fly

I saw three bucks cruising throughout the day on the 1st. The only one in range was a forkhorn. The bigger bucks were not responsive to a grunt call. I'd say it has just started!

Great smile!

Looks like a 4.5 year old? Very nice! Congratulations!

Go get em hoyt! Things have been real slow here in IL. Haven't seen any rut activity yet. I'm headed out tomorrow to hunt all day so we'll see.

Huge neck! Looks great

gotcha - I was thinking the previous years season came out in the fall of the following season. Maybe it was like that years ago or my memory is fading. LOL

Anyone know when MB 24 is expected to come out? As I recall MB 23 came out about this time last year.

I'd love to get a Cougar - would make a great full body mount for my office since we are the SIUE Cougars!

Outstanding!

Nice entry wound - just opened my spitfire 3 blades. Only difference is the cut on contact tip. We'll see....

Amazing! Love this type of research

Nice buck! What broadhead did you use and how was the blood trail?

Thanks Stinger!

Thanks everyone - I heard good things about the schwackers and slick tricks as well as the spitfires. Muzzy's are legendary - I've killed deer with them, but lost some as well. Some of my buddies use rage broadheads - I've never tried them but the tests I reviewed online didn't put them at the top for expandables. One would think that a pass through = heavy blood trail. It just hasn't happened for me on numerous occasions.I think I'll try out the new spitfires crossbow (cut on contact) heads for my TenPoint and see what happens. I'll probably stick with the phatheads or try a newer cut on contact Muzzy for my compound.

Yea, I've killed my last 10 deer or so with a fixed blade Steelforce Phathead - cut on contact, thick blade, get a pass-through much of the time. I've double lunged deer with them and had specks to follow. Granted most of the time the deer is only 30-60 yards from the impact spot, but the blood trail is always terrible. My son hit a big one (pass through, vanes covered in blood), and pea sized drops to follow. We actually did not find the deer he shot. It was with a crossbow (in KY) so I'm thinking about trying an expandable. I've heard some good things about spitfires - may try those.

Thanks bb... I examined the jaw bone and according to the tooth wear method this deer was 4.5 years old. The dentine on the 4th and 5th molars was wider than the enamel, but not on the 6th molar.

You using the razor cut (cut on contact) or razor tip (chisel) heads?

Upgrade - 8 point from a doe. 13 points Team 2 Blood Brothers fly Tag Deer

Not a rage or expandable fan. Too many stories of them not opening. However, thinking of trying them (again) since my fixed blade heads have been giving me a dismal blood trail. Which expandable has a near perfect deployment rate which should produce a heavy blood trail?

I've been wondering that as well. I'm going to stick with 100 grains.

Passing up the biggest deer of your life must be tough gzilla! I passed up several nice deer before deciding on the one I took. Actually, I saw several good deer the first day including a dandy 10-point. I passed on an 8 about the same size (maybe the same one) waiting for the big 10 but it wasn't meant to be. On day 5 of a 7 day public draw hunt anything decent wasn't going down. Good thing to because I didn't get another opportunity at anything bigger on days 6 and 7. Probably looking for a 140+ if I'm to take another this year. Good luck with the big boys on the farm you hunt on.

Got a respectable 8-point that is pushing P&Y - story in Deer Hunting Room if you're interested Tim (Big-8 point)

Just returned from Kentucky. My son was hunting with the crossbow Friday night and a huge buck came walking near our ground blind set up. I stopped him broadside at 30 yards and my son sent the bolt through him. We found the bolt covered in blood but the blood trail was terrible so we did not pursue. The next day around noon we tried to get on blood but no luck. We grid searched for a couple hours and searched again on Sunday morning. The deer was not within 300 yards of the where we saw him last in any direction and longer in the more likely directions. We have pics of a 140 inch 9-point and we think it was him. It would have been his first crossbow kill at 13 years old - bummer.

I don't prefer tripod stands because I like to be 30 feet up or higher to get out of the scent zone. They are better than ground blinds which I pretty much stopped hunting from since my kids are older now. The area I hunt has small trees. I'm not sure - but I might get a small light 12 foot ladder stand to work as long as it isn't too windy. The tree is only about 6 inches in diameter at the 12 foot mark. This was a draw hunt - same one I got last year.

What a great story - hats off to you Marty.