Reel Action

Unreal photos. Are these yours? If so, what a loss...and hopefully you could at least recover the rack. Absolute beauty of a buck. I agree...take out every one that you have a shot at. Hard to believe that these big bucks are smart enough to outsmart all of the hunters that have been after him...only to fall to a damn coyote.

My thoughts are with you in a tough time buddy.

Congrats...you never forget your first...although every one still feels pretty rewarding! Good luck the rest of the season!

What a great Sunday afternoon it turned out to be! After sitting through a miserable, rainy, windy opening day...and not being able to hunt Sunday morning due to my son's football game, I decided to head out into the woods to take advantage of some surprisingly decent weather conditions Sunday afternoon. I was hoping to get something into range, but more than anything, I wanted to see when and where the deer were moving in the absence of hurricane type weather! On my way in to the stand, as I was passing another of my watches, I looked up and noticed a doe making her way toward the stand. I decided to scrap my plans of sitting in my planned location and try to cut her off. After climbing up into the stand and thinking it over for a few minutes, I decided that I really wanted to go up and see what was going on in my planned afternoon stand in the absence of 40 MPH winds and driving rain. I quietly climbed down and made my way up to the other stand as originally planned. I made my way up into the stand and pulled my bow up and began to get everything ready. As I was pulling out my gloves and getting ready to put them on, I noticed a three does making their way out of the woods. I quickly cast the gloves aside and nocked an arrow and got my release on. Apparently the does weren't in quite as big of a hurry! They played around in and out of the corn for about an hour and a half...never making much progress toward me. In the meantime, I watched as a doe and a spike horn crossed behind me. As I waited for the three does to come closer, all of a sudden they turned and bolted across the field behind me, apparently spooked by something. As I cursed under my breath and watched them leave, I looked back out into the field they had been in and saw another doe coming out of the corn. Come on...you were REALLY afraid of her?! No matter...I was just as happy to take aim at this doe as the others, and waited to see which way she would head. As I watched, I noticed more movement coming from the woods. Out came a deer that I immediately recognized as a nice shooter buck...and buck fever number one of 2011 began to set in. Just as the does before him, this buck meandered into the corn and grazed...not making much progress toward me. The doe that had been out in the field decided she wanted no part of it, and walked away, never coming into range. SOB! I continued to watch him, and put the binoculars on him to validate that I wasn't hallucinating..and I began to wonder if there was any chance he was going to come my way. My mind began to turn to how I was going to get out of the stand at dusk without spooking him so that he would come back again. As I continued to watch, a doe and two fawns came out of the woods and walked across the field in front of me at about 20 yards...sonuma****! I decided against the temptation as I knew it would drive him away. Suddenly, the buck looked up and took notice of the sudden guests and decided to come out and greet them. The does wanted no part of it and continued into the corn, vanishing as quickly as they appeared. He, however, kept coming toward where they had been...and buck fever #2 started to set in as he came closer and closer. I waited as long as I could bear...and until it appeared he wasn't going to come any closer...and drew back on the Mathews Z7 at about 35 yards. I took a deep breath, put the pin on his vitals...and let her fly. He took off down the edge of the corn about 40 yards, stopped, and toppled into the corn head first. The Rage had done its job! I got down out of the stand...after a few deep breaths and under the breath screams of joy...and went to where I had seen him go into the corn. Sure enough...there he lay in a pile...and there was no case of ground shrinkage! This is the biggest buck that I have taken...not only with a bow...but overall. Ironically..the taxidermist has my buck from last year ready to pick up....looks like I'll be dropping one off and picking another up! Now it's on to doe hunting and scouting for shotgun season! Good luck to all!!

Well...between dodging raindrops and hanging on for dear life 20 feet up in a tree, I did manage to see a few deer...they were actually moving better than I anticipated given the conditions. Had a decent buck walking around the field in front of me first thing, but he wouldn't wait for enough daylight to come around. Saw a couple of smaller bucks and 5 does as well...but nothing to get a shot at. Of course my son has a football game in the AM...so my morning hunt is shot...but I'll be back at it tomorrow night. Good luck to everyone!

Wow! Nice...now just get him to hang around until the season!!

I got out this weekend to check the cameras again and get a couple stands set up...the itch is on! She's ready for her closeup! I LOVE this pic...just wish they were closer.

I like the way you think! Now...can you tell me which day and what stand?! LOL

Well, I finally got off my @ss and put the cameras out last weekend (8/7). Decided I had to see what was wandering around during the first week, so went and checked them on Saturday. Got a decent number of doe/fawn pics, and some nice bucks as well. Not bad for the first six days...now if I can just keep them around for the season!

Sold pending payment and pick up.

These are sold pending payment and pickup tomorrow night. If he changes his mind, I'll let you know. Tom

They are listed as medium action. I have actually used these setups for fishing walleye in the past and have been quite happy. Let me know if you have any other questions. Tom

I have 2 Daiwa Regal Strike 8'6" rods with Daiwa 27H reels for sale. $50 for the pair. PM me or drop me a line at [email protected] Tom

I have four 8' Daiwa Regal Strike rods with Okuma 20D Line Counter reels for sale. I will sell the four of them for $150. PM me or email me at [email protected]. Tom

Ray...you are correct. First shot was just above the brisket...he wasn't going far...but he also wasn't fading fast either. As for the road kill...man..that would have been a lot easier! And with the rack on the back...he'd fall right into place!

Well...I was finally able to get one of the good bucks that I have been watching on the trail cams. It's been an interesting season...started great, with a nice 9-point (to that point my personal best) and a couple of does (thanks to a land owner permit before the season) with the new Mathews Z7. Following bow season, there was a series of land disputes regarding boundary lines and family allowing others to hunt without the owners permission which led me to take my stands down until it all gets resolved...didn't want to get caught up in the middle and start losing equipment. Luckily, a friend of mine has a good deal of cropland that he allows me to utilize. Not ideal...as there is no wooded land, but at this point, hunting the hedgerows became my best, if not only, option. After looking around the first property and not seeing the amount of sign I would have liked, I went to the second...knowing that this is one that I hadn't used to this point as it is the most wide open. After looking around for a while and seeing a decent amount of sign, I decided to walk up one last hedgerow before trying to figure out where to place a stand. I started thinking to myself, this would be a lot easier if I just walked up on some deer. Low and behold, when I looked up, there was a doe standing about 75 yards away. I looked through the hedgerow into the neighbor's field, and there was a nice buck that had been following her. Yep...this will do! I stood there not wanting to spook them, and watched as 8 more deer came out into either my field, or the neighbors just before dark. I went back a few days later to place the stand, and as I was putting it into the tree, a doe and decent buck jumped out of the high grass in the neighbor's field. As it turns out, while the neighboring field was relatively open, it did have some high grass on either end with short grass in the middle. The first time I sat in the stand was opening morning, where I planned to sit all day. At first light, three bucks emerged in the neighbor's field and were there for nearly 45 minutes...I was relatively surprised that I didn't hear a shot, as there was someone in a stand in that field. At about 10:30, I found out why he had passed on those as he was able to harvest a nice buck right behind me...damn! I sat there the entire day and saw 20 deer, including 5 different bucks. I had several doe and a small 6 point come in range, but nothing that I wanted to harvest at that point. I went over two more times, and saw deer each time, both in my field, as well as the neighbors...with many nice bucks walking around chasing does, but nothing that I could get a shot at on my side. Luckily, on Tuesday, just before dusk, a nice buck walked out behind me in the neighbor's field. I let out a couple grunts (despite some pretty intense winds) to which he picked up his head, but never changed direction. I followed that up with two bleats, and he turned on a dime and started trotting toward me. I've never had great luck with calling them in, but it certainly looked like it might pay dividends this time! After adjusting my scope for a closer range shot (about 50 yards) I steadied the gun and waited for him to step into the field for what seemed like forever! He finally stepped out and gave me a broadside shot and dropped in his tracks (for the moment). I could see that he was still moving, so I quickly packed up to go down for a kill shot. As I approached, he got up and started running...OHHH NOOO!!! Luckily, he didn't go far and I was able to get close enough to put another shot in...and let the rejoicing begin! Having hunted land for years that never saw big bucks do to too many hunters shooting anything in sight...this was by far the biggest deer I had ever had the privilege to harvest. It will be a hunt, and a deer, that I will be remembering for a long time to come...as he is going on the wall. I plan to go out a couple more times to take a couple friends out, and because I just can't get enough of sitting in the stand...but nothing will compare to that moment! I greatly enjoy reading everyone's posts and looking at the pictures posted on this board...it's great to have a place where we can all celebrate/commiserate depending on the season. Thanks to all and best of luck to those that haven't yet harvested the big one...I learned now that with patience...your time will come! Him on the trail cam

Great buck! Nice work.

Looks like a great opening weekend! Congrats!

Great buck! Too bad that your daughter couldn't share in the excitement, but hopefully she can be around for a bruiser during shotgun season! Congrats!

Nice deer! Congrats.

Wow...nice buck! Good luck...and given the fact that he was chasing...let the rut begin!

I was sad to hear today that we have lost Capt. Sam Dattilo. Most of you know Capt. Sam, and know that he was about as great an individual as has ever fished this lake. Sam has meant so much to the fishery, and even more to those lucky enough to call him a friend. He will be greatly missed by all and the Port of Rochester won't be the same without him. I will remember Sam fondly and miss his camaraderie, his knowledge, and his friendship. RIP Sam.

Well, I told myself after seeing some bruisers on the camera, that I was gonna wait for one of them to show up during bow season before taking a shot...so much for the plan! At about 8:30 opening morning, this 9-point came strolling out and gave me too long to think about it. After wandering around for a while, he turned broadside at about 35 yards and gave me a good shot. I'll tell you...I can't say enough about the Rage broadheads...he only went about 30 yards and piled up in front of my stand...my kind of tracking job. Of course...I know this means that the next time I sit in the stand, one of the big fellas will walk out, but he'll have to wait for shotgun season.

Talk about a quick turnaround. I've taken two deer to Dale so far this year, and had both back within hours. Like one of the previous posters said...it's good to know you're getting the deer you shot and it's in the hands of someone you trust. Thanks Dale...and hopefully I'll see you again soon!

They sizzled tonight as a matter of fact! The best part of getting a deer!