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Deer Hunting 2014

Drew a blank in WV. Guess it's time for a new scope. Mine doesn't seem to hold zero anymore. Had a nice 4 pt about 85 yds away and missed (only deer I saw). Checked the gun on a target a little while later and found it 10-11" high at 95 yds (sorry tree). Weather was nice Mon and Tues but then that damned Nor'easter screwed things up. We were predicted to get 6-8" of snow but it tuned out to be about 14" when it was all said and done. High winds and blowing snow don't make for a good trip in the Monogahela National Forest. Spent a lot of time in the trailer...
 
@OhioArcher what kind of scope do you have? I feel for youon the weather, I've had my own issues with snow this year.
 
It is a Redhead 3-9X40. Been on there a while but I forget how long. Probably going to go with a Leupold the next go around. I ordered up some new mounts to lower it a bit...it has (and has had) raised look-through mounts so I could still use the irons when I wanted to. Weaver makes a 2-piece set and Leupold makes a 1-piece mount (I ordered both). I'll just need to get the rings after the mounts come in.

Other than the scope, the miss could have been from me but I dont think so. Had plenty of time to watch him, settle the crosshairs, squeeze the trigger while resting on a falldown. May have hit a branch but again I don't think so. I did find out that the forearm on a Savage 99 needs to be away from the barrel. I remember tightening the forearm screw but not whether is was before/after the shot.

I also need to look at how I cleaned the gun after the last range visit. I may have left oil in it as I was rushed at the time. But a 10"-11" high miss from a resting position is just unusual for me.
 
I dont Muzzle Loader hunt anymore. I will be back in the tree in the morning with the bow.
I'lll
try to hunt everyday Im off. Got to get the meat for the freezer. That late standing corn killed for the early part of bow season and with gun season just passing it just got alot harder with all the shoot at skitish deer.
I stayed home from work today with ear infection, Im off the next 2 days so weather my ears ready or not Im over the ear thing and gettin back to the woods!
 
And now, the rest of the story.....

Finally connected last night with the Barnett Raptor. I worked from home yesterday so I had a unique chance to hunt during the week. I usually do not get back home in time to make it to the woods in the daylight. I got to the woods late with only an hour of light left. It was pretty quiet til just a few minutes before the end of shooting hours at which point I had 6 or more deer come out of the woods. At first I had my sights on a nice doe but she turned and didn't give me a shot. This guy was walking straight towards me and and I didn't even realize he was a buck as his antlers blended in with all the standing corn. He turned broadside at 25 yards and I caught a glint from his head. I put the crosshair on his heart and let the arrow fly. I was a bit high but took out the lungs. It was a 25 yard shot and the deer never seemed to flinch til after the Luminok disappeared in the hide. I was shooting a 463grain Easton 2219 with Carbon Express Torrid SS broadhead. It was a complete pass through and great blood trail. The deer only went about 60 yards.

I was a bit disappointed in the size of the hole but the broadhead did it's work. Love watching the Luminock and it made it really easy to find the arrow as it was getting pretty dark buy the time I waited and started tracking. It is a heavy deer and I'm really glad one of the neighbors had a quad, I would have hated to drag it the quarter mile or so back to the truck.

I guess all I had to do was post online about what a slow year its been to get something moving. LOL My dad always tells me "It only takes one" and I think of that every time things seem to get slow. He is right!

Here's a couple more pics taken in the woods while I waited for the quad:

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2014_Mike_8Point_003_zps34cecbb5.jpg


I will also note that this is the biggest deer I've ever taken and the fist with a crossbow.

He was also taken from "Mikes' box o' death" LOL
 
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This is what camp looked like by day 3...supposed to get 6-8". Got more like 14"...buried the truck in a snow bank over mud one day. Had to dig under it to get the chains put on. Fun stuff...NOT.

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Maybe locally. Hadn't really planned on hunting at all this year but a couple of opportunities arose. I've been hunting pretty hard for the last 10 yrs (95% bow hunting) without much success. Needed to step away for a while.
 
It only takes one. And if you're not out there your chances of seeing one are greatly reduced. ;-D
 
I prefer a smaller caliber myself but hey whatever gets the job done. LOL

I hunted over the weekend in balmy 40-50deg temp's. Hunting a new area this time. Hunting with my dad on the property he hunts. I saw a couple does last night and heard a buck grunting and thrashing around but he never cam eout where I could see him. Had a blast nonetheless. I just love seeing and hearing that stuff, it's why I hunt.

Well that and the jerky....

Jerky.jpg

This was about a third of the 9 #'s I cooked up over the weekend. This batch was made from the remaining burger from last years deer. I vacuum sealed everything so I was still good. I needed to make room in the freezer.
 
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