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2014 Hunting Megathread

dropride

dropride

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With today being the start of the archery season here in NH i figured i'd start a thread for this years hunting season. Sitting about 18ft up in a tree right now hoping to see any of the bucks i have on cam.
 
Squirrel season opened in mass last week. Spent Saturday morning in the woods with my son.....he learned quickly that getting a squirrel in the cross hairs of a scope of a 22 rifle is not like shooting paper or plates at the gun club. He's learning though and that's what its about. Being in the woods an hour before sunup is a great time all in itself!
 
spent 4 hours in the morning in the stand, saw a deer (a buck I think) 100+ yards away across the field. He went the other way. Also watched a woodcock play around in a swampy area below me. Went back after lunch and a nap for a few hours and didn't see anything.

Looking forward to making the most of this season
 
was in the stand at 5:30 this morning. Didn't even see a squirrel. Only birds.
Stalked the afternoon and found some sign at a posted No Hunting area. Oh well.

Anyone feel like taking 2 new bow hunters under their wing this week in NH?
Have bows. Have camo. Have 2 climbers. Do make an attempt to mask scent. but I think we are just "woods dumb"
 
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I got my bolt .22 ready today for squirrel here in MA. Its a JC Higgins (Marlin 80DL) wearing a Weaver Classic 4X. Started getting ready for deer as well. Got the bow ready & set up a target in the yard. I put a new rifle sight slug barrel on my shotgun and that needs to be sighted in. My muzzleloader needed some TLC, so I took it apart tonight. Got rid of some rust and gave the barrel two new coats of bluing. It will sit with a coat of oil tonight. I'll wipe it off tomorrow and reassemble. Its a Traditions Hawken .50 with Williams FireSights.




 
I got out to my stand around 4:30 and sat watching squirrels for about 2 hours. Around 6:30 i heard something coming through some thick stuff of to my right and a spike and 4 pointer came walking out slow. They hung around for prob 5 minutes before the spike walked off and the 4 pt started walking behind me probably 5 yards from my stand. I turned around to watch him and saw what i thought was a 6 standing behind some bushes about 20 yards to my left. The 4 walked over towards the 6 and were standing there eating for a few before they started walking out of the bushes heading back behind me. The 6 stepped out broadside at about 25 yards and i was going to take the shot but there was a branch in my way. What seemed like an hour but probably only 2 minutes he finally took a couple steps and gave me a shot. I use lighted knocks and saw the hit and it was back further than i wanted. Texted my stepfather who was hunting the same property and told him i hit one. Waited about a half hour before we got down and went over to my arrow. It was covered in blood and stunk so i knew i paunched it. We started looking for more blood and about 5 yards away there was blood everywhere, we just kept following it about 50 yards before we found him. My stepfather got to it first and said you ****er it's an 8. I was excited to say the least, finally got a deer with my bow and it was a nice 8 pointer. From the way it was standing before i shot i couldn't see the brow tines and we have pics of a nice 6 so i thought that was it. So the pressure is off for this year.
 
dropride said:
I got out to my stand around 4:30 and sat watching squirrels for about 2 hours. Around 6:30 i heard something coming through some thick stuff of to my right and a spike and 4 pointer came walking out slow. They hung around for prob 5 minutes before the spike walked off and the 4 pt started walking behind me probably 5 yards from my stand. I turned around to watch him and saw what i thought was a 6 standing behind some bushes about 20 yards to my left. The 4 walked over towards the 6 and were standing there eating for a few before they started walking out of the bushes heading back behind me. The 6 stepped out broadside at about 25 yards and i was going to take the shot but there was a branch in my way. What seemed like an hour but probably only 2 minutes he finally took a couple steps and gave me a shot. I use lighted knocks and saw the hit and it was back further than i wanted. Texted my stepfather who was hunting the same property and told him i hit one. Waited about a half hour before we got down and went over to my arrow. It was covered in blood and stunk so i knew i paunched it. We started looking for more blood and about 5 yards away there was blood everywhere, we just kept following it about 50 yards before we found him. My stepfather got to it first and said you ****er it's an 8. I was excited to say the least, finally got a deer with my bow and it was a nice 8 pointer. From the way it was standing before i shot i couldn't see the brow tines and we have pics of a nice 6 so i thought that was it. So the pressure is off for this year.
Click to expand...
Congratulations!
 
So now that I live in a free state, I just got my first hunting license. Woohoo! $12 for the lic and $6 for the big game endorsement. I can't wait for the Oct. 1st start of rifle season. I was walking through wally word and was wondering why there was a whole isle of deer bait. Salt licks, apple blocks etc... So I came home and did a little googleing and ran across this...

On Friday, Mar. 1, 2013, SC Governor Nikki Haley signed into law an amendment to the state’s current law that officially makes deer baiting legal in all parts of South Carolina.

Before its passage, deer bating had been legal in certain areas of the state. However, gray areas in the law regarding deer baiting in Game Zones 1 & 2 had left the Department of Natural Resources essentially unable to enforce the law as it pertained to these zones. As a result, DNR, who does oppose the practice of deer baiting, did lend its support to this bill’s passage.

As it now stands, it is legal to bait deer in all games zones within SC.
Click to expand...

That just added to my excitement. I saw plenty in my yard last year and have found scat piles 5 feet from my deck several times. I've been out looking for tracks and rubs and found several in my back yard. It looks like they are walking right down the shooting lane of my range. Which would be damn convenient since it gives me a nice clear path for my shots and a known good backdrop. It is 50 yds to the backstop from my deck. With a little luck I won't have to drag any too far before cleaning.
 
Certainly not the buck that Dropride posted but she will help fill up a freezer that is getting empty. Shot her yesterday AM around 6:45. 120# dressed. Not a great shot, high with only one lung. It was a bitch of a tracking job but now she is on ice in the shed. Only 12 more tags left in my hunting pack ;-)

 
dropride said:
Nice fat doe. And you suck for having that many tags [wink]
Click to expand...

6 in NH and hopefully 7 in MA. I have 3 now and when the zone 10 doe tags go on sale in October I will buy my 1 a day until they are gone. Last year 4 was the number. I have no intention of filling 12 tags but I'd like another one in NH with the ML and maybe another with the bow and then a few from MA if my season works out well for me. Might be a tad optimistic though :)
 

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