Whitetail deer season 2023-2024

[SS1]

That friend of mine that got that big non-typical (bottom center mount with the plaque next to it he received for it at an awards banquet he went to) has a pretty impressive wall of them now - sorry for the poor lighting.
Top center are antlers from a moose that he or one of his sons shot in Maine also.

 

[DPHunter4570]

A friend of mine shot this nice 10 pointer with his crossbow October 2nd, 206 lbs. dressed, in southern MidCoast Maine.View attachment 568564

Those are some great bucks! I love Maine, what an awesome state. I've been there 3 times hunting deer and bear, with another bear trip planned for next fall. 206 pounds, they've got a patch coming their way!!

 

[Ragman]

In Maine aren’t they called dee-ah??? Sorry, couldn’t resist. Those are some beauties for sure!

 

[John Wasmuth]

Some nice looking deer and rifles. Trying to get fired up about going out to the blind bu so far eh, maybe tomorrow….

 

[Red Leg]

My daughter's family freezer is still pretty full this year, so not hunting a whitetail or axis this year. Probably just as well, only have the youth boy's club hanging around the feeders.

 

[HankBuck]

How has everyone's deer season been so far? Let's see some pics and hear some stories.

Our season opened here in Texoma this past Saturday. We have a lease that is about a section (600+ acres) in size. It's just me and Mama and anyone we invite which makes it nice. The entire area is made up of low fence ranches. I had a few nice bucks (several 140's and a couple that will probably make 150+) on cameras regularly. For this area, those are great bucks and for me they are super. Season breaks out and they go underground. One of the big ones comes in really early on opening day and takes off after a doe 5 minutes before legal shooting time.

I have nothing against shooting off the feeders. Have done it many times and will do it again. It is a legal and accepted method of hunting here. I have been practicing regularly using the irons and peep sight on my Rigby Highland Stalker in 30-06. Every time I can take an animal by spot and stalk using the irons it is special for me. This morning after sitting for one hour, I decided it was time to go for it. I had been seeing a lot of movement through the mesquite, so I removed the scope, got off the stand and started easing around the area using the trails. I spotted this 9 pt buck and eased to within 40 yards to get a clear shot. He doesn't look like anything special, but he gave me a memory to log into my mental trophy book. I am happy with him.

View attachment 568327

View attachment 568328

View attachment 568329

A few details for those that are interested:
Rifle: Rigby Highland Stalker in 30-06 using bolt peep sight
Ammo: my handload using a Nosler Partition 200gr bullet moving around 2450fps
Rest: my favorite "old man" walking stick
Weather: oddly warm (70's) for this time of year with winds gusting to 20+
Watch: Rolex
Boots: Courtney Selous
Rifle was not carried via "Africa carry"


Safe hunting

SFRanger, I agree and you have your priorities CORRECT = that is a trophy and a memory - a buck to be proud of and taken in a manor that many hunters would be unable to do (stalking vs sitting). You can only shoot the best animal that you have in an opportunity at and you made the most of it.
So many hunters never leave their blind and couldn’t find a buck unless it was under a feeder. I would always be proud to take a buck the way that you did. Congratulations !

 

[ftrovato]

How has everyone's deer season been so far? Let's see some pics and hear some stories.

Our season opened here in Texoma this past Saturday. We have a lease that is about a section (600+ acres) in size. It's just me and Mama and anyone we invite which makes it nice. The entire area is made up of low fence ranches. I had a few nice bucks (several 140's and a couple that will probably make 150+) on cameras regularly. For this area, those are great bucks and for me they are super. Season breaks out and they go underground. One of the big ones comes in really early on opening day and takes off after a doe 5 minutes before legal shooting time.

I have nothing against shooting off the feeders. Have done it many times and will do it again. It is a legal and accepted method of hunting here. I have been practicing regularly using the irons and peep sight on my Rigby Highland Stalker in 30-06. Every time I can take an animal by spot and stalk using the irons it is special for me. This morning after sitting for one hour, I decided it was time to go for it. I had been seeing a lot of movement through the mesquite, so I removed the scope, got off the stand and started easing around the area using the trails. I spotted this 9 pt buck and eased to within 40 yards to get a clear shot. He doesn't look like anything special, but he gave me a memory to log into my mental trophy book. I am happy with him.

View attachment 568327

View attachment 568328

View attachment 568329

A few details for those that are interested:
Rifle: Rigby Highland Stalker in 30-06 using bolt peep sight
Ammo: my handload using a Nosler Partition 200gr bullet moving around 2450fps
Rest: my favorite "old man" walking stick
Weather: oddly warm (70's) for this time of year with winds gusting to 20+
Watch: Rolex
Boots: Courtney Selous
Rifle was not carried via "Africa carry"


Safe hunting

Learning the art of stalking a deer takes commitment to being patient and growing one's skills over many years. Any mature whitetail buck is a great trophy let alone a nice 9 point! Congrats and great rifle too!

 

[ftrovato]

Another friend of mine got this whitetail deer during firearm season last year in MidCoast Maine too with his .308 rifle.
It was the 2nd biggest non-typical rack in the state last year.
Second picture is of the same deer mount on his wall. View attachment 568566View attachment 568568

What an old monster! Congrats!! Beautiful mount too.

 

[ftrovato]

That friend of mine that got that big non-typical (bottom center mount with the plaque next to it he received for it at an awards banquet he went to) has a pretty impressive wall of them now - sorry for the poor lighting.
Top center are antlers from a moose that he or one of his sons shot in Maine also.
View attachment 568571

That man knows how to hunt whitetail deer!

 

[Hunting Hitman]

Took this management Buck yesterday. Quickly off to the butcher for some needed ground.

HH

 

[spotnspook]

Some nice looking deer and rifles. Trying to get fired up about going out to the blind bu so far eh, maybe tomorrow….

Same here. Deer season is always a rollercoaster of emotions for me often exacerbated by the frustration hunting public land can bring. Looking like I may get a lucky wind coming up here though if the weather holds in a couple days. Not expecting much tomorrow but going to try.

 

[Scott CWO]

View attachment 568570
We had a guy from Maine get this one with us in Colorado. Not sure of the score yet. Same guy got a 165 with us last year.

Here’s his 165 buck.

 

[Fatback]

Scott,

I don’t typically think of Colorado being home to such good whitetails, usually think of big mule deer in that part of the world. Those are some dandy bucks. Thanks for sharing.

 

[mdwest]

Took a 6 point scrub buck yesterday. He doesnt qualify as a wall hanger.. but he'll eat well and meets the TX 13" rule.. He was just too dumb not to shoot.. came out of the woodline at about 100 yards and started marching straight toward my blind.. got to within 40 yards and I know he saw me.. he didnt care.. kept chewing on clover and assing around for another 3 or 4 minutes right in front of me.. After getting a really good look at him it was obvious he wasnt ever going to be any better of a deer.. he was pretty old, tiny non symmetrical rack, etc.. so I went on and took him out of the herd..

Same rifle/ammo/set up as the one used to take the doe the day prior..

 

[Scott CWO]

Scott,

I don’t typically think of Colorado being home to such good whitetails, usually think of big mule deer in that part of the world. Those are some dandy bucks. Thanks for sharing.

We have quite a few whitetail on the Eastern Plains river bottoms. They are well-fed due to corn, rye and alfalfa circles adjacent to the rivers. Tags are limited so they can grow to maturity. Our largest ever was 213”. It had a 190 class mainframe plus some nontypical points.

 

[Fatback]

Those are some great whitetails. Are there mule deer in the same area as well? Could a fella get a tag for a mulie and a whitetail or is it limited to one or the other?

 

[DPHunter4570]

Well after a slower than normal start to the hunting in my little area of SW Illinois, the rut action has really kicked off the last few days to a week. I was able to kill a nice 8 pointer Friday night, a buck I was after last year and this year. One of my better archery bucks that I was pumped to be able to take. Taken on my own property, my little 10 acre slice of the pie that connects to some larger family property.

 

[spotnspook]

Well after a slower than normal start to the hunting in my little area of SW Illinois, the rut action has really kicked off the last few days to a week. I was able to kill a nice 8 pointer Friday night, a buck I was after last year and this year. One of my better archery bucks that I was pumped to be able to take. Taken on my own property, my little 10 acre slice of the pie that connects to some larger family property.

Great 4x4! something cool about them when they get big!

 

[SS1]

That man knows how to hunt whitetail deer!

He got this 10 pointer in 2019 with his .308 rifle and 8 pointer below it with his crossbow in 2020.

 

[SS1]

How has everyone's deer season been so far? Let's see some pics and hear some stories.

Our season opened here in Texoma this past Saturday. We have a lease that is about a section (600+ acres) in size. It's just me and Mama and anyone we invite which makes it nice. The entire area is made up of low fence ranches. I had a few nice bucks (several 140's and a couple that will probably make 150+) on cameras regularly. For this area, those are great bucks and for me they are super. Season breaks out and they go underground. One of the big ones comes in really early on opening day and takes off after a doe 5 minutes before legal shooting time.

I have nothing against shooting off the feeders. Have done it many times and will do it again. It is a legal and accepted method of hunting here. I have been practicing regularly using the irons and peep sight on my Rigby Highland Stalker in 30-06. Every time I can take an animal by spot and stalk using the irons it is special for me. This morning after sitting for one hour, I decided it was time to go for it. I had been seeing a lot of movement through the mesquite, so I removed the scope, got off the stand and started easing around the area using the trails. I spotted this 9 pt buck and eased to within 40 yards to get a clear shot. He doesn't look like anything special, but he gave me a memory to log into my mental trophy book. I am happy with him.

View attachment 568327

View attachment 568328

View attachment 568329

A few details for those that are interested:
Rifle: Rigby Highland Stalker in 30-06 using bolt peep sight
Ammo: my handload using a Nosler Partition 200gr bullet moving around 2450fps
Rest: my favorite "old man" walking stick
Weather: oddly warm (70's) for this time of year with winds gusting to 20+
Watch: Rolex
Boots: Courtney Selous
Rifle was not carried via "Africa carry"


Safe hunting

I shot this whitetail doe Saturday, October 14th this year with my Killer Instinct Swat X1 crossbow with a Burris Oracle X rangefinding scope and GAS custom string & cables, using Grim Reaper Razortip 125 grain 1.5 inch mechanical crossbow broadhead on a spine and weight matched Gold Tip Ballistic Pro 425 arrow with a 110 grain insert.
Normally wouldn't have shot one this small but the property owners wanted some of the does eradicated since they had 9 of them running around on their property eating their gardens and landscaping plants.
She came out of the thick woods right before dark with a smaller doe and gave me a perfect quartering away shot through the heart from my Summit Viper SD climber treestand, died in about 3 seconds, only ran a few steps and piled up.
Some tender eating though!