European Mounts

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

After a busy holiday season I had some time to work on a few European mounts for myself and my brother.  Both of us took nice bucks in November and we both had the week off work between Christmas and New Years, so it was the perfect time to get these deer ready for the wall.

I had already skinned the skulls off a few days after they were harvested.  First to prepare the skull I wrapped the antlers with aluminum foil and duct tape to protect the antlers from getting discolored while boiling.  I like to boil the skull with a turkey fryer and a canning pot.

Boiling the deer skull

I boiled the skull at a simmer adding baking soda every once in a while to help cut through the grease and meat on the skull.  At the four hour mark I took the skull out and scrapped as much of the meat off the skull as I could and then repeated for the next few hours.  The most important thing to remember when boiling out a deer skull is to get all the brain and junk in the nasal cavity out.  For the brain I use a flat head screw driver to "scramble" the brain and then use water to flush it out.  For the nasal cavity a hose works well to flush it out.

Below is a picture of the finished skull (I'll talk about the piece of driftwood later).

Deer skull after boiling

Now that all the meat has been completely removed from the skull, it is time to make it white.  You can tell from the picture above that the color of the skull is an off white, even yellowish color.  There are many different ways to make the skull white.  I have used a bleach and water mix in the past, which works well, but not as well as I would have hoped.  After a lot of research I decided to go a different route.  I went to Sally's Beauty Supply and picked up some 40 Volume creme......make sure you get the creme if you decide to use 40 volume.

Supplies used for whitening skull

I took an old cool whip bowl and paint brush to use to apply the 40 Volume on the skull.  I then took a box and lined it with cling wrap.

Cling wrap box

I poured some of the 40 Volume in the box and then set the skull inside.  Then I brushed the skull until it was covered.  Once the skull was covered, I pulled the cling wrap around the entire skull.  The last step was to put a lamp over the skull to help speed up the whitening process.

Skull getting white

I let the skull sit for 2-3 hours in the box with the light on it.  Then I rinsed the skull off with a hose (remember to make sure the antlers are covered to ensure the bleaching agent does not get on the antlers).  After the skull is completely rinsed off, I applied some wood stain to the base of the antlers. 

Staining the antlers

The bases are usually dark on deer but after a deer sits the antlers start to lighten up.  Applying some stain on the antlers adds a little extra to the mount.  Below is a picture that shows the right antler (stained) and the left antler is not.

Half stained, half not

Now that the skull is white and the antlers are stained it is time to mount the deer.  I found a guy on eBay that sells a driftwood mounting kit for European mounts.  These kits are $40 (which is much cheaper than other kits) and are very unique.  These kits come with instructions and all the hardware to mount the deer.  Below are pictures of the mounting process.


Supplies required

The driftwood kit comes with the driftwood, two mounting plates, and all the hardware required.  First off a small hole must be drilled in the back of the skull.

Drilling hole

Then a plate is screwed into the back of the skull.

After the first plate is screwed into the back of the skull, then the second plate is added that attaches to the driftwood.

Adding the second plate

Adding the driftwood

Now that the diftwood has been added the mount is ready to be hung on the wall for everyone to enjoy.

Above is the finished product.  The skull turned out awesome and the driftwood allows the mount to be uniquely displayed. 

I hope this blog helps the next time you are trying to decide how to show off your trophy.

Muddyhunter

Hit list buck down

The first Iowa gun season has claimed one of the bucks I had on my hit list this year.  I got a call around noon on Saturday from Chad Lathrop and he let me know that the drop tine buck I called Upright got shot on a groups opening drive on the farm just south of where I hunt.

This is a buck I only got a few pictures of throughout the season so I had a good feeling he was just passing through; but this buck did live close.

Here are the pictures I got of Upright.

Here is the picture of Upright after he was taken.

I wish the hunter that took this great buck would have taken a little better picture of this buck.  This great stud deserves a little more than a picture like this.  Upright has a lot more mass than I oringally thought and has a cool kicker off his drop tine that I could not see in the trail cam pictures.

There are plenty more bucks out there to kill, but Upright was one of those "once in a lifetime deer."

Muddyhunter

Rut Update November 21st

I haven't been out in the woods or really talked to anyone who has been hunting recently, but from what I have observed driving to and from work the big bucks have been on lock down the past week or so.  During this period the big boys aren't cruising as much but the little bucks really chase.  Because the bucks have been on lock down with hot does the past week or so, a good majority of the does have been bred.  Now is the time the big boys should be more visible looking for hot does.

There was also a little excitement at the farm this past weekend.  My niece (Megan) was hunting and came in on Sunday around 11 AM and let everyone know that she shot a good buck.  She watched him run out of sight and her and her boyfriend came back to the house.  Megan was not quite sure she put a great shot on him, but her boyfriend who was with her thought it was pretty good and said there was blood where Megan had shot the deer.

After looking at some trail camera pictures, Megan's boyfriend determined that he thought she shot a big 3 1/2 year old that was off limits.....Randy Savage.  Randy Savage is a deer that has the potential to jump from a 160" deer to a 180" deer next year.

I suggested to give the buck 2-3 hours before we go back out and look for this buck based on Megan's thought that she put a marginal shot on the deer.  Well, after an hour had passed, the bf wanted to go look.  I had made my recommendation, but there was no convincing otherwise..........so we picked up the trail.

After following a very light blood trail for a couple hundred yards, the trail started to pick up and we found the arrow......good bright red lung blood.  The arrow only penetrated about 4-6 inches and this is when I knew we were in trouble.  Then after looking at the blood after the arrow fell out, I could definitely tell the blood was pretty fresh and suggested that maybe we should get out........but I was out voted.

Long story short, we found where the buck had layed down and then no blood.  The posse grid searched the area for about 3 hours and never found the buck or anymore blood.  Because we never found the deer, I cannot confirm that the buck Megan shot was Randy Savage.  Hopefully this spring we will come across his sheds and he will show back up on camera.

When I guide hunters or hunt with my wife at LJS Hunting Lodge, I always emphasize five keys to finding the deer after the shot:

1. See where your arrow hit the deer
2. Was it a pass through?  If not, how much of your arrow was hanging out of the deer
3. Watch how the deer acts as it runs off.
• Did it kick and take off (heart/lung shot)
• Did it run a little ways and then stop and walk with it's tail down (gut/liver shot)
4. Watch the direction the deer runs
5. Listen, you may hear the deer go down

If you feel like your shot was less than perfect, you need to back out and give the deer some time.  What's the difference if you wait 6 hours to recover your deer?  The difference could be actually finding him.

My analysis on Megan's shot was that she hit the deer a little forward (which she thought is where she hit the deer) and probably caught some shoulder or rib.  Due to the lack of penetration, she probably only got one lung.  I did a little research on single lung hits, and here is what Bill Winke said in a response in the "Ask Winke" section of Midwest Whitetail:

"The only shot that is very hard to recover that causes death most of the time is the single-lung hit.  I try really hard to avoid that.  If I think I might get just one lung, I try and wait for an angle where I can get the liver too.  That usually results in a quick kill."

Remember the five tips above when you shoot a big buck.  It is always better to back out and be cautious than to bump a wounded buck and never find him.

Muddyhunter

Rut Action

After the past week and a half being pretty slow in southern Iowa and northern Missouri, the action is finally picking up.

My buddy Chad Lathrop shot a nice 11 pointer on the Muddy Ranch this morning.

Chad's buck


 My Wisconsin friend Tom shot a great buck in Missouri today as well.




Tom's buck

To top it off, Shawn Luchtel from Heartland Bowhunter who was hunting a farm outside of Albia the past week shot a nice buck last night.  I got a chance to hang out with the HB boys and share deer stories on Sunday evening.  Great guys!

Shawn's buck

I also heard today that Bill Winke shot a giant 190"+ buck.  I am sure Bill will update his daily video blog with an update on his hunt today.  The big bucks are for sure on their feet. 

Now with the does coming into heat, more big bucks on their feet, responding to calls, and cruising for hot does I am pushing Katie to get back in the stand this weekend to try and knock one down.

The next 3-5 days should be great.  This is the type of action I was expecting last week, but warm temps have kept does from coming into heat and big bucks knew the does weren't ready.....now they are.

Muddyhunter

Rut Update November 7th - First Bow Buck

The archery season has come to an end for me.  I shot four does and one nice mature buck.  The deer still don't seem to be chasing yet.  Katie still has her tag, so there could be some hunting left in store for her.

Today was my brothers last day in the stand, and he got it done!  I put Ryan in the Logging Road stand this morning and after a few hours, he got a shot at a young 8 pointer.  The buck came in following two does.  The buck stopped at 30 yards and Ryan took the shot.  The arrow hit home....a perfect double lung shot.  The buck ran 60 yards and expired. 

Ryan just purchased a bow this summer and participated in quite a few 3D shoots with me to get ready for deer season.  Now that Ryan has gotten his first deer, he is a deer hunting fanatic.....I have created a monster!

Plans are already being made for next year.  I am going to try to do some new bow and product reviews in the next month or two.

Muddyhunter

Rut Report November 3rd - Big Buck Down

Yesterday (November 2^nd) started out slow with a hunt on the logging road.  There were a few does and a nice, young 10-point buck that came through.  Because the action was slow, I shot a nice doe; double lung shot and watched her expire 40 yards away.  While I was field dressing her, I watched a nice buck work up a ravine and into a large CRP patch.  I got the doe out as fast as I could to get back in the stand.

I took the doe to the locker and donated her to the HUSH program, got back to the house, ate a quick lunch, and headed back to the stand around 12:45.

A little background to this story……..

On Saturday (October 29^th) I sat in Tom’s Stand and watched a couple good bucks about 100 yards to the east of the stand move through.  The spot the deer were moving through is where a funnel empties out into a chunk of timber and then moves to a crop field.

New Stand Location



The next day, Katie and I moved the tree stand from the food plot over to this spot (yellow dot).  The red dot is where Tom’s Stand is located.

Fast forward to November 2^nd……….

I headed out to the stand around 12:45.  I had a feeling after seeing the good buck when I was dressing the doe I shot a few hours earlier. I knew the bucks were starting to move with a cold front pushing through Iowa.

When I got in the stand it started raining hard for about 5 minutes.  I had a feeling once the rain let up the deer would start moving; I was right.  I watched three does walk right past Tom’s Stand.  Then in the distance on the opposite edge of the funnel, I saw a big buck stand up.  I glassed him and he looked like a shooter, so I threw him a soft grunt which stopped him, but he kept walking away.  I then gave a snort wheeze, which generated the same reaction. 

After showing no interest, I figured the bucks still weren’t responding to calls quite yet, but I decided to go for broke because I had nothing to lose.  I grunted as loud and aggressive as I could.  In a split second the buck wheeled around and sprinted towards me.  I grabbed my bow ready to shoot, but then the buck stopped about half way from me.  I threw a soft grunt at him and that’s all it took. 

He ran the rest of the way, I came to full draw, and I had to baa pretty loud to stop him.  Once he stopped, I settled the pin on his vitals and squeezed the trigger.  I watched my lighted nock disappear right behind the shoulder and the buck gave a big kick and took off.  I watched him expire 50 yards from the stand.

I am very proud of this buck.  He definitely isn’t the biggest buck on the farm, but is probably one of the oldest.  I am guessing this buck is at least 6.5 years old.  He is one of the biggest bodied deer I have ever seen.  He probably weighed around 300 lbs before I field dressed him.  The buck green scored at 142”. 

This is the second year in a row that I took a buck on November 2^nd.

I think it’s important to remember while taking a huge 180” giant is what we all strive for and see on TV, taking a mature buck that helps manage the deer herd and improve the genetics and age structure is important as well.

With this cold front passing, the next few days should be a great time to be in the timber.  Katie still has a tag and my brother Ryan is coming Friday to hunt.  Hopefully there will be a few more deer stories to share.

Muddyhunter

Rut Update - November 1st

I will attempt to bring you an update on my southern Iowa hunting every few days.  I have been hunting since Saturday, October 29th and hunting has been so-so to this point.

Saturday morning I sat in the Logging Road stand and seen approximately 15 deer.  Mostly bucks, but no shooters.

Saturday evening I sat in Tom's Stand and my wife was about 300 yards away in another stand.  We got in the stand about 2 PM and right off the bat, I seen the Big 8 100 yards away chasing a doe hard.  He was heading towards the stand my wife was in, so I text her that a giant was coming.  She didn't even get the text and he was there.  He had lost the doe and was standing at 30 yards.  Just as my wife released her arrow, he was running to find the hot doe........the arrow sailed just over his back.  The night wasn't too bad for me; I seen the Big 8, plus two other shooter bucks, just couldn't get them to come.  Katie did shoot a coyote Saturday night which is her first comfirmed bow kill.

The past few days have been slow with bucks not responding to calls.  Katie and I have both seen good bucks, but because they will not come to calls, it has been difficult to get them within bow range.

The next few days should get things started.  There is a cold front coming through tonight that will drop temps about 20 degrees and switch the wind from the south to the north; which works better for most of my best stands.

Hopefully in the next few days I will have a picture of a buck or two with Katie and I sitting behind it. 

Muddyhunter



Product Review: Nose Jammer

I recently came upon a new product when I was at Buck Hollow in Pella called Nose Jammer.  Let me start off by saying, I am very skeptical about these sorts of products.  After discussing the product with Boyd I decided to give it a try.

According to Nose Jammer's website, Nose Jammer is not a cover scent, not an attractant, but an olfactory nerve overload system.  Nose Jammer contains vanillin and other organic compounds that overload an animal's sense of smell.  Nose Jammer does not alarm the animal because the formula that the product is made up of is found in North American woods.

I gave Nose Jammer a shot a few weeks ago.  I followed the directions on the website by spraying the bottom of my boots before I walked into the woods.  Once I got to my treestand, I gave a three second shot of spray at the base of the tree.  When I got into my stand, I sprayed down the leaves and branches surrounding my stand. 

I will let you know that I wash my clothes in scent free soap, shower with scent free products, and spray down my clothing with scent free spray before I go into the woods. 

The stand I was sitting in setup for the south wind that morning, but I had deer come in from all directions.  I did not get winded that morning.  Probably five deer came in from down wind.  None of these deer presented a shot, but none of them snorted and ran off either.  This could be because I take care of my scent with the scent free products I use, or it could have been because I used Nose Jammer.....I can't say. 

What I can say is that I did not get winded while using this product and that is why Nose Jammer will be in my pack the next two weeks during the rut.  I have never been big on using doe pee or other scents, so Nose Jammer will not effect any other strategies I use. 

Check out Nose Jammer.  I think this is another way that can help us mask human odor.

Muddyhunter

Calling Big Bucks

An interesting blog topic was proposed to me by my buddy Tom from Wisconsin.  He told me that the first time he came to Iowa, he was unsure what to do with his calls.  Tom said the rut in Wisconsin is very different from the rut in Iowa; calling works in Iowa.  I also got in a similar disucssion about calling with my brother.  He asked me when to call and what to use?  This year will be my brother's first year bowhunting.

I thought about both Tom and Ryan for a while, as well as some of my own experiences in the stand in southern Iowa.  This blog will share some of the success stories I have had calling and when I think it is appropriate to bust out the grunt tube or antlers.

Grunting

The past two years I have shot nice bucks.  Mainly, I got lucky and was in the right area when these deer came through, but it was more than just luck.  I never gave up on shooting these deer.




2009 Buck



The reason I can say I never gave up on these bucks is because both of them got past me.  The 2009 buck I shot at and missed twice.  I thought the buck was gone after the second shot, but he didn't know I was there.  He ran off about 70 yards and stopped.  At this point I didn't have anything to lose, so I grunted and snort wheezed at him.  He came back and the third shot was a charm. 





2010 Buck

In 2010, this big brute was coming through the timber at 40 yards.  I turned and grabbed my bow and when I turned to face him he was at 20 yards trotting with his nose to the ground grunting.  I was at full draw and couldn't get him stopped.  So I let him get passed me, let down, and grabbed the grunt tube.  I already knew this buck was aggressive so I threw him a deep grunt.  He wheeled around and walked right to the tree.  I shot him at 7 yards.

Grunting at a deer is like calling a turkey.  The best turkey calling you will ever have is when a turkey is in a bottom and you are on the ridge where the bird can't see if there is a hen or not.  It is better when you know there is a buck in the area (you can see it), but they really don't know if there is another deer there.  If a buck can see where the noise is coming from, and doesn't see another buck then the buck probably won't come in. 

I would not recommend blind grunting hoping to draw a deer in.  This alerts deer to your calling; similar to turkey hunting.

The multiple deer I have grunted in have been fooled by a Primos Buck Roar.  This call has been out for a few years, but Primos is still selling it for a reason; it plain works. The Buck Roar has a grunt chamber as well as a snort/wheeze chamber.

Primos Buck Roar

There should be no reason to start grunting until around Halloween.  If a buck is not responding to your grunts, it is probably because he doesn't hear you.  Grunt louder and he will either come to you or stay put.  If a buck has no reaction to the call, there is no reason to keep calling and condition other bucks in the area to your calling.

Rattling

The other aspect of calling is rattling.  I like to rattle early in the rut around Halloween, and anytime when the rut action slows down.  A little tingle of the horns can get that big boy out of his bed to see what's going on.  Unlike grunting, I like to rattle when I haven't seen any deer.  Blind rattling can provide instant action.



Rattle Bag

I remember a hunt a few years ago.  It was Halloween and my wife had been texting me to come back to Des Moines, get in costume, and hit the bars to go out for Halloween.  Well, I ignored her for a while because it was prime time to be in the stand.  The action had been slow that night, and I was thinking of leaving early to head back to DM.  Before I got down I rattled one last time.  I sat there for 10 minutes and then turned around to see a giant 10 pointer coming my way.  I got ready to shoot, but the buck never presented a shot.  He was about 45 yards and I needed him to come another 10 yards to get a shot.  This is just one example of how rattling can bring the big boys out of bed.

Rattling Antlers



I used antlers for a few years, but hated the fact that they are bulky and are difficult to keep from making noise after you are done rattling.  A rattle bag is okay, but I don't think they produce as true of a sound as antlers.  A couple years ago, Knight & Hale came out with the Pack Rack; which is what I currently use for rattling. 

Knight & Hale Pack Rack



I love this call for a few reasons:

1. The Pack Rack sounds great (same benefit of antlers)
2. The call is very compact, both ends are connected, and it is easy to pack (same benefit of a rattle bag)

Knight & Hale came out with a larger version of this as well.  That is another topic I want to discuss:  size of rattling call.  There are two schools of thought:

1. Bigger rattling call brings in bigger bucks because it represents a bigger fight.  Plus, they are louder and make more noise.
2. Smaller rattling call represents smaller bucks fighting over a hot doe which brings in the big boy because he think he can win the fight.

I like the second option.  Not all big bucks are dominant, and the dominant bucks are going to come in to see what's up no matter how loud the call is; basically the size of the fight.  This is why I carry the smaller Pack Rack; I think it attracts any buck.

In the rattling scenario above, and a grunting scenario where the buck won't commit because he doesn't see anything, those are the times when a decoy could help that buck close the distance.  You might want to try one out.  I have never decoyed, but thought about it and may start in the future.

I hope you enjoyed this blog and that it helps you this year during the rut.  Good luck and stay tuned for more updates from the stand.

Muddyhunter



Iowa Update

I thought I would provide an update from Iowa on how the crop harvest and deer activity have been progressing so far.

Based on the information from this week's USDA Crop Report Iowa is still very dry, which is evident by the creek on my property having no water whatsoever.  This is important because finding a trail to a watering hole may lead to success in the woods.  Deer need to drink a few times per day, so this is a good spot to find does, and where there are does there will be bucks come November.  Also, with bucks doing a lot of chasing, they will be in need of some water as well.  Iowa recived a half inch of rain in the month of September, and approximately an 1"+ so far in October.

The crop report also states that 87% of the crop has been harvested in the state of Iowa.  This is about 15% ahead of the 5-year average.  Total crop harvested is at 69% for the entire country, which is 8% ahead of the 5-year average.  This will give deer fewer places to hide out and increase sitings come November.

The weather is looking good as of right now for the first week in November.  A cold front looks like it should come through on November 2nd and drop temperatures 10 to 20 degrees.

This change in weather will surely have the big bucks on their feet and does coming into estrus. 

Another site that has been recently launched that has some great information is www.cabelas.com/deer-nation.  This site has "Rut Reporters" all over the country that give updates on how the rut is progressing.  The site also includes some great articles and videos from outdoor writers.

The USDA Crop Report and sites like Cablea's Deer Nation can help you plan your hunt as the rut nears.  It also helps if you know someone locally where you are hunting (if traveling) that can give you an update on the weather and deer movement.

Muddyhunter

Weekend Update October 15th & 16th

This weekend was spent in Albia hunting.  I decided to take last weekend off between the hot weather and shooting a few does opening weekend. 

I went out Saturday morning and sat in the Logging Road stand because the wind was perfect for the setup.  This is the only time I will sit in this stand until November.  I seen about 10 deer on Saturday morning; one spike and the rest were does. 

In the Logging Road stand

On Saturday evening, I sat in the Food Plot stand.  I shot a doe there two weeks ago and I also seen a good buck, so I figured with the wind I would give it a shot.  Saturday evening was very windy and the deer did not start moving until 5:45.  I had a doe come across the CRP to the finger I was sitting in.  She ate acorns for a good 20 minutes before she decided to pop out of the finger 20 yards from my stand.  I couldn't pass up a mature doe, so I decided to take a shot.  My shot hit home in the pump station and she ran about 60 yards and expired. 

Saturday night doe

I checked a few cameras this weekend including my new Covert.  There were no big bucks on the Covert, but there were quit a few pictures. 

The Covert camera takes great pictures.  I will probably be picking up a few more of these cameras.  The Covert is really small, easy to setup, and only runs on four AA batteries.  Combine those benefits with the price and it is one heck of a camera!

On another camera I checked, I did get some good pictures.  Enjoy these mature Iowa bucks!

I'm not sure yet if I will be hunting next weekend or not....I am thinking not right now.  My vacation starts October 28th through November 14th, so I may just let the woods rest next weekend and get geared up for the rut!

I will be posting the whitetail calling blog next weekend.

Have fun hunting and be safe by always wearing your safety harness!

Muddyhunter

Weekend Update October 8th & 9th

This weekend was pretty boring.  It has been very warm in Iowa this past week and Saturday and Sunday were no exception.  With highs in the 80's, I decided it was a good idea to stay out of the timber.  The high temps would definitely limit deer movement. This along with shooting a few does last weekend, I figured the timber needed a break.

Next week's forecast

You can see that next weekend looks like it should be perfect for hunting; especially if the wind is out of the north.  I may be sitting in Tom's stand on Saturday or Sunday night if I get that north wind. 

I have also got around to updating my Moultrie M-80 with the firmware update on Moultrie's website.  I will be putting that camera out next weekend and checking the DLC camera and give a full report on how the DLC worked out.  One tip I can give on the DLC is when you setup that camera, make sure you insert an SD card and then plug-in the remote control.  I found out that the only way to setup the camera is to have the SD card in it.

I have been thinking of names for that new buck that I got on camera last weekend and I have come up with the name "Upright".  The reason for Upright is that he has so many splits and kickers that I figured in football a kicker splits the upright, so that should be his name.

Upright

Finally, I am working on a blog about calling; when to do it, what to use, and what to look for in the timber.  I think this blog will help many people, especially those of you that come from out of state.  My buddy Tom gave me the idea of writing a blog on calling because when he came to Iowa, Tom wasn't sure what to do with his calls.  I am working hard on this and should have it out around October 24th. 

If anyone has any other topic that they would like me to blog about before the rut, please let me know.

Safe hunting and good luck in the whitetail woods!

Muddyhunter

Opening Weekend Success!!

Opening weekend has come and gone here in Iowa and it was very successful! 

My wife and I seen over 20 deer on stand this weekend.  Saturday evening I shot a nice doe and also seen a 130" 8 pointer.  Pretty good sit.


Saturday evening doe



Redhead Gator did it's job

I would like to thank J & J Fur Company of Albia for allowing us to use their facilities to skin and quarter this doe.  J & J does a lot of trapping in the Albia area, so if you have some property that you would like to eliminate racoons, bobcats, beavers, or anything that has fur, give Joe and Jimmy a call.  Thanks guys!

Sunday evening, my wife seen a dozen deer and shot a nice doe, but we were unable to recover her.  The blood trail ran out and we seen her get up and run off from where she was bedded.  There was lots of blood, but my wife thought she hit the doe a little low.  This would explain the lack of blood on her arrow, but the amount of blood we seen during the track job.  I am sure this deer is dead, I just wish we could have recovered her and got a picture of my wife with her first deer.

   
Also on Sunday evening I shot a big doe, one of the biggest I have seen on stand.  My wife and I were sitting about 100 yards apart.  I shot the doe and she started running towards my wife.  Before I could text her to tell her I shot a doe, she text me with a picture of my doe just below her stand!  The doe ran right to her and expired just below where she was sitting!  No track job needed!

I would like to thank Burrell's Meat Locker in Moravia for supporting the HUSH program and taking this deer at 8:30 Sunday night.  Burrell's are located on Highway 5 in Moravia and are great guys to deal with.  I have been taking deer there for the last four years.

Sunday evening doe

To top off a great opening weekend, I pulled a card out of one camera and I got a picture of a GIANT buck I have never seen before on the farm.  Enjoy the pictures of this potential Booner!

I doubt that I will be hunting this coming weekend since it is supposed to be in the 80's next weekend.  With some meat in the freezer and a deer donated to the HUSH program, this was the best opening weekend I have had.

Muddyhunter

Twas the night before deer season.........

It's the night before opening day!  The tags are bought, the bows tuned and sighted in, and the truck is loaded.  Hopefully tomorrow, I will have some pictures to share of a couple does my wife and I take.

I am soley dedicating this year to getting my wife her first deer.  Hopefully this weekend we can check that off the list and then focus on both of us getting a wall hanger.

Stay tuned......

Muddyhunter