Hunting and game posts

[ayak]

 

[bearbait]

View attachment 49023

 

[bearbait]

Ok, now I'm hungry again

 

[Magicman]

Our average winter temperature is probably in the high 50's to low 60's so I can assure you that we have to skin, quarter, and get ours into the cooler immediately after the kill.

 

[bearbait]

Our average winter temperature is probably in the high 50's to low 60's so I can assure you that we have to skin, quarter, and get ours into the cooler immediately after the kill.

Yep, early season can be brutal here, after you squeeze the trigger the work begins.

 

[Magicman]

But that's not our early season temps, that's January.

 

[bearbait]

But that's not our early season temps, that's January.

Sounds terrible, in January we'll be freezing our butts off. Did I mention that old men don't like cold and damp?

 

[Magicman]

So I reckon that old cold men have no butts.

 

[Magicman]

Our deer season closes tomorrow so a grandson made his last hunt today.

He sent me this photo mid-morning.

 

[Toyboy]

You guys need to try Muskrat and Squirrel too. Yummy.

I have but muskrat tastes like muskrat.
How about snapping turtles, elk, moose, deer, raccoon, dove, pheasant, grouse, quail, rabbit
I'll leave it to your imagination as to what they might look like dead

 

[Toyboy]

In the early season, if it is hot and the night won't be cool, I will just drop it off locally and have them take care of it. As soon as it is cold enough to hang a couple days, we will butcher everything.

My buddies and I have been talking about going in on an insulated shipping container that we would setup as a walk-in cooler using a CoolBot for a few months a year.

Our deer season closes tomorrow so a grandson made his last hunt today. View attachment 54155
He sent me this photo mid-morning.

Awesome.
The rifle looks like a Remington Mod 700

In the first couple of years many moons ago, I did take my deer to the processor. Back then the cost was $25 -$35.
Problem was, with all the deer being dropped off on opening weekend, you never knew if it was really YOUR deer or a mix of several when you picked it up. Since then we've been processing our deer for over 45yr.
When it comes to elk, I'll have it processed and flash frozen in Colorado for the two day trip home.
Moose comes home quartered and taken to a local processor that we trust. Waty too big to try and do myself.

 

[Magicman]

The rifle looks like a Remington Mod 700

Yes it is a Remington M700 in 6.5X55 Swedish Mauser. It was given to him years ago by his Dad.

 

[mcmxi]

Here's an elk and deer that I got on my property last year. Not a big bull or a big buck by any means but nice enough, and good eating. I shot both using a Tikka T3 chambered in .300 WM and shooting a 165gr Federal Vital-Shok Trophy Copper factory load. One and done for both. I was able to roll both into a sled that I use for firewood and drag them back to the house.

 

[WFM]

Late fawns this year. The lastest I've ever seen spots on deer. I thought when I was seeing fawns in August it was late. But saw this one just the other day.
Archery season starts today and this doe would get a free pass from me showing up with her fawn.

 

[RCW]

Saw spots on a road kill a couple weeks ago. Really late.

 

[skeets]

Same here I had the trail cam out and a little guy with spots showed up,, that was about 2 weeks ago,, I hope these little ones make it through the coming winter

 

[PHPaul]

I've had a pair of spotted fawns hanging out here for several weeks. Used to see them and their Momma, not sure what happened to her.

 

[PHPaul]

Well that was new and different! I keep a flock of laying hens, have for most of 30 years.

I've lost birds to Eagles, Hawks and a Great Horned Owl. Nothing you can do about that, they're protected and you're in DEEP doo-doo if you harm one.

Also lost birds to foxes (2 for 4 there, so far) a weasel/marten (batting 1000) and tonight I shot a BIG female bobcat that was inside the chainlink fence I use for a chicken pen. Thought at first it was another fox, but then I saw it jump flat-footed from the ground to a 7 foot roof on the old sheep shed.

Maine law allows for such "lethal methods" on a pretty extensive list of four-footed predators as long as you call the warden after the fact to notify them.

I did, and he said he'll drop off a tag in the morning in case I want to mount it...

 

[WFM]

My first year hunting with a raised stand blind and my first time archery/crossbow hunting. Ive seen 13 Doe's so far. Two that were in that 25 yard range that I could of shot but both were 80 lbs or less I let them walk . Most of the nice larger doe's that came by would stop and smell and know I was there or at least something was up. I always knew scent was big in hunting but in the blind you can tell they know your there or just won't come in any closer then say 30+ yards. I bought a bottle of Dead Down Wind anti-scent spray today and will hose myself down before going out again.

 

[Magicman]

I got my deer food plots disked and planted last week and was pleasantly surprised to see how my seed have sprouted and grown.

Planted in the foreground and fescue in the background and the Strawhouse is also seen in the background.

Another view.

And a closeup showing the Wheat & Oats have grown 6"+ in a weeks time.