# Got venison



## sprucegum (Nov 12, 2016)

My knees have really been bothering me and I had pretty much resolved to not do much hunting this year. This is opening day in VT. so I drove to have lunch at camp with my son and a bunch of his buddies. After lunch the sun came out nice so I said what to heck I may as well go for a walk on a logging road where it is easy going. Walked not more than 200 feet and caught sight of a nice little 6 pointer( 3 on a side). Tough shot nearly 150' broadside, he was walking through some brush so I had to wait for him to step into a semi clear spot. Got on the phone and called the young guys , good blood trail for 100 yds and there he was. Did not even have to drag him five guys in there 30's made fast work of that. I expect I owe them a good feed of venison now. Think someone took a picture I will post it as soon as I get a copy. Haven't had much luck for a couple years now can't cover as much ground as I used to and perhaps don't have the passion I once did.

Reactions: Like 4 | Way Cool 15


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## Ray D (Nov 12, 2016)

Congrats. Nicelooking deer. Sure is nice having the young guys help out.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Wildthings (Nov 12, 2016)

Congrats on a successful stroll! Looks to be full of good eats

Reactions: Agree 3


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## sprucegum (Nov 12, 2016)

Weighed in at 156 I would not have guessed him at over 125 . Got the hide off quick as it is just a tad warmer today than I would like, he is loaded with fat. Should be tender.

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## rocky1 (Nov 12, 2016)

Gotta love it when a plan comes together that nicely! Congrats on the buck!!

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## sprucegum (Nov 16, 2016)

I guess this is our year my son popped a nice 4 pointer this afternoon, not too big but it should eat good. 3 of his friends have also taken deer this year in the same general area, hope they leave a few for next year.

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## JR Custom Calls (Nov 16, 2016)

I've not had any success yet this year. Seen 2 does, a spike, a 4 point, and a button, but have been waiting on 'the one'... although this is only my second year deer hunting, and have yet to kill a deer. My dad dropped a doe this morning, and my mom would not allow him to put it in her fridge, so I am making jerky and working on cutting up and vacuum sealing the back straps this evening

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## sprucegum (Nov 16, 2016)

JR Custom Calls said:


> I've not had any success yet this year. Seen 2 does, a spike, a 4 point, and a button, but have been waiting on 'the one'... although this is only my second year deer hunting, and have yet to kill a deer. My dad dropped a doe this morning, and my mom would not allow him to put it in her fridge, so I am making jerky and working on cutting up and vacuum sealing the back straps this evening



I lack the discipline to wait for the big one, fresh venison is about my favorite meal so if it is brown and legal I shoot. Vermont now requires a minimum of 3 points in rifle season and all doe permits are reserved for archery and muzzle loader. When I was growing up in the 50's it was rifle season only and bucks only but everyone shot does for freezer meat, fines were small and enforcement was minimal at best. I am lucky because my wife does not object to packaging venison for me, I cut and grind she packages and freezes. She also has a batch of venison summer sausage in the works as well as mincemeat .

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Great Post 1 | Way Cool 1


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## JR Custom Calls (Nov 16, 2016)

sprucegum said:


> I lack the discipline to wait for the big one, fresh venison is about my favorite meal so if it is brown and legal I shoot. Vermont now requires a minimum of 3 points in rifle season and all doe permits are reserved for archery and muzzle loader. When I was growing up in the 50's it was rifle season only and bucks only but everyone shot does for freezer meat, fines were small and enforcement was minimal at best. I am lucky because my wife does not object to packaging venison for me, I cut and grind she packages and freezes. She also has a batch of venison summer sausage in the works as well as mincemeat .


My wife is all about it. She's trying for her first deer as well. 

Here we can kill 4 deer, all 4 can be does or up to 3 does and a buck. There are parts of the state where you can kill unlimited does.


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## Schroedc (Nov 16, 2016)

I'm hoping to get out in a few weeks during muzzle loader season here. where we are in the state your tag will let you shoot either plus you can buy extra tags for more does but if my son and I both get a deer we'll have more than enough.

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## sprucegum (Nov 16, 2016)

JR Custom Calls said:


> My wife is all about it. She's trying for her first deer as well.
> 
> Here we can kill 4 deer, all 4 can be does or up to 3 does and a buck. There are parts of the state where you can kill unlimited does.



Very generous bag limits. Our winters are hard enough that winter kill is substantial. Rifle season is one buck only, archery is 2 any sex, and muzzle loader is bucks with some doe tags available by lottery. Some years the snow is deep enough to drive the deer into the winter yarding areas before the end of muzzle loader, makes for a big concentration of deer in small areas but some rough hunting conditions. If you can sit still long enough you will see deer because there will be hunters enough to move them. Trouble is if you sit still very long without building a fire you freeze to death.

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## Wildthings (Nov 16, 2016)

sprucegum said:


> Very generous bag limits. Our winters are hard enough that winter kill is substantial. Rifle season is one buck only, archery is 2 any sex, and muzzle loader is bucks with some doe tags available by lottery. Some years the snow is deep enough to drive the deer into the winter yarding areas before the end of muzzle loader, makes for a big concentration of deer in small areas but some rough hunting conditions. If you can sit still long enough you will see deer because there will be hunters enough to move them. Trouble is if you sit still very long without building a fire you freeze to death.


Some counties in Texas allowed 5 deer with no more than 2 antlered deer (most allow 4). There is also the Public Draw Hunts that anyone can apply to and the harvest there doesn't go against your county tags. So last year after being drawn on 4 Draw Hunts and hunting at a lease I could have taken 19 deer. I only took 4

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## brown down (Nov 18, 2016)

brown down man congrats! It spends on the area of our state on how many does you are allowed to kill. In the zone I live it used to be unlimited, as many doe tags as you wanted to buy. In the past few years they have dropped it down to say around 75,000 tags and the damned anti hunters have been buying 40-50,000 tags every year. Idiots don't realize they are actually hurting the herd rather then helping it  We are only allowed to harvest one buck a year during archery or gun season and on this part of the state it has to be 3 points on one side and the brow tine has to be an inch long other parts of the state have to be 4 on one side. My best year when I was healthy was 9, should have been 10 but lost one in archery I doubt I will ever break that record but I average 4 a year, we eat a lot of venison and I am trying to get patti on board with eating more but she likes her parents beef. I am not gonna lie they have the best eating beef I have ever had lol. Our rifle season opens up in about a week and I have an itchy trigger finger, but love the camaraderie the most. We have a blast which is what is the most important aspect of hunting imo

Reactions: Great Post 1


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## Mike1950 (Nov 18, 2016)

When I hunted it was always 1 here.


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## rocky1 (Nov 18, 2016)

Here in Florida you're allowed 2 deer a day, duration of the season... My unit, season starts September 16 runs through January 22 this year. Archery/Crossbow seasons either sex. During any doe seasons either sex. Archery or any primitive weapon seasons, anything with a horn is antlered. Otherwise 3 points on one side, or main beam exceeding 10 inches, if you're 16 or older. If you're 15 or younger simply has to have a horn. Need a law degree to know what to shoot.

Personally, I practice catch and release more often than not. Took one last year, old buck going down hill bad. Let this one walk twice last year as a 2 year old, let him walk twice this year so far. He was in my feedplot a total of 1 hour and 45 minutes the first two days of muzzle loader season, most of that, 50 feet in front of my stand. Everyone keeps telling me the neighbors are going to shoot him; I honestly don't care if they do, 'I' am going to let him grow up!



 
Because some day he'll look like his daddy, who I've been after for 4 years, and who is now on his down hill slide. Rack isn't anywhere near this pretty this year. Not as wide, not as heavy, nor did the brow tines fork. Problem is, somewhere along about the first of October, he becomes strictly nocturnal, moves to the middle of a 1200 acre swamp 2 miles down the road, and runs management area lands just west of me chasing does, where hunting isn't allowed. Have 1 picture of him during hunting season, in 4 years, during daylight hours. Missed him by 3 minutes once... I looked at my phone at 7:15 and gave up and started down my stand, he was on camera at 7:18. 






And, that's all 200 yards out the back door of the house!

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## sprucegum (Nov 18, 2016)

brown down said:


> brown down man congrats! It spends on the area of our state on how many does you are allowed to kill. In the zone I live it used to be unlimited, as many doe tags as you wanted to buy. In the past few years they have dropped it down to say around 75,000 tags and the damned anti hunters have been buying 40-50,000 tags every year. Idiots don't realize they are actually hurting the herd rather then helping it  We are only allowed to harvest one buck a year during archery or gun season and on this part of the state it has to be 3 points on one side and the brow tine has to be an inch long other parts of the state have to be 4 on one side. My best year when I was healthy was 9, should have been 10 but lost one in archery I doubt I will ever break that record but I average 4 a year, we eat a lot of venison and I am trying to get patti on board with eating more but she likes her parents beef. I am not gonna lie they have the best eating beef I have ever had lol. Our rifle season opens up in about a week and I have an itchy trigger finger, but love the camaraderie the most. We have a blast which is what is the most important aspect of hunting imo



I have a friend that goes to Pennsylvania and hunts with his family. He hardly hunts here because he has been spoiled by your great hunting. Northern VT , NH, & ME are considered to be on the edge of whitetail range. Rite now we have a decent population due to a couple mild winters. Back in 69 we had a beast of a winter with a deep snow pack that lasted into April, the deer herd was decimated, it was years before the hunting really got good again. The state tries to manage the deer heard by dividing the state into zones and issuing what they feel is the correct number of antlerless permits for each zone and I am sure they base the numbers on sound research but honestly mother nature remains the dominate factor. Some people try to feed deer in the winter even though it is illegal. In my opinion winter feeding is a bad idea as it promotes the spread of disease and overrides the natural instinct to move to winter yarding areas. I honestly think the hunting has gotten better since feeding and baiting was banned several years ago. Taking game over bait while very effective is not my idea of hunting.


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## brown down (Nov 18, 2016)

sprucegum said:


> I have a friend that goes to Pennsylvania and hunts with his family. He hardly hunts here because he has been spoiled by your great hunting. Northern VT , NH, & ME are considered to be on the edge of whitetail range. Rite now we have a decent population due to a couple mild winters. Back in 69 we had a beast of a winter with a deep snow pack that lasted into April, the deer herd was decimated, it was years before the hunting really got good again. The state tries to manage the deer heard by dividing the state into zones and issuing what they feel is the correct number of antlerless permits for each zone and I am sure they base the numbers on sound research but honestly mother nature remains the dominate factor. Some people try to feed deer in the winter even though it is illegal. In my opinion winter feeding is a bad idea as it promotes the spread of disease and overrides the natural instinct to move to winter yarding areas. I honestly think the hunting has gotten better since feeding and baiting was banned several years ago. Taking game over bait while very effective is not my idea of hunting.



We don't get anywhere near the winters you guys get up there. A lot of people feed the deer and don't realize that feeding them corn especially in the winter is the worst thing to feed them. on very rare occasions when we get pounded with a lot of snow we have thrown out some alfalfa out but never corn. just like us they can't digest it very well. Deer have survived without human intervention for thousands of years why people feel the need to feed them is beyond me. They will eat buds off trees and such to survive hell I have even seen pictures of them eating birds out of low hanging nests lol. I am very fortunate to hunt this great state. we have the healthiest bear and largest black bears prob in the country and have monster racked whitetails. even have slammer ELK. My fiancés father is up hunting in Maine until sunday, they apparently got 2 a week or so ago that were over 230 pounds  I could't imagine dragging that out of the woods. Its amazing the deer are larger up there with less food and the bears are smaller prob due to a longer hibernation period I would guess. They don't get that many up there but when they do get them they are monsters! he has 5 or 6 mounted in his house that would be in the 150-160 class easily! They invited me up this year but was to close to my operation so I opted out but I will be up there next year for sure!! we have great genetics on the land we rifle hunt on, we have some slammers up there that we didn't get last year. there are only 9 of us that hunt around 2500 acres that boarders up to another 4-5000 acres and they really don't hunt anymore


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## sprucegum (Nov 18, 2016)

brown down said:


> We don't get anywhere near the winters you guys get up there. A lot of people feed the deer and don't realize that feeding them corn especially in the winter is the worst thing to feed them. on very rare occasions when we get pounded with a lot of snow we have thrown out some alfalfa out but never corn. just like us they can't digest it very well. Deer have survived without human intervention for thousands of years why people feel the need to feed them is beyond me. They will eat buds off trees and such to survive hell I have even seen pictures of them eating birds out of low hanging nests lol. I am very fortunate to hunt this great state. we have the healthiest bear and largest black bears prob in the country and have monster racked whitetails. even have slammer ELK. My fiancés father is up hunting in Maine until sunday, they apparently got 2 a week or so ago that were over 230 pounds  I could't imagine dragging that out of the woods. Its amazing the deer are larger up there with less food and the bears are smaller prob due to a longer hibernation period I would guess. They don't get that many up there but when they do get them they are monsters! he has 5 or 6 mounted in his house that would be in the 150-160 class easily! They invited me up this year but was to close to my operation so I opted out but I will be up there next year for sure!! we have great genetics on the land we rifle hunt on, we have some slammers up there that we didn't get last year. there are only 9 of us that hunt around 2500 acres that boarders up to another 4-5000 acres and they really don't hunt anymore



We see quite a few over 200 pound deer reported every year around here. I think big woods is the reason, although the winters are hard I am sure some of our deer rarely come into contact with humans. Biggest I ever managed to get was 175, you are right about ME. a friend of mine nailed over 200 pound deer two years in a row from the same tree stand. Plenty of black bear around here but they don't get hunted much, they have lengthened the season in an effort to thin the herd. Although I will eat bear it is not high on my list of favorites, I have shot 2 in my lifetime and now pass up opportunities. Might take a shot at a big one if I got the chance.


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## sprucegum (Nov 21, 2016)

My other son just scored showed up the old man and little brother big time



Weighed in at 171

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## Wildthings (Nov 21, 2016)

He surely did!! Great buck

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## sprucegum (Nov 21, 2016)

Too bad Kevin is not here to make some comment about the snow and cold that he at least pretended to hate so much. He never missed a chance to jab us northerners about living in such an awful environment. He was the first one to like the first post in this thread.

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## El Guapo (Nov 22, 2016)

He was also the first one to bellyache about too much rain keeping him from taking down some nice standing FBEs!


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