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Team 8 Thread

In CO you only get one deer tag (there are exceptions but they are few), assuming you draw. Zero over the counter deer tags except for whitetail only tags for the month of December and they are in units where there are almost zero whitetails. The ones that are there are in tiny pockets almost exclusively on private. Its mostly a money grab false hope tag. The tag she got is a once every 3 years tag, so she only gets to hunt every third year for deer unless she picks up a leftover that somebody threw back; competition is fierce for those. Going into the last afternoon of the last day of the 9 day muzzle season gets a little stressful. I like to fill my CO tags on the second to last day to avoid the stress.

The beauty of being blessed to hunt Alabama as well is no max on does so you can always hunt until the end of the season. We do limit the amount of does we each take off the lease but we never take them all. I end up killing a couple for other guys that dont make it out much. Pretty sure I hunt the lease more than anyone and I live in CO 22 hours away, the rest of them live +/- an hour and a half from camp.
 
Whereabouts in CO are you? I grew up and lived there for quite awhile before I moved away a few years back. I miss the area, but not the influx of people! Hoping I can make it back sometime for elk again...I miss the elk woods.
 
Hey guys. Sorry for delay seeing teams got assigned. Looking forward to this season with you all. I bow hunt (compound) 95% of the time but I will break out the ML or slug gun if I have to. I hunt an array of properties including two military bases, a small 400 acre lease and my home 14 acres when time is tight. Also have a trip planned to KY to bow hunt for a week so chances are a plenty


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Near Salida. I didn't draw my elk archery tag for my unit for the first time with a point. Up until this year it has been an every other year draw. It has been tough to go out deer hunting and listen and call in bulls just for fun instead of to try and whack one. Had a 5 point at 40 yards yesterday. Gotta love rutting bulls.

I hear you on the people. Its gotten out of hand. It has us looking for property in Arkansas actually. Ive been in CO my whole life and never dreamed Id even think about moving, but we are. Pretty sad considering we have a pretty good set up here. I do like the Ozarks though and there are some rivers with big trout so it wouldn't be a huge change...... except for the humidity.
 
The humidity is definitely hard to get used to coming from the dry air in CO.

I'm the same as you- I never thought I would leave CO, but leaving was the best decision I ever made. AR is actually really nice, and the deer season is crazy long here - 5 months long. Let me know if you ever come out this way!
 
Hello guys! I’m outta state on a hunting trip now! Hopefully going to have some points on the board for us before the trip is over! I’m from NH and have been hunting for about 10 years! Looking forward to getting to know you guys and seeing the points stack up
 
Ugh. Cant make this $hit up boys! (diagram below to set the stage) I finally decided I would go ahead and shoot the 3x3 with good brow tines (so 8 pt) on the 35 acre piece of private I have permission to hunt. Ive been holding out for a bigger one that Ive had encounters with on public. The main deciding factor was where they have been coming across every time Ive watched is right in front of an old gnarly elm tree, so if I can get myself somehow in that big ol tree I can get him out of a saddle and get us an early 13 points. Along with a cottonwood right on the property line, that they haven't been going near, its one of only 2 "climbable" trees on the property; the rest are squat pinons. Ive never climbed a huge tree like this elm (+/-4' diameter) and to say the least it was challenging especially since my lineman belt wouldn't reach around it. Knowing the bucks are likely bedded only 75-100 yards away, somewhere behind the dilapidated ag building, I was trying to be quiet getting in the tree and had to get creative hanging my sticks . I knew one sticking it would be a total PIA or impossible so I took all 4 and some extra rafting cam straps just in case I needed to extend, which I did. Since the lineman belt wouldn't reach around I ended up tethering in by using the quick link as a chock in the crotch so I could set my second stick, it was slightly sketchy but I was "only" 7 feet up. At any rate it took me about an hour to get all set up with somewhat sketch stick hanging with the extensions on the first stick. Second stick and up was above the first big crotch so I could use the regular daisy chains because now the 4 splits are only 2' diameter. I could actually tether in too, but now Im on a leaning fork.

Half hour after Im all set, here comes the first buck, out from behind the ag building just like "always". Its the smaller of the two so Im just watching him knowing the decent 3x3 will be along shortly. He gets a big mouthful, trots over and lays down 30 yards away right behind the tree. I can see him with a hard lean. Couple minutes later out comes the 3x3. He comes out, strolls over and lays down in front of the other buck 25 yards away, no shot. Behind the tree with weeds covering his vitals and all I can see is his head (pic below). So I wait. About 30 minutes I sit with my bow in my lap, release on the string. He can stand at any second and only has 10-15 steps to take to his demise. He finally stands up, goes out of view behind one of the 4 big splits in the trunk and I draw. All he needs to do is clear the fence that juts out just shy of my shooting lane by 2 steps and Ive got him at 17 yards. Im at full draw and 100% confident Ive got this deer dead to rights in <3 seconds. Every time Ive watched them they strut past the fence and straight for the wash that has better browse than the dry crappy weeds in the field. He doesn't clear the fence by 2 steps. He hugs the end fence post turns 90 and heads straight away offering nothing but a fleeting Texas heart shot. He continues straight away til he gets to 72 turns broadside and starts feeding again in the crappy weeds. The raggedy 2x4 gets up and I think, you know what, after all this work getting in this tree, I may just bust his ass. Nope, does the exact same thing only stops at 68 and starts feeding across. I watch them feed off onto the neighboring property til dark and then I rappel down leaving my rope and sticks on the tree.

I'm comfortable taking a 60 yard shot at mule deer that arent alert. I shot my second biggest deer at 62 but Im not shooting 68 and definitely not shooting 72 at the better one. Of course the steady 80 degrees and sun we've had for two weeks is turning to 60's and rain tomorrow. How much earlier will they come out? Will they change up their bedding pattern with some daytime feeding? What time do I go in? Will they show at the old elm tree at all or will I just sit in the rain? Do I wait til Friday when its supposed to get sunny again? For sure I need to set something off the end of that fence post to get them to take the extra step or two I needed for a clear shot so they cant pull that move again.

Pic below is the diagram to help you better see the scene playout. The pie to the right is where I can shoot. The tree is too big to shoot around, there are suckers in between the forks and I have to be on the low side to keep from getting busted when they clear the ag building. The long dashes are the path the bucks have been taking the 3 times I watched them in the last 2 weeks. Short dashes is their path today. Other pic is the 3x3 bedded just 25 yards away.
 
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Hello guys! I’m outta state on a hunting trip now! Hopefully going to have some points on the board for us before the trip is over! I’m from NH and have been hunting for about 10 years! Looking forward to getting to know you guys and seeing the points stack up
What state are you in now hunting?
 
Ugh. Cant make this $hit up boys! (diagram below to set the stage) I finally decided I would go ahead and shoot the 3x3 with good brow tines (so 8 pt) on the 35 acre piece of private I have permission to hunt. Ive been holding out for a bigger one that Ive had encounters with on public. The main deciding factor was where they have been coming across every time Ive watched is right in front of an old gnarly elm tree, so if I can get myself somehow in that big ol tree I can get him out of a saddle and get us an early 13 points. Along with a cottonwood right on the property line, that they haven't been going near, its one of only 2 "climbable" trees on the property; the rest are squat pinons. Ive never climbed a huge tree like this elm (+/-4' diameter) and to say the least it was challenging especially since my lineman belt wouldn't reach around it. Knowing the bucks are likely bedded only 75-100 yards away, somewhere behind the dilapidated ag building, I was trying to be quiet getting in the tree and had to get creative hanging my sticks . I knew one sticking it would be a total PIA or impossible so I took all 4 and some extra rafting cam straps just in case I needed to extend, which I did. Since the lineman belt wouldn't reach around I ended up tethering in by using the quick link as a chock in the crotch so I could set my second stick, it was slightly sketchy but I was "only" 7 feet up. At any rate it took me about an hour to get all set up with somewhat sketch stick hanging with the extensions on the first stick. Second stick and up was above the first big crotch so I could use the regular daisy chains because now the 4 splits are only 2' diameter. I could actually tether in too, but now Im on a leaning fork.

Half hour after Im all set, here comes the first buck, out from behind the ag building just like "always". Its the smaller of the two so Im just watching him knowing the decent 3x3 will be along shortly. He gets a big mouthful, trots over and lays down 30 yards away right behind the tree. I can see him with a hard lean. Couple minutes later out comes the 3x3. He comes out, strolls over and lays down in front of the other buck 25 yards away, no shot. Behind the tree with weeds covering his vitals and all I can see is his head (pic below). So I wait. About 30 minutes I sit with my bow in my lap, release on the string. He can stand at any second and only has 10-15 steps to take to his demise. He finally stands up, goes out of view behind one of the 4 big splits in the trunk and I draw. All he needs to do is clear the fence that juts out just shy of my shooting lane by 2 steps and Ive got him at 17 yards. Im at full draw and 100% confident Ive got this deer dead to rights in <3 seconds. Every time Ive watched them they strut past the fence and straight for the wash that has better browse than the dry crappy weeds in the field. He doesn't clear the fence by 2 steps. He hugs the end fence post turns 90 and heads straight away offering nothing but a fleeting Texas heart shot. He continues straight away til he gets to 72 turns broadside and starts feeding again in the crappy weeds. The raggedy 2x4 gets up and I think, you know what, after all this work getting in this tree, I may just bust his ass. Nope, does the exact same thing only stops at 68 and starts feeding across. I watch them feed off onto the neighboring property til dark and then I rappel down leaving my rope and sticks on the tree.

I'm comfortable taking a 60 yard shot at mule deer that arent alert. I shot my second biggest deer at 62 but Im not shooting 68 and definitely not shooting 72 at the better one. Of course the steady 80 degrees and sun we've had for two weeks is turning to 60's and rain tomorrow. How much earlier will they come out? Will they change up their bedding pattern with some daytime feeding? What time do I go in? Will they show at the old elm tree at all or will I just sit in the rain? Do I wait til Friday when its supposed to get sunny again? For sure I need to set something off the end of that fence post to get them to take the extra step or two I needed for a clear shot so they cant pull that move again.

Pic below is the diagram to help you better see the scene playout. The pie to the right is where I can shoot. The tree is too big to shoot around, there are suckers in between the forks and I have to be on the low side to keep from getting busted when they clear the ag building. The long dashes are the path the bucks have been taking the 3 times I watched them in the last 2 weeks. Short dashes is their path today. Other pic is the 3x3 bedded just 25 yards away.
I'd stay after them before they change off that summer pattern rain or not.
 
Was doing some wrenching on my truck today at my folks house. HOA, but 6 or 7 miles from city limits, 10 acre lots. Walked down to the shop to grab an oil pan and had a does + twin fawns bedded up against some round bales. Slipped my boots off and stalked em to 15 ish yards.
My friends swear it's like they're running a high fence operation out there. :sweatsmile:
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Got it done boys! Looks like there was a reason I didn't get that 3x3 last night, because I got a 4x4 with long brow tines out of that big ol elm tonight!! Thats right folks, 15 points for team 8. He was actually the only deer that came out tonight and he came out from the other side of the ag building forcing a weak side shot. I figured he'd bust me and I think he did but didn't really know what I was. These mule deer are nothin as far as leery as the Alabama whitetails. I never would have gotten away with what I did tonight down there. He's a smaller, younger deer than I was after on public the beginning of the season but I've put in some miles, passed on 7 other deer and we have doe antelope tags that starts in 9 days. I need to get these 2 deer processed, in the freezer and get some work done before then so it was time. I'd love to upgrade and beat a 10 pointer in Kansas but nobody better hold their breath. I'd say the pressure is off me because I can all but guarantee a doe from 'bama to round out my points. Good luck, lets rack em up!31C14DC7-2106-43BB-A62D-B93EA2ACBFE7.jpeg
 
Great looking deer! Congrats- he's gonna look great when mounted and will give you years of memories and stories.
 
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