MuZZyMomentZ

And just in time for the 2010 bow season opener! He turned out awesome. Got a nice spot picked out on the wall for him!

He's definitely a mature deer, and certainly a unique buck. Mighty tall!

It's really tough to tell anything other than it's a deer with some antler. Pretty thick spot ya got your camera in.

Agreed! Seeing him during shooting light will be the next test. And then of course being presented with an ethical shot. This is my buddies buck to hunt, and I hope he gets him. @Ethan: There are lots of deer on the property with similar characteristics. Most notably an extremely typical side and then the other all gnarly like you said. We have a very unique herd. One that we have been managing for 10 years. Every year we are seeing more mature whitetails, which is a testament to the program. I myself have my eyes on a different monster roaming the hardwoods. I finally get my camera out late Sept. when I head to Oklahoma. Can't wait to see what else it out there!

It's hard to tell for sure with him being in velvet, but I think this buck might go B&C. Props to jerdanmagic, as this was off his camera at one of his stands.

Howdy, I find as the hunting bug continues to grow larger with each passing year I'm putting more effort and time into preseason scouting. Though I don't have access to the property right now, (I'm still living in California, I hunt Oklahoma) someting that I've found to be an invaluable resource is Google Earth and Bing maps "Bird's Eye View". I recently spent some time marking every stand location on the property with Google Earth. By being able to see where every stand is in location to one another, I'm starting to get a better idea of the areas that are the most pressured. Also, by carefully reviewing topographical features (Google Earth will tell you elevations) I've been able to spot numerous pinch points as well as forgotten fingers of woods that have never been hunted. I guess my point is the season has started much earlier for me this year than any other. I feel I have a stronger grasp on the layout of the property, which will allow me to fine tune my infield scouting when I'm able to hit the ground mid next month. Does anyone else use similar tactics in the early season? I can't stress enough how much this has helped me to understand the land that I hunt. Best of all it's free, and if gives you something to do in the months leading up to opening day!

Taken November 12th 2009 Hoyt 38 Ultra, 70lb draw Rage 3 Blade broadheads Shot at 18 yards right at last shooting light. My biggest buck to date.

Thanks a lot my friend. I know a cold snap came through a couple of days ago. They should be moving purty good come gun season. Our DMAPs program is really starting to pay off. We've seen more mature bucks this year than any year in the past.

Hey there folks, it's been awhile since I've posted, but I tend to lurk these forums around deer season every year. Though I live in Los Angeles, I scheduled some time to get out in the woods. I planned for a week long trip, but ended up tagging out on the second evening! The weather has been unseasonably warm in SE Oklahoma where I hunt. We were seeing some rutting activity, though it was mostly smaller bucks doing the chasing. They were fairly unresponsive to the horns, and I only rattled a few times. We saw several large mature deer that were bedded up with does, which I thought was interesting considering how the weather had been and that it was still relatively early in the season. Last Thursday evening I arrived on stand about 2:00PM. I was hunting a small clearing in a finger of woods that serves as a travel corridor between bedding areas and food sources. The sit was uneventful for the first 2 hours, but finally the action began to pick up around 4pm. I had my Hoyt 38 Ultra, Gold Tip arrows, and Rage 3 blade broadheads ready to go. The first deer in front was a lone doe. A short time later a pair of button buck twins made there way out in front of me, foraging on acorns in the nearby woods. A couple more does came by a short time later. The clock had struck 5:15pm and that 'special time' was upon me. The sun had dissapeared beneath the horizon, and I had begun to wonder if I was going to see any bucks at all. A short time later I heard the very deliberate footsteps of a buck coming from the woods behind me. I slowly turned and pinpointed the deer. I nice 2 and half year old 8 point. He wasn't a shooter, but I enjoyed watching him. I was focused on that buck, just enjoying his presence in front of me when I heard more footsteps coming from the same direction. Again I began to scan the woods behind me. The footsteps sounded heavy, and the steady 'crunch, crunch' kept getting closer and closer. When I first caught sight of this magnificent animal he was at 40 yards and closing, circling directly downwind of my stand! I exercise proper scent control when I'm in the woods, showering with scent free soap before getting suited up in my gear. He didn't wind me and circled out right in front at about 35 yards. I wasn't comfortable with the angle he was giving me, and with the young buck directly below me at 12 yards I decided to softly grunt with my truetalker. The big buck looked at the smaller buck and began walking my way! He stopped broadside at 18 yards, I drew my bow, took aim and released. It was literally in the final moments of legal shooting light, and I felt so humbled that the Good Lord had decided to bless me with this animal. Emotions flooded through my body, I tried to catch my breath and settle down. I pulled out my phone and sent out the standard "BBD!" text to those who were in camp. I waited about 15 minutes, and backed out. Upon arrival back in camp my father asked me what he looked like and if there was going to be any ground shrinkage. 'I don't think so' I said. "he's bigger than anything on the wall right now" I knew I had made a quality shot, and upon recovery of my arrow it was completely covered in sign. After waiting about an hour I decided to track him. The finger of woods was about 200 yards wide, and there was good sign once in the woods. It didn't take long to find him, as he was piled up about 50 yards away. Oh to see that white belly and those horns sticking up! He's my biggest deer to date. And he's the biggest ever taken off the property with a bow. I couldn't be happier with the way this season turned out! I had hunted last year and the year before, but didn't see any mature bucks come into range. What a way to break the streak! And here he is folks, my 2009 Oklahoma Archery Whitetail.

Howdy folks. I get a picture message from my father yesterday who is down at the property where we do our deer management program in Oklahoma. Low and behold, as I sat here in California, not being able to make it to the deer stand for gun season this year, these two big boys are shot over this past week. Enjoy. Big congratulations to Curly (left) and Big Farm (right) on these two Oklahoma bruisers! Score speculations?

Re: Bow buck officially scored, disappointment ensues Here he is by the way.

Re: Bow buck officially scored, disappointment ens Like that sig straight shooter. And I hear what you guys are saying, and it's very true. It's not always about the horns, but everyone was telling me he was P&Y and then he didn't make it.. oh well, he's still a great wall hanger!!

Well I got the scores from my first ever bow buck kill today. Unfortunately, he grossed 129", with his final score being 123" after deductions. So close but so far!! Son of a gun I thought I was I was P&Y. Well I suppose there is always next year.

Re: 07 BowTech... Accidental Release!!! I don't necessarily think that the bow is ugly. I think that new innovative concepts and designs are useful in ANY field. Be it the deer woods or computer technology. I myself am a Hoyt shooter and I probably won't reinvest in something new. However, I personally like the new looks.

Re: Buck Down!! First with my Bow.. [ QUOTE ] It will be pretty close. I estimated the numbers from your pic and come up with about 126 net. You might want to ask your taxidermist to green score your buck for you. Any loss from the 60 day drying period is mainly going to be about 1/2" in the inside spread. [/ QUOTE ] Thanks for the estimation. The thing that will get him there will be his width on the main beams and his inside spread. A couple of small deductions for abnormal points were the only concerns. He's got nice length on the brow tines, so I suppose we will have to see. Thanks everyone for the replies, it truly was "magic in the woods" last saturday evening!

Re: Buck Down!! First with my Bow.. Yet another question... Like I said this deer had about a quarter of his tail missing, right down to the bone. A recent study from the wildlife department had found deer parts in feral hogs. Could this be what snipped the bucks tail?

Re: Buck Down!! First with my Bow.. He only has two small abnormal points. Both are right near the brow tines. And both are right at or under an inch in my guestimation.

Re: Buck Down!! First with my Bow.. Also, do you guys think that he will make Pope & Young? I am hoping he does. The taxidermist who we happen to be friends with will be getting him officially scored in a couple of months. My thoughts are that if he doesn't make it... he will be right under.

Re: Buck Down!! First with my Bow.. Well, I was near the Sulpher Davis area. SouthCentralEastern maybe? I dunno. But it looks like our DMAPS management program is starting to pay some dividends.

Re: Buck Down!! First with my Bow.. The buck was taken in Southeastern Oklahoma. The only thing I wish he had was a little more weight on his horns. Reguardless, I am extremely pleased with him. You've got to love it when a plan comes together!

So here's the setup. I currently live in Los Angeles, but I try to make it home at least once or twice to Oklahoma so I can get some quality bowhunting time in. I just happened to luck out this weekend, shooting a great buck. Being in the woods is so important for me after living in California for almost two years now, it's great to be able to get away from the noise and the craziness. Anyway, here's the story: It was a windy Oklahoma afternoon, and I was hunting a modified tripod that had been back up to tree. The tree had actually been cut so the tripod backed right into it. The shooting lanes were great, and the spot had a ton of sign in and around the area. I arrived about 3:30, and settled in for the afternoon hunt. I would remain actionless for sometime, spotting no movement save for the random armadillo here and there. The stand was close to a fenceline, and it overlooked a field with 3 foot tall native grass amongst the scrub brush. I wouldn't have any trouble spotting a big buck walking my way should he choose to do so. At 5:45 a single doe entered my view to the right. She seemed wary, and I am going to assume it was the wind that made her like that. She appeared to be alone, but then here comes another doe, and another, and another. So now I have these four does out in front, sniffing, smelling, trying to bust me, but alas they could not. Shortly thereafter four small one and a half year olds came into view. There were two that had a spike on one side and a fork on the other, a forked horn buck (who was very aggressive pushing the other deer around) and the last one was a nicely devoloped small six point. It was easy to tell he had the best genetics of the group. Ding Ding Ding!! Let the sparring begin. These four small bucks did a round robin of fighting that was quite entertaining to watch. The six point eventually got respect, and the other deer remained cautious around him. 6:30 had now rolled around and I was starting to wonder if tonight was going to be my night. Hunter's often talk about a "funny feeling", and I most definitely had one as dusk begain to approach. From across the field a nice basket-racked 8 point made his presence known. He was a good deer, but not what I was looking for... Then I heard him, I didn't see him, I heard him. Branches cracking, the tall grass getting brushed around beyond my view behind some trees. I wanted to see what this buck looked like, hopefully get that visual, and be able to set up my shot. Enter the TrueTalker!! A couple of mature buck grunts and my main man appeared, no more the 35 yards away, yet no shot was offere at the time. I looked his rack over, made the decision that I was going to take him if he offered me a shot, but dark was quickly approaching and if it was going to happen, it would have to happen fast... and it did. He began to nose a doe right out in front of my stand, about 20 yards at the furthest. I steadied my Hoyt Vipertec, drew back the muzzy, set the pin, and proceeded to play some sweet string music!! The hit was solid, loud, and I knew I had made a good shot. At this point I decided to back out, go get my my best friend and hunting buddy, then proceed with the recovery. It took us about ten minutes and then we walked up on this guy. It turns out he is the widest deer I have ever shot, and my first buck downed via Bow. I couldn't be happier. Now what you have been waiting for.... THE PICS! On a side note, This buck has been named "The Bobtail Buck." About a 4th of his tail was missing, down the bone. It appeared to have been bitten off, perhaps by a hog. Thanks for reading guys and gals!! ~Ty

Hey what's up guys and gals, here are some cropped pics of the pre season bucks we have ben seeing down at the ranch. I unfortunately won't get to get out much this year, but I have my best friend hunting down these toads.. hopefully he connects!!

Re: Late season trophy gopher..

Re: Late season trophy gopher.. Pics aren't working.. hmm... is this too offensive for people who don't mind gutting deer? Seriously though..

Re: Late season trophy gopher.. Well the ivory alone is worth $2,500 an incisor. As far as the pelt is concerned I think it's just too valuable to let go. I believe I'm gonna knit a pair of un-mentionables for my lady friend. (Insert your own dirty gopher joke here) But seriously, I won't be having it mounted. Perhaps a replica for the den..