Opening weekend come and gone. How'd you do?

[JestersHK]

So went down Thursday night to steelville.

Hunted Friday with the pointy sticks.  Saw a 6 that I passed on but that was it for Friday.

Saturday opener with the boom sticks I saw 2 does being chased by a big buck that sadly went away from me.

Shot at a mature doe that afternoon with my buddy's rifle that was prolly 250 and change away... Missed.  4 wheeler mishap put my long gun out of action that morning...

Watched 3 does for almost 3 hours.  Saw a big coyote which eventually ran them off, but never a good shot at him either.

Overall a good weekend in the woods despite the bad stuff, but it happens.

So how'd the rest of you all do?

[Kayak_Runner]

Christened a new deer hunter this weekend. Took my younger brother to Mark Twain Sunday morning, heard about some big deer but we only crossed paths with does that didn't present a shot but this 4 pointer that did. Came in on a string to a rattle bag...drag out wasn't fun....next time we go there we will take packs or a packout cart. 

[BilletHead]

            Neat reports guys and well done to the new hunter. You never forget your first. 

  Bummer DJ for the gun issue . Yep it happens. The BilletHead's pretty much just watched deer out the window both evenings. Our little food plot out back and cut soybeans to the south. The does come out and Saturday three little bucks. Soon a nice one gets into the mix and round and round they all go. Last Evening just the big one showed up checking out the mixed seven slick heads in the field. The bigger buck is a solid wide thick six point for sure but cannot see any eye guards/brow tines at that distance out the window. I have three nice sixes on trail cam that are missing the needed points. Genetics I suppose. It is a shame to have five year old deer that this is all they are going to do and they need taken out but we are still in the 4 pt. or better part of the state.  With three archery deer in the freezer do not need to shoot another. BilletHead Jr. has plans on being here to hunt Saturday. I am hoping he has one of the big ones go by his favorite stand. If he wants just shoot an eater that will work too,

   BilletHead

[Seth]

It was a great opening weekend for us. Me and a buddy sat dark to almost dark (had to track deer) Saturday and saw over 30 deer. Movement was great all day long. Mostly fawns and young bucks chasing does. I shot a young doe and a nice 4.5 year old 8 pointer and my buddy got a large doe. Dad was hunting on the south end of the property and saw 25 deer himself and shot a large doe that evening. On Sunday morning, dad hunted the same spot and shot a 3.5 year old buck shortly after 7. We didn't sit all day, but saw 9 deer Sunday morning and passed on a few nice does. That evening was more of the same with does and small bucks till 4:30. Four slick heads busted up on to the field 300 yards away to the north followed by what looked like a really tall racked buck. He was chasing them hard and with little time to react, my buddy took the first crack at him when stopped. It ended up being an awesome 2.5 year old up and come. We were doing our best to avoid shooting 2.5 year olds, but this one really fooled us due to his smaller body. He looked huge 200 yards away chasing those does! Oh well, it was still an extremely exciting hunt! I've got one more firearm antlerless tag left for my county so I may go out and try to fill it this weekend just to get back out there. I'm sure I will see an freakin monster since I have no buck tag. 

[MOPanfisher]

Wife deflated a nice 8 on opening morning, then a nice spike Sunday evening.  Gutted it and got it checked at CWD station, decided to let it hang from tractor bucket until Monday A.M., so I got to skin and quarter it while watching it snow.  I went down to wifes stand sat evening, and saw a nice younger 8, but didn't shoot him.  Came home from wor this evening and saw a deer out in front of house, which quickly became a doe, with a very very nice 8 pt dogging her, and a smaller 4 or 6 I guess watching to learn the ropes and a 4th deer I couldn't get a good look at.  Opted not to execute any of them.

On the down side I have read of 3 separate fatal hunting accidents in MO over the weekend and one in AR, bad stuff, be careful out there.

[Terrierman]

44 minutes ago, MOPanfisher said:

Wife deflated a nice 8 on opening morning, then a nice spike Sunday evening.  Gutted it and got it checked at CWD station, decided to let it hang from tractor bucket until Monday A.M., so I got to skin and quarter it while watching it snow.  I went down to wifes stand sat evening, and saw a nice younger 8, but didn't shoot him.  Came home from wor this evening and saw a deer out in front of house, which quickly became a doe, with a very very nice 8 pt dogging her, and a smaller 4 or 6 I guess watching to learn the ropes and a 4th deer I couldn't get a good look at.  Opted not to execute any of them.

On the down side I have read of 3 separate fatal hunting accidents in MO over the weekend and one in AR, bad stuff, be careful out there.

Wear orange and handle guns safely is the ticket.

[JestersHK]

Nice deer fellas,  congrats on the successful hunts.

I too heard about a fatal accident as a coworker knew one of the people involved... a guy shot his buddy on accident allegedly.   

Be safe out there.

[Seth]

People get far too careless with firearms. It blows my mind. Heck, I got mad at myself when my rifle slid on my back a bit and pointed towards my buddy for a split second as we were getting ready to get down out of the blind. The gun was unloaded and the safety was on, but the #1 rule is always point the muzzle in a safe direction. Even if the gun goes off, you won't hit anybody if it isn't pointing towards anything that can be hurt in the first place.

[JohnP]

No deer for me but it wasn't for the lack of opportunity just havent see the "One" yet.  Highlight of the weekend for me was being there for and helping a buddy when he shot his buck Saturday monring.  Oh and the hot tea and "crumpets" oatmeal snack cake was pretty good too ;).

[BilletHead]

             Congrats to your friend,

  Not sure what excites me more this morning. The beautiful buck or that there oatmeal cake ,

  BilletHead