Gun season is over

[CD2]

Buddy got his buck opening weekend, I got mine the next.
Was not feeling well this morning (last day of gun), but shook off the aches and pains and drove out to the thicket and did a push for my bud (antlerless tag).

Wet, creek up, but not past bank.......I went in at the tree tops and zig zagged from high to low, figuring something bedded in the high ground logs or sticker bushes.
Saw quite a few tracks, some big ones too. Evidently they came through in the dark and were long gone by daylight.

There simply wasn't a single deer in the place.
Not even a coyote.

So.............we slogged the low ground after, found a couple of spots for bow stands (when it gets dry).

Thus ended the IN gun season.

Maybe more deer around than we thought. Cold weather from now on. The idea of late bow, for a doe............my lazy arse is thinking warm couch rest of the year. Public land hunting is farther away too. Used to MZ hunt, had Knights and TC sidehammers. Got out of BP stuff some time ago.

Another bud scored a like new Knight stainless Wolverine and w them being back in biz, got the 209 conversion. If I was that lucky I might go back out.

[CD2]

BTW, I just capped my deer. Scraped it pretty clean.
Let it dry a couple days and one final detail pass and it's done.
Tossed it on top of a few other little ones from days gone bye.

[FirstBubba]

Congrats on what sounds like a fairly productive season!
We've got a "Bonus Antlerless" season in late Dec.
I'll help my buddy get a doe.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

The last day of each season is always a heartbreaker. It's like going to a funeral. This year marked the last hunting season for my old dog Opal. That final day out with her got to me.

[CD2]

Congrats on what sounds like a fairly productive season!
We've got a "Bonus Antlerless" season in late Dec.
I'll help my buddy get a doe.

Thanks, bow and gun combined I spent only 18 hrs afield.
That over 5 mornings.
Usually average a deer every 4 trips.
Slacking in my old age.
LOL

[CD2]

The pawn shops are full of muzzleloaders. Grab a decent one and go hunting. Time enough to rest when the season is over.

Our gun season ends February 10th. That gives me only 10 more weekends. Looks like I'll need every bit of it the way my luck has been running.

Woke up today, knee still sore. Little deer drive made it swell up.
That kind of odd.
Def aint putting up stands until it settles down.

[CD2]

The pawn shops are full of muzzleloaders. Grab a decent one and go hunting. Time enough to rest when the season is over.

Our gun season ends February 10th. That gives me only 10 more weekends. Looks like I'll need every bit of it the way my luck has been running.

I think buying a rifle will make it feel better ;-)

[CD2]

Congrats on what sounds like a fairly productive season!
We've got a "Bonus Antlerless" season in late Dec.
I'll help my buddy get a doe.

We have a late firearm doe season too, but our county doesn't meet the requirement.
Buddy has fam ground in another county, doesn't meet the req either. So doe for me has to be by bow or MZ.

[fitch270]

I have one weekend left to get it done with a rifle, then another with the muzzleloader. I live in a three point antler restriction unit, and have had the scope on three different bucks that didn’t make the cut. The boy is exempt due to age. Never got around to getting him his own front stuffer so he’ll be carrying mine, his archery/muzzleloader tag is still good for either buck or doe.

Headed out to the garage shortly to whittle on his doe from yesterday.
Man that kid keeps me busy...,.

[steve182]

I’m heading north to Camp tomorrow for the last few days there. At home looking forward to winter bow.

[CD2]

Did not bowhunt over holidays. Messed up my wrist and back.
Am a bit better, season ends this coming weekend.
Dunno if I'll head out and just watch the sunset to close 'er down.

[Outlaw]

Went home to WV for the holidays, got a nice fat doe with my 270 during the late antlerless rifle season. No luck with my bow this year. WV

[fitch270]

No deer for me this year, but having "guided" the boy to getting his first two I'm feeling pretty good. I would have put one in the freezer if we didn't have antler restrictions in our unit. Maybe next year.

Looks like I'd better get used to this role for a few years. The boy has just one more year before he can venture out on his own, but my daughter appears to have a budding interest in this stuff now and she's going to take a bit more mentoring. It's all good, but I also appreciate those very few times when I've made it out alone. Really looking forward to the boy and I hunting in Montana next year!

[CD2]

Good that your kids hunt. Mine don't. Bow season ends this Sunday. Wanted to go this past weekend but screwed up my wrist and then my back. 4 days off work and worthless. Of course I'm healed up .........the day I go back to work.

[JasonT]

After my waterfowl trip saturday I guess I am going to break out the mathews this week fir the last of the late archery season.