Opening Morning

pyscodog

Active member
Opening morning for deer season here in Okla. Here I am setting in the living room watching OU football. Seems like only a few years ago the heat didn't matter, I'd be in a tree stand with bow in hand. Just can't seem to do it anymore. The last few years killing deer just aren't as important as they use to be. I still enjoy going but its just to dang hot and the butcher shop is to far away from where I hunt. I use to strive to tag out but these days if I get one or two its all I can eat anyway. Last year I said if it didn't have horns I was going to let it walk. I ended up with a nice 8 point and a freezer of meat. (I still have some of it.) IDK what this season brings. We don't even have cameras or feeders going yet. I know, I'm behind, but for some reason this year I don't really care. I think I get more enjoyment watching them as I use to get killing them.
 
It's whatever makes you tick. Don't worry about nothing but enjoying your time outdoors. Many years ago, if it had horns I shot it. Now days, I get picky. If I get one it will be pretty nice, if I don't, so what.
 
Well, here I am again on the couch and its first day of Black Powder. Temps in the high 80's and a 35 MPH wind out of the south. I hunt my friends property and he said it was a no-go today. We're suppose to have similar weather tomorrow. The forecast is 100% chances of rain Monday and Tuesday but its Oklahoma so who knows? We only have a 9 day muzzle loader season so its going fast. We don't usually shoot does until the last part of archery but still have rifle season coming up and there are a few good shooter bucks on the cameras so there is hope. Maybe the weather will be more forgiving. But its Oklahoma, anything is possible.
 
Our muzzle loader season opened up here in central FL on the same day, Oct. 22nd. I took the weekend off work and thankfully we had a cold front come through giving us temps in the high 40's to low 50's.

I managed to get a 7-pt in the am, and when I returned to my stand that afternoon, I walked up on a nice 8-pt.

Meat in the freezer so pressure is off, temps are back up and gun season opens this coming Saturday, if it's warm, I doubt I'll go.



 
We have some nice deer on cameras but they're night feeders. Three days in the field during black powder and never saw a deer. My buddy did kill a big hog and I saw a bunch of turkeys but we both got skunked with the smoke poles.
 
Our muzzle loader season opens tomorrow. High temperature of around 78. I have 5 bucks on trail cam and all are coming out out in the morning daylight hours. Also have 2 bears and a coyotes on the cam.
 
I really dislike hunting hot weather. Our general firearms season opens 11/12 Saturday morning. The extended forecast has lows in the low/mid 20's and highs around 40*. That's not bad and I'm looking forward to a wintery feel outside.
 
Well muzzle loader season was a wash. I only got to hunt two days and the deer awere still night feeding. Rifle season opened last Saturday and I had stuff to do Saturday and Sunday and my friend that I hunt on had surgery today and will be laid up for 6-8 weeks so I won't be able to hunt his land until maybe late archery. I hunted public land today and in the morning. I killed a great 9 point a few years ago there. Maybe the deer gods will look down on me and send me another. Its not looking to good though.
 
Well I'm still on public hunting, but the Deer God's smiled at me today. At 7am a decent 6pt walked in at 30-40yds and gave me a shot. I actually thought I missed him because he sure didn't act like he's been hit with a 7mm08. When I got up to look, it took a while before I found the first blood. A small amount on the ground with some hair, a little of both about 3ft off the ground on a tree and some small speckles a few feet away. But at least I knew now I didn't miss. I set back down and waited maybe 45 minutes or less and got up and started looking again. I followed small spots of blood for about 20 yds then it stopped again. I kept looking and again found small speckles of blood which I followed another 20-30 yds and all the time thinking this isn't looking good. I went back to the last place I had sign and started circling and again I found more blood. Actually more than I had been following so now I'm thinking just maybe I hit him better than I thought. While all this is going on, I'm seeing an open field about 100-120 yds away and just hoping I find him before he hits that field cause its a big field and a long way across it. When I got to the edge of the field I was almost afraid to go farther but I did and low and behold the buck was about 50yds in the field and dead. Whew its over but the work begins. I hit the buck a little high but it came out about mid body and center and a hole the size of a silver dollar. Why didn't this buck bleed more. I shoot a 139 grain BTSP and it knocked a big hole in him. Only thing I can figure is all the blood stayed inside him. Doesn't matter now, he's at the processors getting made into steaks, burgers and summer sausage.
 
Happy ending.
smile.gif
 
Back
Top