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Working at the Farm - Took a few I-Phone Pics
- Thread starter Native Hunter
- Start date
Native Hunter
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I have verified that the rut has started........
Native Hunter
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Yep
Native Hunter
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Gun season is over. I decided not to shoot the biggest deer that I have, because I think both of them could be Booners next year. We still have plenty of deer meat, and if I do need more, I can still shoot one anytime through season with a bow, crossbow. We also have a muzzleloader season in December, which I might hunt depending on what I'm seeing on cameras.
This first pic is the 8 point I first passed during early ML and then again in gun. This deer is plenty old enough to hunt - I would say 5 years old.
This next pic is a 10 point I passed during gun; however, I also had my bow in the blind with me and could have shot the deer at 21 yards. Pic below was at that distance. This is one of the two I think could be a Booner next year.
This next deer is the other one I think could be a Booner. I have pictures to verify that he has survived gun season, so his chances are better now.
These next pictures are deer I had a chance to shoot. Some were still alive when I checked cams today, but I also know that some got killed.
What I did kill was 4 coyotes - with a double one morning!
Take care guys
This first pic is the 8 point I first passed during early ML and then again in gun. This deer is plenty old enough to hunt - I would say 5 years old.
This next pic is a 10 point I passed during gun; however, I also had my bow in the blind with me and could have shot the deer at 21 yards. Pic below was at that distance. This is one of the two I think could be a Booner next year.
This next deer is the other one I think could be a Booner. I have pictures to verify that he has survived gun season, so his chances are better now.
These next pictures are deer I had a chance to shoot. Some were still alive when I checked cams today, but I also know that some got killed.
What I did kill was 4 coyotes - with a double one morning!
Take care guys
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Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
It'll be interesting to follow along and see how many make it to next year. I think I like "stickers" the best,, if he makes it to next year, I'd say that he has the potential to be a one in a lifetime buck. The main thing that most of these bucks need is just to live to be 5 years old.
Native Hunter
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Thanks, and yes, "Stickers" is the one that I want to see again next year the most!
Native Hunter
Well-Known Member
Checked a few cams at my 20 acre place today. The coyote thinning during deer season may have helped the turkeys.
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
Coyote thinning is a good step in the right direction for wildlife survival rates
Native Hunter
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Yes, and nest predators like coons are a real problem too.
Drycreek
Well-Known Member
Good on you Native, coons, possums, bobcats, coyotes, and any number of other predators have stacked the odds against us ever having any huntable numbers of turkeys in East Texas. Right after I bought my place around thirty years ago, we had eight hens on our place. I saw them in person twice, on cameras a few time and each time there were fewer of them until they were gone. It took two years.
TPWD has spent thousands to restock Easterns in East Texas with very little success.
TPWD has spent thousands to restock Easterns in East Texas with very little success.
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
A bounty on predators would be a simple thing to manage, and the biggest boost to game populations that wildlife management agencies could ever do. But the liberal thought process in the schools teaching these people says we need predators, not hunters, to balance the ecosystem.
Drycreek
Well-Known Member
Yep, used to have a bounty on yotes here but that ended a long time ago. We should have controlled feral hogs too, but the powers that be didn’t even take a swing at that.
Native Hunter
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Sounds like you must have had a few wash down your branch after all of the big rains....
Native Hunter
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This morning was our turkey opener, and my cousin and I doubled on two nice birds. We decided to hunt from my deer box blind, because I had been getting as many pictures there as anywhere else. The morning started with one of the heaviest fogs I've seen in a while. At daylight I could barely see 50 yards in the field. We set up decoys 30 yards from the blind and did some calling every few minutes.
There were some gobbles but none really close. A hen was cutting not far away, but that was the only turkey we heard nearby. Two does came within 30 yards of us and eventually moved on. As the morning went on, we heard one gobble in a new direction, but it was still over 100 yards away. We just kept on calling softly but the bird remained silent. A few minutes before 9 AM we spotted two birds cross one of my deer shooting lanes about 85 yards away, and they eventually worked their way to the field. When they entered the field, they were 75 yards away and one of them gobbled. We got set up, because we knew they could see the decoys at that time. I would make some soft "chirps" with my call and they walked directly to the decoys. When they were 39 yards away we shot and both had our bird.
My bird weighed 24.1 lbs, 11 inch beard, and 1.25 spurs.
His bird weighed 21.2 lbs and had similar other features.
He is on the left in the pic and I am on the right.
There were some gobbles but none really close. A hen was cutting not far away, but that was the only turkey we heard nearby. Two does came within 30 yards of us and eventually moved on. As the morning went on, we heard one gobble in a new direction, but it was still over 100 yards away. We just kept on calling softly but the bird remained silent. A few minutes before 9 AM we spotted two birds cross one of my deer shooting lanes about 85 yards away, and they eventually worked their way to the field. When they entered the field, they were 75 yards away and one of them gobbled. We got set up, because we knew they could see the decoys at that time. I would make some soft "chirps" with my call and they walked directly to the decoys. When they were 39 yards away we shot and both had our bird.
My bird weighed 24.1 lbs, 11 inch beard, and 1.25 spurs.
His bird weighed 21.2 lbs and had similar other features.
He is on the left in the pic and I am on the right.
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Mennoniteman
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Those are some pretty good "hooks", at 1.25" you could hang them on a tree limb by their spurs. Must've been the two boss gobblers of the ridge. I enjoy reading a good turkey hunting story.
Native Hunter
Well-Known Member
Thanks Mennoniteman. It sure was a good morning, and we were very happy to both get a bird. That's especially true since it seems the population on that farm is down a little from what it has been in the past.
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