Hunting and Bipolar

[Benfromalbuquerque]

You rule! Few man ever work so hard for mule deer tacos. And if you change careers, please don’t cash in the pension. I’ve seen it with mature peers who should’ve retired ten years back but left/divorced/rolled into private 401k… Even if you never work for the gubberment again, so long as you’re vested then it’ll be there at 65 or so for a permanent kicker to all other income.

 

[Jbotto]

Saturday evening the only deer I saw was bounding away as I climbed up my stand.

This AM up at 3:30, and still a little late getting in the stand. This basket rack buck came through.
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About a half hour later I had a pack of EIGHT coyotes come in. I’ve never seen a group that big. I’ve called coyotes in plenty of times but have never tried shooting one. I proceeded to rush two layup shots from overexcitement - one coyote got a haircut.
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Not too much later I saw a bobcat! Only second time in my life I’ve seen one afield, and this is my first ever time buying a furharvester license.

I tried my best to stay collected and squeezed the release on my bow. The arrow skewered the cat, pinning it to the ground. It let out a loud snarl, bit the arrow off and took off like a rocket into a thicket. I hunted for another hour, heard something coming in, but couldn’t locate it. A doe saw me moving my head and took off. Next up, retrieve the cat.
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Tracking was slow going. Snakes were out to enjoy the warm day.
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This is the best blood I found. Not encouraging…
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175 yards and the blood trail dried up. I looked in holes, up trees, down every critter trail, nothing. Over 8 hours later I gave up. I don’t know where I went wrong. The arrow hit right around the front shoulder, broadside. Maybe too high? Blood seemed like muscle blood.

I might get out early tomorrow AM and jump a few ducks to get the monkey off my back.

Cats are tough! Glad to hear you are getting out hunting and having some successes!

 

[Pucky Freak]

Monday had a couple hours early to get out but wasn’t feeling up for it - didn’t go.

Friday AM stand sit. A basket buck and a yearling harassed a couple of does, running them all over for about 2 hours. Eventually had a doe stop moving and in range. I drew back, waited for a good angle and let fly. She ran a short distance and stopped, looking distressed. The older buck eventually came in too and ran her off. I debated shooting him as well for no other reason than to make trailing the doe easier.

Arrow inspection was green and red I replayed the shot in my head and realized my placement was terrible - I’ve made that mistake once before as a new hunter but never since. My guess was stomach/diaphragm. I’m thinking maybe get a 3D target and get lots of reps to iron out that problem.

Anyways, spent all day Saturday looking and no dice. 500 yards of blood trail before it dried up. Several times she coughed up blood, and never bedded. I then gridded 15 acres of thick cover. In the evening I ended by walking the adjacent creek bottom. I jumped 2 ducks, and got my first mallards and as well as my first double on dual-flushing birds.


I went ahead and bought another doe tag, considering the one in my pocket filled - coyote fare.

 

[Pucky Freak]

It is getting a bit frustrating messing up my last 4 bow shots, especially since two resulted in wounded animals. I cleaned up the gut shot arrow and put a mirror finish back on the broadhead. I know I practice enough to be accurate but taming my nerves is another challenge.

This AM up at 3 and ready in the same stand while it’s still dark. It didn’t take long before deer were active - I saw/heard 5 different bucks. All were seeking. Unfortunately, forgot my grunt call, so I was very limited to pull something in. I only had a good view of one buck, and none of the other four had a low-pitch grunt, so I’m not worried I missed much.


A doe and her two fawns snuck in and when I turned my head at the sound the doe pegged me and they all took off. Then a straggler doe came walking in too. She went to check out the scent where I shot the other doe on Friday. When she was distracted I drew back. I waited for 3 mins until she turned broadside. I slowed myself down, carefully held on the top of her heart and squeezed.

I saw a clean hit. She ran 50 yards in 5 seconds and tipped over.


This must be the fattest doe I’ve ever killed.



Nice big mature doe, lots of meat! Only meat loss was 2 square inches of rib, and half the heart. Packed her out and meat is cooling now.

 

[TheBenHoyle]

Nicely done. Congrats!

 

[Pucky Freak]

AM sit heard a deep grunt in the dark, and later right at shooting light had a deer pass by at 40 yards, probably a buck. Doe and fawn crossed at 60 and a just after sunrise had a 3-yr-old buck at 40. Sat for another 3 hours and nothing. Bright, sunny, and warm. Split up the day with a walk for small game and found a deer that died about 1 1/2 weeks ago. I’m guessing a hunter didn’t recover it. Nice wide 8-pt w/ heavy bases.


In the stand now for the evening. Still 60 degrees.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Saw a familiar basket buck 20 yards, and a fawn at 100. After sunset 9 turkeys flew up in the trees. The closest one spooked and departed, but the other 8 are still there. Roosted is roasted! I have a really good chance at 1, sneaking in the pre-dawn dark. If I’m lucky I could fill 2 tags at once.

 

[Gravelyctry]

Good luck, tomorrow

 

[Pucky Freak]

Pandemonium after the first shot, missed on a second tom. The elusive tom double will have to wait another time.

 

[Bowmannate2000]

Pandemonium after the first shot, missed on a second tom. The elusive tom double will have to wait another time.
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Nice! When does your gun deer season start there?

 

[Pucky Freak]

First Saturday of Dec. I’ve never hunted it. I have a second season doe tag for the week after that. Late season I’ll be out with the revolver.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Two sets turkey liver, hearts, and gizzards!

 

[Pucky Freak]

Possibly last hunt before December, ambushed tom #2.


I have yet to see a buck 4+ years old this season. I know they’re around, and the hot weather hasn’t helped. I’m thinking of caving and set up a trail cam just to get a look at one. I found a fresh scrape 5’ across in a tangled mess a couple weeks ago - seems as good a spot as any.

 

[Pucky Freak]

My wife arranged a babysitter this weekend so I could get two more days out - what a gift.

Rut activity has dropped off considerably since last weekend, but this still is a great time to be out. Late Nov mature bucks often cruise outside their core areas during daylight hours, if it’s cold enough.

Just one little guy so far, mid-day.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Saturday afternoon I heard a deep grunt and replied back, but I never saw the buck. The evening was quiet, and it started snowing. I saw a very unusual-looking fox squirrel. Instead of orange on the underside it had inky black, but the top was the normal gray. I had a clear shot with my bow at 15 yards but he spooked when I drew back. I hope to relocate it later this winter.

I was planning on a second all-day sit today, but I changed my mind and went out for small game instead. It had snowed for 17 hours and I was looking forward to seeing animal tracks.

There were nearly as many coyote tracks as deer tracks - I plan to do some calling later in the season to see what I can lure in. During spring turkey I saw a black/melanistic coyote that would be really cool to have, if it’s still around.

Once in the rabbit habitat I found another fall casualty.


Ended up seeing 5 rabbits in a new spot I had scouted, and got two with the rimfire. A third one I made a marginal hit, and it ran under a brush pile where I couldn’t retrieve it. On the way out I also took my first fur animal.

 

[Pucky Freak]

I took my twins to the taxidermist for a field trip to look at the animals on display, where I also dropped off the coon pelt to be tanned. The coon was a large mature male with dark thick fur and a long tail. It will be the first hide on a fur display I’ll be building.

Coyote will be the next likely addition, and eventually I want to add black bear, mink, beaver, otter, skunk, red and gray fox, bobcat, cougar, and badger. I don’t have any trapping gear yet, but it’s in the works. I know spots where mink and badger are where I can probably get permission to trap, and on public I have located spots for otter and beaver. Foxes I don’t know much about locating, and skunk encounters seem to be random, although there has to be some kind of pattern to them. If all pans out I’ll be back in MT this coming spring for bear - so far my favorite western hunt.

I could probably trap 100 more coons this season, but the one i got yesterday might stay my first, last and only harvest. They stink something terrible which makes handling very unpleasant. The scent glands reek, as do their feces and urine.

I’m making BBQ coon tonight. I tested the temporalis and backstrap and the meat was palatable. I’m browning quarters, then will go into the instant pot.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Good news on the work and mental health fronts. I had my meds raised again last week and right away I felt a noticeable improvement in depression symptoms, which has continued into this week.

I’m regards to work, nearly a year ago my employer initially expressed support of accommodating my disability, later flipping to pretty much the exact opposite, and then just working to run me out entirely. My guess is that will be the eventual outcome, legal or otherwise.

I had contacted numerous law offices and after a couple months I finally got in contact with an attorney with expertise in disability rights and government employment. They were generous in taking a part of their day to offer a wealth of relevant advice. Long story short, today I got my FMLA amended to shield me from most of the adverse action I can face, which buys me time to stay where I am for now.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Coon was good to eat. Most people would probably believe it was beef brisket if they were told that’s what it was, seasoned only with salt. With BBQ sauce added it’s nearly indistinguishable. The meat is tender, slightly greasy, sweet, and has a very mild flavor. I could not detect any aroma from the raw flesh, and when cooked only the fat has a slight odor, not unpleasant. In my area they mainly eat the same field corn that cows eat, so seems to make sense.

The meat before being shredded.

 

[duckhunt]

Coon was good to eat. Most people would probably believe it was beef brisket if they were told that’s what it was, seasoned only with salt. With BBQ sauce added it’s nearly indistinguishable. The meat is tender, slightly greasy, sweet, and has a very mild flavor. I could not detect any aroma from the raw flesh, and when cooked only the fat has a slight odor, not unpleasant. In my area they mainly eat the same field corn that cows eat, so seems to make sense.

The meat before being shredded.
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Had BBQ coon sandwiches that were really good.

 

[Bhoesl]

Coon was good to eat. Most people would probably believe it was beef brisket if they were told that’s what it was, seasoned only with salt. With BBQ sauce added it’s nearly indistinguishable. The meat is tender, slightly greasy, sweet, and has a very mild flavor. I could not detect any aroma from the raw flesh, and when cooked only the fat has a slight odor, not unpleasant. In my area they mainly eat the same field corn that cows eat, so seems to make sense.

The meat before being shredded.
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Used to go to a wild game dinner every year when I was younger, there'd be every type of meat imaginable there, and the BBQ Raccoon was always one of my favorites out of everything.