MA Bow Season - 2024

So the 2024 deer season sure has been an interesting one. Last week it was a turkey. This week it was a coyote. Saturday I had a deer creep up to the clearing my blind is in just before sunrise. I knew it was there. But just as legal light hit, it bounced and all I saw was the bright white tail slipping into the darkness at 20 yards. Then a few hours later I had another one circle the clearing - providing no shot and again all I saw was an rear end walking away. Gah! So I decide to freshen up the mock scrape for the afternoon sit. And in less than 30 minutes the coyote rolled in checking out the new scents... he didn't last long with the SEVR hybrid 1.5" passing clear through the right chest and exiting mid abdomen on the left. And I managed to get my bolt back too! This afternoon I tried my hand at skinning. I did OK (mind you I'm a perfectionist).

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Maybe I'll get a shot on some deer this week.
 
Mark from ? said:
Headed back tomorrow night. I left the Mathews backup bow up there.

My buddy has a setup with does and a buck or two coming in, he already killed a doe. I have a few setups I left up there, I'll throw up near my Dad's. I'll try to get in a few hunts after work, then I'm trying to get some time off for the week after.

Im sure Ill have stuff to do for my dad, and going to do some pheasant hunting as well. Itll be nice to get in a tree up there though even if I don't see anything.

Next year will likely be a spot in Kentucky that I hunted a few years ago if I don't get off my ass and grab some hunting land somewhere first. Already talked to the guy and he said he would be happy to have me, as long as I hang the AR on the tree with me and shoot some coyotes as well.
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Ugh....Dad has been sick and in and out of hospital and we've been dealing with that and work things that are FUBAR. Just ordered a wheelchair ramp and gotta install that too.

Im hoping to sit a stand at my buddies end of week. Fxcking acorns are just bonkers this year. Deer shouldn't have to move 2 feet to eat.

If not...maybe I'll just go KY rifle this year or SC.......

Did kill some birds Sat and Monday.
 
Mark from ? said:
Ugh....Dad has been sick and in and out of hospital and we've been dealing with that and work things that are FUBAR. Just ordered a wheelchair ramp and gotta install that too.

Im hoping to sit a stand at my buddies end of week. Fxcking acorns are just bonkers this year. Deer shouldn't have to move 2 feet to eat.

If not...maybe I'll just go KY rifle this year or SC.......

Did kill some birds Sat and Monday.
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Good luck with your dad.
 
2 doe down this morning

Had a group of 4 come in, shot at the biggest one and got a pass through heart shot, she crashed 50 yards into the woods and went down right there. The others didn't move so i let my son nock an arrow and shot at the next biggest one and got a double lung pass through. She crashed away out of sight. The other 2 still didn't move so I just let them go and went for a coffee to give the ones I shot some time.

Neither went more than 50 yards. found the first one right where I left it dragged it to a trail and as soon as I looked up I saw the other one crashed on the side of the trail 15 feet away from me.

2 very good shots which is not my normal experience. I usually get shakey during a shot and spend all day looking for deer.

1 weighed in at 120 dressed, the second was 98. 20241026_102615.jpg
 
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Thats awesome congrats BigFudge16.

I shot a 4pt about a minute into legal yesterday. He was in the brush behind me in the dark and hung around long enough for legal time. I saw antler and decided I’d take him if he gave me a shot. When he stepped out of the brush I saw the big body and thought he was bigger but I was too focussed on seeing my sight pin in the low light to double check the rack :)

2 1/2 year old with a small rack. Dressed out at 148. He’ll eat good and I’ll hold my second buck tag for one of the big boys I have on camera and hope they slip up in the rut!
 

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HorizontalHunter said:
Good luck with your dad.
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Thank you.

Late in the week.....Did get a 2 sits in.....one had 4 does come in right under the stand.....let them walk. Momma and fawn groups.

2nd sit had a small buck come in...think a 4pt working a scrape at 25 yds. Didn't want to kill that one either.

My buddy had plenty of meat if I wanted it.....no reason to kill smallies. Its a nice private little spot easy in, easy out, that I'd like to keep them growing and feeling safe at so I can come back year to year when I visit my parents.

Pretty good sits for MA had a fun time watching the deer.
 
Mark from ? said:
Thank you.

Late in the week.....Did get a 2 sits in.....one had 4 does come in right under the stand.....let them walk. Momma and fawn groups.

2nd sit had a small buck come in...think a 4pt working a scrape at 25 yds. Didn't want to kill that one either.

My buddy had meat if I wanted it.....no reason to kill smallies. Its a nice private little spot easy in, easy out, that I'd like to keep them growing and feeling safe at so I can come back year to year when I visit my parents.

Pretty good sits for MA had a fun time watching the deer.
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Excellent. Sounds like a good time.

I’m going to get out for an afternoon sit on private land in Ct this afternoon with a friend. It will be my second sit this season.

Bob
 
Almost closed the deal on a real nice buck yesterday. Beautiful cold morning, 22 degrees. got in my stand in the dark and let the woods settle around me. At 6:30 in hit a few grunts and starting crashing the rattling horns. almost immediately a nice mature 8 pointer came crashing in all bristled up looking for the fight. I was on a mountainside bench with a nice draw 80 yards below me. He hung up at 60 yards because he could not see the deer he thought were fighting. He stayed there 10 minutes looking, seemed like an hour. Eventually he turned and started walking back the way he came. I was able to turn him a couple times calling, bleats, grunts and a snort weeze. But each time he turned back and continued on. Cool to see, nice to know I was in the game. Adjustments to be made to get closer to him next time.
Short video of him walking off.


View: https://youtu.be/0R495pqplAg?si=ngvT2_yA0lAA7VZW
 
Interesting day in the woods today. Still hunting a piece I have permission but don’t have any stands. Had buck grunting at me just before light never saw him couldn’t get him to come into me and eventually wind swirled and he blew at me and took off.

Few hours later poking along in some thick stuff with wind in my face got with in 10 yards of a 4 point was waiting for him to take another step I was at full draw he busted me. He had a doe behind him too. Off they went not out of the country but wasn’t going to pursue.

Went home had lunch was heading to ladder stand behind my house creeping in there I spot a coyote bedded down below stand. (Probably why I haven’t seen many deer in there last few weeks) Give a doe bleat to get him to stand up. I let one fly thought I hit him he took off running in a giant circle then out of sight. Got to his bed I gave him on hell of a haircut. Hair everywhere found the arrow no blood took his track aways no blood. I think shot was bit farther than I thought and was low.
Rest of the day in the stand was uneventful.
 
dogdoctor said:
So the 2024 deer season sure has been an interesting one. Last week it was a turkey. This week it was a coyote. Saturday I had a deer creep up to the clearing my blind is in just before sunrise. I knew it was there. But just as legal light hit, it bounced and all I saw was the bright white tail slipping into the darkness at 20 yards. Then a few hours later I had another one circle the clearing - providing no shot and again all I saw was an rear end walking away. Gah! So I decide to freshen up the mock scrape for the afternoon sit. And in less than 30 minutes the coyote rolled in checking out the new scents... he didn't last long with the SEVR hybrid 1.5" passing clear through the right chest and exiting mid abdomen on the left. And I managed to get my bolt back too! This afternoon I tried my hand at skinning. I did OK (mind you I'm a perfectionist).

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Maybe I'll get a shot on some deer this week.
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Interested in what you did with it after you got it skinned out ? I want to target coyotes this winter I am sure I can skin them but don't know much about processing fur after as I would like to use it for something.
 
Sparkey said:
Interested in what you did with it after you got it skinned out ? I want to target coyotes this winter I am sure I can skin them but don't know much about processing fur after as I would like to use it for something.
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They are pretty easy to tan because the hide is thin and usually not much fat to deal with. You can get the chemical needed on Amazon. We are in the process of doing one now.
 
peterk123 said:
They are pretty easy to tan because the hide is thin and usually not much fat to deal with. You can get the chemical needed on Amazon. We are in the process of doing one now.
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Good to know feel free to share some pictures. I am sure a few YouTube videos can point me in the right direction. I assume you flesh out the hide and borax it not sure if the wife will appreciate me washing it in the washing machine 😂.
 

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