sneakem33

Awesome!! Congrats on the great buck! Even sweeter with the recurve! A buddy of mine told me once.... " The hardest part of hunting about bowhunting coues is aiming where you think they'll be standing when your arrow gets there. You never know if they're going to duck, jump, run or stand still. They're like little ninjas."

He also broke his G2 off flush with the beam on the side with the double eyeguard, neat buck regardless. I did happen to have the longbow handy glassing, attempting to thump some doves, rabbits. He came to me dogging a doe, I had to stop him which put him on full alert at maybe 25 yards. I slightly plucked the string on release and pulled a couple inches back, but fortunately he also jumped the string and wheeled into what ended up being a decently placed quartering away shot... I watched him go a couple hundred yards into a little ravine which he never exited. They're just such jumpy little deer, combined with my limited scouting/hunting time down there and max effective range of maybe 35, I really hadn't given the longbow much realistic thought. Maybe if I were a resident I would put a realistic effort into it. I'm also not a big fan of sitting water, treestands or a blind either, I go stir crazy sitting...

Usually that would be the case, I think this one was more luck than anything.

Just recently returned last week from 20 days in the desert. I left shortly after Christmas to try to fill my 2020 tag and then stay to hunt my 2021 tags. I usually hunt a little later in January to coincide with the rut, but I wanted to give 2020 one last hurrah as well. I was fortunate enough to fill my 2020 tag with 1 day to spare, and with the longbow to boot.(Decent older buck, I wasn't picky) I had no intention of using it to fill that tag but it just happened to be convenient at the time. (Crazy story in itself). With the Monkey off my back I decided I would shop for a really good buck during the rest of my hunt and also fill my javelina tags. I had a couple decent opportunities at some really great bucks under 50 yards that just didn't materialize, no shots fired. On the last day I decided I would shoot the first deer I could find a long as it had 6 points, and well I shot the first deer that I saw with 6 points. Not a trophy buck but I do love coues steaks.... Great times, got to hunt 9 different units, killed an animal in 4 different units, got to hang with my brother and a good friend in the woods for a few days also.... A couple cool buffleheads...

For what its worth I think you would enjoy the late hunt. October hunt you have a chance to kill a good buck if you find his home turf. After the shooting starts it gets tougher by season, deer hunker down and become tougher to turn up, move less during the day in the open. Late December is definitely better as bucks start to travel more looking for groups of does, you definitely see more deer on their feet. Bucks may not be with does but they will not be far and likely on the move. It's a super fun hunt and if you will see lots of deer and maybe a good one. If you're lucky you might see a little pre/early rut action if it cools down especially after Christmas. North/central they rut a little earlier but generally lower populations and thicker country, South they rut later but more deer in general and more glassable IMO. If I were not familiar with areas I would stay away from the 6's, 30A&B. I'm not a fan of the 21-24's personally...some are...

Sweet buck man... Congrats once again!

Awesome buck, Congrats!

Sweet bucks! Congrats!

Congrats on a gorgeous buck! It’s great to harvest one with some history behind it.

Great buck! Congrats!

Technically muzzleloaders are rifles, so that throws a wrench in things....

For some reason this movie quote kept running through my mind while reading this thread.... "Mr. Madison, what you just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response, were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul." I have 10 fingers... ...no you have 8 fingers and 2 thumbs .... 10 fingers ......no you have 8 fingers and 2 thumbs .... You're stupid .... No, You're stupid That Crap you read on the internet...

Super cool buck, Congrats!

What a Studly buck, Congrats to you both!

Sweet buck, Congrats!