The exact reason I vowed to never hunt public land during rifle season (or any season really). The sun came up, I saw a sea of orange and before I could get good and nervous I heard a round zip over my head.

Never again.

I'll skip the season before going on public

This wasn't public lands... private property. We had permission to hunt, this guy was on another guys land, but shot a deer on the land we were hunting. Fricken inbread mountaineer! Another reason we quit hunting that state. Like deliverance, if you know what I mean.

I say spice things up a bit, hunt public land in a ground blind

We keep loosing grounds around here. old farms we have hunted for years, the owners are dying, and their heirs won't let us hunt, or they build houses in the worse places (for us).

There are 40 acres behind my place I had a agreement (verbal) with the husband that when they left I could buy.
He came down this summer to say he was moving and he was ready to sell to me. So I went to get financing, when his wife came down and said, He ain't selling, I want our kids to have it so they can build a house

I almost had prime hunting ground What's worse is the previous owners of our house had given them right of way many years ago in the event they ever wanted to build back there. So, now not only will I have a house behind me but I have to give a right of way too.

Woof! That sucks.

I got access to a place that hasn't been maintained at all. I had to rent a walk-behind brush hog to create some paths and clearings. I couldn't get anything on the camera, but all of the corn was gone and I had a few tracks.

Getting excited about getting something. Hopefully I can just setup on the edge of this new trail that I know they are now traveling.

I never thought it would work, but being that the place is so overgrown, I can pretty much make them walk whatever path I create.

Norm, if you want a big buck, you need to get in the worse possible place you would want to get him, set up stand there. Then you are sure to get a big one and cuss the whole time you are dragging him out.

True. He'd probably find a 10' hole in the ground and die there.

Is exciting to think about the season. Just now I was coming back from our Abilene branch, after a day of TRID training, review, discussion, and saw some big does right inside the fence beside the highway grazing after the rain we had this afternoon. Hard to tell when whizzing past at 75 mph but their coats were very gray and I imagined the fur seemed thicker.

that's where you should set up your stand, next to the highway

Anyone filling the freezer? I finally caught a Doe on camera. Will go sit for the first time this season, come Wednesday.

My son and I have been following This deer since early this spring. His home range includes the 110 acres that we hunt. My son is beside himself that he may actually get a shot at this deer.

That is awesome thomasj!!! I hope he has a successful hunt!

That's a good looking deer. What a memory that would be.

I can't wait until my son is old enough to start going out to the field with me. And then the daughter some day.

Yes it will be, I think I shared last year when I took my son out for the first time with him standing alone with a gun.

He brought home a really nice 6 pt. Would have been 8, but the rear tines were broke off.

I was so happy for him. He will never forget that for the rest of his life.

I enjoyed watching my son take his first buck last year more than any of the deer I have shot over the past 35 years. His excitement and enthusiasm for hunting and fishing are contagious.

awesome that you have something you both love and can pass down from generations...

now, may I humbly suggest that care packages of venison jerky be sent to each of us, so we can also partake in the enjoyment!

I just made 2 pounds of jerky this past weekend in the smoker. Apple wood smoke with whiskey/pepper seasoning. I am enjoying some right now as I type this...

Planning my big deer hunt for the season for next week but can go all season long if I avail myself of the opportunity. Must be getting old. We're off tomorrow and the family land is only an hour away but I'm instead going with my wife to a doctor's appointment and shopping. Might have gone hunting but forecast says it'll be blowing a gale here tomorrow. Never had any luck whatsoever hunting in high wind.

Please hand over your Man-card.

Just kidding. I get it. I always talk big about going hunting, but I sometimes change my mind when it's 4 am and I have to roll out of bed and make a drive to the spot.

Hah! True confessions.

I'm more likely to be diligent to roll out of bed at 4 AM and drive to our place on the lake when duck hunting's on the menu than I am when deer hunting's on the menu. Strange, since deer hunting doesn't entail donning chest waders and wading around in the dark, setting out decoys.

I put a seven point in my freezer and a spike in my brothers (both from MN). Now I have to get ready for WI deer season, hopefully I can get another. Already have my venison pastrami started and through the venison heart in the bean and bacon soup the night I shot 'em. YUMMO!

mmmm, venison summer sausage

indeed!!!

How do you all field dress your deer (without getting too graphic)?

Do you start from the back end, taking care of the bits down there then moving up or start from the top?

Asking as I've seen it down from top down (zipper type knife, don't have to worry about punctures), cut (saw) the ribs, cut (saw) the pelvic area then everything basically falls right out, bits and all.