I have had a pretty slow year for my deer hunting this year. A lot of folks here have. I think between the dry weather and hot temps it has pushed the deer to move mostly at night. It is not that they were not there. Got plenty of pictures at night on our camera but not in the day. 
My best day all year has been opening morning of gun season. After not even getting a shot at anything big during both black powder and bow season I decided if a decent buck came through I was going to put some meat in the freezer.
I got there early by about 30 minutes before shooting hours. I have one place at one of my leases that is a ridge by an old clear cut. Usually the deer walk that ridge. This year they have stayed in the old clear cut which is about 10 to 20 feet high of really thick stuff. I had hoped to get a couple bucks walking the edge of it. My plan worked like a charm. Maybe 10 minutes after shooting hours started I saw a large deer walking just inside the junk along the edge. Problem was I could not see it well enough to tell what it was, much less tell if it had three points on one side. That is the regulations here in AR. emoRolleyes I was straining my eyes to tell what it was in the dime light when suddenly it spun around and was charged by another deer coming up behind it. The two hit each other and played push for about 10 to 15 seconds. emoEek Then the one that had come up behind it pulled off and ran away. Truly a neat thing to watch in the wild but even then I could not make out the horns. emoCrazy I lost him in the high crap and thought, "well hell, I hope that is not the only deer I see today."
Maybe 45 minutes later I was blessed again with the outline of a deer walking just inside the thick stuff. This time the light was good and when I got the scope on him I immediately saw the horns. He stopped for a second where I could see his head fairly well and I counted three on one side above his ears. emoThumbsup I stopped looking at his horns and started looking for a shot. That crap was so thick I thought for a moment this guy might get by me. I could not find a clear shot. Lucky for me as he walked along he moved closer to the edge and I saw my opportunity. My old 30-06 Remington 742 rang out in the early morning quiet and he dropped in his tracks. Kicked a couple times and it was over. He never knew I was there and had no idea what hit him. Just the way I like it. emoBigsmile I waited a few minutes until I knew he had expired, walked over to him and he was a nice decent size seven point. Missing a brow tine. Glad to have him and knew he would eat well. emoHungry
In order to get back to the camp I would have to pass two other hunters so I decided to stay put until at least 10 or so. About an hour later I caught movement to my right coming down a small dry little creek out in front of me. Turned to see yet another buck coming my way. Nice size deer, stopped right in one of my shooting lanes giving me a perfect broad side shot. Got the scope on him and he was a nice 6 point. With the seven laying there I could not bring myself to end my season on the first day of modern gun. It was his lucky day. I let him walk. Maybe he will make it till next year and come back bigger to give me another shot at him. emoTongue Four deer, all bucks, seen before nine in the morning. Good morning for sure.
Have not done worth a crap since. Saw a couple more shooters, one wall hanger that did not give me a shot. emoDoh Just a week left and not really sure I will even be going. Kind of feeling the burn out. May have to start fishing again. emoBigsmile
Stay safe gang, tight lines to all and may you all have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!! emoGeezer Jmax
My best day all year has been opening morning of gun season. After not even getting a shot at anything big during both black powder and bow season I decided if a decent buck came through I was going to put some meat in the freezer.I got there early by about 30 minutes before shooting hours. I have one place at one of my leases that is a ridge by an old clear cut. Usually the deer walk that ridge. This year they have stayed in the old clear cut which is about 10 to 20 feet high of really thick stuff. I had hoped to get a couple bucks walking the edge of it. My plan worked like a charm. Maybe 10 minutes after shooting hours started I saw a large deer walking just inside the junk along the edge. Problem was I could not see it well enough to tell what it was, much less tell if it had three points on one side. That is the regulations here in AR. emoRolleyes I was straining my eyes to tell what it was in the dime light when suddenly it spun around and was charged by another deer coming up behind it. The two hit each other and played push for about 10 to 15 seconds. emoEek Then the one that had come up behind it pulled off and ran away. Truly a neat thing to watch in the wild but even then I could not make out the horns. emoCrazy I lost him in the high crap and thought, "well hell, I hope that is not the only deer I see today."
Maybe 45 minutes later I was blessed again with the outline of a deer walking just inside the thick stuff. This time the light was good and when I got the scope on him I immediately saw the horns. He stopped for a second where I could see his head fairly well and I counted three on one side above his ears. emoThumbsup I stopped looking at his horns and started looking for a shot. That crap was so thick I thought for a moment this guy might get by me. I could not find a clear shot. Lucky for me as he walked along he moved closer to the edge and I saw my opportunity. My old 30-06 Remington 742 rang out in the early morning quiet and he dropped in his tracks. Kicked a couple times and it was over. He never knew I was there and had no idea what hit him. Just the way I like it. emoBigsmile I waited a few minutes until I knew he had expired, walked over to him and he was a nice decent size seven point. Missing a brow tine. Glad to have him and knew he would eat well. emoHungry
In order to get back to the camp I would have to pass two other hunters so I decided to stay put until at least 10 or so. About an hour later I caught movement to my right coming down a small dry little creek out in front of me. Turned to see yet another buck coming my way. Nice size deer, stopped right in one of my shooting lanes giving me a perfect broad side shot. Got the scope on him and he was a nice 6 point. With the seven laying there I could not bring myself to end my season on the first day of modern gun. It was his lucky day. I let him walk. Maybe he will make it till next year and come back bigger to give me another shot at him. emoTongue Four deer, all bucks, seen before nine in the morning. Good morning for sure.
Have not done worth a crap since. Saw a couple more shooters, one wall hanger that did not give me a shot. emoDoh Just a week left and not really sure I will even be going. Kind of feeling the burn out. May have to start fishing again. emoBigsmile
Stay safe gang, tight lines to all and may you all have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!! emoGeezer Jmax
