2017/18 Hunting Thread!!

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I couldn't find a season thread for this year yet so I'll kick it off. Season opened here on Fri. Yesterday was the first chance I had to go out. I got one! Not only the first dear of the season, it's the first dear of my life!! [party]

I didn't start hunting until I moved down here just shy of 4 yrs ago. I didn't really do much more than scouting the first year. I'm entirely self/internet taught. I've have taken a bunch of small game since being here but no deer. After a series of missed opportunities and either getting busted by or spooking several deer I finally got it right this year. I've been watching/feeding the same group of deer in my yard for months now and was able to get on on my first day out this year.

I'll tell you this, dragging and quartering a deer in 80 deg. weather sucks HUGE ****ING DONKEY BALLS!! I was just pouring sweat the whole time. I got a clean through double lung shot on him and he only made it about 40 yds from the point of the shot. I know a lot of people, myself included, love to bitch about broad-heads being $30-60+ for a pack of 3. Well I can say with absolute certainty that the Allan brand 125Gr. broad-heads from wally world for $7 a 3 pack kill them just as dead. I used a 20 in. Barnett Headhunter Custom Carbon bolt with the 125 Allen BH. Total combined weight of 440 Gr. thrown by a Centerpoint Sniper 370 FPS crossbow.

I think I made out alright for my first go. Considering the heat it was all rush rush rush. It was about 45 min from finding it's corpse to skinned, stripped and packed in the cooler to age for a few days. The many many many, did I say many?, hours of watching skinning and processing vids payed off big time. I was able to strip the deer much faster than I expected. Quarters, back straps, neck, outer rib meat and tenderloins, all without having to open the gut cavity.

The cats in my yard are having a field day with the scraps and carcass. [rofl2] He was a little on the small side, which most deer down here are. I never hung him to get an official weight but it felt like he was somewhere in the 150-170 lb. range based on what the drag felt like. So, without further adieu, here's my first deer...

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The wife was nice enough to come out and film the tear-down and hold a leg occasionally. Camera memory kept getting full so it is split across a few vids. Once I get it edited together and up on youtube I'll post it here.

Good luck this season and be safe!
 
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This'll be my labs first year hunting. Last year he was just a pup. I'm pretty excited about it as he's my first "gun dog"

Been working him a lot the last couple weeks... it's amazing how much of it is instinct for him.

He got introuded to live chucker earlier this week and did awesome.

He's already been introuded to gun fire but my blanks for my 38 should be in today. So we'll be able to start combining the bird launcher and some big noise. Start putting everything together.

Here he is with my daughter helping out... notice he's not taking his eyes off the birds in the carrrier. He was so excited... the chuckers were less than thrilled.
IMG_0135.JPG
 
I couldn't find a season thread for this year yet so I'll kick it off. Season opened here on Fri. Yesterday was the first chance I had to go out. I got one! Not only the first dear of the season, it's the first dear of my life!! [party]

I didn't start hunting until I moved down here just shy of 4 yrs ago. I didn't really do much more than scouting the first year. I'm entirely self/internet taught. I've have taken a bunch of small game since being here but no deer. After a series of missed opportunities and either getting busted by or spooking several deer I finally got it right this year. I've been watching/feeding the same group of deer in my yard for months now and was able to get on on my first day out this year.

I'll tell you this, dragging and quartering a deer in 80 deg. weather sucks HUGE ****ING DONKEY BALLS!! I was just pouring sweat the whole time. I got a clean through double lung shot on him and he only made it about 40 yds from the point of the shot. I know a lot of people, myself included, love to bitch about broad-heads being $30-60+ for a pack of 3. Well I can say with absolute certainty that the Allan brand 125Gr. broad-heads from wally world for $7 a 3 pack kill them just as dead. I used a 20 in. Barnett Headhunter Custom Carbon bolt with the 125 Allen BH. Total combined weight of 440 Gr. thrown by a Centerpoint Sniper 370 FPS crossbow.

I think I made out alright for my first go. Considering the heat it was all rush rush rush. It was about 45 min from finding it's corpse to skinned, stripped and packed in the cooler to age for a few days. The many many many, did I say many?, hours of watching skinning and processing vids payed off big time. I was able to strip the deer much faster than I expected. Quarters, back straps, neck, outer rib meat and tenderloins, all without having to open the gut cavity.

The cats in my yard are having a field day with the scraps and carcass. [rofl2] He was a little on the small side, which most deer down here are. I never hung him to get an official weight but it felt like he was somewhere in the 150-170 lb. range based on what the drag felt like. So, without further adieu, here's my first deer...

View attachment 207710

View attachment 207711

The wife was nice enough to come out and film the tear-down and hold a leg occasionally. Camera memory kept getting full so it is split across a few vids. Once I get it edited together and up on youtube I'll post it here.

Good luck this season and be safe!

Congrats!
Been out one time for squirrel so far this season.....my son hit for two! 30th is youth deer day and we plan to hit the woods hard that day!
 
I couldn't find a season thread for this year yet so I'll kick it off. Season opened here on Fri. Yesterday was the first chance I had to go out. I got one! Not only the first dear of the season, it's the first dear of my life!! [party]

I didn't start hunting until I moved down here just shy of 4 yrs ago. I didn't really do much more than scouting the first year. I'm entirely self/internet taught. I've have taken a bunch of small game since being here but no deer. After a series of missed opportunities and either getting busted by or spooking several deer I finally got it right this year. I've been watching/feeding the same group of deer in my yard for months now and was able to get on on my first day out this year.

I'll tell you this, dragging and quartering a deer in 80 deg. weather sucks HUGE ****ING DONKEY BALLS!! I was just pouring sweat the whole time. I got a clean through double lung shot on him and he only made it about 40 yds from the point of the shot. I know a lot of people, myself included, love to bitch about broad-heads being $30-60+ for a pack of 3. Well I can say with absolute certainty that the Allan brand 125Gr. broad-heads from wally world for $7 a 3 pack kill them just as dead. I used a 20 in. Barnett Headhunter Custom Carbon bolt with the 125 Allen BH. Total combined weight of 440 Gr. thrown by a Centerpoint Sniper 370 FPS crossbow.

I think I made out alright for my first go. Considering the heat it was all rush rush rush. It was about 45 min from finding it's corpse to skinned, stripped and packed in the cooler to age for a few days. The many many many, did I say many?, hours of watching skinning and processing vids payed off big time. I was able to strip the deer much faster than I expected. Quarters, back straps, neck, outer rib meat and tenderloins, all without having to open the gut cavity.

The cats in my yard are having a field day with the scraps and carcass. [rofl2] He was a little on the small side, which most deer down here are. I never hung him to get an official weight but it felt like he was somewhere in the 150-170 lb. range based on what the drag felt like. So, without further adieu, here's my first deer...

View attachment 207710

View attachment 207711

The wife was nice enough to come out and film the tear-down and hold a leg occasionally. Camera memory kept getting full so it is split across a few vids. Once I get it edited together and up on youtube I'll post it here.

Good luck this season and be safe!

Congrats! I hope to be joining you in the "First Solo Deer Kill" the week after Thanksgiving.

I'm headed out for squirrel in zone nine Tuesday afternoon after a site visit in Beverly. Can't wait! Thinking Bolton Flats as it's West of 495 and I'm already familiar with it.
 
Congrats! I hope to be joining you in the "First Solo Deer Kill" the week after Thanksgiving.

I'm headed out for squirrel in zone nine Tuesday afternoon after a site visit in Beverly. Can't wait! Thinking Bolton Flats as it's West of 495 and I'm already familiar with it.

Good luck with the squirrel hunt. Let us know how it goes.
 
Nice!

I already bagged a whole mess of porkies this year. Hoping for a few coyotes. They finally opened my region for the antlerless deer lottery (first time in several decades) but unfortunately I did not win... I'm still looking forward to hunting, but it's not looking promising as I've been seeing 10+ does every night and only one buck this month.
 
Congratulations, nice job. I'm hoping my son can sneak away from college for a day or so for pheasant season.
 
My 13 year old son Cody shot his first duck this weekend. I couldn't have been more proud. [smile]

View attachment 208079

Awesome. How'd he do with his shooting? My son got his first duck 2 years ago......we had ducks coming in all morning.....but he went through a whole box of shells before he hooked up on one! They are faster than pheasants....More lead boy.....more lead!!!!
 
Awesome. How'd he do with his shooting? My son got his first duck 2 years ago......we had ducks coming in all morning.....but he went through a whole box of shells before he hooked up on one! They are faster than pheasants....More lead boy.....more lead!!!!

We waited until they were landing. Wind at our backs and they were basically hovering before they hit the water. As they came in I told him to pick one and shoot it "when you see the feet pop out". He was using 3" #4 shot out of a Benelli Montefeltro. After he made the shot he looked back at me and said "That was hard..." I laughed and said "You made it look easy".

One for one so far, but it was pretty much a straight on shot. I remember being his age and going through a box myself for a couple of ducks. [grin]
 
Who went out for youth day? Any success?

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Well, now that you ask, my 12 yo grandson, Little Jack, came down from NH to participate. Took a good sized doe right here in Acton in the first hour. This makes his fifth deer so far. The kid seem to be a "natural" at this. Mostly due to all the training by his dad. Jack.
 
I let a buddy and his nephew sit behind my house, shot at and missed a nice doe. It was his first time out and first time shooting at one so I didn’t find it surprising.
 
Heading out for squirrel in the wee morning hours with my son tomorrow. He is 16 now. Honestly I'm just glad he likes to spend time in the woods with his "old man " now. It's a good feeling. In all honesty though.....he's got his driving permit and I "sweetened the pot" a little and promised him if he comes with me.....he can drive the truck to the wma.......he's in!!!!!

It's all good........he's a great kid......straight a student.....rows crew for the high school. It's a pleasure to spend some time with him.
 
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Bagged 3 grey squirrels this morning. Shot at another 2 that got away. Not bad for only 3 hours in the woods. The Henry 410 is great but I forgot it patterns a little low. Put the bead just under my target (the aim point I always used on my 12 gauge) on the first squirrel I shot at and missed bad. Figured it out though.

Had my first ever encounter with an unhappy person! I hit a squirrel at about 9am. 10-15 minutes later my son shot one and we hadn't even picked it up off the ground and some old dude came storming up from behind us and yelled "do you mind telling me what you are hunting there is nothing open until next weekend". I said sternly but professionally...."grey squirrel sir and the season has been open on those since the 2nd week of September". He stormed off in a huff. Now.....I was not anywhere near a house. I was deep in the woods off the trail too. He had to work at finding me and had to have come in the woods looking for me after I shot my first squirrel. What a jackass. Best part is as we were walking out I heard two gunshots on the other side of the WMA. That old dude must have been pissing himself!!!!

The more I think about it though the more steamed I get. He rushed in and yelled at us not 10 seconds after my son fired at a squirrel. He was tracking us down based on hearing my shots like 15 minutes before. My son worked that squirrel pretty hard.......stalked in on it......if the jackass had rushed in only a few seconds before he might have spooked that squirrel off and ruined it. At what point would this situation be considered hunter harassment? He had absolutely no right or reason to come track me down and question me! We were legally harvesting game on public land. I'm glad I handled it professionally and spoke politely but now I wish I could give him a piece of my mind.

Edit.....that was actually my second encounter with an unhappy person while hunting. Years ago I was told by a lady walking her golden retriever on the trail to a WMA (we were in orange with shotguns over our shoulders) that "You can't hunt here....this is a wildlife management area. [rolleyes]
 
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Take a picture on your phone. What these people are doing is hunter harrassment and THAT is illegal. I carry a plastic bag with a few copies of the MA law on that and can pass it to them after I take a pic.

Section 5C: Obstruction or interference with lawful taking of fish or wildlife; remedies

Section 5C. No person shall obstruct, interfere with or otherwise prevent the lawful taking of fish or wildlife by another at the locale where such activity is taking place. It shall be a violation of this section for a person to intentionally (1) drive or disturb wildlife or fish for the purpose of interrupting a lawful taking; (2) block, follow, impede or otherwise harass another who is engaged in the lawful taking of fish or wildlife; (3) use natural or artificial visual, aural, olfactory or physical stimulus to effect wildlife in order to hinder or prevent such taking; (4) erect barriers with the intent to deny ingress or egress to areas where the lawful taking of wildlife may occur; (5) interject himself into the line of fire; (6) effect the condition or placement of personal or public property intended for use in the taking of wildlife; or (7) enter or remain upon public lands, or upon private lands without the permission of the owner or his agent, with intent to violate this section. The superior court shall have jurisdiction to issue an injunction to enjoin any such conduct or conspiracy in violation of the provisions of this section. A person who sustains damage as a result of any act which is in violation of this section may bring a civil action for punitive damages. Environmental protection officers and other law enforcement officers with arrest powers shall be authorized to enforce the provisions of this section.

This section shall not apply to the owners of the lands or waters or tenants or other persons acting under the authority of such owners of the lands or waters.
 
Take a picture on your phone. What these people are doing is hunter harrassment and THAT is illegal. I carry a plastic bag with a few copies of the MA law on that and can pass it to them after I take a pic.

I keep a copy of the abstract and sunrise sunset times downloaded on my phone. But this guy was not interested in sticking around.

My thoughts after mulling this over:

Guy lives next to the WMA
Wma is stocked with pheasant every year after columbus day
Guy hates pheasant season
Guy is sitting at home hating life because it's Almost time for that damn pheasant season
Guy hears gunshots from the WMA at breakfast table while eating his piss covered oatmeal
Guy gets up and runs out to WMA to "rectify" the situation and set hunters straight
Guy encounters hunter and son hunting and states his case
Guy realized hunter knows the regs and ain't playing
Guy leaves with tail between his legs

Seriously though.....id say it was borderline harrasment....he had no right to confront us......if he had concerns he should have called f and w
 
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