colescott1

Had mine for 2 years now I think....its starting to freeze up on me when I blow it now. Don't have much faith that when I blow into it, it won't squeak like a mouse. I prefer the HS True Talker.

Target!

"buck jam" Never used ANYTHING before, but got a cheap trail camera and was tired of seeing blank pics and deer butts..... bought a thing of Buck jam from Wally World, and man....the deer have dug a hole coming back to it.

North-Central part of MD. So...what would you say? A young monster in the making? I've got a bunch of other similar size / age looking deer. Here is another one from this week.

Hmmm... maybe 2.5, cause the neck still looks seperate. But, maybe just the pose, but do I see the beginning of sway in the back... thinking could be 3.5 as well.

Geez... couldn't imagine using them for hunting... the squirrels already seem like they weigh 150 lbs without any hearing magnification. Now...find a way to eliminate all "non-deer sounds" and we'd be onto something!!

Wow...seems early to be outta velvet already. He must be a prolific breeder. (Always read that the more they breed, the quicker the drop their antlers in the winter, and sooner they grow/finish and lose velvet). Those are both nice bucks!

I'm guessing this to be a two year old? Decent rack, but looks like a long nose, thin neck, no sway back He'd be my best bow buck, but thinking if I let him go, and he lucks through all the neighbors, he'd start to be a hammer next year. Thoughts?

What a fool! Doesn't that cougar know he's ruining the cape??? How will his taxidermist EVER get that damage fixed? :-)

I wouldn't turn down either, but lean towards the venison. ESPECIALLY when cooking with ground meat. It's so nice to not have to drain the fat when browning the ground. Same with the roasts....not a lot of waste....just pure yummy meat.

97 Dodge Ram has 99,000 miles. (Helps to telecommute since 99!) 2002 Saturn View 130,000 miles. (Hurts wife doesn't, and we also drive that to vacations, and pretty much anwhere we go as a family)

I still say the "sad" part of all this...is that its caused by the bravado that lights up inside when there are big antlers involved. No matter if your walking for miles and miles, or getting dropped off by a friend on an ATV to climb into a ladder stand wearing AP.....its still a heck of a lot more fair chase than the beef / chicken / turkey / farm raised and killed venison you can buy at the grocery store. Mans fascination with antlers on the head has caused this push for bigger, better, faster, more. Would I shot a 10 pt "monster" over a doe if standing side by side? Sure...get the meat and a bonus. But...since I hunt for meat, it doesn't make much sense to me. All this "competition"...whose the better hunter? The guy who spent 6 years patterning an 8pt buck....or the 12 year old who borrowed a rifle, stepped in the woods and dropped a 12pt, 240" typical 10 minutes into the hunt? My answer... WHO CARES!!! Go have fun...doing what you like to do (as long as its legal by state / local laws).

Pope and Young is only for "Record" animals....has nothing to do with managing the herd for acceptable levels... Ie, does, young bucks, etc. Hunting is what you make it. If you only want trophy animals, that are regarded by certain people based on being taken by certain rules, then so be it. If you hunt for the enjoyment, meat, etc, and aren't in it for the horn porn.... that road is always open as well.

I don't compete with anyone...but I do get frustrated when I spend several hours in a stand without seeing anything interesting. My mind tends to slip back to what I "could have" been doing... playing with my son or daughter, etc. They will sometimes accompany me, but not late season when it gets too cold. Its a bad habit, I know.... but I value my time with them a great deal. Show me a fox, or a black squirrel, and all is ok....even if not a deer. But, show me empty woods, and I wonder why I bothered.

You can also figure it this way....2 acres of corn, at just say 120 bushel per acre.... 240 bushel at $4.00 a bushel. If its left, the deer will eat it, so you're looking at several days worth of picking (and then human scent spread throughout every square foot of that 2 acres), or about $1,000 investment to fairly pay the farmer....