MO Deer Season Thread

USN_Sam1385 · September 16, 2011, 08:55:00 PM

Got out there that afternoon at about 2 p.m.

Saw a red tailed hawk on the way in. Saw a huge family of coons while I was hunting, watched a red fox trot around at 40 yards, and had blue jays landing feet away from my face.

Left the woods a little earlier than I wanted to as I needed to get home. Missed that last magic hour from bout 6:30 to 7:30.

Jumped 2 does on the way out.

I also underdressed and froze my butt off!!

USN_Sam1385 · September 16, 2011, 09:02:00 PM

Oh yeah..

My next oppurtunity to hunt will be on Sunday morning. I can either hunt the 13 acre property near my house, or head over to a local conservation area. I got drawn for the 2011 Sep 15-Oct. 2 Managed Bow hunt.

It is a 7,000 acre CA that I have hunted once before, 2 years ago. Really big area and tough to pin point the . All the squirrel hunters, people training their dogs, and bikers and hikers, do not do much good to ease the deer's minds.

Makes for tough hunting. Will probably take a crack at it Sunday though, depending on the wind.

I park at a sanitation site that is adjacent to the conservation area, ride my bike 3/4 mile down the hiking trail, cross a creek and go up a ridge, and end up on the very backside of the conservation area. Discovered that at the very END of the hunt I had 2 years ago.

Will be the first place I start this time, as most people do not think to utilize a parking lot that is not connected to the CA.

kennym · September 16, 2011, 09:31:00 PM

Went this eve, rattled in 2 does with the chain on my semi-permanent stand that was on the tree, just loosened up and hung flat against the trunk.

Took me 1 minute too long to get it hung the way I wanted, and they walked up while I was putting my safety harness on the tree.

Caught them out or the corner of my eye and hustled to get ready,buuuutt....

Got an arra nocked, but when I snapped it on the string(still facing the tree), looked down and they were strait down.

They hung around for 30 minutes looking for the strange sound and never presented a shot that I liked. In range for about 5 of the 30 min.

May have to carry a short length of chain with me from now on..... :D

Gatekeeper · September 16, 2011, 10:47:00 PM

When out this mourning and heard a deer blow out of the area I was going to hunt. Hunted until a little after eight when it started to rain. I could have stayed longer but I wussed out.

Hunted this afternoon too. Got to the stand at 4:00 and hunted the stand called Early Season where white oaks grow, but they're not dropping acorns yet. It won't be long though. The red oaks have been dropping for awhile now and the squirrels were in the tops of the white oaks knocking a few acorns out.

The neighbor's corn was being harvested too so I was hoping to catch deer being pushed out of the corn and running to the timber for safety, but it didn't happen.

Had a dog walk the creek behind me. I'm not sure where it came from (I didn't recognize it as a local dog) so it might belong to someone in the harvesting crew. It had a collar and tags. Anyway at 4:50 it shows up and at 5:00 it was chasing something (deer I presume) through another part of our property. :rolleyes:

I was a little antsy, it happens to me in the early season. It takes me a while to get in the groove of being patient. I got down from the stand early to check another stand called Osage Flat where I built a funnel to force the deer in front of the stand and to my delight, there was a big fresh turd on the ground in front of the stand. Life is good!

Mudd · September 16, 2011, 10:48:00 PM

Another rookie mistake...lol

I know to always.. always hunt your way in and hunt your way out if it's still shooting hrs.

I was intending to walk out on the lower path but when I reached the junction I saw a plastic bag that had blown off the trailer Jeff had down in the woods earlier in the day putting up one of his tree stands so I had my plans changed so I could haul out a plastic bag..lol

I can't remember all of the stuff that was going through my mind on the walk back some times it's prayers mixed with other junk.

I know that looked toward the ground while walking then when I looked up there is a nice fat doe broadside to me at about 20 yds.

I was caught off guard and she got away even though I had my bow and arrow in my hand.
As I start belittling myself for not doing what I should have been doing...like paying attention.

All of a sudden a second doe steps out but again I'm no where near ready for it. She left faster than the 1st doe.

Live and learn..over and over and over...lol

God bless,Mudd

raghorns · September 16, 2011, 11:00:00 PM

Went out this evening to my old "honey hole"...had 3 nice does came in to 15 yards from the only direction I couldn't get around to shoot at.

What a great evening to be in the timber...I was carrying the bamboo backed ipe I finished at the Tenn. Classic with David Knight. I'm ready to see what this stone tip will do.

Good hunting to all my Missouri trad hunting friends.

USN_Sam1385 · September 16, 2011, 11:04:00 PM

Murphy's Law Mudd.

If you had been paying attention, then you would have walked out of there and seen absolutely nothing.

It blows my mind the huge number of deer that I have run into while lumbering carelessly out of the woods, and the very few that I have ever run into while still hunting and sneaking through the woods.

I killed the biggest buck of my life after sleeping through my alarm, not showering, using old spice deodrant, and spilling coffee all over myself on the drive to the woods. Go figure...

September 16, 2011, 11:08:00 PM

went this eve. after work. had a small eight pointer come in to about seven yds. and got it all on video but i cant figure how to get it on the compuuuuter, dangitt! then just after i put my arrow back in my quiver and readyed to leav i seen a doe step out, but it was getting to dark, had three of them bounce off blowin at me. il go again in the morning for a few hrs.

USN_Sam1385 · September 17, 2011, 06:58:00 PM

Sooo.. how was the hunting for everyone this morning and evening??? I know there is still bout an hour and a half til dark, so shouuld be getting good right now.

Wind D Ranch · September 17, 2011, 07:30:00 PM

Went out for an afternoon hunt/scouting trip today and saw a nice pair to twin fork horns. I wanted to leave the timber early because I was hunting an unfamiliar place and I wasn't sure of which direction my truck was. After a couple of backtracks, I found my truck and drove to some other spots to see what kind of hunting pressure they were getting. As I was driving, I spotted a young deer caught by the hind leg in a fence. I was able to get it loose and set it free. So, I didn't get a deer today, but I counted coup! I love hunting!

Mudd · September 17, 2011, 09:02:00 PM

I had a short fun hunt this evening.

I had gone to a "Celebration of life" party this afternoon honoring a new friend and didn't get out until late.

I was hunting a spot near my home so getting there quickly once I got home wasn't much of a big deal.

It has a salt lick on it that I started years ago and I noticed that it was about time to replenish the salt so I carry my army shovel and a bag of rock salt in with me.

Not far from the salt lick there's a natural depression (small sink hole) so I decided to try using it. When sitting in my Pacseat my knees are about ground level which allows for a different perspective..lol

Like I said I was late getting in so there wasn't time to put any brush behind me and I thought to myself I'll just see how this works.

Not as well as I had hoped...lol

I had 4 does come out maybe 40 yards from me and were sort of coming in my general direction and every one of them pick ed out but couldn't figure out what I was. I thought for a bit one of them might let curiosity get her killed.

They left and came back 3 different times to check me out. I think the last time they came back in response to my bleat call, but you really knows.

Anyway they burnt up almost all of my hunting time in the woods this evening and made it a fun experience.

I guess I'll make time for a back cover from now on...lol

God bless,Mudd

Lonnie bailey · September 17, 2011, 10:03:00 PM

I made it out this evening arounr 430, I hadnt been in the stand long until a nice 14 inch wide 8 pointer came in to about 10 yards and hung out for about 10 minutes.He offered me several shots at 10 to 12 yards but i just couldnt do it, i know there are 2 more bucks in the area that are quite abit bigger so i took the chance and hope i see one of the bigger ones,I HOPE!!

Gray Buffalo · September 17, 2011, 11:18:00 PM

"Reilly hood" Bring me a deer stake. Have fun with dad and let me know how it went. I didn't get out yet and I need a fix.

Sneaks-like-Buffalo · September 18, 2011, 12:43:00 AM

Saw 9 on thurs eve 7 older does and 2 spotted fawns kind of odd there wasnt more fawns they were 2 difernt doe groups and each group had 1 fawn.maybe they didnt get bred last year any u guys seeing the same in S.W. MO.

sticbow · September 18, 2011, 08:11:00 AM

Gray Buffalo
No steaks tonight bud did see 10 does an one buck they all stayed at 30 yards or better "Reilly Hood" did get a nap in the first hour an a half but was awake for the deer!

here is a view out of the blind its all black inside in front of the blind is 23 apple trees an a pond the dirt in front of the blind is my food plot that just got the first rain 5 weeks after i planted it..the blind is 8x8x8tall with shoot thru windows on all three sides but i keep the other windows blacked out so you can't see thru..camera makes it hard to see thru netting but you really don't notice it

USN_Sam1385 · September 18, 2011, 09:32:00 AM

Awesome set up Stic. Is that a poured concrete floor???

I got at it this morning. The morning started out crisp and beautiful, but with a hint of rain in the air. The cows lying down as I was driving to my spot should have told me.

As soon as I stepped into the woods the rain started. I find a nice comfy spot underneath a big oak tree and settled in. The canopy above stopped most of the rain until it got really bad and was pouring. At that point I retreated back to the truck. Will get at it again Wednesday.

Let's keep this thread going throughout the season boys. Keep us all up to date on what is going on with the deer in this fine state.

sticbow · September 18, 2011, 12:13:00 PM

it's a subfloor on 2 electric poles layed down so i can hook the truck to it a pull it somewhere else if i need to i will post another picture of what the outside look like.we call it the "the super 8"

sticbow · September 18, 2011, 12:54:00 PM

no rain made putting in a food plot 4 weeks early no advantage..just starting to grow the last 7 days..here is a picture of the north end of the field..apple trees an the pond at the bottom of the field..

September 18, 2011, 01:39:00 PM

i got into the woods at daylight, wasnt long and it started raining so i made another ground blind, and went on a scouting mission, figured the rain would wash out any sent i left,jumped one small buck on my way out, gonna sit in my new hideout this eve, seen a doe come out and stand on her hind legs in this spot the other eve, hopefully she shoes up again.

September 19, 2011, 09:24:00 AM

didnt see anything sunday eve. but i think i figured out how to load videos, this was friday eve after work. he was close 5-7 yds.
i was standing next to a walnut tree and sqirrels were everywhere.