hambone80

Aren't those baby bucks protected?

Hope you find her! Good luck.

I've shot three deer so far this season. The buck I shot on opening day was a dandy, but I never could find him. The mechanical head I used was the Meatseeker. It did its job, but I didn't do mine as a hunter. The second buck I shot died around fifty yards from where I shot it. However, the blood trail was very,very scant. I had good shot placement, but no pass through. This buck had a big body, but come on I shoot 70lbs and he was ten yards away. Maybe I hit scapula, but hey at least the broadhead dropped him and I still found him. The deer I shot last night was harvested, but I really lucked out because I knew where it bedded down. The hit was kinda far back so I gave it time to die. Come to find out the blades didn't open fully. I'm not sure how that's possible with the design of these broadheads? All I can say is I was lucky to have found both deer I harvested, and I think I'm gonna stick with fixed blade heads from now on.

Awesome post slider, and congrats to Mekayla! Thats what it's all about Ladies and Gentalmen. Job well done.

I'll answer both questions, first he was shot on private land, and second I shot him on the second day of the season.

Shot this buck the other evening. I was looking for a tree to use my climber in and this one was sneaking by me with two others at around ten yards in heavy cover. I knelt down with the climbing treestand still on my back, nocked an arrow, and drew back. I had to squeeze my arrow through a tiny window, but I made a good hit and he only went about fifty yards after the shot.

Thanks for sharing guys. Happy and safe hunting everyone.

Well here's the skinny on last nights buck. He came in out of nowhere as most whitetails often do. I had a bit a buck fever and was caught of guard and made a hasty shot which resulted in a poor hit. The thing is I got too into the bucks reaction to the shot and ignored what my eyes inevitably saw, which was a hit that was too far back. Furthermore, the arrow was covered in dark blood and had a putrid smell to it, so I knew it was a paunch shot. However, it mule kicked and shot like a bat outta hell like a heart shot animal. I made the terrible mistake of being optimistic and ignoring the obvious, and I trailed after the buck too soon. I backed out after the blood trickeled to teeny specks and followed up first thing this morning. Still no blood to be found and I tried circling back downhill and towards water, I crawled through thickets, went wading through weeds as tall as me, and after complete exhaustion I found no dead buck. Now he's probably crow and coyote food and I'm chigger riddled and sick to my stomach for losing a truly great buck and excellent table fare. This my friends happened because of my impatience. First, I rushed the shot when there was absolutly no reason to because he wasn't spooked and completly unaware of me in a tree. I blame a case of buck fever on this because I've visioned picking a small spot on the vitals thousands of times and still I failed to do this. Secondly, I was too hasty with getting on the trail. Had I backed out immiedatly and followed up in the morning I might have a buck to my name. Always trust your gut fellas, and remember patience, patience, patience! When in doubt back out!

Yeah, opening day of archery season was exciting. I had high hopes today, and I bumped a good buck on my way in to hang my stand. A little before last light I was about to head out, but then I saw antlers. I took my shot and the hit looked good, but I started to think that my shot was kinda far back. My arrow was covered in blood, and the blood trail was weak. Eventually I pulled out and now I'm gonna have to track him tomarrow. I'm pretty darn bummed I didn't find him tonight.

Largemouth bass out of Lake Springfield during the winter at night (10PM Feb 2009). It was 22.5" long and had a girth of 16", so based off those measurents it was around seven pounds give or take a couple ounces. I caught it on a lipless crankbait.

Just wanted to see what your favorite broadheads are. I'm a fixed blade guy myself. I've always wanted to try mechanicals, but I heard/read some bad things about them from time to time. I'm really into the Red Head Blackouts available at BPS. They're made by G5 and are almost identical to the G5 Strykers, but they are 1/16" less in cutting diameter and 10 dollars less in price. The blades are the sharpest I've seen right out of the package and for me they shoot right with my fieldpoints. Shooting 1/2" groups at twenty yards. I can't wait to put 'em down this season.

Great report Randy! I always enjoy reading your blog and look forward to the pics as well. By the way did you measure that spot you caught on the Finley this spring. That thing was a beast. It looked to be over three pounds easy.

Did a little wade fishing on the James this afternoon. I was looking for a top water bite and spent a little too much time trying that approach, but I think most would agree that it's the funnest way to fish. At least when they're hitting anyways, but it just wasn't happening. I switched up to a Fluke, but no takers on that either. Then I put on the ol' Bomber crank and a fish hit. Initially I thought it was a little smallie, but then I saw that panfish profile. It was a goggle-eye just over ten inches. That's only the second one I caught that size, so I was pretty happy. I caught another small rocky and landed a 14" largemouth on the same crank. Had a fun little encounter with a five foot cottonmouth at my feet, but it was just as scared of me as I was of it. Well maybe not! Had to wrap it up early because of the storm rolling in. Yesterday I was catching little white bass behind the dam on an 1/8oz rooster tail. I had two that I would consider "keeper" size, but I let 'em go. If you got kids I would recommend taking them there ASAP so they can at least catch some fish. I was getting them on every cast. Don't get your hopes up on bringing back a mess of keepers because most were only five inches or so, but still fun on light tackle. I still found it pretty amazing that the whites get up behind the dam of Lake Springfield though. Take care and respect the water ways.

That may be the smallie of a lifetime for some on the James, so congrats man! Well done.

For spring smallies or thier largemouth cousins I prefer to use a jig n' craw combo for the big uns.