# Got one of two.



## alleyyooper (Nov 29, 2011)

Fire arm deer season here in zone 3 opened on a much nicer day than forecast, no rain. I had decided to travel nearly to the very back of my property and use the stand I had built and placed there a year ago this summer.
Need to figure out a different route to get to it I found, as I spooked a what sounded like 25 to 50 deer from along the creek down the hill from the green field. Never the less I got settled in my blind and opened the windows for the day. Nice thing about this stand is it faces west so the morning sun is at ones back and not in the eyes like it some times gets in the afternoon on bright days. I seen several does soon afterwards working along the creek bank and going across the hard woods to and from the green field. At 11:00 a small spike buck came charging up the hill behind some does and more does all around him for a total of 9.
His spikes were so small they were just barely legal at 3 inches here in Michigan. Those does and the buck hung around the area for a long time before heading back to the creek and a big patch of pampas grass that they bed in. Near 1:00 PM a 3 point buck as near as I could see was hot footing it along the creek going back to that pampas grass patch too. Never could get a picture of that one as he wasn’t stopping to show off for any thing.
In the afternoon about 4:00 PM I would guess, I had 6 tom turkeys come down the creek pecking away as they went. For some reason they decided to hang out near a wind blown over oak tree I’ll cut up this winter.
I saw 30 deer for the day with 3 of them being legal shooter bucks.
Second day found me in the blind I have a short way behind my pole barn. Seen lots of deer all either mature does with fawns which some could have been bucks.
For the day I saw 28 deer.
Third day I had an appointment with a va nurse to try and get my meds adjusted correctly. I must say they have really ticked me off as I had an appointment for the 10th just so it would not interfere with my deer hunting. They canceled it with out giving me a reason.. I tried to get a appointment at a more convention time and failed, man those people have my blood in a boil.
I did get to hunt a bit in the afternoon and saw 9 does including the fawns. Speaking of fawns we saw a pair on the way back home that still had their spots and were tiny little buggers all alone in a green field along the road.
Forth day I am back behind the pole barn and saw 25 deer for the day all does and fawns as near as I could tell.
On the fifth day I am again in the back of the property blind. Very still day and not much going except the squirrels which I really need to thin out I am thinking. About 3:00 PM some person went screaming across the green field next door to me with a ATV. That green field has a swale in the corner close to my place that is wet in the spring so never gets planted most years. The weeds grow tall there. Any way a deer bounds out of that swale into my woods. I see it is not moving right and is only going about 5 feet at a time and is a spike buck.
I watch it as it cornered across my woods at that slow gait and a feeling of guilt passed thru me. I can stop its pain but want a bigger rack on the deer I shoot. I can’t watch it any longer so I radio the wife and tell her I have a wounded buck I am going to put down . He went about 15 yards the buck hammer had did an exultant job once again taking out the lungs and a chunk from the heart. He had a slug in the right front leg just below the scapula in the first joint.
Two shots and two bucks in two years both dropping nearly where they were standing.
Shot gun hunting isn’t as bad as I had thought but do wish I had a bit more property to be able to hunt, as I keep seeing the same does day after day from the two blinds. I did set up a blind in my front yard for ML season as My wife keeps telling me she sees about 8 deer per day out there.






































Its cooling down so now maYbe the deer will move during the day time more bucks any way looking for in heat does.


 Al


----------



## Fifelaker (Nov 29, 2011)

Nice spike. I floated the manistee river today seen a flash of one but all I got was back home. Seen about 15-18 in the fields (Privet property) on the way to the launch.But we had a great time anyway.Something about food cooked over an open fire on a hunt makes it taste better and there is always next time.


----------



## jdc123 (Nov 30, 2011)

sounds like you did the right thing taking that spike. Are you allowed another buck this season?


----------



## alleyyooper (Nov 30, 2011)

In Michigan in most zones you are allowed a combo tag for a buck with 4 points on one side and or a antlered deer 3 inches or longer. In some DMU area you can also get up to 5 doe tags over the counter and take till January 1st 2012 to fill them on private property.

 Al


----------



## Buckshot00 (Nov 30, 2011)

Nice kill. Congrats.


----------



## ShoerFast (Dec 1, 2011)

alleyyooper said:


> In Michigan in most zones you are allowed a combo tag for a buck with 4 points on one side and or a antlered deer 3 inches or longer. In some DMU area you can also get up to 5 doe tags over the counter and take till January 1st 2012 to fill them on private property.
> 
> Al



That makes a hard hunt, counting 4 points in brush. 

Here, they tried that with elk, and found there are fewer left in the field when the brow-tine needs to be longer then 5" or a branched antler for deer.

Congrats on your spike!


----------



## Fifelaker (Dec 1, 2011)

ShoerFast said:


> That makes a hard hunt, counting 4 points in brush.
> 
> Here, they tried that with elk, and found there are fewer left in the field when the brow-tine needs to be longer then 5" or a branched antler for deer.
> 
> Congrats on your spike!


 There are a few around here that can't count to 21 even naked.


----------



## deeker (Dec 1, 2011)

ShoerFast said:


> That makes a hard hunt, counting 4 points in brush.
> 
> Here, they tried that with elk, and found there are fewer left in the field when the brow-tine needs to be longer then 5" or a branched antler for deer.
> 
> Congrats on your spike!



Several years ago here in Utah, several units were "3 point or better" sure had a devestating effect on the Mule deer! Seems people are too stupid or lazy to count. Hundreds left in the wilds to rot.

Last year, 13,000 buck permits were cut, do to low buck to doe ratios. Too many homes being built on winter range is killing off our herds. Another 18,000 permit cut for next year.

Our total herd # is under 450,000. Were are the second driest state in the nation.

Home to the largest B&C elk ever taken though!!

Great buck Alley!


----------



## ShoerFast (Dec 2, 2011)

deeker said:


> Several years ago here in Utah, several units were "3 point or better" sure had a devestating effect on the Mule deer! Seems people are too stupid or lazy to count. Hundreds left in the wilds to rot.
> 
> Last year, 13,000 buck permits were cut, do to low buck to doe ratios. Too many homes being built on winter range is killing off our herds. Another 18,000 permit cut for next year.
> 
> ...



Here, we build high fence traps, trick and enclose the bigger meaner bulls. Before they fair chase all the little bulls to Utah.

Hiring the bravest of marksmen to enter these fenced traps and dispose of these beast is costly, but effective if you want high elk numbers.

Utah might want to try it? How many elk you-all got?

New world record elk 617 …is this True? | King's Outdoor World Blog


----------



## Sawyer Rob (Dec 2, 2011)

alleyyooper said:


> In Michigan in most zones you are allowed a combo tag for a buck with 4 points on one side and or a antlered deer 3 inches or longer. In some DMU area you can also get up to 5 doe tags over the counter and take till January 1st 2012 to fill them on private property.
> 
> Al



Actually, it's 5 doe tags PER DAY! So, you can shoot 150 does total...

DM


----------



## deeker (Dec 2, 2011)

ShoerFast said:


> Here, we build high fence traps, trick and enclose the bigger meaner bulls. Before they fair chase all the little bulls to Utah.
> 
> Hiring the bravest of marksmen to enter these fenced traps and dispose of these beast is costly, but effective if you want high elk numbers.
> 
> ...



Son, you breaking my "boys" again?

Nice bull!

Rob sent me pics of a supposed wild bull from NM that scores 595.

Which is bigger than Utah's "Spider bull" that has the "guide"? Doyle Moss-sleeze all over it!

You guys have over 450,000 elk, we have around 84,000.

I sent you a monster Muley pic shot/taken on Antelope island in the Great Salt Lake, don't know if B&C will allow its entry or not.

We do have at least half a dozen hippie supported wolves helping our deer/elk/bighorn sheep herds though. Should help with our lack of water sources for our wild critters.


----------



## deeker (Dec 2, 2011)

I am posting from a "smart phone", kind of hard to edit posts.

During my twice a week phone conversation with the state fish cop and game, I asked about our Utah big game herd numbers.

I was wrong in my previous posts.

In 2007 our herd numbers were 302,000 mule deer and 68,000 elk. With the objectives being 450,000 deer and 84,000 elk.

We are in trouble with homes on their winter ranges and wolves!

Kevin


----------



## olyman (Dec 6, 2011)

deeker said:


> I am posting from a "smart phone", kind of hard to edit posts.
> 
> During my twice a week phone conversation with the state fish cop and game, I asked about our Utah big game herd numbers.
> 
> ...



wolves!!! sss


----------

