Finished with a bang (well two actually)...

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Yesterday morning was ideal for deer! 22 degrees when I left my house, and after the 1 hours walk to my treestand, I was set up and ready to go. I was pretty shocked when I hadn't seen a thing by 9:00, but shortly after, I heard my buddy shoot, then got a text that he had shot a big doe, and had seen 11 deer in the last 25 minutes, so I remained optimistic. At 9:38 I saw a coyote approaching from the south and shot him less than a minute later and he dropped in his tracks. I texted my buddy and parents and let them know it was just a yote, nothing to be excited about, put my phone back in my pocket and looked to the southeast and see a big bodied deer walking straight west along the spine of the ridge. I pulled up the binocs and checked out his body and antlers and noticed his right eye was injured and shut and he was also limping pretty good on his right front leg. He continued working west and then came up on my mock scrape and freshened it, rubbed a tree near by and began following my scent trail. Every few yards, he'd stop, look around lightly rub some saplings and continue his way along my trail. Eventually he closed the distance to 10 yards and I decided to put a bullet through his lungs. 40 yards later he crashed and was done. Thus closing my firearm season and adding an exclamation point to this season for me (although hopefully I'm not done yet!!!). I should also mention that Friday morning, the misses killed her second deer ever with big doe and a very well placed shot at 75 yards! I was on the opposite side of the field and got to watch the entire thing unfold. That was pretty crazy as well!

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[RB]

Haven't you been the killer this season. Your folks place must be deer heaven. Nice doe the Mrs got. Nice buck for you. Congrats on a great season.

[Limbshot]

Well the doe was actually killed up here in Callaway County. I had the most incredible season I have ever had on my parent's place. I saw 32 deer, a club footed gobbler, a coyote and a bobcat in two all days sits, and two half day sits during firearm season. That is by far the most deer I have ever seen in one season down there. Heck, that was more deer that I have seen the past 3 seasons combined. I also did some figuring, and this buck was the first buck I have killed with a firearm off the family farm since 1995!!! I have killed a few with archery gear in that time of course, but 20 years with a firearm. That is largely due to passing multiple young bucks along the way of course and I have taken a few off other properties, but it is kind of a relief to end that drought. I knew it had been awhile, but honestly had no idea it had been that long. Oh, and even with the 6 cameras we run on the property, we do not have any pics of EITHER of my bucks down there this year!!!

[SAMCRO]

Game cameras only tell you so much. Their placement doesn't, and can't, account for capturing all deer movement, or individual animals. I realize bucks may travel a bit further during the rut than the rest of the year, but research also indicates it's not as far as many hunters proclaim.

Instead, I believe scenarios like yours are the result of bucks simply choosing to not walk in front of your camera. I've personally sat in a stand a year or two ago, where I had a camera within 25 yards of the tree I was in. That morning, I saw 8 deer, all within range, none of which positioned themselves to have their picture taken.

[Limbshot]

Oh yeah, I'm well aware of that. Cameras can only cover one angle, unless you have three of them on a tree!!! We have ZERO cameras up where I was hunting anyway. I've seen a lot of deer that have skirted out cameras this year alone.

[SAMCRO]

This buck is small, cuddly, and cute. Amusing. Like a puppy.

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It took you that long to come up with that?

[SAMCRO]

It simply occurred to me. Therefore, the CRO bestowed his thoughts. You're welcome.

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My life has been improved because of it.

[RB]

My life has been improved because of it.

You two should get a room.