Opening day muzzleloader

[deermanok]

Today was the first day of the Oklahoma muzzleloader season.
I hiked out to one of my state land spots about a half hour before daylight.
Got settled in and waited for sunrise. I ended up waiting and waiting for any ole deer to show up but none did.
In fact, I never even saw a bird or a squirrel, nothing moving at all.
Oh well, I still have 8 more days to fill a tag.

 

[DEEREHUNTER]

Our 3 day early Muzzleloader ended today. Saw a spike and a couple of does. The one I`m after made an appearance Thursday while I was at work. Good Luck !

 

[gle3105]

Deermanok, If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. Thus being a rhetorical statement you know it I’m sure. Hope the next 8 days are favorable.

 

[MTY]

Last Friday I had a small buck chase a doe across the lawn. Both were legal, and I was watching other deer on the lawn at the same time, but shooting one on the lawn seems like cheating. Anyway, it looks like the first false rut has started. The full rut should be in 27 more days in this portion of Idaho.

 

[Goody]

Wish you best of luck !

 

[deermanok]

Last Friday I had a small buck chase a doe across the lawn. Both were legal, and I was watching other deer on the lawn at the same time, but shooting one on the lawn seems like cheating. Anyway, it looks like the first false rut has started. The full rut should be in 27 more days in this portion of Idaho.

Some signs of the rut are beginning out here. A few days ago, I found a few new rubs.

 

[Okie Hog]

Got to my blind at the lease at 07:00. Sat there until 11:00. The squirrels were going after the fallen pecans. i glimpsed several large hogs on a trail through the bush about 125 yards away.

At 11:00 my lease partner came by. He had shot a large buck at about 08:00 but could not find any blood. Drove to his stand and looked for blood to no avail.

i'll hunt again on Monday, if the buck was hit the buzzards will be circling.

 

[deerlessbob]

Good luck with those remaining days, deermanok!

 

[deermanok]

Got to my blind at the lease at 07:00. Sat there until 11:00. The squirrels were going after the fallen pecans. i glimpsed several large hogs on a trail through the bush about 125 yards away.

At 11:00 my lease partner came by. He had shot a large buck at about 08:00 but could not find any blood. Drove to his stand and looked for blood to no avail.

i'll hunt again on Monday, if the buck was hit the buzzards will be circling.

Hopefully it was a clean miss.
I got up at 4 this morning but it was already 67 degrees. I'll take today off and try again Monday morning. Should be a little better after the cold front comes through this evening.

 

[Bphunter1974]

Hopefully it was a clean miss.
I got up at 4 this morning but it was already 67 degrees. I'll take today off and try again Monday morning. Should be a little better after the cold front comes through this evening.

I did the same thing toughed it out till 11:00 got lunch and was back on stand at 2:00 in shorts and an orange vest. 89 degrees is just too hot.

 

[deermanok]

I did the same thing toughed it out till 11:00 got lunch and was back on stand at 2:00 in shorts and an orange vest. 89 degrees is just too hot.

Yeah for sure, definitely need a game plan for taking care of the meat if you shoot one when the temperature is up there.

 

[Bphunter1974]

I gut skin and quarter and get it in ice chest as soon as I can. If I'm not able to get that done real quick I'll put a couple bags of ice in body cavity. I have an old refrigerator in garage i let the quarters age a few days really helps as well

 

[Bphunter1974]

Got to my blind at the lease at 07:00. Sat there until 11:00. The squirrels were going after the fallen pecans. i glimpsed several large hogs on a trail through the bush about 125 yards away.

At 11:00 my lease partner came by. He had shot a large buck at about 08:00 but could not find any blood. Drove to his stand and looked for blood to no avail.

i'll hunt again on Monday, if the buck was hit the buzzards will be circling.

Have you looked on Facebook at Oklahoma deer tracking dogs. Those guys find a lot of deer for people.

 

[gle3105]

MTY,
Glad you passed on the yard deer. That would be shooting and not hunting. Your quote below sums it up .

but shooting one on the lawn seems like cheating.

At least put up a tree stand in the yard.

 

[Sandhillshunter]

Same thing our way, as not really seeing much. Good luck the rest of your season!

 

[retrieverman]

I was at my OK place from Wednesday the 20th through yesterday the 28th. I crossbow hunted Wed-Fri and muzzleloader hunted the rest of the time. I saw quite a few deer but not a buck I wanted to end my season with. I watched this buck for about 45 minutes on Wednesday morning and had him come within 10 yards of my ground blind as he left. That was pretty exciting.

 

[eekjellander]

I was at my OK place from Wednesday the 20th through yesterday the 28th. I crossbow hunted Wed-Fri and muzzleloader hunted the rest of the time. I saw quite a few deer but not a buck I wanted to end my season with. I watched this buck for about 45 minutes on Wednesday morning and had him come within 10 yards of my ground blind as he left. That was pretty exciting.
View attachment 17152

He was one lucky bucky ,he would have left with me , we dont have near the deer as we have the worst feed potential in NY /Sullivan co they eat snow balls come snow time . He looks like a nice one!/Ed

 

[deerlessbob]

Looks like an older buck, too. Maybe 4 1/2 years?

 

[edmehlig]

WOW, he wouldn't have walked past me. He might have ran if I missed him. GRIN You don't see too many bucks like that on state game lands here in PA. I'm not saying they are not there, I just don't see them.

 

[retrieverman]

Looks like an older buck, too. Maybe 4 1/2 years?

I’ve watched that buck all summer on game camera, and I had thought he was 4 too. After seeing him in person and exactly how big his body is, I really think he’s 5. If he makes it to 6, he’s going to be big. I’ve hunted this place almost 20 years, and bucks don’t seem to hit their full potential (body or antler) until 6.5.
Here he is in velvet.