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snake284-1
Senior MemberPosts: 2,500 Senior Member
Rocket Deer!
snake284-1
Senior MemberPosts: 2,500 Senior Member
Well, a cool front came in late yesterday afternoon when I went hunting and I didn't see anything. So I figured it might be good this morning so I got up early and went. I took my folding chair and a camo net to put over me and sat out in the sticks by a trail leading into an oak mott. I got there before day light and sat down. I didn't see anything til about 11 AM. And I'm looking to my left out in the open where I see deer moving toward my feeder when I saw movement to my far right at the opening to the trail. There he was going 90 to nothing flying by about 30 feet in front of me. I could have shot him even though he was in afterburner because when he got out in the open he was going straight away from me. But he wasn't a legal shooter. He wasn't wide enough. They have to be 13 inches between the main beams and this one was about 10. But he could flat out fly!!! As I said, when he cleared the brush line he had er in afterburner. That woke me up for sure, but after another 30 minutes I gave up and went home.
This was a little 8 pointer that will be a fine deer next year. He's probably a one year buck and will be much bigger in time. When I see deer like this, I'm almost happy we have this 13 inch law. The only thing frustrating is that there are some deer that don't grow their rack wide, but instead they grow them tall. There's another one I've seen around that is probably old enough but everything went up not out. That deer may never be legal.
There's another deer out there that has one big rack on the left side and if it matched on the right would be a real trophy, but he has one long unforked antler on the right side. He's legal but nobody wants to shoot him. I will though if I get another chance. He is legally a spike even though on the on side he's huge. I personally don't think he's genetically inferior, I think he must have damaged the right side when it formed. That or maybe he got some kind of bacterial infection on it.
On second thought, Maybe I won't shoot him. He may be the biggest deer out there next year.
This was a little 8 pointer that will be a fine deer next year. He's probably a one year buck and will be much bigger in time. When I see deer like this, I'm almost happy we have this 13 inch law. The only thing frustrating is that there are some deer that don't grow their rack wide, but instead they grow them tall. There's another one I've seen around that is probably old enough but everything went up not out. That deer may never be legal.
There's another deer out there that has one big rack on the left side and if it matched on the right would be a real trophy, but he has one long unforked antler on the right side. He's legal but nobody wants to shoot him. I will though if I get another chance. He is legally a spike even though on the on side he's huge. I personally don't think he's genetically inferior, I think he must have damaged the right side when it formed. That or maybe he got some kind of bacterial infection on it.
On second thought, Maybe I won't shoot him. He may be the biggest deer out there next year.
I'm Just a Radical Right Wing Nutt Job, Trying to Help Save My Country!
Replies
If you turn the lights out it doesnt matter..............
In Texas the game wardens are known for their good flashlights and their micrometer eyes, :nono::punch::jester:
I'm certain he wasn't talking about deer, or hunting, or antlers.
Rocket Deer
A take off of Elton Johns Rocket Man
To the tune of Rocket Man
I wonder if I sent Elton a copy if he'd sing it for me...
He ate the corn out from my deer feeder,
Then he made a scrape and made a Rub,
Peed on his rub and stump,
Oooaooh Rocket Deer,
Don't think it's gonna be a very long time,
till he finds a doe or two he likes,
and has his way with three or four,
Rocket Deer,
Well it might gonna be alright tonight,
if he gets past my Game Kings Flight,
Cause if he don't his days are up,
Rocket Deer,
So you Gonna out run the ol' -06,
But if my aim and scope is true,
he won't make do,
Rocket Deer!
You're fast but you won't last,
Ol' 30-06 will do you in,
And it won't be a very long time,
til your in the chili, or the stew,
Oh Rocket Deer,
When ya gonna stop a kiddin yoself,
You know that sierra's comin your way fast,
I'm a feared you done breathed your last,
And it won't be a very very long long time,
Til you're in the chili or stew,
and it won't be a very long time,
Rocket deer,
I wanna hang your head on my wall.
Oh, Rocket deer! It ain't a gonna be a long long time...
JATO equipped skateboard. Bet cpj could cobble one up for ya.
Uh, Snake? Do we have to take you to that calm place with the nice men in white coats again?
Oh NO!!! Not there AGAIN!!! Please, I'll be good, I promise. I don't like that man with that big needle!!!
As an aside, Ive only taken one shot on a deer that was moving away from me. I felt horrible. It took a long time for him to die. Anymore I won't do it less he is quartering away.
And one thing Ive never really understood is why some states will have size limitations but no regulations against hunting over feeders. Don't get me wrong. I don't have a problem with feeders. I just find it counter intuitive with the other laws they have about sporting.
On the one going away you shot. Where did you aim/hit him at? I think you said you used a slug gun. We can use rifles here in most areas. If they're facing away from me I always aim for the neck. Which is easier to do with the increased precision of a rifle over a slug, in most cases.
I don't know if you've ever taken one with a bow but barring the luxury of a heart shot, they will struggle a bit. Which is sad for sure. So I admire your ethics in not taking a shot you're not comfortable with.
Moving right along and regarding your collection of antlers, I always keep one pair for rattling. I've made all sorts of things but my favorite is a fireplace tool set. You can use spikes, tines, or forks for the handles on the poker, etc. But you need a fairly decent rack for the base and top. Just an idea.
Why would shooting them going straight away be any harder than anything else? Actually, going straight away from you is almost like a stationary target. I have shot them in the neck like this and never had one get away. They usually drop at or close to the spot where you shoot them.
Also, I think you have that wrong about forcing them into the gene pool. We can shoot spikes and we encourage it, but usually we like to shoot genetically inferior spikes, not just young deer. But, there is evidence from research that suggests that most deer will get big if only given a chance to get older. And if you come down here I can show you where this is true. In the past I would have shot just about every buck I've seen this year. All are of quality. But they have to make that magical 13 inches to be legal. That's inside the beams. Now THAT is a nice deer.
But you know what they say, "That if if's and buts was Candy and Nuts we'd all have a Merry Christmans".....
That thing about that damn Hindsight usually gets me every time,:rotflmao::rotflmao::rotflmao:
I was on the ground, and yeah at the time I was using a slug gun. There is a lot of stuff between the smart emd and the vitals to stop a slug. Call it buckfever, or call it inexperience (it was the second deer Id shot).
I kinda place those that intentionally gut shoot deer in the same category as those that take head shots. Yes they are animals. But intentionally gut shooting an animal like that irks me. Other than a gut shot animal tasting like crap, Ive found a lot of animals that were gutshot that from looking at their bodies when I found them, took a long time (read more than a week). Ive also found a good number of animals that lost a jaw, or snout because the hunter doesn't understand that deer almost constantly move their heads and their brain is actually pretty small.
Aiming for the spine? Yeah, if Im in the stand, and they are pretty close Ill aim just a hair forward of the withers if I think they won't give me the opportunity for a broadside before they wander off. I say just a hair up the withers cause that part of the neck doesn't move with the rest of the head, so I don't have to worry about missing because of the deer (and I don't have to worry about ruining a bunch of backstrap. They won't live longer than they would have if I took out a lung and cause I don't have to track after em I can just climb down and cut their neck, dead in seconds.
As far as bow? You're right, even with a good hit taking out both lungs but missing the heart they can live for several minutes. But there is a huge difference between several minutes and several weeks.
I do like your idea about fireplace pokers. I might have to use it.
As Im sure you know, there are a great many factors that go into making a good rack. And I agree with ya when ya say shooting genetically inferior spikes. Though even if I see an old grey spike I might not kill him. It really depends on what the rest of their body looks like, and the type of summer they had. Before we had land I kept pretty good records on the lease I was on. One year we had a bad summer and he was a spike, the next we had a good one and he was fourteen points typical with a twenty five inside spread. A guy on the adjoining lease killed him.
I do have a question about the magical 13 inches. What happens if you thought he was legal and he ended up being eleven or twelve? I ask cause from my experience, guys cant even tell the difference between six and eight inches.
It's only evil if the shoe fits.
Now, I ain't sayin'
I'm just sayin'
I will now respectfully bow out of any further discussion in regards to your um..your..um, well not corporals but the next level down, as it were, cough cough.
From now on Ill try to keep my humor a lil more high brow.
You're just jealous you have to import your firearms.... ;-)
Edit: Of course she gets to pick her barrel length while we're stuck with as issued equipment.