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Post by deadeer on Sept 10, 2014 22:48:50 GMT -5
I got drawn for our local State Park deer reduction hunt in Indiana this year (Potato Creek State Park). We normally only put in for the first hunt of two, but the day before the deadline I decided to throw our hats in the ring for the 2nd one also. Well, we got drawn for both hunts! Nov 17-18, and Dec 1-2. I have killed several deer out of there over the years and know the park very well. Allowed to kill one buck and two does, or three does for each hunt. That adds up to a lot of venison in a hurry if you are lucky. I have only been skunked one time at this park in about 10 hunts, so odds are good we will get something. Last year we got three, lost one, and one miss between two of us. Now I just have to decide what weaponry is in order! I usually rotate guns during the season and when I kill something with one, it stays in the safe while others are getting their chance. But, I got a 45 Pac on my Savage this year and may have to start with that. Last year I popped two with my Sav50. We will see! Jay
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Post by sourdough44 on Sept 11, 2014 5:17:00 GMT -5
Sounds great. I just went in on half a hog with a friend, prices are way up. I may just keep a deer this Fall and fire up my grinder and cut the rest. I've done it in the past but usually give the neat away the last few years.
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Post by slugger on Sept 11, 2014 7:25:18 GMT -5
Congrats sounds like fun. We give all the deer away too. Keep the antelope and elk. Grind up the birds, ducks, and geese for sausage and jerky. BEAR! Well you just have to choke it down NO BODY wants bear...
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Post by 03mossy on Sept 11, 2014 10:34:37 GMT -5
Congrats on the tags! I applied again for a state park muzzleloader only hunt close to my house. They only let 25 hunters in so my odds aren't very good but hey someone has to draw the tags, could be me.
I got skunked last year so we have been out of venison for about 6 months. Hoping to put two in the freezer this year as we go through that much in a year. I'd rather eat venison than beef anyday.
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Post by deadeer on Sept 11, 2014 11:40:03 GMT -5
Good luck on your draw 03mossy. Our park is 3k + acres, and they draw 160 guys. 20 acres per hunter, but it seems a lot of guys stack on top of each other due to the terrain. You have to have patience at those places because someone else WILL screw you up eventually. But for me it is well worth the hassle, since all those tags are in addition to the regular season ones, and extra chances of scoring on a big buck never hurt!
Jay
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Post by deadeer on Oct 16, 2014 1:19:55 GMT -5
Ooooohhhh, just found out today I was drawn for our local Nature Preserve reduction hunt also (5 miles away!). There you can shoot the county limit of antlerless deer, which is four this year, no bucks at all. That's ok with me. I do hate to give up a buck chance opening weekend of our gun season for this because it is our best hunting of the season, and someone usually kills/sees a big buck or two, but lots of time for them afterwards. Last year, three of my buds killed ten from there, two years ago I killed four and my bud killed one (poor stand placement, sun in eyes which caused scope glare), so the place has a lot of potential for success. So it will be two two day special hunts this year for me, four days in a row to start our Indiana gun season on Nov 15 this year. The potential for seven deer. Thank God I am on vacation for the entire week for butchering! Yay, can't wait now!
Jay
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2014 9:51:06 GMT -5
Get the knife sharpeners handy!!! You're gonna have some fun and good eats this year!
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Post by deadeer on Nov 6, 2014 13:28:40 GMT -5
Sat a few times at the Nature preserve in a blowdown to do a little "real time" scouting. Had 13 come by one time and other times 7 and 9. All within 30 yds of me. Looking good! State Park has been a little more hit and miss, but still seen a few and lots of rubs and scrapes there. A little pressure will get them moving more for sure. Harder to do real time scouting there due to being farther away and have to park and walk a lot further for access. They let you park anywhere for setting stands and hunting when the time comes though. All in all, pretty happy with the outlook, and cold and snow forecasted for end of next week. Can't wait!
Jay
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Post by deadeer on Nov 17, 2014 19:58:20 GMT -5
Well, got three days down and one to go. Saturday was slow starting. Very cold starting at 13 deg, and my hands were froze. Deer did not do as planned by staying up front of the property and never coming down the ridge to the back of the place like they were before the hunt. I didn't see a deer until 10:15, and she was coming straight to me. I had the RemPac45 loaded with 10/60 4759-h4198 and a 240 xtp mag bullet. At 60yds I took off the safety and put my finger in the trigger guard and BOOM the d**n gun went off!!! Finger so cold I bumped the trigger and deer runs away. d**n! So I quit at noon, ate some lunch, and got my shotgun. Went for a walk to calm my nerves and warm up. I walked up on two bedded deer, snuck for a clear shot, and popped the bigger one first. Up she went and took off, while the other one stayed put so she took one to the neck. I trailed up the first one and found her about 75yds. By the way, 6in snow so tracking job was nice. Sunday morning I was back in the stand with the RemPac and of course had a nice buck chase a doe towards me (antlerless hunt only). She stopped quartering to me at 125yd and the shot blew her shoulder apart and exited the guts. Bone went flying and she went down without a kick. Exit hole was nice and round like a 12ga slug. I would say bullet did pretty good considering speed and obstacle. I have a bunch of them and they will be my new woods load. I will skin her tonight to see the damage. No more deer that day. Monday was 17deg and snowing for the second two day hunt, and we're on the southern edge of a nasty storm warning, big winds on the way, but the morning hunt weather was good. My buddy and I are sitting at the edge of two different thickets with 400yds of big mature forest with ravines, and trails galore between them. At first light my buddy, about 300yd away from me, shoots a big doe with a 44mag H&R and she crumbles but later crawls away and dies. A few minutes later a big bodied small rack buck is pushing a big doe and he kills both of them. He is done by 8am. I on the other hand have to wait until 10:50 to see my only deer of the day, a 149lb doe. She was hot trotting away quick and I stopped her with a baaahhhhh yell, and she turns to look back at me by mistake, sending a 140gr Hdy ftx from and 357Max Encore rifle into the top of her neck, dropping her in her tracks at 100yds. I didn't want to take the SavPac as planned because with the big wind coming and snowing hard, I was afraid of needing a quick back up shot. Only deer I saw for the day and I stayed until 3:30, they stop the hunt at 4pm to get you out before dark. So Tuesday is last chance, but 30mph wind and snowing bad don't make for a promising day, but we will give her a shot.
Jay
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Post by jims on Nov 17, 2014 22:09:07 GMT -5
You are doing well.
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Post by deadeer on Nov 24, 2014 0:19:25 GMT -5
Finished up the 2nd day of the 2nd hunt last week successfully. 30mph wind and snow rocking and rolling. Tree stand was swaying when the wind was full force but settled some between gusts. I had a guy come in late and crossed 100 yd in front of me to his stand approx. 350-400yd away. Then at 8am he got down and came back by, presumably done for the day. 5min later a huge doe came from the area his stand was, worked her way thru a thicket and snuck up behind me at 20yd. Uh oh, caught off guard. She trotted on past luckily and stopped at 25yd for a sec, I took a head shot and missed. She trotted off again and I got another shell in, 357max T/C Encore rifle, I screamed baaahhhhh and she stopped again at about 35yd. This time I shot her just below the head and she crumpled. I later saw the first shot hit a branch and left a nice mark. She ended up weighing 159lb. So a 149lb doe on Monday and a 159lb doe on Tuesday was one heck of a score. That made 5 deer for my bud and me within 300yds in 2 days, and 5 deer total for me in 4 days of hunting, I can say it was a hunt I will never forget. I just got done butchering Friday night and am glad it's over for now. Still have another reduction hunt Dec 1&2 so I will check back in for that.
Jay
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Post by deadeer on Dec 7, 2014 12:19:24 GMT -5
Got one pic of the carnage after 4 days hunting, state park and nature preserve hunts. Five deer total, all does. Two with 12ga, two with 357max rifle, one with RemPac. Not too bad of a start, but slow since. Jay
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Post by mrbuck on Dec 8, 2014 9:14:53 GMT -5
Boy ! Those are big does ! Chris
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Post by deadeer on Dec 8, 2014 14:16:36 GMT -5
Yes! That beam in my garage is 8ft and they hang to the floor. Deer can get big in those parks by getting putting on some age from lack of hunting pressure. Been lucky a few times there.
Jay
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