Tough opening day

tator · #1 (**permalink**) 11-12-2011, 07:49 PM

Well, right now I have mixed emotions. Wish I could go back in time because I'd not spend the entire day outside to see NO DEER what-so-ever until the last 15 min of daylight. First day of firearms season was a disapointment to say the least.
Conditions here are horrible. Highs in the upper 60's with winds blowing ALL day long. Constant 5-10mph winds all day with gusts up to 35mph. PLUS, the wind was blowing out of the south/southwest, which all my firearm-set-ups are facing the north for a north wind. Didn't hear many shots today at all. Probably 1/4 of what I normally hear.
With about 45 minutes of daylight to go, I decide to leave the woods (after a 4 hour sit of seeing NOTHING except 10 coons) and go for a walk on a different part of the property that I don't hunt much b/c it's out of the way. Well low and behold, I see a doe right away but she was already at the fence line and jumped over and walked into the woods. Then I saw another deer with about 10 min of daylight left. This deer was bigger than the first and I thought it was a nice doe. Shot once, and hit a limb and the deer just spooked but didn't run. Shot second time and hit a little far back but it stumbled and fell right where I shot it. Bad news- it was a button buck. Didn't want to shot a button buck but we'll take the meat. There's just no way to see the dog-gone bumps on his head. Plus he was a BIG button buck. If he were a doe, he'd have been bigger than a medium sized doe. Got him dressed and cleaned and taking him to the processor after supper. Tator's on the board.... and tired

Hunting Man · #2 (**permalink**) 11-12-2011, 08:06 PM

congrats on the harvest.

on_the_fly · #3 (**permalink**) 11-12-2011, 08:31 PM

Congrats on the harvest !! It was windy here too 10 to 15 mph, and tomorrow calling for 25 with gust up to 35 mph. So this old boy is staying home tomorrow.

rdrader2002 · #4 (**permalink**) 11-12-2011, 09:44 PM

Congrats Tator, you're on the board.

Was windy the past couple of days here, too. Am hoping for better conditions next weekend.

RR

timberghost · #5 (**permalink**) 11-13-2011, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hunting Man

congrats on the harvest.

x2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

turner · #6 (**permalink**) 11-13-2011, 11:02 AM

Congrats on your harvest Tator. Weather was bad for our Kentucky opener as well. I saw a few deer in the AM including a huge buck that was all broken up. Five points on one side with G3 & G4 broken. The other side? Broken off at the skull. He was a huge stud of an animal though! Hope he makes it through the season til next. He walked 5 yards behind my new stand

Afternoon was very windy and slow. I checked my watch mid-afternoon and figured they'd start moving around three. At 3:20 I turned to see a nice buck trotting through the woods about 115 yards away. He followed the trail I figured he would and 2 mins later was right behind my stand. I couldn't decide for sure whether to drop the hammer, but as he was about to leave I shot.

First harvest with my CZ 550 FS in 9.3x62 turned out to be a nice Kentucky 8 and the rifle put the smackdown on him The good part, I've got another nice 8 now this season. The bad, no more buck tags for Kentucky...lol. I've still got a doe tag for Ky and have two more buck tags for Tn, however.

Wish you great luck today Tator!!

Hunting Man · #7 (**permalink**) 11-13-2011, 11:45 AM

congrats Turner on the buck harvest. Sounds like you have a nice chunk of land to hunt.

Buckshot · #8 (**permalink**) 11-13-2011, 11:59 AM

Tenderloins in the skillet, congrtas. Th SW wind has been an issue for me all week long.

tator · #9 (**permalink**) 11-13-2011, 01:56 PM

Wasn't going to go out this morning but woke up at 4:45am and decided to get up and try it again. It was 61 degrees at 5am this morning here in North Central MO. CRAZY! Plus it was windy as heck. I didn't mention this before, but the moon has been full and BRIGHT the past 4 nights. When I saw bright, I mean a blind man could find his way through a 40 acre forest with ease.
Wind was gusting upto 40mph this morning as well, absolutely the wrong conditions in every sense. Winds strong out of the west/southwest.

ON another note, I did see what I thought was 2 does this morning. Shot the bigger of the two and yep, you guessed it, it was a button buck AGAIN. Sick to my stomach. I absolutely can't believe this. Killed two button bucks in same year. I think I'm done shooting at deer that I believe to be does. Disapointing, but at least there is meat on the table. I donated one deer to the share the harvest program, this one I'm getting processed into sausage, sliced for jerky and burger.

on_the_fly · #10 (**permalink**) 11-14-2011, 11:01 AM

Still tough!! Still 20 mph winds, only seen one doe and I only seen her for just a few seconds because she was down in the bottom in some thick stuff. Only one spot I could see as she went by. But didn't matter was behind me about 80 yards and on the neighbors property. They don't care if I shoot down there but there is a little bluff and I realy wouldn't want to have to pack a deer up out of there.