MA Shotgun Season 2009 - So how did we do?

ACfarmer

ACfarmer

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Between work schedules and such, today was the first time in 6 or 7 years that I got to hunt with Dad on opening day. I headed out this early morning with my Rem 870 in hand and dad had his 1100 (both sighted in a couple of weeks ago to avoid the rush). I was in my stand for no more than 1/2 hour when I heard something coming through the woods.. only to find that two were moving in from the fields and the houses/barns to my back but downwind. While I was well beyond the required offset from the houses, I didn't want to risk missing. I watched them for what felt like an eternity but really closer to a few minutes. Eventually they took off as another hunter (wearing no blaze orange and making a huge racket) walked into the area and hunkered down behind some rocks a few hundred feet away. Spent the rest of the day walking so a few other on the ground locations. Dad never saw anything worth while. My BIL dad did get a buck (weight TBD last we spoke) in the Royalston area. any one else?
 
I ran into a doe while walking to my first location. I would have taken a shot, but i was too close to the neighbor's house. After that I didn't see anything all day except for a few other hunters.
 
I was out all day. Didn't see a deer. Didn't see any hunters either. Heard a few shots well off in the distance. Sadly I won't get out again for at least 3 or 4 days.
 
Got out to my stand for 3 hours and saw nothing.
Learned that my stand is not easy to get into with a big old orange coat on.
Getting down was worse it seemed impossible to turn around so i went down the ladder facing away from it[thinking]
Good thing no one saw me I looked like an idiot[rofl]
 
My son & I spent the morning in zone 12 at Devens. We didn't see anything today. Heard a few shots. An 8 pointer was checked in there, not sure what else.

Bob
 
I was out in the rain in the AM, and didn't see anything. After hearing the tell-tale sign of a sloppy "hunter" (BLAM..BLAM..............BLAM), I ducked out. Returned in the PM to setup in another location. Found some good sign, but nothing furry with horns on it walking around.
 
I am not hunting deer this year- no room in the freezer. I shot a bull elk in Montana so I am done. About 150 pds of meat, and I still have some deer and cow elk leftover from last season.
 
We jumped 2 early morning (7:15am) but couldn't get a shot off. By 9am there were 7 other hunters in this VERY small piece of land that I was hunting with 2 buddies - so much so that you could look around and pick out orange in almost every direction so we bailed. Changed spots for the afternoon but didn't see anything. The rain made it impossible to hear anything.
 
Went to my grandpas and didnt see a dam thing. stood underneath the umbrella all day, couldnt sit down cause if i did my knees and legs would have gotten wet. heard a ton of shots, and a couple of genius people doing 4-5 shot strings just bam bam bam bam off in the distance. no one was hunting above us or on the sides of us. but gonna go out saturday and then im pretty much done with hunting for the year
 
Good sized spike shot right at the opener. Took it right to the butcher figuring I'll get in ahead of everyone and there were 8 in front of me-2 more spikes, 2 nice 8pts and 4 does.
 
Today was no better than yesterday. No deer to be seen, but I saw plenty of droppings and a couple scrapes.
 
first official post

tuesday night
just got back, shot at a 4 inch spike, watched the hit just back on upper shoulder. found some meat and white hair so i hit something, tracked him to neighboring lot 120 yards west , guys a total dick. posted all the way. he either crossed the road or went on to this guys property. that would make two now! lost an 8 point halloween night, same way. i am very upset right now. the spot is a honey hole, just got access this season, but it is surrounded by posted land...
 
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JayM said:
tuesday night
just got back, shot at a 4 inch spike, watched the hit just back on upper shoulder. found some meat and white hair so i hit something, tracked him to neighboring lot 120 yards west , guys a total dick. posted all the way. he either crossed the road or went on to this guys property. that would make two now! lost an 8 point halloween night, same way. i am very upset right now. the spot is a honey hole, just got access this season, but it is surrounded by posted land...
Click to expand...

get the Environmental Police to help you recover it. it is part of what they do.
 
I didn't see any deer today, but... I grew chilled as the sun neared the horizon, so I climbed down from the stand. As I was doing so, I heard someone unloose 5 rounds not too far away. I figured I'd take a sit, just in case something heads my way. I'm hanging in the midst of a swampy area, with runs on either side.

Been there about 10 minutes when I hear plodding noise headed my way. I've yet to see another hunter in this area, but this guy was LOUD. I was hoping I never made that kind of racket, when I spot some movement... I did't see any blaze orange. What kind of lunkhead goes traipsing through the woods AND w/o any orange on? I prepare to have some hushed chat with the wayward fellow as he makes his way closer. Whoa, that's kinda BIG to be a person. And DAMN, what a big head! Oh, there're two of them, the size of freaking horses! I stay put, and I see the leader take notice of me. They keep pressing on, toward me. Once they got inside 20 yards, I tried to shoo them away with a whistle. They just looked at me. I give them some words, like, "Hey, not over here!" They acted like I was speaking a language they didn't understand? Now I'm getting a slight bit concerned. I raised my arms slowly and told them to "get." Finally, they turn back a bit and thunder off. That made my day. And, numerous other days I've spent hiding in the woods this season.
 
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I thought about that but without an idea of which way he went north southwest, needle in a haystack ring any bells.
the worst part about an hour after all i could hear was the yotes calling like crazy!!
 
pupchow said:
I didn't see any deer today, but... I grew chilled as the sun neared the horizon, so I climbed down from the stand. As I was doing so, I heard someone unloose 5 rounds not too far away. I figured I'd take a sit, just in case something heads my way. I'm hanging in the midst of a swampy area, with runs on either side.

Been there about 10 minutes when I hear plodding noise headed my way. I've yet to see another hunter in this area, but this guy was LOUD. I was hoping I never made that kind of racket, when I spot some movement... I din't see any blaze orange. What kind of lunkhead goes traipsing through the woods AND w/o any orange on? I prepare to have some hushed chat with the wayward fellow as he makes his way closer. Whoa, that's kinda BIG to be a person. And DAMN, what a big head! Oh, there're two of them, the size of freaking horses! I stay put, and I see the leader take notice of me. They keep pressing on, toward me. Once they got inside 20 yards, I tried to shoo them away with a whistle. They just looked at me. I give them some words, like, "Hey, not over here!" They acted like I was speaking a language they didn't understand? Now I'm getting a slight bit concerned. I raised my arms slowly and told them to "get." FInally, they turn back a bit, and thunder off. That made my day. And, numerous other days I've spent hiding in the woods this season.
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I'm lost! what was it?
 
went out after work I am lucky enough to have a few hundred acres that is not posted behind the house that a timber company in NH owns. They harvested the timber about 15 years ago so it is a good area with alot of young saplings and scrub. I jumped 3 of them coming back in just before dark. I know where they bed down but I was sitting on the wrong trail so maybe thursday afternoon I will sit off the other trail and catch them coming back in.
 
JayM said:
I thought about that but without an idea of which way he went north southwest, needle in a haystack ring any bells.
the worst part about an hour after all i could hear was the yotes calling like crazy!!
Click to expand...

Well, I'd suggest you stop hunting, if all you're going to do is wound deer and not put the effort towards recovering them.
 
I hunted opening day. Jumped one doe at about 9:30 and got off two shots. I completely missed.... Stayed in that area till about 1 and then decided to go to my "secret spot" by myself. I got there at about 3:15 (as it started raining) so I decided to walk some. I found what looked like a fairly hot run and some fresh tracks. After following the run for a little over a mile I was in between two ridges and three does jumped up about 20 yards out ran up the ridge and turned to watch me. I really couldnt shoot because they were so close together. While standing watching them I heard a crashing coming towards me and it was a buck running up the opposite ridge and i shot at him as he crested the top and missed again. I was going over to check for blood ect and another one went. I followed the trail the buck went and jumped another doe a few minutes later.
It was a banner day for me as far as deer hunting goes. Im going back in the morning and am hoping to get one.
 
Please clarify, the way you describe this ...
glockshooter said:
...I was in between two ridges ...While standing .... opposite ridge and i shot at him as he crested the top and missed again.
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This sounds like you didn't have a clear backstop. No the sky doesn't count.

Now, I'm sure that you could see a clear path beyond the deer on the top of the ridge, while you were down below, about to shoot, but it sounds reckless how you have it here.

If you could not see a clear backstop, please let me know where you hunt and I will give you a wide berth.

Not trying to bust chops, but you may be giving me more reason to hide from the other hunters while I am in the woods.

Thanks!
 
After rereading my post I totally see where my post sounded reckless. I guess "ridge" and "crest" was a bad choice of words.

I had just walked from the direction I shot and and the crest was more of a hill with a much higher ridge/hill behind it that I had just come over. The hill and the bigger ridge and where I shot are all in less than 100 yard span.

I hope this paints a more vivid picture of the situation.
 
glockshooter said:
After rereading my post I totally see where my post sounded reckless. I guess "ridge" and "crest" was a bad choice of words.

I had just walked from the direction I shot and and the crest was more of a hill with a much higher ridge/hill behind it that I had just come over. The hill and the bigger ridge and where I shot are all in less than 100 yard span.

I hope this paints a more vivid picture of the situation.
Click to expand...

Yes, much better.

thanks.
 
I sat all day Monday on stand on one of my better properties. Nothing but squirrels.

Got out this morning till 7:30. Nice crisp cold morning but nothing moving. Man that moon was bright this morning!!!



SteveCase said:
Went to my grandpas and didnt see a dam thing. stood underneath the umbrella all day, couldnt sit down cause if i did my knees and legs would have gotten wet. heard a ton of shots, and a couple of genius people doing 4-5 shot strings just bam bam bam bam off in the distance. no one was hunting above us or on the sides of us. but gonna go out saturday and then im pretty much done with hunting for the year
Click to expand...

I dont have hunting rain pants so I use a cheap camo rubber rain jacket an tie it around my waist so the back of the jacket hangs down the front of my legs like an apron. it works perfectly to keep the lower half dry in the rain even while sitting.
 
cad said:
Well, I'd suggest you stop hunting, if all you're going to do is wound deer and not put the effort towards recovering them.
Click to expand...

hey there-- he actually spent two full days in the woods the first time he hit one and the second deer he shot, he spent much of last night after. after discussing the shot, we have concluded that he must have been grazed.

there is only so much looking that you can honestly do before you need to move on. there is a very healthy coyote population out that way and i am sure that if and where the first did indeed die, he became a good meal for them.

to be honest, i don't like the tone of your post, and i'll leave it at that.

pm me if you want to discuss... i don't want to ruin this thread with muck.
 
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just got in, two more days off this week! did some ground sitting on a chopped corn field and alfalfa plot that has two inside corners with an outside corner in between them. Saw a doe there last night just after legal shooting time. So i went back tonight with another hunter that i met there last night. Of course no deer came from that area but 3 does snuck up to within 60 yards of me. They were all standing straight towards me and i did not feel comfortable shooting straight on like that. they put on th ebrakes and winded me and they left non chalantly.. my buddy said i was crazy for giving them the pass, he would have shot frontal chest and been comfortable with that.
Any thoughts? Agree or disagree.
 
Off a rest at a standing deer? Yea I would have dropped one of them, but I know I can hit a 3" spot at 100 yards. Dont know how wel you can shoot. Where the neck meets the chest at 60 is a pretty simple shot and she aint going far with over an ounce of lead at 1700+ fps
 
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