layin on the smackdown

Ive seen a hand full of 150 class and 160 class deer from the stand - and one that ran the tape at 178 5/8...he's on the wall...Illinois. i also got a real good look at a giant 14 pointer in IL back in 2001...I almost smoked him with the 1987 Chrylser Lebaron....He was stopped about 5 feet in front of my car in the middle of the road. Guessing he probably went 180-190, but i guess it doesn't count because i wasn't in the stand.

Man i don't know....Its hard to judge size without anything to compare it to, but if i had to guess, id say its a wolf...I think that animal looks to have a good amount of mass on it, it also seems to have longer legs than a coyote - and something about it just looks different...I very well could be wrong, but thats just my opinion....and rarely do you ever get two consecutive pictures of a coyote unless your camera is over a bait pile...

Team 10 backstrap bandits button buck Layin on the smackdown Illinois

alright team...its the IL late season antlerless only gun season, but you can bowhunt as long as you have the required blaze orange on...so i took to the woods with my stick and string as well as my firearm in case a big dude gave me an opportunity to drill him with my bow..well he didnt, and i proceded to miss a big fat doe with my brother in laws H & R 20 gauge....so it was me there with one deer left that didn't hit the high road and my bow hangin on the hook i had put on the tree next to me - mind you i was sitting on a downed log, not a tree stand or a blind...so every move i made i was pegged, as i was trying to pry the bow from the hook on the tree...and every time this sucker turned its head, i moved like a rabbit to try and get set up for a shot...i had the gun reloaded but i clearly cant hit a deer with a firearm to save my life, and i figured if i could pull this off, its goin in the books....the deer turns and looks the other way, i finish my movement and draw as it happens to turn and look at me mid draw....the mental calculator goes off - fourtyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy nine...no, gotta be fourtyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy four....screw it, i put my 50 yd pin just under its chest and let her fly....80 yds later, we got one on the ground! i'll post the pics later...it ended up being a button buck, and that bothers me, but this late in the year, its hard to tell whats what, especially after a whole herd came through. 5 points!!! dan

I appreciate all your input so far fellas...I just want you to all know that this cat or animal is pretty far, somewhere in the 15-20 yd range, which might explain some indiscressions regarding size etc...I will upload a video of Johns house cat walking through the area at about 4 yds once i get home, and this will help you get a better idea of the size of the animal. Bobcat, sounds good, but this things tail is way way to long to be a bobcat...Blow up this clip and watch it carefully...you will see that this is not the tail of a yote, fox, or bobcat...and the stature coupled with the cat like walk says alot - im convinced, but i am also intrigued and open minded by all your suggestions... will post later dan

Well, i think we have some pretty good evidence of a cougar in Illinois...My brother in law bought a new Bushnell trail cam this year, and we were having some issues with the pics of antlered deer being blurry, especially at night, so about a month ago, he decided to take it off picture mode, and put it on video mode...We ended up getting some good footage of a nice mid 140's 10 ptr about 3 weeks ago, and since then, the activity has been SLOW...Mind you, this camera is on a soy bean food plot. So john took the camera down a week and a half ago to change batteries, and put it back up on Tuesday january 7th 2011. He took the card out on saturday the 11th to check it, and sure enough, this is what he had on it. This clip was taken sometime between tuesday night and thursday night, because we had a little snow early thursday morning, and there is no snow on the ground. This cat looks to be roughly 80 pounds (+ -) and approximately 24 inches tall. Honestly, it looks the exact same size as my lab who is 86 lbs and about the same height. You can clearly see the long tail with the black tip, pointed ears, and cat like head...Without a doubt, i am certain this is an immature cougar in Marion county illinois, just north of Odin IL. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks, Dan

Agreed and well said... At least when i watched it he was going to a voice over with Kraft, but he also said he was offered a position with several other agancies and was on the fence as to what to do... I watched his whole interview on the Today show this, morning (1/6/11) and you could tell he was a little overwhelmed with everything going on....I agree with second chances and i wish this man the very best...He's got guts for announcing to the world his past addictions, but he has found a greater power to support him as well.. i think the guy sounds as natural as it can get for any type of media, and i wish him the best...

Thanks everyone for the replies and advice...I think we have a combination of problems that i am dealing with. First and foremost, i am pretty sure i am jerking the gun when i am shooting at deer, probably for the reasoning above, so i can see if i hit it after the shot, but its not intentional, it seems to be like a quick reaction maybe...Who knows...I dont jerk at all when dialing it in, but i think this may be different when firing a round at a deer...As far as cleaning the barrel, i do it after every shot - i usually run those saturated cloth pads through the barrel until they come up clean, usually takes 4-5, then i'll load and fire another round (the only time i havent done this is in the woods when i thought i may need a quick second shot). Lastly, i honestly think i just need way more practice...Its one thing to shoot paper targets all day off a rest, but when youre up to bat, and its the real deal - rest or no rest - i seem to feel alot more pressure...Don't know why, probably a huge lack of experience with shooting a scope as this is the only gun i own that i have a scope on. Thanks again everyone, and i'll definitely try some of your suggestions. dan

Steel = Feel Lead = Dead Thats the best grammatical forumula i have ever invented - ever.... Dan

a few weeks ago, i posted on here about my 4 wheeler not wanting to turn over and when it did turn over, it wouldn't idle and i had black smoke from time to time bla bla bla and so on. The ideas that were offered, i think, were to try changing the spark plug, and try draining the gas and putting new fuel in. Well, the spark plug deal helped, but it still did'nt do anything regarding the ignition/key not working (all it does is click quickly for a little while and then you can hear a small rotating noise near the motor) , but i could get it started by pull starting it, and it would idle and ran alright - it still would take a few minutes trying to pull start it but it would eventually start...Now, it has quit entirely, so i resorted to draining the old fuel and putting new fuel in which hasn't seemed to help. If for some unknown reason i do get it to turn over, it runs for 3-4 seconds and dies...and then i spend the next 2 hours trying to get it started again. I havent gotten it to turn over since yesterday, and i really have no idea what it could be. Any ideas (other than i know the ignition is cooked)? Starter? Carberator? Anything? Thanks in advance!!! Dan

not bad advice Koolaid, but remember that coloration phases/markings change more significantly with age/time of year, whereas antler frames generally stay consistent and may only deviate with insignificant detail (kickers, mass, tine lenght etc.). The frame will grow in proportion to previous years so long as his health is not affected. I think you would really need to have a good amount of close pictures from year to year to identify a deer by its facial markings/hair line etc ...However, if the deer has something unique or unusual, such as a double or triple white patch, then you are golden. JMO. Dan

Here ya go...try this link, and im sure you'll have some luck. http://www.pse-archery.com/content/Dealer+Locator.dealers/445.5.1.1 dan

you need to google PSE dealers by state....There are a train load of them nation wide, and i am certain someone has this bow sitting around collecting dust. I'd give you some idea's but i have no idea what state you are in... good luck in your search! Dan

Well there Dano, i unfortunately have never used it but i have heard both sides of the spectrum regarding the dz rest...For those who use it and love it, its the greatest invention since beer, and for those who have used it and dislike it, its garbage...Ask your pro shop to shoot with one as a demo at the shop and see how you like it...Or buy one and try it, and if you don't like it, return it. Or just wait for some other responses... Dan

My honest opinion.....I think you guys are doing a great job!!!! That room looks very inviting, and i love the pintail mount and the walking tom legs, very unique touch. Oh, and that wood burner with 10 inches of snow outside definitely makes me want to sit out there and enjoy a few adult beverages while watching a few hunting DVD's...very nice!

Todd, I would say without a doubt, the last two pics are definitely the same deer...That split brow tine is a dead giveaway, as well as the frame of his rack... There are two signs that tell me that the deer in the first pic is not the same as the second and third: 1.) a deer will almost always carry the same characteristics in terms of antler frame from year to year with a little growth or kicker from time to time, 2.) The deer in the first pic doesn't seem to have the same "A" frame type of frame as the buck in picture 2 & 3, deer number one seems to be working on a very wide frame with the antlers not bending inward...Deer #2, & #3 both have the antler frame bending slightly inward along with the split brow, and doesn't quite seem to be as wide, or potentially as wide as deer in pic #1...Also, deer #1 has one significantly longer brow tine on his left side - i don't see that at all in pic #2 or #3. Thats just my own opinion and observation of these pics....I've been wrong before, but i don't think #1 is the same as #2 & #3....But i do think #2 & #3 are without a doubt the same dude.

OK, so i have had my CVA Optima for a year and a half now, and have harvested one deer with it, over probably 6 shots, of which one was this year on a giant 10 ptr that i missed. I know this gun is a super accurate rifle, and i have proven that to myself every time i shoot it on targets with a rest...My problem is, i cant hit crap shooting this thing free hand...I am shooting 223 grain power belts with 100 grains of powder, and off the bench she's lethal out to 225 yds (in terms of consistent accuracey)... So, i had a friend of mine tell me to max my power out (ithink its 10 on the powderhorn scope), sight it in at 30 yds with my bullet hole 3 inches high...So being the idiot i am, thats what i did, and the target looked like it was the size of a dang barn, but it was dialed and i thought it was solid...So i have 155 inch 10 ptr give me a shot at 75 yds, i let her bark, the smoke clears and the damn deer is standing there is if it knew that i knew that it knew the game was over....What happened? Sure, his body took up the entire scope, and my crosshairs weren't exaclty steady, but i was on him...heck i can hit a lawn mower at 75 yds with anything, and i clearly missed this buck... What should i be sighting this scope in at in terms of power...There is no way i will ever have a shot over 150 yds where i hunt.... And yes, there is plenty of room for operator error, unfortunately... Thanks dan

If you could plant a food plot that grew worms, youd be in the money for turkeys...however, i will second and third the above. Chickory is a huge one, clover and chuffas are also big...you want a food they can eat, and a food they can stand in/pick the ground in, and all of these are solid... Good luck, Dan

ANyone notice the giant bulge that looks to be coming out of his left eye socket? Or is that other stuff in the picture? Regardless, that dude is a Dinosaur!!! He's been around for a long time and is clearly on his way down, but is still a giant and worthy of some freezer space in sausage and burger form!!! I hope you guys get a hold of him before age, weather or predators... good Luck! Dan

None taken, and its my fault for not choosing a better combination of words to express my feelings/thoughts...It was a little rough and i apologize for that. Again, Mike, Great Deer Bud!!!! No offense to you, your efforts or your harvest...Well Done! Dan

Thanks Steve!!! I need to mention to this to my quick to argue brother in law... Thanks again! dan

yep and +1 And i agree 100%!!!!!! Congrats my friend!!! Well done, and a dang great buck! What a stud... dan

Wow Steve....I have been long lost during this season, spending as much, and actually more, time in the woods this year than ever, and i missed your posts!!! What awesome blacktails!!!!! Congrats on your two harvests bud!!! They look pretty darn good! i have been videoing all of my hunts and haven't got great footage of any kills but one doe... And my brother in law dusting a tree... So far i have dusted 3 does, a nice tom, and a coyote with my bow this year (i have footage of a 2 1/2 year old 8 ptr walking within 12 yds of this bedded yote, and a fork horn that walked within 20 yds of it too)...I have some extraordinary footage of a tiny fawn in full blown spots on Oct 30th, a pile of 2.5 year old 8 ptrs, one 3.5 year old 11 ptr saturating his tarsals and raking the **** out of a tree the size of a 2 liter bottle at 18 yds (which i submitted to North American White Tail and am waiting on them to let me know if i can post it on you tube) and what i think may be an antlered doe which was followed up by a 6 ptr...Oh, and i missed a giant 10 ptr with my muzzle loader on the first day of shotgun season...Giant may exagerate it, but he easily went in the low to mid 150's...ooops, and i have footage of my wife missing several deer during shotgun season as well... Needless to say, its been a great season...Its not over yet, so i'll post all videos and pics when the fat lady sings. dan

Im guessing that you are asking what "everyone's" cut off age is of having kids...Im gonna take this where i personally feel it...Im 30, i'll be 31 in February, and i wish i had kids now. However, we cannot financially do it at this time. We got married in June of this year with high expectations of the good life, (after being together 5 1/2 years, having good jobs and our own house) and unfortunately, we have been dealt the lesser hand...There have been many hardships following our marriage, not regarding our marriage, but more or less regarding our financial situation....And we have decided to have my wife finish her degree now, rather than having kids now and wishing she finished later...not to mention, there is no way i could provide for a child with my current situation... Many will say, "you can never afford a child, but you have them any way", which is true for most, but there is a difference in being able to afford, and being able to provide... When the time is right, which again, many will say there is no "right time", it will happen, or you will make it happen...However, in my mind, seeing as i don't have any kids yet, my cutoff is going to be 35...If our lives aren't where i want them to be by then, i will consider myself a major failure.

Thats it ?????????? Cheapo!!! What happened to the Scent Blocker pants (both early season and late season) Scent Blocker Jacket (both early season and late season), 4 wheeler with wench package, truck (and ramps to get the 4 wheeler into the truck), 103 cudde back cameras, a life time supply of rage broadheads, 3000 acres and pictures of a 200 + inch giant every day in the same spot at the same time, directly under your new stand (which should have been hung by the 200 + inch giant by now)... :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D Seriously though, Merry Christmas - thats a heck of a load of gifts!!! Good luck with all your new gear, and well done Justin!!! Dan