fly

I just love October baseball! What a game tonight - Cards vs Dodgers - Go Redbirds!

Went out last night for the opener. Got to the stand at 4pm. At 5:30pm a thunderstorm moved in complete with lightening and high winds. The good news is a cold front is moving in for the weekend. I don't expect much at the private farm ground I hunt here in IL till November since my cams show very little activity. I got picked for a couple special draws later in October so we'll see how that goes.

Good luck Tim! Make it rain feathers!

One day I'll get after a speed goat. Looks like a lot of fun! Congratulations!

Trips like this are rare indeed. Glad it worked out for you all. Congratulations on a great buck!

Yea, it's been 80's here for several weeks in IL. The big bucks are only showing up on cam in middle of night. Really need a cold front to move in. Will hunt later this week anyway since season opens Wednesday.

I was considering the eco boost back in March 2011. I pull a 27 foot travel trailer from IL out west to the mountains about every other year and in the 4x4 6foot bed with a tow package model the ecoboost was not available - only the shorter bed. I read the reviews and the mpg back then was only a couple miles better. While the torque was higher in the 6 cylinder and many people were telling me it would be fine, I wanted the longer bed so I went with the 5.4 L V-8. It's pulled my trailer to Idaho, Wyoming, and the Smokies. I get 15 mpg average and 10 pulling my trailer. If you don't pull large trailers I'd say the Eco boost 6 would be fine if you want to get a couple more mpg.

Looks like a 135 inch deer to me.

Bad Grandpa! Na.... When my kids were little we used to put on Monsterbucks and set up a ground blind in the living room. We would watch the shooter walk closer on the 55 inch TV and then I would pause the video. They would grant / rattle / doe bleat and I'd press resume. They would take turns shooting the buck with the nerf gun / bow and then figure out which wall it was going on. Many Cold Winter days were spent doing this. After a while they would become restless and move the hunt through the entire house taking turns being the deer / hunter. Her is a pic of my daughter with her trophy (2006).

When my kids were little we used to put on Monsterbucks and set up a ground blind in the living room. We would watch the shooter walk closer on the 55 inch TV and then I would pause the video. They would grant / rattle / doe bleat and I'd press resume. They would take turns shooting the buck with the nerf gun / bow and then figure out which wall it was going on. Many Cold Winter days were spent doing this. After a while they would become restless and move the hunt through the entire house taking turns being the deer / hunter. Her is a pic of my daughter with her trophy (2006).

Well this is the first time I have ever killed a deer in September. I love it! Got my doe entered. Checked the jaw teeth - she was a 1.5 year old. The area I'm hunting is loaded with deer. In 2 days I saw at least a dozen different deer and a couple large gobblers as well. The largest buck was only a 5 point so he walked at 35 yards (same trail I shot the doe on). There were other larger does but they had fawns (some still had spots). Not sure if the fawns would make it without mom so they all walked. One thing I have noticed is that the deer in KY are smaller than in IL. Both bucks and does are shorter (nose to tail) and weight about 10% less. The racks all seem to be very typical. The trail cam pics have some 120-130 inch deer, but all are typical 8 pointers. Tall tines, but not so thick. Anyway, I'll go back down Oct. 11th and 12th with my son for youth season. Great start for the 2014 season!

Team 1 (First Blood) fly Doe

Got a KY doe last night on my first eve out! I'll enter and write a bit more next week. After a KY buck now.

If we go with a name I have an idea- First Blood. Since slash got the first deer and because the rest of us are as tough as Rambo. Heading to KY tomorrow! Been a long off season - will be nice getting back in the stand.

Still my favorite forum due to people like you RangerClay. Stay another 10!

I think I know most of our team. My name is Frank but most call me fly (except for William). IL season starts Oct. 1st but I've got a KY tag this year too. Will be hunting Thursday this week in KY. Hope to get a doe early then focus on a trophy. I have a unicorn buck on trail cam and would be a happy man to have his blood stain my license plate.

First one is 131 and 3/8 inches exactly. Second one is either a buck or a doe. Seriously, the first buck looks nice.

Will the teams still be up prior to the 15th? Only a few more hours?

With only one side being sharp I wonder if the penetration would be reduced for those shots that are off a bit and hit bone before hitting vitals? I have been through various types over the years and finally settled on a thick 4 blade fixed sharpened on both sides of each blade. Seems to get the best penetration but then I'm open to new ideas if they work better.

Nice! I have the same target. Better shot at different dots or you'll need more arrows!

Keep some travel lanes (for you) over the next several years and you'll have more deer with access to them. I would assume next year will be better than this year since its too late for new growth and logging creates lack of cover this year.

Not sure about this system but when rock climbing research shows that knots weaken the system and become the breaking point.

I try to kill on the first week as I try to take 3-4 deer each year. Two buck limit in IL so the first doesn't have to be a 150 inch, but generally the second one does.

All I know is from hunting shows. Seems like most end up crawling to get close enough and many have their boots off. My advice is to wear a thick sock and knee pads to get the final yards.

Great prospects! Good luck this year