Whitetail Opening Day Coming Up

[Clocker]

Anybody going hunting for deer this season? Gun season is opening up here on the 15th. Bow season has been open for a while (I've never tried it though).

I got a new gun this year, a black, 20GA synthetic stock Mossberg 500 with cantelever scope mount. I'm using a Nikon Prostaff 2-7x scope on it. Hoping to get a buck instead of a doe this year (or both!). Post pix if you have gotten anything already!

C

 

[sechs]

Maybe you've never tried it because you're not a good hunter. There's no sport in gunning-down defenseless animals.

 

[Pradeep]

Thought you'd moved to Canada sechs?

Regular season starts on 22nd November in NY (a Monday), I've taken the day off. Using a Mossberg 835 with slug barrel and 3.5" copper sabots. I'm still wondering whether to put a scope on. I was going to go with bow too, but I couldn't get into any bowhunters ed courses (all full up). But I do have my muzzle tags (extra week after regular season is over).

Good luck C!

 

[Clocker]

I would not expect somebody like you to understand and I certainly won't waste my time trying to explain the concept to you. Hunting is necessary for the health of the deer population and I enjoyed eating the venison I harvested last year.

Now, feel free to take your bitter attitude to another thread unless you actually have something of value to contribute here. Or, would you rather just keep trying to pick a fight? If so, you are in even bigger need of a life than I thought.

 

[Clocker]

Good luck to you too 'deep!

I'm using Winchester Partition Gold sabots in my slug barrel. They are rated for 1900 ft/s now and have great ballistics. At 50 yards I can create 4" groups on the bulls-eye so I should be good for a guaranteed humane kill shot out to about 75 yards. In the relatively thick woods we hunt in, I don't envision taking a buck much further than that unless he's crossing the wheat field. We're hunting on 80 acres...50-60 of which are woods and the rest are winter wheat (this year).

This is only my 2nd year hunting. I doubt I'll ever try using a bow (I just don't go that often) but I'm going to go turkey hunting next year. That will be a huge challenge, even with a firearm.

 

[Clocker]

Since I mentioned pictures, here's one. I glanced out my back door while making dinner yesterday to see this guy. He's growing a pretty nice rack this year. I love to watch them at night and I throw some carrots out for them now and again. The guy above enjoyed eating our old jack-o-lantern .

C

 

[sechs]

Why do you stoop to ad hominem attacks?

No one here *needs* to hunt, so you must do it for sport. Saying that it's good for the deer is just baloney, because there are other predators (like cars and dogs) that can do a much better job of this than we can.

You'd think that a sportsman would actually understand something about nature. Then again, take a look at Lousiana, the sportsman's paradise....

 

[Clocker]

Why do you stoop to ad hominem attacks?

No one here *needs* to hunt, so you must do it for sport. Saying that it's good for the deer is just baloney, because there are other predators (like cars and dogs) that can do a much better job of this than we can.

You'd think that a sportsman would actually understand something about nature. Then again, take a look at Lousiana, the sportsman's paradise....

You're hopeless.

Ever hear of CWD? Ever hear of crop damage? Ever hear of overpopulation & mass starvation due to overpopluation? Don't even try to talk about the subject unless you have actually done it. It's not like a video game (which is probably all you can relate to).

Cars & dogs for deer population control. That's a great one. Please start your own thread if you want to post crap like that.

 

[sechs]

I'm hopeless? Why don't you heed your own advice and learn something about the world?

Thanks.

 

[bahngeist]

Since I mentioned pictures, here's one. I glanced out my back door while making dinner yesterday to see this guy. He's growing a pretty nice rack this year. I love to watch them at night and I throw some carrots out for them now and again. The guy above enjoyed eating our old jack-o-lantern .

C

Nice, youngish buck there Clocker. My hope though is that when you go hunting you go further afield rather than going after the local ones that have gotten somewhat used to you.

Sechs: Clocker is correct in that hunting is recognized as being a viable form of maintaining a healthy big game population, and applied as such by many, if not most, of the State and Provincial 'Fish and Wildlife' agencies throughout N.A. The process is generally tightly regulated, the principle control being the number of tags that are made available each season.

Not trying to gang up on you either Sechs, but deer have become more than just a nuisance in many locales. This is particularly true in Michigan's lower peninsula where the deer population has exploded over the past decade -- given the number of high speed highways in that region, deer are a significant safety risk. And since the deer's natural predators were eliminated quite a while back, they aren't many other viable options apart from a well-regulated hunt.

And to put matters in perspective: I am not a hunter myself, but regard the concept of subsistence hunting to be quite acceptable. One good thing is that many jurisdictions (e.g. Michigan) allow hunters to donate meat that is excess to their needs to food banks and shelters.

 

[sechs]

While my point is not the there is something inherently wrong with hunting, if there are wild animals in your neighborhood, have you considered that, perhaps, it's the people that are in the wrong place?

 

[jtr1962]

While my point is not the there is something inherently wrong with hunting, if there are wild animals in your neighborhood, have you considered that, perhaps, it's the people that are in the wrong place?

I've thought along those lines myself. The whole move to suburbia in the 1950s and 1960s was in effect was an encrouchment on these animals' territory. We should have stayed in the cities and fixed the problems there. It's more cost efficient to live in high-density settlements anyway.

As for the idea of killing poor Bambi, I couldn't possibly do it myself but I'm not going to complain about hunting. After all, I eat meat, albeit in relatively small quantities, and it didn't get their because the animal committed suicide. I think though that perhaps evening the odds a bit might be more sportsmanlike. Use a knife instead of a high-powered rifle. That puts the odds about even that the deer will come out ahead.

I'd personally be all for hunting convicts though. To encourage voluntary participation on the part of the inmates, use lifers and tell them that if they avoid being killed for, say, 24 hours they'll earn their freedom. If not, it's one less mouth to feed in the jails. And during the hunt grant the inmates amnesty for the lives of any hunters they might kill. Show the hunt on Pay-Per-View. I think it would be a great game. The hunter might turn into the hunted if the inmate is clever enough. Not so hunting deer with rifles.

 

[Clocker]

Hi bahngeist-

We drive up north about 2 hours where my family has 80 acres in Lapeer county which we hunt on. Deer there definitely make it a point to avoid people and are not easy to hunt.

I'd NEVER even consider shooting the deer I can see from my back yard. Those are my little buddies! I like to just watch them and I'd be extremly pissed off if anyone ever tried to hunt them. The land is a preserved nature area and hunting is not allowed there so I think they're safe. I put 40 pounds of carrots out last night and it's almost all gone. I was watching them eat it in the dark last night. They are pretty domesticated though...if I move much at all they'll look at me and slowly walk away after snorthing and stomping. But, if I move really slow and am very quiet, I can walk out on the deck to sit down and watch them. They definitely keep an eye on me though. It's really relaxing for me..

C

 

[bahngeist]

While my point is not the there is something inherently wrong with hunting, if there are wild animals in your neighborhood, have you considered that, perhaps, it's the people that are in the wrong place?

This really depends on where you live; but in general, wild animals can be found in even the most densly populated city. Taken to an extreme, your question would lead to the conclusion that there is no place for people at all (not necessarily a bad concept)

Speaking more in context of this thread: although chances are it is unlikely that you will find wild deer roaming Central Park in NYC, they aren't uncommon in the river valleys or ravines in cities throughout the western half of N.A. This is partially in response to overpopulation and their being compelled to forage in areas that they would normally avoid; or sometimes they simply followed an easy path to good grazing (e.g., a river valley). And for this to happen there generally needs to be a sizeable deer population existing in the region surrounding the city, which isn't likely throughout most of the metropolitan regions of north-eastern N.A.

In many respects, the attitudes expressed by Sech and JTR1962 in this thread are similar to those of people I was acquainted with in Toronto and Montreal who had never lived outside the city. They not only did not comprehend the concept of sport hunting, but many also couldn't comprehend/accept the concept of firearms as tools rather than simply being weapons. In short, the differences in attitude expressed throughout this thread may in many respects be reflective of the differences between rural and urban culture.

It should also be pointed out is that the majority of (regular) hunters actually have a high regard for the animals/birds that they go after, and treat them with respect and dignity whenever possible. There are the unfortunate exceptions (e.g., spot-light poachers), but thankfully they aren't that common. And one more thing: it is not uncommon for wildlife officers to cull wild animal populations to ensure the health of the respective herd -- one way or another, some form of controlled hunt needs to exist.

 

[Clocker]

As for the idea of killing poor Bambi, I couldn't possibly do it myself but I'm not going to complain about hunting. After all, I eat meat, albeit in relatively small quantities, and it didn't get their because the animal committed suicide. I think though that perhaps evening the odds a bit might be more sportsmanlike. Use a knife instead of a high-powered rifle. That puts the odds about even that the deer will come out ahead.

Hi jtr-
I tend to think that the way we hunt is just as nature intended. The deer have their advantages...enhanced hearing and sight (at least in low light conditions), an extremly sensitive sense of smell, and a natural timidness that keeps them on alert almost all the time. They also have natural camoflage. All great defenses that are formidable when out in the woods.

As humans, our sight, vision, and sense of smell are not oven close to those of a deer but we do have have greater intelligence, and the ability to use tools/weapons to our advantage. Both the ungulate and the human use their strengths to the best of their ability. Neither side always wins. I could go out in the woods this year and never see one deer. In that case, I will have lost the battle because I know the deer are out there and they probably saw me first.

 

[Dïscfärm]

Just make sure your phasor is set to "7" for "well cooked."

 

[sechs]

I'd personally be all for hunting convicts though. To encourage voluntary participation on the part of the inmates, use lifers and tell them that if they avoid being killed for, say, 24 hours they'll earn their freedom. If not, it's one less mouth to feed in the jails. And during the hunt grant the inmates amnesty for the lives of any hunters they might kill. Show the hunt on Pay-Per-View. I think it would be a great game. The hunter might turn into the hunted if the inmate is clever enough.

Running man, eh? Maybe we could get Richard Dawson to host!

 

[sechs]

In short, the differences in attitude expressed throughout this thread may in many respects be reflective of the differences between rural and urban culture.

This is where you'd be wrong. I grew up in a rural comunity.

 

[sechs]

I tend to think that the way we hunt is just as nature intended.

With slugs of steel? Give god a little credit here.

The deer have their advantages...enhanced hearing and sight (at least in low light conditions), an extremly sensitive sense of smell, and a natural timidness that keeps them on alert almost all the time. They also have natural camoflage. All great defenses that are formidable when out in the woods.

But no bullet-proof vests

 

[bahngeist]

In short, the differences in attitude expressed throughout this thread may in many respects be reflective of the differences between rural and urban culture.

This is where you'd be wrong. I grew up in a rural comunity.

One of the dangers of speaking in generalities is that there are almost always exceptions. :wink:

 

[Howell]

I'm probably going to go hunting this year. In NorthGA, the season runs October 16 - January 1.

While I don't mind other people hunting, I'm not sure I'll be able to do it. We'll see. I grew up on a farm but we never hunted.

I don't have a rifle of sufficient caliber for deer either. I may have to use one of my Dad's Garands.

 

[Howell]

And luckly since I'll be hunting on private property, no hunter,s Ed course required only 1 or 7 day hunting license for $5.50.

The GA DNR website is great!

 

[Howell]

I forgot.

A friend of my brother bow-hunts deer from the back deck of his apartment in downtown Atlanta.

 

[Handruin]

I know this may sound sick, but I think it would be fun to hunt deer with a bow. I've had some training in the past with bow's (nothing extensive), and I really enjoyed target shooting. I think it would be interesting to try and hunt silently with the bow against a moving object. The sick part for me, is I'm not all that interested in eating the deer afterwards.

Unrelated to the bow, what caliber do you guys need to optimally hunt deer? I'd have to guess a .22 is rather small, but maybe I'm mistaken? Also, where do you normally aim at the deer when hunting?

 

[Pradeep]

In the Southern Zone of NY, rifles are illegal for hunting deer. So shotguns with slugs are the only real choice. Buckshot is illegal. Most states have veinson donation programs, you drop the deer off, they will process it and it goes to feed homeless people. Venison is a very healthy meat. I use a 12 guage.

For a rifle I would suggest something in the .30 calibres. Tho a .243 or .270 should be fine as well. I normally aim just behind the shoulder blades. 22LR is definitely too weak.

 

[Clocker]

I use a 20GA shotgun slug which is roughly equivalent to 50 caliber. It's plenty to kill a deer and the gun is relatively light and quick handling. It's also a great gun for skeet shooting since the recoil is lower and you can shoot it all day without getting sore. Pradeeps 12GA is the most popluar. I think it is equivalent to about 75 caliber. The recoil is much higher (especially shooting high brass loads like slugs). BTW, the slugs from shotguns travel at a much lower velocity (about 1600-1900ft/sec) than bullets from rifles.

Doug-
If you go hunting with a bow, you will most likely need a tree stand and some type of attractant or call. You're not going to sneek up on a deer...they sneek up on you. :wink: You sit tight and hope you see one.

C

 

[Clocker]

Also, you can kill a deer with a .22 rifle. However, you would have to make a headshot which no hunter who respected the animal would try. With a headshot, you risk only wounding the animal rather than killing it. There have been too many deer found that have been shot in the mouth and ended up starving to death.

Always aim for the heart/lungs. It's a vital area that will always result in a dead (rather than wounded) deer:

http://www.tnoutdoorsmen.com/killzone.htm

C

 

[Howell]

I can easily hit a coffee cup with my Remmington 700 .223 at 300 yards. I would be concerned that I would not be able to track the deer to where it dies though. Oh, and the rifle with everything on it weighs 15-20 lbs.

For most counties in GA it's either primitive weapons, bow or firearms. In 4 counties around Atlanta fireams deer hunting is not allowed period. In a one county around Atlanta they do allow shotguns and muzzleloaders in the southern half.

Handy, when hunting, the ideal shot is taken when they have stopped moving. You really want to kill the animal quickly and cleanly.

Legal Firearms & Archery Equipment - GA

 

[CraigLC]

I have always wanted to try hunting. I am a meat eater and do enjoy venison when I can get some. My Uncle bow hunted for many years but he has not gone in awhile as he has gotten older and just doesnt want to sit out in the cold any more :lol:

 

[Clocker]

Here's the button buck I got yesterday. He's called a button-buck because his antlers are so short that they look like little buttons. It's the only buck I saw all day. I only saw 5 deer total, the others being a two does and two fawns. Our group as a whole saw tons of does (about 25) but only one was shot as they were hoping some bucks would be following. He's not very big but I'm still happy because the younger ones are supposed to be really tasty.

I shot this youngster with my 20GA at 100-125 yards across a winter wheat field. I was practicing on the 14th with a 100 yard target so I was confident with the shot.

I had actually given up for the day resigning myself to finishing the last couple of hours of daylight in a clump of trees in the middle of the field while the rest of the group hunted a corner of the woods that seemed overcrowded by them (they thought the area would be hot with deer crossing into the woods). It seems they forced this buck to go around the corner ditch-line where they were and opt to cut through the field instead of the woods. After he walked at an angle toward me for about 35 yards he was close enough for me to feel comfortable witht he shot. It went in on his left side right around the heart area and exited on the right side at about the middle of the lungs. As soon as I hit him, he looked up real quick, ran like a bat out of hell for about 40 yards and then did a death-somersault. A textbook quick/humane death. Bonus is that I was the only one to get a buck that day but I still get to use my antlerless permit (since his spikes are so small). Maybe I can find his big brother on Saturday when I go up again.

We didn't see any big mature bucks all day. They’re elusive and have the benefit of experience. Once the rut is firmly in place, I think we'll be seeing them more. They'll be thinking more about reproducing and maintaining their territory than maintaining good cover.

 

[Pradeep]

Was that opening day? It's always good to take the pressure off and get one early.

Can't wait for Monday (hope there's some snow on the ground).

 

[Clocker]

Yep, it was opening day. Saturday is going to be a high in the 50's but it will be rainy. Definitely not good hunting conditions, deer will probably be laying down all day rather than moving around and it will be a muddy mess. If my brother-in-law doesn't go up so we can take the 4-wheeler with his pickup, I probably won't go either. I don't want to have to drag a deer across 40-80 acres (in the mud) without our 4-wheeler.

C

 

[Fushigi]

While my point is not the there is something inherently wrong with hunting, if there are wild animals in your neighborhood, have you considered that, perhaps, it's the people that are in the wrong place?

This really depends on where you live; but in general, wild animals can be found in even the most densly populated city. Taken to an extreme, your question would lead to the conclusion that there is no place for people at all (not necessarily a bad concept)

I've avoided this thread up to now as I'm not a hunter. I thought I'd chime in with this as Merc is probably the only other regular who heard about it.

 

[timwhit]

Yeah, I heard about it too. I think they blew it out of proportion a little bit though. ABC spent 5 minutes during the 10 o'clock news talking about it.

 

[Bartender]

Young Buck Enters Through Delivery Doors

A. He's not that young
B. He usually enters through the front door and then staggers out the back

They should get their story straight.

 

[Buck]

You big dummy, they're not talking about me. They're talking about a deer.

Anyway, the closest I've been to hunting is looking through my L.L. Bean hunting catalogue.

 

[Pradeep]

Well went out on opening day yesterday. All the talk was about what the freaking nutcase in Wisconsin had done the day before:

http://courttv.com/news/2004/1123/hunterdefense_ap.html

Death penalty would be good, tho I'm guessing WI doesn't have it.

Sat in a treestand for the opening hours, then we moved and drove a couple of paddocks of bush. Ended up pushing a bunch of deer out the other end, our group got one small button buck, and two guys who were already in stands in the middle got a frigging massive doe.

Took the button back to base, then out for another drive. By now my thighs had turned to jelly (it was way too warm, like 50 degrees and sunny). Got back i nthe tree stands, half in the forest facing out into a large field. Our lady shooter fired at a deer, it then ran past and into my field of fire. It was a long shot, given the beast was running flat out doing the bounding bouncy run thingy, I emptied the shotty but to no effect, except a smile on my face.

Final arvo hours were spent napping on the ground, waiting for a deer to step on me. Sadly, only the chipmonks/squirrels were around. All in all, the slowest opening day we've had in a while now.

This morning got a call from my father-in-law, he got a reasonable 4 pointer out the back of his place. Going back out prob Thursday. Should have snow flurries, which will be nice.

 

[Clocker]

Sounds like a good time. 50F sounds great to me. I'm be in about 25-30F on Saturday.

Don't mean to sound like a downer but I'm glad you didn't end up wounding that deer...I would have felt bad for it if you had gutshot it or something. I know how it can be though. Sitting in the woods all that time and seeing nothing can get you on edge and a little trigger happy.

BTW, I found a nice new deer hunting related website: www.whitetails.com

C