Deer Hunting 2016

[Aragorn243]

Well, no deer after first weekend. I've been slowly taking my daughter to all the places I used to hunt when I was younger. This weekend ended up being a nice place at the top of a mountain adjacent to a state park and a lake. There is a great view from the mountain down a road that looks over the lake to my boyhood home across the valley which I had to show her. She asked about just keeping on going down the mountain and I was like, well, be real hard getting a deer out of there. Then the famous last words: "It will be an adventure, I like adventures" So who am I to say no to that although I'm not in the best of shape this year and I'm thinking about all the guys about my age I'm reading about having heart attacks in the woods. This continues as the road continues getting steeper than I remember but we end up all the way at the bottom and then proceed to check out the field down there that is isolated by the lake. Rested a bit, ate lunch and started back but decided to venture down this road to see where it went. Not far but to the lake which was low. So I asked her if she wanted to head back up the road or go along the lake. She loves shorelines so that's what we ended up doing. I figured we'd go along the shore until we got to the lowest point of the mountain and head up there. I knew it was steep, just forgot how steep. I was 30 years younger the last time I was on that side of the mountain. I usually lead the way and I was about 20 yards ahead of her when I suggested she go back down and I'd go get the car and be back for her. she'd just have to walk a half mile out to the park. She didn't want to do that so I shifted things a bit and got her ahead of me so I could catch her if she fell. So I ended up bringing up the rear carrying both rifles and watching her struggle up. Took us two and a half hours to climb the side of that mountain. Never doing that again. Saw our first deer, a nice buck in our headlights on the way out.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Great story. You are very fortunate to have built that memory with your daughter. She will remember that "adventure" always as will you.

[P246]

Well I took a doe with ahead shot with my 03A3 Thursday at 90 yards. Tonight was in some heavy brush looking for a huge buck we've been seeing. Had him about 50 yards away in trees. A spike got within 10 feet of me and spooked. I put a round out at the big boy. He just stood there. Nephew said I dropped a 1/2 inch branch about 10 foot in front of muzzle. Being a little cocky as I haven't missed in years I unshouldered my rifle only to realize he was standing there still. Slow to reload and get back up he bolted. Humble pie tastes terrible...

[browningautorifle]

She will remember that "adventure" always as will you.

I'll bet she'll remember it a bit different though, in 30 years...

[TDH]

Well last year the wife woke me and said honey there is a buck in the back yard. I went to the back door and picked up the muzzle loader which was ready except for the cap. 30 yards out the door. Small 8 point. This year I was sitting on my back deck reading and heard something and looked down. I thought it was a she but it turned out to be a button. 35 yards with the Marlin .357 levergun meat in the freezer. I spot light the back yard several times in an evening last night there was an eight point and 5 does between 6pm and 4am. Tonight just after dark I checked and there were three does one at 15 yard another and 20 and a third at 30 yrds. I love living in the boonies. Still looking to mark off another on the bucket list. Taking one while sitting in the hot tub. Right now I have the M1 carbine by the back door.

---------- Post added at 05:40 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:34 AM ----------

Normally I don't hunt bucks I'd rather take a doe. There are two things I have learned about deer hunting that are consistent. 1) I don't care how you try and fix them, boil em broil em bake em or bbq em you still can't eat those horns. and number 2) there are no consistent things about deer hunting. Just when you think you have them figured out they will surprise you

[TDH]

Busy morning in the backyard today. One larger doe and three yearling does and twenty minutes later two bucks. the larger was a seven point probably a two year old and a smaller forkhorn probably his first set of horns

[Aragorn243]

We did not even see a deer this year which is really odd. Only the one buck well after dark. Very few hunters also. Our region became a CWD restricted area last year and I suspect this has scared the non-local hunters off. You can't take the deer out of there without deboning it. I may be reconsidering our hunting next year because of it. While I grew up there and have hunted there my entire life. It is a severe inconvenience to not be able to bring the deer home. I usually let them hang for a few days before butchering them myself. Not looking forward to dropping them off at a butchers and then having to go get it a week later. Game commission suggests deboning them in the woods. I seriously can't imagine doing that but it may be my only recourse. But then again, have to see one first and then have to kill it.

[MightyMauser_1989]

Did anyone happen to draw tags for the New Mexico 2016/17 season? If so, which hunts and in what region?

[jmoore]

We did not even see a deer this year which is really odd. Only the one buck well after dark. Very few hunters also. Our region became a CWD restricted area last year and I suspect this has scared the non-local hunters off. You can't take the deer out of there without deboning it. I may be reconsidering our hunting next year because of it. While I grew up there and have hunted there my entire life. It is a severe inconvenience to not be able to bring the deer home. I usually let them hang for a few days before butchering them myself. Not looking forward to dropping them off at a butchers and then having to go get it a week later. Game commission suggests deboning them in the woods. I seriously can't imagine doing that but it may be my only recourse. But then again, have to see one first and then have to kill it.

Seems to me that leaving the bones in the woods is a terrible idea! The protein (I think) that causes the disease can last in the soil for quite a while. Landfill or incineration would be better choices.

[Aragorn243]

From what I gather, once this is in an area, it cannot be gotten rid of. Which is why they view containment rather than elimination as a solution. I can't say I buy this but who knows.