2019/2020 Hunting Thread

[Noogman 161]

Dove season comin’, only 26 more days. 53 days until whitetail archery opener. Had a lot of fun this spring/summer dialing this guy in for deer and hogs.

 

 

 

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[Lat22 4010]

I say it every year.  F you central/north zone dove hunters.

[Gladeite 375]

Africa in 9 days.  Culling for a wildlife conservancy.  There is a terrible drought in Namibia right now and I am thinning the herds and providing meat for the nearby villages.

[BabaYaga 15286]

3 hours ago, Noogman said:

 

Dove season comin’, only 26 more days. 53 days until whitetail archery opener. Had a lot of fun this spring/summer dialing this guy in for deer and hogs.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Always wanted to learn, then life got in the way.  We lease our place out to some younger hunters that bow hunt.  Took a NICE 8pt this last year that was pushing 6yrs.  He was big.  They set out two more box blinds this off season and have been putting cameras out all year.  Food plots going in soon.  No offense to rifle hunters, but bow hunters seem more involved.  Or maybe not.  Just an observation.

I can't tell you how nice it is to have hunters that really dig in and help manage both the animals and the land.  Keeping brush back.  Keeping roads from getting overgrown.  Checking fence lines for holes, etc.  Just spending time out there when I am traveling, etc. 

For those looking for places to hunt, I'll keep a watch on nearby places and post if/when something comes up.  Often it's word of mouth and the land owners intentionally stay offline when looking for a new group.

*Ballinger/Coleman area

[cknight 184]

Getting excited about dove/teal this year. I’ve got a Boykin spaniel that’s doing really well and can’t wait to get her on some live birds

[Spaulding Smails 1552]

I'm stoked as well!  Secured a dove lease between Seguin and Geronimo.  Currently planted in milo and the farmer is harvesting in two weeks, so timing should be really good.

We're headed up to our ranch tomorrow to check game cameras, etc.  My mom got some pictures with her telephoto lens of a decent axis at the alfalfa feeder last weekend.  We'll see if he's still hanging around while we're up there.  

[cknight 184]

That is some excellent eating right there!

[fattyflattie 4639]

BabaYaga, if you do hear of anything, I’m interested.  I updated the hunting lease thread earlier this week, in fact.  

[BabaYaga 15286]

19 hours ago, fattyflattie said:

BabaYaga, if you do hear of anything, I’m interested.  I updated the hunting lease thread earlier this week, in fact.  

You bet!

[Izhmash 562]

Hunting licenses went on sale today.

[ousuxndallas 65]

Getting ready for bow season. Put together another tripod yesterday.

Doves die in 2 weeks. Can't wait/gif.

[bigshark88 388]

Subscribed

 

Put in three SpyPoint cellular cameras. Pretty cool getting pics via an app instead of driving 90min to walk in and pull cards.

 

Got both of my boats running so fishing will be my main thing but we have three parcels of about 50ac with three good food plots, three good stands and three good feeders.

 

Hurricane Michael and then a work issue basically Fd me out of hunting season last year.

 

[BabaYaga 15286]

Cameras have been up for some time now.  Two new blinds added and re-purposing two older feeders.  Can't wait on the birds.  Every day to/from work off Stonebrook in Frisco, massive sunflower fields with dozens and dozens of doves on the electrical wires.  Safe and sound without a care in the world.  For now.

Soon.....

[Spaulding Smails 1552]

Had a bittersweet day yesterday / this morning.  I went out to the ranch solo to top off feeders and make sure the pump floats were working in the cisterns.  Neither my dad nor I will be out there for a month or so, and I wanted to make sure things were tight.  Got everything done yesterday afternoon and set a two string bale of fresh alfalfa in our alfalfa feeder in front of the house.  Took another out to a blind and spread it around.  Climbed in the blind to see what I could see about 7:00.

Lots of whitetail.  All doe and one yearling buck.  With about 5 min of shooting light left, two nice whitetail bucks came out.  My shitty Nikon binoculars are screwed up again, so I was glassing them through my scope on my rifle.  I saw another big bodied deer come out to the alfalfa.  Scanned over and I'll be damned... one of the nice axis bucks that we've been seeing on the cameras.  Not the big boy, but a decent one.  Problem is, he's facing directly away from me.  All I see is ass and antlers.  Time is literally ticking away and I can barely see him with the naked eye, but the scope draws in enough light to still feel confident with a shot.  He finally quarters just enough and I squeeze the trigger.  I see him drop a bit, then run south.  Shit.  

I hop out of the blind to where I saw him drop.  No blood.  Nothing.  Not a drop.  I look around the immediate area for blood, and nothing.  I felt confident with the shot, but it's now pitch dark.  I decide to let him lay.  I go back to the cabin.  Grab my dog and my spotlight.  We searched east, south and west for 2 hours.  Nothing.  Now, I'm wondering if I missed.  If my scope got bumped in the Polaris.  At 10:30, I gave up.  Dejected and back to the cabin.

I woke up around 5:00, got some stuff cleaned up around the cabin, loaded up the truck, and went back to where I shot around 6:30.  Light was decent by 7:00, and I walked the entire back quarter of the ranch.  Finally called it quits around 9:00 under the assumption that I plain missed.  I was walking back to the Polaris with the intent of checking my rifle.  There he was.  20 yds off the road.  Not 60 yds from where I shot him.  NORTH.  He was literally 100 yds from the blind.  He must have run a big circle and came back around.  I feel dejected.  Just an absolute gut punch.  Bittersweet to find him, but so mad at myself for not finding him last night.  Wasted some beautiful meat.

The only blood I found was from his mouth.  Entry wound from the 130 grain ballistic tip 270.  No exit wound.  Never found any blood trail, even working backwards.  I made the cardinal mistake of not adjusting my shot when he was quartered away.  I should have aimed further back.  The entry wound was dead center of the shoulder where I was aiming.  I missed the vitals and he had enough adrenaline to run despite the broken scapula.  Shoulder was toast.  I would have done so many things differently if I could do it again.  

It's a strange, strange feeling.  Just an absolute gut punch.  Good news is, there's plenty more out there.  And I'll get a decent mount out of it.  Not a huge trophy axis, but good enough for our first one taken on the ranch.  Dropped him off today to get the hide tanned and a Euro mount.  

[Johnny Sack 8397]

4 minutes ago, Spaulding Smails said:

Had a bittersweet day yesterday / this morning.  I went out to the ranch solo to top off feeders and make sure the pump floats were working in the cisterns.  Neither my dad nor I will be out there for a month or so, and I wanted to make sure things were tight.  Got everything done yesterday afternoon and set a two string bale of fresh alfalfa in our alfalfa feeder in front of the house.  Took another out to a blind and spread it around.  Climbed in the blind to see what I could see about 7:00.

Lots of whitetail.  All doe and one yearling buck.  With about 5 min of shooting light left, two nice whitetail bucks came out.  My shitty Nikon binoculars are screwed up again, so I was glassing them through my scope on my rifle.  I saw another big bodied deer come out to the alfalfa.  Scanned over and I'll be damned... one of the nice axis bucks that we've been seeing on the cameras.  Not the big boy, but a decent one.  Problem is, he's facing directly away from me.  All I see is ass and antlers.  Time is literally ticking away and I can barely see him with the naked eye, but the scope draws in enough light to still feel confident with a shot.  He finally quarters just enough and I squeeze the trigger.  I see him drop a bit, then run south.  Shit.  

I hop out of the blind to where I saw him drop.  No blood.  Nothing.  Not a drop.  I look around the immediate area for blood, and nothing.  I felt confident with the shot, but it's now pitch dark.  I decide to let him lay.  I go back to the cabin.  Grab my dog and my spotlight.  We searched east, south and west for 2 hours.  Nothing.  Now, I'm wondering if I missed.  If my scope got bumped in the Polaris.  At 10:30, I gave up.  Dejected and back to the cabin.

I woke up around 5:00, got some stuff cleaned up around the cabin, loaded up the truck, and went back to where I shot around 6:30.  Light was decent by 7:00, and I walked the entire back quarter of the ranch.  Finally called it quits around 9:00 under the assumption that I plain missed.  I was walking back to the Polaris with the intent of checking my rifle.  There he was.  20 yds off the road.  Not 60 yds from where I shot him.  NORTH.  He was literally 100 yds from the blind.  He must have run a big circle and came back around.  I feel dejected.  Just an absolute gut punch.  Bittersweet to find him, but so mad at myself for not finding him last night.  Wasted some beautiful meat.

The only blood I found was from his mouth.  Entry wound from the 130 grain ballistic tip 270.  No exit wound.  Never found any blood trail, even working backwards.  I made the cardinal mistake of not adjusting my shot when he was quartered away.  I should have aimed further back.  The entry wound was dead center of the shoulder where I was aiming.  I missed the vitals and he had enough adrenaline to run despite the broken scapula.  Shoulder was toast.  I would have done so many things differently if I could do it again.  

It's a strange, strange feeling.  Just an absolute gut punch.  Good news is, there's plenty more out there.  And I'll get a decent mount out of it.  Not a huge trophy axis, but good enough for our first one taken on the ranch.  Dropped him off today to get the hide tanned and a Euro mount.  

I hate ballistic tips.  Small sample size, but I’ve never had luck with them.  They seem to never give the blood trail.  Other people love them. I use Barnes tsx or Nosler Partitions.  I’ve killed hundreds and hundreds of whiteails and a bunch of red deer.  

Yeah, when they aren’t broadside you kind of want to aim thinking about where the bullet will exit.  99 percent of my shots are broadside.  I shoot through both shoulders, high.  They can’t and won’t move.  Got tired of shooting behind shoulder and having them run 50-200 yards.  

I’m sure you’re sick about the meat.  But it was late and that does happen.  I love axis meat too.  

[bigshark88 388]

Started neck shooting whitetail last year. Plan on sticking with it.

Also I only use big boy calibers for deer anymore. No more 223 / 204 Ruger. Just my philosophy. No judgements.

[fattyflattie 4639]

I agree 100% with the last two posts. Sorry to hear that SS.  

[Horns99 155]

I hate ballistic tips.  Small sample size, but I’ve never had luck with them.  They seem to never give the blood trail.  Other people love them. I use Barnes tsx or Nosler Partitions.  I’ve killed hundreds and hundreds of whiteails and a bunch of red deer.  

Yeah, when they aren’t broadside you kind of want to aim thinking about where the bullet will exit.  99 percent of my shots are broadside.  I shoot through both shoulders, high.  They can’t and won’t move.  Got tired of shooting behind shoulder and having them run 50-200 yards.  

I’m sure you’re sick about the meat.  But it was late and that does happen.  I love axis meat too.  

 

Another one here that quit using ballistic tips on axis. I also shoot a 270 & they wouldn’t leave any blood, most of the time they didn’t even exit the big axis bucks. I also went back to nosler or Barnes, much better success with them.

 

Remember that Axis vitals are much more forward than a whitetail, if you are aiming behind the shoulder you might not hit any vitals. I’ve learned shoot them dead in the middle of the shoulder, a little high & they will drop every time.

[MalibuSheriff 1090]

14 hours ago, Johnny Sack said:

hate ballistic tips.  Small sample size, but I’ve never had luck with them.  They seem to never give the blood trail.  Other people love them. I use Barnes tsx or Nosler Partitions.  I’ve killed hundreds and hundreds of whiteails and a bunch of red deer.  

Totally agree.

I’m also big fan of high shoulder shot.  I shoot a .257 Weatherby, and ever deer I’ve shot with this round high shoulder drops in their tracks.

[Johnny Sack 8397]

1 minute ago, MalibuSheriff said:

Totally agree.

I’m also big fan of high shoulder shot.  I shoot a .257 Weatherby, and ever deer I’ve shot with this round high shoulder drops in their tracks.

I shoot the sameness caliber.  Love it.  And my 270 weatherby mag.  

[BabaYaga 15286]

15 hours ago, bigshark88 said:

Started neck shooting whitetail last year. Plan on sticking with it.

Also I only use big boy calibers for deer anymore. No more 223 / 204 Ruger. Just my philosophy. No judgements.

Same here.  Except I still use a 22-250 for the majority of the shots I take - provided they are ethical shots.  As I age, waiting and not taking a shot happen more and more.  I vacillate between the 22-250 and my .270.  

.270 when I'm at a neighbor or friends place - just to be sure.  22-250 at mine, as I know the distances.  I've taken dozens now in the neck, and all but one have even made it out of the feeder pen.  All about placement.  Recently upgraded optics on both rifles.  Man, what a difference a good scope makes.  

[Johnny Sack 8397]

I’ve seen get stunned by a neck shot and get up to run off.  It’s probably happened ten times in the three decades at our place.  If you don’t hit the esophagus or spinal cord, they can survive.  Most time the concussion breaks their neck regardless.  But it does happen.  Still much better than a profile head shot.  Too many wannabe Chris Kyle’s will blow off a deer’s jaw and render the deer to die a horrible and slow death.  

I blow out both shoulders.  They don’t go anywhere and always die.  

[Spaulding Smails 1552]

Great advice.  Thanks for the feedback.  You can see from the entry wound in the picture just how much he's was quartering away.  I think that shot would have been god for a true broadside, but should have been 3-4" further back given how much he was quartering away.  I'm learning how different Axis are from whitetail.  Definitely need to consider a different round, different shot location, etc.  I may go back to the Noslers I was shooting before the ballistic tips.  With whitetail and pigs, I've had a ton of luck with the ballistic tips.  Haven't had a deer or hog do anything other than drop in their tracks in 5+ years.   I'll head / neck shoot a doe or pig all day long.  I was thinking of a mount for this guy which is why I went for the shoulder shot.  Appreciate the insight here.  

Edited August 23, 2019 by Spaulding Smails

[bigshark88 388]

Seems like that shot would've resulted in a pretty easily "findable" axis at 90 degrees.  The variables involved in finding a wounded animal (IMO) increase wildly and inverse to the angle of the bullet path to the spine. 

Had a whitetail quartering-to shot a few years ago that was "dead on balls accurate" and got lucky to find the buck after half a day of looking with dogs and everything.    

[CHIEF 5075]

After I had a 160+ whitetail run off from a shoulder shot, I only shoot neck shots as well. I aim for the white spot under their chin or where that would be if they aren't looking at me. Have not had one run off since. A good taxidermist can fix the bullet hole, but a bunch of taxidermists don't use the original cape anyways.

CHIEF

[BabaYaga 15286]

15 minutes ago, Johnny Sack said:

I’ve seen get stunned by a neck shot and get up to run off.  It’s probably happened ten times in the three decades at our place.  If you don’t hit the esophagus or spinal cord, they can survive.  Most time the concussion breaks their neck regardless.  But it does happen.  Still much better than a profile head shot.  Too many wannabe Chris Kyle’s will blow off a deer’s jaw and render the deer to die a horrible and slow death.  

I blow out both shoulders.  They don’t go anywhere and always die.  

Head shots are unnecessary and as stated, can lead to brutal suffering on the animal.  I just want it down quickly.  As seen on this diagram, I'm looking for the ideal POI for a neck shot - shorts out the nervous system and shatters the spine at the base of the neck, just in front and slightly above the shoulder.  If I can't make the shot, I don't take the shot.  

[fattyflattie 4639]

I shoot the “higher percentage shot for instant drop” on that diagram. Either my .257 or .270 wby 95% is the time. Also usually on very well fed south Tx deer.  My experience is they fall right where they stood.  Behind the shoulder lungs/heart was always a 50-150 yrd “hunt” afterwards.  

[Johnny Sack 8397]

55 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

I shoot the “higher percentage shot for instant drop” on that diagram. Either my .257 or .270 wby 95% is the time. Also usually on very well fed south Tx deer.  My experience is they fall right where they stood.  Behind the shoulder lungs/heart was always a 50-150 yrd “hunt” afterwards.  

Yep.  Same calibers for me.  

[MalibuSheriff 1090]

4 hours ago, fattyflattie said:

Behind the shoulder lungs/heart was always a 50-150 yrd “hunt” afterwards.  

Boy have I had a few of those over the years.  Ever since I switched to .257 and high shoulder shot, I’ve sure got a lot less prickly pear spines in my clothes.

[bigshark88 388]

Hello from my hunting shack. After building a tripod stand in 90+ deg heat and humidity, cartoons and Doritos in the AC do the trick.

[Johnny Sack 8397]

2 hours ago, bigshark88 said:

Hello from my hunting shack. After building a tripod stand in 90+ deg heat and humidity, cartoons and Doritos in the AC do the trick.

Nothing wrong with that setup at all.  

[fattyflattie 4639]

Hell thats real nice. 

[Johnny Sack 8397]

On 8/23/2019 at 3:20 PM, MalibuSheriff said:

Boy have I had a few of those over the years.  Ever since I switched to .257 and high shoulder shot, I’ve sure got a lot less prickly pear spines in my clothes.

The high shoulder shot is the best.  They don’t take a step.  

[williemackgarza 1826]

BabaYaga, if you do hear of anything, I’m interested.  I updated the hunting lease thread earlier this week, in fact.  

Where is this lease thread u speak of?

[williemackgarza 1826]

Yep only Nosler partitions or accubonds in my .300 Win Mag or .270 wsm for bucks.
Does usually get the 22-250 Barnes 50 gr tsx.
We shoot lots of deer on our mex lease and anyone with ballistic tips seem to always have issues . Bust a whole all the way thru a deer to get a blood trail goin.
Babayaga let me know if you ever happen upon any open leases

[deadshank 24652]

Team Accubond.   

Nosler 130 grain / .270.  Hand load.

DRT. 

7mm mag throw down rifle with 160 grain Accubonds.  Good heavens.  Great pig destroyer. 

[BabaYaga 15286]

On 8/24/2019 at 10:23 PM, williemackgarza said:

Yep only Nosler partitions or accubonds in my .300 Win Mag or .270 wsm for bucks.
Does usually get the 22-250 Barnes 50 gr tsx.
We shoot lots of deer on our mex lease and anyone with ballistic tips seem to always have issues . Bust a whole all the way thru a deer to get a blood trail goin.
Babayaga let me know if you ever happen upon any open leases

Penetration > Expansion

I think in the end, this is the key.  Assuming excellent shot placement with each.  I had an instructor tell me years ago on his EDC he carries ball ammo (9mm).  Obviously this had the intended outcome of stirring quite a discussion.  His point being with proper placement, his main concern was penetration (especially in the winter).  Echoing the sentiment of the FBI and their transition back to the 9mm (along with increased capacity and reduced recoil compared to the .40).  The round has to both dump it's kinetic energy into the target while still penetrating deep enough.  

[pepper brooks 580]

vegas this weekend.  dove slaughter next weekend.  

[BabaYaga 15286]

15 hours ago, pepper brooks said:

vegas this weekend.  dove slaughter next weekend.  

Let's do this!

[pepper brooks 580]

11 minutes ago, BabaYaga said:

Let's do this!

what is funny about that is that isn't all that far off from what it looks like where I go.  

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4974]

That's an ideal situation for a crappy wing shooter like me. Yeah, of course I killed that bird you were shooting at too.

[BabaYaga 15286]

Old TIME life pics from Texas dove hunting in the 1960's.  Pretty cool pics, old guys smoking a pipe, kids running around, etc

If it flies, it dies

 

Now this is my speed right here

 

Dick Cheney's sister

Memories

"Hey, I have a great idea...."

Cool pic

Schlitz or Pearl?  I say Pearl

[Reagan1k 3024]

I see a lot of Cutts Compensators / Poly-Chokes in those pictures....love those pics.

[deadshank 24652]

Do any of you know of or participate in columbaire style pigeon shoots?  Haven't done it in a few years and looking for a group. 

[fattyflattie 4639]

I’ve always been interested, but never have been able to do it.  

[deadshank 24652]

6 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

I’ve always been interested, but never have been able to do it.  

It is quite a challenge with good throwers

[fattyflattie 4639]

11 minutes ago, deadshank said:

It is quite a challenge with good throwers

That’s what I understand. 

[deadshank 24652]

Lots of friendly wagering, as well. 

[Lat22 4010]

Yeah, they don’t exactly advertise those on Facebook or anything.

[Shoxthemonkey 1976]

On 8/28/2019 at 9:32 AM, Reagan1k said:

I see a lot of Cutts Compensators / Poly-Chokes in those pictures....love those pics.

I have a drawer full of those if you need one. Several new Poly-Chokes. Dad was blindsided by the choke tube revolution. I inherited a lot of obsolete inventory when he passed.