CamoGuy

I would yell at them and then prepare to shoot. Amazing how often a running deer will stop and look at you if you yell at them.

I like your idea for the clothes pin. I have always used a film canister and cotton balls, but I always just wedged them inbetween a tree limb or set them on the ground. The clothes pin is a good idea. I will add that 35mm film canisters are getting hard to come by since digital cameras have taken over. A nice option is a medicine/pill bottle. Check with your local pharmacy, most will sell you a few unused bottles for a minimal price of .50 or .75 cents each. If they have the dark blue ones they are better as they block out light which causes the urine to break down into amonia quicker.

Looks like I am the only Jennings shooter in here... Jennings Buckmaster. Factory set at 72#. Bought it the first year they came out. Only weighs 4 pounds and I still get pass-throughs on every shot, so I see no need to spend $1k on a new bow that is 10-15FPS faster.

I would go with Muzzy's. In spite of what some may think, there is a slight loss of kinetic energy (penetration power) with mechanicals. That split second that it takes for the blade/arrow to slow down slightly as the broadhead opens translates to less penetration. If you were shooting a 70# bow then it becomes moot, but when shooting a short draw with a lower poundage you are taking a double hit (loss of energy from a smaller arrow and loss of energy from a slower arrow). That translates into less penetration. Then if youi are taking shots that are 25-30 yards you have an arrow that is traveling even slower on impact which can result in the aforementioned "flopping arrow". I came up with even lower numbers than hoosierhunter. I am guessing that your bow is around 300FPS. Using a 25.5" Flatline 500 with a 100 grain broadhead you will only have an actual arrow speed of 263FPS and kinetic energy of 40.73. By most standards, that is pretty low for mechanicals.

I always recommend the Super Aluminator by Mad Calls. Good range, works well with a waterproof striker and is easy to use. I have used the same Super Aluminator for over 10 years now. It is my one and only call that is always in my vest.

Any bear in your area? I had a bear tear mine off of the tree and carry it away.

I would be more concerned with wind direction. If either of you are hunting in a location that the wind is carrying your scent into the area or near the other person then you are killing the other person's chances. When my brother-in-laws and I hunted together we commonly set up within 100 yards or less of each other, but we always made sure to be aware of where we expected the deer to be/come from in relation to our scent stream.

Luckily our opener is on a Saturday. On the downside, I moved a few years ago and have yet to find a good hunting spot close to home.

I hate to point this out, especially on this particular forum, but the hunting related companies have contributed to the whole concept that you are unhappy with. Every year there is a new camo pattern that guarantees you will not be spotted by your prey, a new bow that is .0000000001 seconds faster, a new broadhead that is sharper and more aerodynamic than any other, a new hunting boot that is more comfortable, a new scent that draws them in better than any other, a new call that attracts only the biggest of bucks...and as hunters we literally buy into it. Adding to the problem, every outdoors personality is so busy selling these products and telling you how much better of a hunter they make him or her that you rarely if ever hear any mention of the importance of shot placement. Long gone are the days of Dan Fitzgerald being happy to take a 2-year-old doe. Rarely do you hear a "Jimminy Christmas!!" like that of Roger Raglin after dropping a buck in his tracks with one shot. Instead you hear the famous personalities lamenting that their deer will "only" measure around 150 or you see them shoot the deer in the moring but not recover it until almost dark with no mention of the fact that it was gut-shot. Yes, you can blame the hunters if you want, I blame their heroes and the companies that those heroes represent. They are the role models that set the standard and rarely do they set much of a standard.

I am very jealous. Every since I was a teen I have always dreamed of an archery elk hunt. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

I was just wondering if anybody else has had any run-ins with Mr. Murphy, the creator of Murphy's Law, like I have? Opening day I got on a hot tom that was gobbling all on his own. I closed the distance from 1 mile to less than 150 yards in 5 minutes, all the while he gobbled every 15-30 seconds. Just as I was getting to the spot I wanted to sit down at my foot slipped a little bit on a rock, made a low clunking noise and the jig was up. He never gobbled again. Fast forward to this past Saturday. I hunted hard all morning without hearing a single peep. Just after 1PM (hunting in WV ends at 12 noon) I was driving down the road. I looked over and standing 25 feet from the side of the road in a wide open field was a huge tom with a 10-12 inch beard. He was just standing there...mocking me. :angry:

Been shooting 72# for 11 years and my shoulder is fine. I have no problem drawing it and can hold it at full draw for about 3 minutes with no problems.

I hit a 6 point buck in that exact spot about 6 years ago. He left a minimal blood trail that disappeared after 150 yards and I saw him in the field 3 days later eating. It is possible.

Sway back and pot belly says 5.5 to me. I would guess 150ish for a score, might gross over 160 but will net 150 or a bit less IMO

That is going to be one heck of a nice buck (nicer than now LOL).

Hehe, no but I was considering trying to camoflage myself as a broke-down pick-up tho.

I have an account with Cabela's and have purchased tree stands from them and had them delivered to my house, so I know they will deliver here. However, I have no intentions of buying a Black Hole block. I see no reason to put money in their pocket after this. As it stands now I will have to pay for priority shipping to get a different one here in time for my son's birthday.

Mineral blocks work well. I have never had an issue with deer flipping them over or them melting away tho. However, I would like to mention that the cattle may be an issue with the mineral block as well. A herd of cattle can consume a 40 lb. block in just a few days time.

I am not product bashing here, just wanted to give everyone a heads-up. I have no problem with the product, just the people. If you live in a rural area and your street address is not in the 123 Main Street format, Black Hole Targets will not deliver to you. I live on a farm in the countryside and my address is a Rural Route address and they refuse to deliver to me because they don't deliver to rural route addresses. If your address includes the word BOX, they will not deliver it to you. They only deliver to addresses like 427 Jones Drive or 2998 Burns Lane. I called the customer service guy and he tried to say that UPS won't deliver to my address. When I pointed out that UPS delivered a burner for my stove just last week he got snippy and insinuated that I was friends with the driver and that was why he delivered to me (I don't know the driver BTW). When I pointed out that FedEx also delivers here he then backtracked and said their company policy is to not deliver to Box addresses. Just wanted to let everyone know so they don't have to deal with the bull of this company. If you plan on buying a target on-line, go elsewhere. The target was to be a birthday gift for my son but I guess that is out the window. I am very disappointed that a company like them has such ignorant business practices.

gobblerbane08 - I will be bowhunting. Update: I saw him again today. I just happened to be passing thru the area this morning for another reason. It was 9:23AM. I was watching the median as I passed by and I just happened to turn and look to my right (North side of the interstate) and there he was about 200 yards away slipping along the treeline that borders a big overgrown field. I stopped on the way back and took a closer look at the ravine. There are two drainages but both are dried up. The clump of trees could be a bedding area but seeing him along the edge of the brushy field in late morning makes me think that he may be bedding there instead and the grass in the median is just a preferred food source right now. Crossing my fingers hoping he doesn't get hit while crossing the road. I am going tomorrow to knock on some doors and see who owns the field and see if I can get hunting permission.

I always read in magazines about the guy who spotted a monster buck that ran across the road or he saw it in the headlights and then later he killed it. Well I am half-way there. Now I just have to kill it Yesterday evening right around sunset, I was driving home from taking the wife and kids back-to-school shopping. We are on the interstate and had just crossed into our home county. I had seen several does and fawns along the road so I was rubber-necking trying to spot more. I look to the left and in the median stands a 150 class 10 point still in velvet. It is just an assumption but I can imagine that buck spending the bulk of his life right there between the east and west bound lanes. The median at this spot is big. Probably 150 yards across to the other side and a good mile long with some medium sized trees, a big patch of brush and a few ravines. There is a large grassy area that is 2-3 acres, the brush and trees cover another good 2 acres and one of the ravines most likely has a small stream in it as the area is known for being a little swampy. He could have the perfect nirvana right there. He may never leave the area except during the rut. I am going to go back and sit and watch from a distance and see if I can spot him again and see where he comes from. All of the property around there is private so I still have some hurdles to overcome but if I can find him again and get permission to hunt, I think I know where I will be spending much of the season at.

I was going to suggest that as well. Your camera should connect directly to your computer via a USB cable. The cable should have came with your camera when you bought it.

Thinking of getting a new bow and handing my Buckmaster over to my son. I am really intrigued by the new Limbsaver Deadzone. Anybody own one or tried one out yet?

I shoot a Jennings Buckmaster with split limbs and have no problems. from what I have seen, there is no real difference in speed, accuracy or silence.

Typically, by October summer bachelor groups of bucks have broken up into smaller groups of young bucks and single mature bucks. Mature bucks will not tolerate other bucks as the rut approaches because the other bucks are seen as competition for breeding rights. Expect things to change dramatically around mid-to-late September. The food plot should still be somewhat attractive to them in early October but first frost will most likely change their desired food source as alfalfa starts to die out after a good freeze.