Hunting ‘23/‘24: Bag ‘em and Tag ‘em

[Frank Drebin 5654]

Last weekend in Frio County.  My son limited three days in a row.

 

[davidg 4036]

Last weekend in Frio County.  My son limited three days in a row.
 

Bonus rep for old school that’s now new school brown camo.

[Frank Drebin 5654]

1 hour ago, davidg said:

Bonus rep for old school that’s now new school brown camo.

Have worn that pattern and it’s been my favorite for 40 years.  Thrilled it’s back now.  I have been able to add to my repertoire.  

[fattyflattie 4639]

Trucks packed. Headed south tomorrow with better Wx this time.  Can’twait.gif 

[Kennythetiger 9374]

On 9/20/2023 at 6:59 PM, cknight said:

That’s awesome; my back hurts just thinking about quartering that out

When I was young my parents subscribed me to every outdoor magazine available- Field & Stream, Outdoor Life, Sports Afield, etc. 

In one of the question and answer sections, a reader said he was going on a moose hunt soon, and asked where the best place was to hit a moose. 
The editor wrote back- “Right next to a forklift.”  

[4th and 5 4914]

20 minute limit 

[686 3446]

Made it out for just a little while tonight. Saw a decent buck for our place. Shot a few birds and checked feeders.






Going back with a west Texas Feeder supply unit with the eliminator plate on this feeder ; coons wrecked this plastic mechanism.

[fattyflattie 4639]

Oh I've got some work to do soon.  Been too much real life going on this year to keep up proper.  Tomorrow going to be a very full day. And it looks like I’ll be hauling the tractor down in next week or two to shred.  But the beer is cold, birds were everywhere driving in, and I’m not in Houston.  So winning. 

[fattyflattie 4639]

Birds were sporadic, but plentiful where I set up.  Ended up with 11.  7 whites, 4 mourning, 6 meelers.  Shooting left plenty to be desired.  Still trying to get this .410 figured out. 

[686 3446]

Knocking doves down with a 410 is impressive!

I decided to replace the feeder that coons messed up entirely with a stand & fill. My dad is 73 this year and still gets out and fills feeders standing on the truck bed rail. He fell off a trailer and fell getting out of the bobcat recently. I’ll probably replace all the elevated feeders with stand & fills if this style works out. This is the 600# EZ Feeder from All Seasons, $499. I really like the mechanism design.




I pulled some cards, need to take care of a boar and shoot a bunch of does. Have a couple of decent bucks.

[fattyflattie 4639]

9 minutes ago, 686 said:

Knocking doves down with a 410 is impressive!

Well, the pile of empty hulls wasn’t!! I’ve been downsizing over last few years but have had reoccuring issues in right shoulder for last 18 months, and that has sped it up. So I have to either learn to shoot left handed or work down.  I have settled on a 28ga after borrowing one for some shoots last year.  But haven’t found a way to sneak it past the wife…yet.  Got a Rizzini sxs in mind.  I have this old tomato stick .410 that an old friend used to keep in a barn for snakes.  Ugly but it shoots pretty well. Been using it to teach the girls last few years.  I used it last quail season and did ok.   But 28 gets you a lot more pellets and shells are considerably cheaper. 

[Frank Drebin 5654]

12 hours ago, fattyflattie said:

Well, the pile of empty hulls wasn’t!! I’ve been downsizing over last few years but have had reoccuring issues in right shoulder for last 18 months, and that has sped it up. So I have to either learn to shoot left handed or work down.  I have settled on a 28ga after borrowing one for some shoots last year.  But haven’t found a way to sneak it past the wife…yet.  Got a Rizzini sxs in mind.  I have this old tomato stick .410 that an old friend used to keep in a barn for snakes.  Ugly but it shoots pretty well. Been using it to teach the girls last few years.  I used it last quail season and did ok.   But 28 gets you a lot more pellets and shells are considerably cheaper. 

You shoot an auto?  I would rather shoot a 12 auto than a 410 non auto.

[BabaYaga 15286]

I learned on an old Rossi single shot .410, then upgraded to a single shot .20g that i used for years before moving to a .16g pump with a poly choke (my favorite scattergun ever).  Makes those shots count when you only have one.  

[Frank Drebin 5654]

On 9/22/2023 at 10:17 PM, 686 said:

Made it out for just a little while tonight. Saw a decent buck for our place. Shot a few birds and checked feeders.






Going back with a west Texas Feeder supply unit with the eliminator plate on this feeder ; coons wrecked this plastic mechanism.

My feeders are large 2000 pounders so they are wide enough coons cannot get to the spinner plate.  But on these barrel feeders, and I have tried everything, the best and only 100 percent effective solution is a round cage the same diameter as the barrel.  Coons cannot reach the plate with those wide round cages.  The square cages they can and will just hang on it and spin the plate all night long.

This works 100 percent of the time on those 55 gallon feeders

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Elusive-Wildlife-Large-Varmint-Squirrel/dp/B07SK92LVP/ref=sr_1_9?keywords=deer+feeder+varmint+guard&qid=1695650157&sr=8-9

[Frank Drebin 5654]

I'd need to take out a bank loan to buy enough 410, 28. or 16 gauge ammo to get a limit

My cousin loves his Browning Sweet 16.  Only ammo he could find in stores cost him $32 a box.  You better find some online and in advance.

[BabaYaga 15286]

Cool stary bra time - I might have told this before, but I was changing batteries out on one feeders with a cage and I left it open.  Had to run back to the house and when I got back a juvenile coon was nestled inside the cage eating corn.  Ok little guy, lets go....so I get a stick and poke at him and he freaks out.  Starts hissing and loosing his shit.  Ok man, I really have to close this cage and that little shit was going full honey badger.  I try a few more times, but I'm not getting bit by a damn coon.  I walk back to the truck, get my 1911, he's still refusing to move.  When he was clear of the spinner, I put the barrel to the cage, little shit bites the barrel, and I pull the trigger.

You know those gel cavitation videos....it was glorious....

[fattyflattie 4639]

8 minutes ago, Frank Drebin said:

You shoot an auto?  I would rather shoot a 12 auto than a 410 non auto.

Nope.  All O/Us - I’m a quail and clay shooter 95% of the time. I have a couple of childhood 870’s that haven’t been touched in years.  There’s a Citori in there that handles 3.5’s for the rare late season goose/crane shoots.  Have thought about getting a SA 20 in past, but never really cared for any.  Guess I can fire that back up; never really been a fan though.  Have handled all the normal players (except the Ethos) over the years. 

[Frank Drebin 5654]

If you want to protect your shoulder and shoot dove, get a semi auto 20 gauge.  You can barely feel it.

[fattyflattie 4639]

8 minutes ago, Frank Drebin said:

I'd need to take out a bank loan to buy enough 410, 28. or 16 gauge ammo to get a limit

My cousin loves his Browning Sweet 16.  Only ammo he could find in stores cost him $32 a box.  You better find some online and in advance.

Yeah, the ammo isn’t cheap, but it’s not crippling either (hunting, clays…oof). 28 is where it’s at imo.  Considerably cheaper ammo, 2x pellets, and still very light recoil.  I built up a decent stash of it back when it was the only thing on the shelves. .410 will run you about 1.15/per if you buy in bulk. 

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4974]

Get one with a stick under the barrel and you can load it up however you want. And for cheap. 

[Da Fino 2772]

2 hours ago, fattyflattie said:

Yeah, the ammo isn’t cheap, but it’s not crippling either (hunting, clays…oof). 28 is where it’s at imo.  Considerably cheaper ammo, 2x pellets, and still very light recoil.  I built up a decent stash of it back when it was the only thing on the shelves. .410 will run you about 1.15/per if you buy in bulk. 

I haven't shopped around for .28 shells in a long time.  I stopped using mine because at one point it was too hard to find any for a decent price. This was probably around 10 years ago. I'd be thrilled to make my .28 my permanent dove gun if it's easily sourced now. It's also great to use because it's a great gauge to hand over to a beginner to help them learn how to shoot birds. 

[fattyflattie 4639]

3 hours ago, Da Fino said:

I haven't shopped around for .28 shells in a long time.  I stopped using mine because at one point it was too hard to find any for a decent price. This was probably around 10 years ago. I'd be thrilled to make my .28 my permanent dove gun if it's easily sourced now. It's also great to use because it's a great gauge to hand over to a beginner to help them learn how to shoot birds. 

Our local academy has them all the time.  Easier to find there than 16 for sure.  Spent an hour earlier looking at SA but it’s still the same 3-4 I had looked up a few years ago. Maybe someday but still not my cup of tea.   

[mooseoutfront 3643]

My dude was gifted a shoulder blade off of the 52 incher

Magnum loves moose season

[Reagan1k 3024]

On 9/24/2023 at 8:22 PM, 686 said:

I’ll probably replace all the elevated feeders with stand & fills if this style works out.

I've been slowly replacing all mine with GreenGo stand-to-fill and I like them.  I'm too old for the boat winch shit and the falls off the tailgate land differently these days.

I ordered a trailer full of them and have slowly been getting them out.  This season is my goal to be fully out of the winch or tailgate game.

[huge 3793]

18 guys and we limited everyone out. All the trucks looked like this.

The birds outside Hondo last weekend were everywhere. I bet over 1000 were shot in the fields we were in and they kept coming.

My shoulder is yellow and purple.

[Brisketexan 105046]

This guy is currently in our back yard eating some sourdough crusts my wife tossed.

[CHIEF 5075]

17 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

This guy is currently in our back yard eating some sourdough crusts my wife tossed.

Well, bow season starts this weekend. Get a crossbow and shoot him in the spine right between the front shoulders, should drop like a rock. He looks like at least 6.5.

CHIEF

[Brisketexan 105046]

Well, bow season starts this weekend. Get a crossbow and shoot him in the spine right between the front shoulders, should drop like a rock. He looks like at least 6.5.
CHIEF

He was out front when I got home. Our little bachelor herd hangs out in our yard a lot. Two young 8s with him.




In the first pic from our backyard, you can see the genetics at work. For years, the dominant buck around here had a hefty rack, but it was heavy on the height, not so wide on the spread. All the bucks have a similar rack now - taller, not so wide.

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2731]

Going to give this one a go.
Local company and I talked to the owner who was very helpful.

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

1 hour ago, Brisketexan said:

He was out front when I got home. Our little bachelor herd hangs out in our yard a lot. Two young 8s with him.




In the first pic from our backyard, you can see the genetics at work. For years, the dominant buck around here had a hefty rack, but it was heavy on the height, not so wide on the spread. All the bucks have a similar rack now - taller, not so wide.

He's not gonna get any bigger, I'm thinking.

[fattyflattie 4639]

1 hour ago, T’Boo Ted Marshall said:

Going to give this one a go.
Local company and I talked to the owner who was very helpful.

I like those plate designs to keep the critters out. Really good system. 

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2731]

I like those plate designs to keep the critters out. Really good system. 

Yeah like that along with the stand and fill. Would like to see a heavier gauge to it but the seams look well built. I’ll report back after 12 months in the wild.

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

3 minutes ago, T’Boo Ted Marshall said:

Yeah like that along with the stand and fill. Would like to see a heavier gauge to it but the seams look well built. I’ll report back after 12 months in the wild.

I've mentioned the Judge Feeders that we use.  Very solid, but not inexpensive.

http://judgefeeders.com/

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2731]

I've mentioned the Judge Feeders that we use.  Very solid, but not inexpensive.
http://judgefeeders.com/

$?
I paid $449 for that 500# stubby. I’ll pay for quality. Not doing the cheap stuff any longer.

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

15 minutes ago, T’Boo Ted Marshall said:

$?
I paid $449 for that 500# stubby. I’ll pay for quality. Not doing the cheap stuff any longer.

I think that a similar sized Judge is around $750.  But we've never had to replace one.

Edited September 30, 2023 by DalTxHornFan

[fattyflattie 4639]

Just now, DalTxHornFan said:

I think that a similar sized Judge is around $750.

That’s not bad. I paid a bit more for the Texas Wildlife Supply stand and fill.  600# but will take 700 to the top.  If I could do it again I would have gotten the 1000/1250 whatever it is.  Will on next one.  

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

https://landgea.com/products/the-judge-feeder-500lb-varmint-proof-feeder

 

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4974]

Bunch of 1%ers in here. I took my cheap walmart/academy/I don't remember 200# feeder and wired up some cattle panel and then some chicken wire on top of that to keep the varmints out. cost me like $75 on clearance for the feeder a couple years ago and then supplies I already had on hand.

[fattyflattie 4639]

4 minutes ago, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

Bunch of 1%ers in here. I took my cheap walmart/academy/I don't remember 200# feeder and wired up some cattle panel and then some chicken wire on top of that to keep the varmints out. cost me like $75 on clearance for the feeder a couple years ago and then supplies I already had on hand.

It costs me $200 in diesel to get down there and back.  Just to find something broke/went wrong.  I bought the heaviest dumb steel feeder I could find, with the best timer (THE TIMER) I could find.     Knock on wood but replaced battery after 3 years and that's it.  Hope it stays that way. 

[Frank Drebin 5654]

On 9/29/2023 at 11:39 PM, fattyflattie said:

It costs me $200 in diesel to get down there and back.  Just to find something broke/went wrong.  I bought the heaviest dumb steel feeder I could find, with the best timer (THE TIMER) I could find.     Knock on wood but replaced battery after 3 years and that's it.  Hope it stays that way. 

100% this.  I want big, heavy duty feeders with The Timer and a good solar panel.  They are bullet proof.

Had a guy in Beaumont who worked in sheet metal.  He would build me 2000 pounders with 4 heavy pipe legs.  Best feeders ever.  Pipe legs also had a little pad at bottom.  I drilled hole in in at drove in 1/2" rebar to stake down.  Sumbitch is rock solid.

[CHIEF 5075]

On 9/29/2023 at 11:39 PM, fattyflattie said:

It costs me $200 in diesel to get down there and back.  Just to find something broke/went wrong.  I bought the heaviest dumb steel feeder I could find, with the best timer (THE TIMER) I could find.     Knock on wood but replaced battery after 3 years and that's it.  Hope it stays that way. 

 

16 hours ago, Frank Drebin said:

100% this.  I want big, heavy duty feeders with The Timer and a good solar panel.  They are bullet proof.

Had a guy in Beaumont who worked in sheet metal.  He would build me 2000 pounders with 4 heavy pipe legs.  Best feeders ever.  Pipe legs also had a little pad at bottom.  I drilled hole in in at drove in 1/2" rebar to stake down.  Sumbitch is rock solid.

It is a 500 mile round trip, I'm in the same boat. I'm set up to only fill up feeders once a year. Especially after putting coon hoods on my protein feeder.

CHIEF

[BabaYaga 15286]

HAHA - just noticed this on the site.  Awesome

[Storm the Field 5291]

On 9/18/2023 at 12:29 PM, Storm the Field said:

Another highlight of the trip was that Dad informed us that he's been building a new stand for me and my brother's deer lease. Just sent us some progress pics from his workshop earlier this morning. Will try to remember to post some photos when he finishes up later this month.

Dad informed us earlier this week that he finished the stand. Brother and I heading out to the lease tomorrow afternoon to set up a new feeder to replace one of the busted ones. Dad is meeting us out there with the new stand at sunup on Sunday. Just gotta unload it and attach the roof. 

Hot damn, the lease is now gonna have at least 1 fully-functioning stand and feeder combo ready to go in time for the season. And hopefully it will have been feeding for long enough to get some regular diners. 

itshappening.gif

[ImissWallyPryor 9046]

I asked the rancher who runs cattle on our acreage if he could move them before I start my elk hunt on 10/19. I hadn’t seen a single deer or elk on my 4 trail cams since the cattle arrived in mid September. This morning, I received these photos of cattle moving in and a small elk herd GTFO.

Edited October 6, 2023 by ImissWallyPryor

[ImissWallyPryor 9046]

5 hours ago, ImissWallyPryor said:

I asked the rancher who runs cattle on our acreage if he could move them before I start my elk hunt on 10/19. I hadn’t seen a single deer or elk on my 4 trail cams since the cattle arrived in mid September. This morning, I received these photos of cattle moving in and a small elk herd GTFO.

Update:  Holy shit, I just realized there are some critters under that pine tree on the far left….

2nd update:  turns out from the HD image, I think it’s 2 smaller elk and one larger elk, all turned away so that their darker head, neck, etc. are not visible.

Time to settle down, ImWP. 

Edited October 6, 2023 by ImissWallyPryor

[Kennythetiger 9374]

10 hours ago, ImissWallyPryor said:

I asked the rancher who runs cattle on our acreage if he could move them before I start my elk hunt on 10/19. I hadn’t seen a single deer or elk on my 4 trail cams since the cattle arrived in mid September. This morning, I received these photos of cattle moving in and a small elk herd GTFO.

Cattle are following the elk down the mountain. 

[Herbie Hancock 7343]

I believe I posted this fella in last years thread. Been watching him for two years now. Very distinctive because of those massive G2's. If I can get eyes on him this might be his last year.

[BabaYaga 15286]

5 hours ago, Herbie Hancock said:

I believe I posted this fella in last years thread. Been watching him for two years now. Very distinctive because of those massive G2's. If I can get eyes on him this might be his last year.

He thic!

[ImissWallyPryor 9046]

On 10/12/2023 at 8:03 AM, Herbie Hancock said:

I believe I posted this fella in last years thread. Been watching him for two years now. Very distinctive because of those massive G2's. If I can get eyes on him this might be his last year.

[deadshank 24652]

On 10/12/2023 at 8:03 AM, Herbie Hancock said:

I believe I posted this fella in last years thread. Been watching him for two years now. Very distinctive because of those massive G2's. If I can get eyes on him this might be his last year.

How old you reckon he is?  From the one pic I’m guessing 5.5