Rifle Season Shootout

[sms_alum]

This was the first rifle season at our new lease. We are in Audrain county and we have been seeing a lot more deer this year than our old lease in Lewis county. The neighbors to the south-southwest of us started shooting early and often. I bet I counted 30 shots by 9:00 am out of the same general area. We have 4 hunters on our 400 acres and everyone waiting for a nice deer but we didn't get anything opening morning. About 2:00 I had a the 8 pointer below come limping up to me. He already had a coyote following him so I figured he wouldn't make it and shot him. He had a back leg blown out. I'm not sure how you shoot a deer that far back with a rifle,but I guess things happen. Not that I am disappointed with him, but as they say he would have been a hell of a deer next year.

My buddy then shot the nice 14 Sunday morning. I was staying warm back at camp and was thinking I was lucky to not be in stand that morning, but I was wrong. His deer scored 153 before deductions and drying, mine only 114.

We did notice a lot of does moving and bucks still chasing, rubbing, and scraping. One of our hunters had a young 8 charge in after rattling so they are still hot after it.

I am sorry to hear about CiRe's story and losing an uncle. Stay warm out there and be safe.

[sms_alum]

Also, I can't wait a few more years for youth season.

[fishinwrench]

Nice bucks !

So, who gets to hunt all the old AP Green and Kaiser land up there now ? Has it all been sold off ?

I was born/raised in Audrain co.

[sms_alum]

Not sure, I'm still new to the area. We hunt a little south of Vandalia lake.

[ciRe]

Thanks SMS I too hunt in Audrain Co north of Mexico. And that's where my uncles buck was taken. We have gotten a lot of nice deer up there including one that was 165"

[Greasy B]

Nice deer. Opening morning I heard two types of reports coming from neighboring properties, single shots and rapid multiple shots. I assume the single reports were from responsable hunters taking a measured shot. What to you think the folks taking the multiple shots were Doing?

Sunday about noon I took a long walk down a hollow that is seldom hunted. I found a blood trail that started and stopped without a trace beyond, related?

[sms_alum]

Sometimes you need a follow up shot on a deer, and I would rather see a dead one with 4 holes than a wounded one. Of course you always have the guy who hasn't fired his gun since last deer season and cited in 4 years ago. That guy usually shoots several times. I do think the temperature played a factor this year with deer activity and people's accuracy. They might have been doing drives with multiple hunters, but I wouldn't think they would do that on opening day. I think the blood you found is most likely a wounded deer, but who knows.