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Jesse's 2012 Trail Cam Thread...

bowhunter1023

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Here is a look at the buck that has my attention for the time being. I blew these pics up for a better look and overall, he is not TOO shabby. The other buck with him would make a great buck for the wife, so that is helpful as well. In the past, this is a deer I would not consider shooting. There was a time when I shunned the thought of a wall full of 130’s and wanted to kill a small handful of 150+ type deer. I’ve let some deer walk in past season that I should not have, but I don’t have any real regrets considering I was hunting some great deer at the time. However now that things are changing with the addition of a kid, any deer that is 3.5 and will go 130 or better has got to be a deer I need to consider shooting. I’ve proven that I’m incapable of killing the big ones, so I need to expand the pool of possibilities. My rough calculations on this deer put him 133ish and I suppose I could live with that. Hopefully he will hang around and I can get some better pics of him once he’s finished…






 

hickslawns

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Here is a look at the buck that has my attention for the time being. I blew these pics up for a better look and overall, he is not TOO shabby. The other buck with him would make a great buck for the wife, so that is helpful as well. In the past, this is a deer I would not consider shooting. There was a time when I shunned the thought of a wall full of 130’s and wanted to kill a small handful of 150+ type deer. I’ve let some deer walk in past season that I should not have, but I don’t have any real regrets considering I was hunting some great deer at the time. However now that things are changing with the addition of a kid, any deer that is 3.5 and will go 130 or better has got to be a deer I need to consider shooting. I’ve proven that I’m incapable of killing the big ones, so I need to expand the pool of possibilities. My rough calculations on this deer put him 133ish and I suppose I could live with that.

I am in a similar situation with the addition of a third kid this year. I understand your dilemma. However, I think your calculations are off. Is a child going to slow your hunting down a little? Probably will, but you will still have a respectable amount of time to hunt I believe. Have you been swinging for the fences? Maybe a little, but with good reasons given the caliber of deer you stood a great chance of tagging. Nobody is going to look down on you for that. Go big or go home was a very respectable position to be in for you last year. You had some dandies running around. Here is where I think your calculations are off. It is July 11. It was a weird/mild winter. It has been a weird/hot/dry spring and summer. Come Sept/Oct/Nov there will be deer around to hunt. Patterns change, weather changes, and one check of the trail cameras can bring an entirely different sense of optimism to a hunter. You probably know this better than anyone. Reason number2 why I believe your calculations are off. You are entering this season with a laid back approach to enjoy hunting again. I think you will enjoy it whether you tag a big buck or not. I also know you are competitive and the closer the season comes, Jesse will do what Jesse does. Jesse will find some big bucks! I am confident you will have a couple lined up by the time the season rolls around. We have 2.5 months until the season begins. We have nearly 4 months to hunt. This gives you around 6.5mo to find a worthy target to pursue. I don't think "I suppose I could live with that" is what your heart is saying. I think it is what you are telling yourself right now. I feel in the next several months your opinion will change. Maybe not though. I have been wrong before and I will be wrong again in this life.
 

finelyshedded

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Nice buck Jesse. He looked to be mid to high teens last year. If he puts on 12 to 15 inches this year he'll be high 120's to low 130's as an 8 point. He appears to be only an 8 this year. A P&Y 8 point is a trophy in my mind. Goodluck with him and CJ and Moe. I'm still holding out hope that Moe is still out there for you.

You are more than capable of killing any big buck, just give it more time. This could be the year! If not there is always next year! That's the motto I've lived by over the past 35 years. Goodluck
 

Schu72

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Streetsboro
Take your mind off the bucks. Keep the does around and the bucks will be there. Relax and have fun with it. As others have mentioned, this has not been a typical offseason. There is still time for things to come around.
 

brock ratcliff

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Jesse, you will likely kill the biggest buck of your life this year. It's how things tend to work. You think you don't have much to choose from this year... I say this is the year. Look what happened on the years you thought you knew all there was to know about a deer...you were disappointed pretty bad.

It's better to be lucky than good!
 

jagermeister

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Looks like a solid P&Y buck to me, brother! It'd definitely be hard not to fling an arrow at him. But don't jump on it too soon... You never know what may come running through in November...
 

Curran

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You'll be much happier hunting ducks & geese with a filled buck tag. That's a solid deer that you should have no issues sending an arrow through.



Then again, if he walks out, and it doesn't feel right, then don't shoot. You'll know what to do when the time comes.
 

bowhunter1023

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You'll be much happier hunting ducks & geese with a filled buck tag. That's a solid deer that you should have no issues sending an arrow through.

Trust me, that is now a thought I contend with each fall. I never believed people when they warned me that my love for waterfowling might take over my love of bowhunting. Not sure that is exactly the case as I still "love" to bowhunt more than anything, but I enjoy waterfowling much more. I'd love to get the most out of a season and shooting a decent buck early is the ticket to that...
 

Rutin

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Ina Duck Blind
I know the feeling.... last buck in first series of pics def has potential. These late bloomers have me worried with this drought tho! That 8 is pretty solid, it would be hard to pass him up if he still looks good after shedding his velvet
 
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bowhunter1023

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I went out after the rain last night and saw this 8 standing in the bean field about 400 yards from this camera. We've had rain at least every other day for 10 days now and the beans are looking great! I didn't get a great look at him, but enough to know it was him. If I could just get written permission to hunt the farm he is on, I'd feel pretty confident about taking him down or another good buck. It's tough to expect them to wander across my 11 acres, but it happens from time to time...
 

bowhunter1023

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Got a pic of him last week and decided I'll shoot him given a chance. I'll get the pic up tomorrow. I'm guessing 135" as a 3.5 year old 8 point. Good beams and brows, solid mass and tine length. I have a pic and one encounter with him as 2.5 year old also. With the kid on the way and all the changes that will bring, I'd be happy with this buck...
 

bowhunter1023

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I'll get the actual pic up tomorrow since it shows his body. Wish you could see the other brow, but I know they match from the last round of pics. Gonna call him "E"...

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1343162631.533719.jpg
 

bowhunter1023

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This buck is the kind of deer I've shunned since 2005 and I'm done with that nonsense. I said a long time ago some words I have come to regret. "I'd rather shoot 2-3 OBB quality deer in my life than have a wall full of 130's" was my mantra for a long time. I thought I could be the Drury brothers (to a certain extent) and do it on small acreage. I'm sick to my stomach thinking about some of the deer I've let walk while hunting ghosts and letting deer walk that no one else was going to. Just the 3 year old "bucks of next" year I've passed would make my man cave a different place. I'm in a new place with this hunting thing nowadays and a buck like this is dead from here on out, at least with a bow. ..