2018-19 Bambi Whacking

The last 3 times out,I havent seen one deer.I think you would have to go back to the 80s since that has happened.

Pulled the cards on my two trail cams. S.ton of deer. But, funny. Never when I'm in the stands.

Like this guy. 830am

remrug said:

The last 3 times out,I havent seen one deer.I think you would have to go back to the 80s since that has happened.

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Are you hunting on my farm?? Lol

I have a go to spot that is good for does....hardly ever see any bucks,and very rarely anything big.Been there twice last week and saw nothing.

Hunted a place that I just started hunting there last year.Still learning the woods and deer patterns there.I saw nothing there.

Hunted another place where the deer usually come out of the woods and feed on the hay field and a corn field.I only saw 1 deer in the distance on another property.That almost made 4 hunts without a sighting.

All of these properties are in Carroll Co.Usually see a bunch of deer in these areas.

Got this little Spike at Hugg Thomas WMA. First deer I've tagged there, actually first deer I've ever got in MD (I hunt in WV)

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remrug said:

The last 3 times out,I havent seen one deer.I think you would have to go back to the 80s since that has happened.

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You just described 90% of my season

Goldslammer said:

Got this little Spike at Hugg Thomas WMA. First deer I've tagged there, actually first deer I've ever got in MD (I hunt in WV)

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Should be tasty

Got my buddy on his first deer ever this evening.

556ready said:

Got my buddy on his first deer ever this evening.

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Congrats to your buddy. May there be many to follow.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

I've been taking my 8 year old son out for the last couple of nights since I put up a two person stand in the woods right in front of my house. I usually limit the stand time to an hour due to how cold it has been (low 20's) and also it's school nights. This is the first time I have ever taken him bow hunting with me.
Last night about 1/2 hour before dark, we had a bunch of deer come in around the stand, mostly does and fawns. Then a spike buck comes in. I usually won't take a small buck, but my son wanted me to take it badly so put an arrow in it.
I tried to explain to my son that we needed to wait a bit before going after it. He was very excited, so I told him we could get down out of the stand and he could look for blood around where the shot took place while I found a place to hand my bow and remove some of my head camo. When I turned around he was gone. I had to track my son through the deep snow, who himself was tracking the blood trail of the buck. He tracked that deer 1/4 mile across fields and into thick woods and across a deep ravine and found it DRT. He was out of my sight the whole time. I was proud of him for tracking it so well (although a little annoyed that the reason he had to track it so far was that he didn't listen to me and went after it). I couldn't fault him due to his over the top excitement and enthusiasm. He is SO hooked on hunting now that he wants to take his own next season!

556ready said:

Got my buddy on his first deer ever this evening.

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Congrats to your buddy and good on you getting another person started!

Pushrod said:

I've been taking my 8 year old son out for the last couple of nights since I put up a two person stand in the woods right in front of my house. I usually limit the stand time to an hour due to how cold it has been (low 20's) and also it's school nights. This is the first time I have ever taken him bow hunting with me.
Last night about 1/2 hour before dark, we had a bunch of deer come in around the stand, mostly does and fawns. Then a spike buck comes in. I usually won't take a small buck, but my son wanted me to take it badly so put an arrow in it.
I tried to explain to my son that we needed to wait a bit before going after it. He was very excited, so I told him we could get down out of the stand and he could look for blood around where the shot took place while I found a place to hand my bow and remove some of my head camo. When I turned around he was gone. I had to track my son through the deep snow, who himself was tracking the blood trail of the buck. He tracked that deer 1/4 mile across fields and into thick woods and across a deep ravine and found it DRT. He was out of my sight the whole time. I was proud of him for tracking it so well (although a little annoyed that the reason he had to track it so far was that he didn't listen to me and went after it). I couldn't fault him due to his over the top excitement and enthusiasm. He is SO hooked on hunting now that he wants to take his own next season!

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It's very good your boy felt independant enough at 8 to track the deer by himself but on the other hand he did not listen during a hunt. If it was me I'd be busting with pride also but I'd also have a good talk with him about following instructions.

Got this one Sunday. Only 119lbs. Thought for sure he would have been heavier. Fifth deer this year.

Goldslammer said:

Got this little Spike at Hugg Thomas WMA. First deer I've tagged there, actually first deer I've ever got in MD (I hunt in WV)

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Nice! I keep considering hunting it, but I have a sour taste from my first season trying and trying to get a reservation for early muzzleloader and being met with half an hour each day of busy signals followed by “all booked”.

I’ve poked around it in the off season and some squirrel hunting. I can just about walk to it. I hunt Potapsco State Park across 32 from it (bow only) as I never have issues with it being busy. 3 guys in that part of the park is the most I’ve ever seen and it is usually 1 or none.

Pushrod said:

I've been taking my 8 year old son out for the last couple of nights since I put up a two person stand in the woods right in front of my house. I usually limit the stand time to an hour due to how cold it has been (low 20's) and also it's school nights. This is the first time I have ever taken him bow hunting with me.
Last night about 1/2 hour before dark, we had a bunch of deer come in around the stand, mostly does and fawns. Then a spike buck comes in. I usually won't take a small buck, but my son wanted me to take it badly so put an arrow in it.
I tried to explain to my son that we needed to wait a bit before going after it. He was very excited, so I told him we could get down out of the stand and he could look for blood around where the shot took place while I found a place to hand my bow and remove some of my head camo. When I turned around he was gone. I had to track my son through the deep snow, who himself was tracking the blood trail of the buck. He tracked that deer 1/4 mile across fields and into thick woods and across a deep ravine and found it DRT. He was out of my sight the whole time. I was proud of him for tracking it so well (although a little annoyed that the reason he had to track it so far was that he didn't listen to me and went after it). I couldn't fault him due to his over the top excitement and enthusiasm. He is SO hooked on hunting now that he wants to take his own next season!

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Awesome! I am probably going to take my 8 year old out for the first time around Christmas and try to take my 10yr old out again (separately). The older one has seen some deer with me when we’ve been out, but not in bow range.

I am off to Green Ridge in a few minutes for today and tomorrow. Staying the night in Hancock so I don’t have to drive 2 hours tomorrow morning. I figured out a light primer strike issue I had (only 1 light primer strike, but one too many!). I had the hammer spring in backwards. Rookie mistake (and only like my 5 or 6th time putting together an AR FCG when I just have messed it up)!

lazarus said:

Awesome! I am probably going to take my 8 year old out for the first time around Christmas and try to take my 10yr old out again (separately). The older one has seen some deer with me when we’ve been out, but not in bow range.

I am off to Green Ridge in a few minutes for today and tomorrow. Staying the night in Hancock so I don’t have to drive 2 hours tomorrow morning. I figured out a light primer strike issue I had (only 1 light primer strike, but one too many!). I had the hammer spring in backwards. Rookie mistake (and only like my 5 or 6th time putting together an AR FCG when I just have messed it up)!

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Good luck M!

newmuzzleloader said:

Congrats to your buddy and good on you getting another person started!




It's very good your boy felt independant enough at 8 to track the deer by himself but on the other hand he did not listen during a hunt. If it was me I'd be busting with pride also but I'd also have a good talk with him about following instructions.

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Oh, I did. Having to chase it that far was a good lesson for him that I tell him to do things for a reason.

onedash said:

Got this one Sunday. Only 119lbs. Thought for sure he would have been heavier. Fifth deer this year.

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Very nice deer. Looks to a 2 yo. Still got a thick neck on him.

*I changed my age estimate now that I see him on a big screen*

engineerbrian said:

As for the Kitchen Aid, most people will say they are not suited for this work. I’ve ground hundreds of pounds of venison with my Kitchen Aid and its just fine. Just keep your speed slow (speed setting 4) and dont overlod it.

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I overloaded our kitchen aid grinding semi frozen meat right before xmas cookie season 2 yeas ago. I was in deep deep trouble. I opened it up and lucky only sheared teeth of the the sintered PTO gear, so i was able to clean everything up and fix it by leaving it out. Cost to replace was like 40 bucks. Real sad part is that there was a plastic gear in there that looked like it was designed to sheer but it didnt. Bought the LEM #8 and could not be happier.

outrider58 said:

Good luck M!

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Thanks. Both frustrated as hell and enjoying myself. A spike walked by me trailing a year and a half doe. It started cantering as I shot. I think I winged it and my follow-up missed. Couldn’t find blood. Didn’t wait long enough. They were 30yds over the side of the hill and took off when I tried to approach where the spike was standing when I shot the first time. I tried tracking them about a mile and 2 hours. I am pretty sure I bumped the same two deer about 45 minutes later half a mile away.

On my way back on a ridge a big 6-point approached me and was about 40yds away. It stood stock still on my first shot and bolted on my 2nd maybe 3 seconds later. I think I winged it, but same deal. Except this time I sat my butt down for half an hour and played on my phone. I saw it take off along the top of the next ridge line when I had made my way toward the valley between them. It didn’t seem bad off. I followed that ridge all the way back to my car and searched both sides. Nothing.

Slapped some TP on a tree. I had just zeroed my rifle at 100yds and it was 1” high. It was a good 2.5” low at 50yds roughly where both deer had been. The spike I am pretty sure I was low and too far forward when I took the shot and 2.5” below point of aim means I may well have just missed it entirely on both shots.

The 6-point I am pretty confident I hit, despite no blood, but I think I was too low and far forward again (it’s blowing pretty hard also...in the opposite direction I want my billets carried. I mean at 50yds that isn’t much wind drift...but still).

Close to my car I bumped a small doe that didn’t go far and circled around me starting at about 30yds. Took its time. It even let me sit down while it was behind a tree. Do damn bad I can’t legally take a doe today. I am thinking I am going to setup on the hill side where the spike and doe came through. It’s just up hill from where I harvested a button buck last year. Nice open woods. Not too steep and across from a big copse or pine trees.

I keep aiming a bit far forward and low. I guess I am worried about gut shooting a deer, but I am definitely aimed forward of the shoulder and too low. I need to just aim right for the shoulder and maybe bias just behind it and let the chips fall.

Finishing my chicken noodle soup in my thermos and going to find a spot to setup till dark. Maybe I will have better look this evening (or maybe I’ll have a huge doe walk in and laugh at me).

To add, no blood found from either deer. Maybe buck fever. Or maybe they were further back than I thought and liver hits that didn’t exit (pretty sure no, I am doubting everything, but I am pretty sure my aim was forward of the front leg, but low on both shots.). I doubt my rifle shooting as low as it was helped.