waste and call them Rats says a lot.

[Chuck_Lind]

Originally Posted by JDGreenGrass

Here in Maine we normally kill about 30,000 deer in a season. 1,000 of those are 200+ pounds.

This year, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife are predicting a kill of 19,000. Waay down.

The state sort of ticks me off. They manage the heard with a Doe Permit system. The past 2 winters have been hard on the deer. With those 2 winters I feel they have lost total control over the deer numbers here in Maine.

You would think their permit system could maintain a healthy population of deer through just 2 deep winters. NOT.!!!

Deer are now scarce in Maine and don't let anyone tell you different.

Same here in Pennsylvania. Just let the government handle the deer population and you'll see where the insurance companies have lobbied the state to INCREASE the kill.
Why?? Less deer = less insurance claims for car/deer collisions.

[JDGreenGrass]

Originally Posted by 20 20

So many city people{non-hunters pretending} comming into this area and ruining it for the local folks. They're fun to watch with all their fancy new outfits and gismo's though . Hate to say it, but hunting for some of us is comming close to an end, to many bone heads running lose through the woods with guns, shooting at everything that moves. VERY SAD

IMO, this is a complete over-statement.

Deer hunting with blaze orange has got to be one of the safest activities going.

200,000 hunters in the Maine woods and there will be 5 "accidents" in which 4 of them will be self-inflicted. I highly doubt there will be any deaths.

Deer hunting is extremely safe and anyone who dis-agrees is an extremist. I do like your fear words....."boneheads running lose through the woods with guns and shooting at anything that moves."

LMAO.!!

I'm from the country by the way.

[budlite]

Have to agree - most injuries/fatalities here in Alabama are from falling out of tree stands. Last year AL changed from a one buck a day limit to 3 a year, one of which must have 4 or more pts on one side. Still a doe a day in most areas, although some only have 6 weeks of doe season as opposed to 10.

[The Dougster]

Toadhill, depending on the deer population, this is a good plan... My hunters pay me a lot of money to hunt the property.. they are good people that respect us and our property. There all sorts of rules I could put into place but then I'd have to be around to make sure the rules were followed. I don't have the time nor inclination to be someone that has to enforce the rules. Over population is a growing concern and the harvesting of doe is the only real answer. They are keenly aware of my desire to thin the herd of doe. They are keenly aware that if I am unhappy with their efforts to harvest doe, their season WILL be cut short.
Hunting priviledges in Texas is quite expensive and I have many family and friends that would jump at the chance to hunt deer.

[jayste]

Ok fella's. We need to see some of those harvested deer hanging from the FEL's. I personally don't have an FEL but I will get a pic of my next one, hanging in a certain blackjack tree that I use to skin and quarter mine in, and will park the tractor next to it just to make it conform to the thread!

Here in Oklahoma last years total harvest was over 100,000. With the weather, signs of early rut and numbers so far this year may be like it. ODWC is really pushing harvesting doe's and seems everyday of rifle season is a doe day this year as well (for most of the state anyway). I got my first one this year on the second day of archery (Oct.2). We got drawn again this year for the McAlester Army Ammunition Depot so we'll be there next Fri, Sat, and Sun.
Rifle season starts on Nov. 21st so more chances then as well. I guess I should say that our deer here don't average in size as some of you guys' but we seem to have plenty of them. Below is a link to the ODWC's site for harvest totals from years past.

Deer Harvest Totals


Jay

[Thomas]

Jayste.
"We need to see some of those harvested deer hanging from the FEL's"

Our muzzler loader..NH..started 10/31 follow by rifle until first Sunday in Dec.,but you gonner have to wait tad on me,for I did hound the woods hard until week of Thanksgiving,that way I am not ask to walk the mall's etc.

One of easest way of getting deer out of the woods and not even break sweat.

[clemsonfor]

Just took my annual vacation during the rut. Deer season opend here with the bow sept 15, muzzel loader Oct. 1 and rifle oct 11. Monday evening i shot a small 8 point 145lbs about a 2.5 yr old i thought he was older till i got to him. Then on tuesday night i shot an 8 point that was a 9 but has the g4 broken on the left side. He looks at least 4.5 yrs old caped it so i dont have the jaw yet. He was heavy and had chocolate colored horns. I missed a nice 8 or 10 point the sunday before running does in a 4 yr old clearcut. This was all out of the same stand looking over the edge of a 4yr old clearcut. Ill post some pics