Has anyone been hunting yet this season?

[jtslalom]

I was just wondering if anyone has been deer hunting yet this season. New Jersey bow season has been open for two weeks now but I haven't had time to hunt yet. It is still a little to warm but in about two weeks it should get cooler. If possible this season post pictures.

[fishrising]

Been out in CT, saw 3 does 50+ yards out. Bow season started on the 15th.

[tex1230]

no hunting yet, but a lot of road kill out there

[Strider]

I've been once and saw a bunch of deer, bu8t no shots I liked. Sadly, my dad shot a nice 8 pointer, but hit it just back of the ribs. I trailed it for about 1000 yards and ended up losing the trail in some tall grass in a swamp. we did the whole grid thing for about 5 hours the next day but the grass is so thick and tall I could have walked within 5 yards of it and never saw it. We both feel horrible as it was still a killing shot, just not quick enough :(

[carverchick]

Al and I went bow hunting last Saturday & Sunday on 39 acres. We kicked up 1 Buck on Saturday and probably saw at least 4 does. I had a 8 pointer walk behind me within 20 feet and didn't know I was there until I started shaking like a leaf. Sad for me, I didn't have a good shot or enough time to turn around. He just turned around, walked into the thicket and started snorting :(

Sunday as we were heading out to our stands Al saw 3 does directly where his stand sits.

[C5 Golfer]

Looks like all you need is a trampoline to deer hunt.

[Dr D]

heres a teaser

[AK in PA]

We have another week to wait in Pennsylvania. I'm not sure if this bamboo backed osage bow or another osage selfbow will accompany me on opening morning. Just have a few more broadheads to sharpen and I'll be ready. :D

[jtslalom]

G5 Golfer,

That picture is hilarious. I will definately buy a trampoline this fall, place it on my property, and hunt over it. Congratulations to your son Dr. D. That is a real nice buck. Happy Hunting to everyone.

[fishrising]

We have another week to wait in Pennsylvania. I'm not sure if this bamboo backed osage bow or another osage selfbow will accompany me on opening morning. Just have a few more broadheads to sharpen and I'll be ready. :D

Thats a beauty, I haven't gotten into selfbows YET, but am hunting my Black Widow PSA II again this season.

[Strider]

Saw 7 does in an hour last night. I actually have to shoot one so I can "earn a Buck" tag. Not a big deal to me as I use a lot of venision throughout the year and try to get 3-4 deer a season. Unfortunately they came out so late that I could hardly see them even though they were only 10 yds away. Decided I could get one a different day.

[carvedog]

Been out three early mornings and a couple of evening hikes for elk. That whole starting hiking an hour and a half before light to get up on the ridge is harder every year.

Didn't see anything. Got one bull to talk to me the other morning but there was another hunter in the valley and his call is even worse than mine. So we scared him off. Oh well.

I have two more days for elk but not sure I can get out there.

There is still deer season (rifle) and a spike season for elk later on.

[Bubba]

Saw 7 does in an hour last night. I actually have to shoot one so I can "earn a Buck" tag. Not a big deal to me as I use a lot of venision throughout the year and try to get 3-4 deer a season. Unfortunately they came out so late that I could hardly see them even though they were only 10 yds away. Decided I could get one a different day.

Strider,

Don't know if you remember me, but I think it was you that knew my sister from UW-Madison. How bad is the CWD down in the Madison/Mt. Horeb area? Any fears on this at all? I have seen CJD (human form) a couple of times and it is pretty scary. Hunting has been pretty good here so far, have gotten two does and am patiently waiting for the 12 pointer that I have seen all summer. Early goose season has been the best I've seen in years. Can't wait for it to get cold so they really start flying. I was at Devils lake last weekend and the geese were all over the place...was longing for my 10 gauge. Anyway, happy hunting.

[Algunderfoot]

Hey Bubba,

Not trying to jack this thread, but Carverchick and I are bowhunting in the CWD zone here in WI, which includes Dane Cty and the management units in the general vacinity down to the IL. border. We / I also gun hunt one zone out to the west which is a unit being closely watched. Overall the confirmed cases are few, but WI is taking an aggressive approach to curb the problem. They are / were trying to irradicate the herd in the CWD zone, which is next to impossible, and have moved on to limit or prohibit feeding / baiting. They are also recommending de-boning the animal rather than the traditional processing methods using meat saws. Having learned to de-bone deer as a young'n, I have never been too concerned with the venison I have consumed. I feel that it is a limited problem, that would have manifested itself if it were the plague we once thought it could be.

We have learned that this prion can be transmited via saliva, and that groups of animals feeding at the same source is likely the single biggest concern, particularly with peoples affinity to feeding wildlife. All captive elk and deer need to be tested periodically, and interstate transport is very regulated. Like all "new' diseases, the more we understand the more we can control. CWD as well as CJD, are pretty freaky as they seem to defy conventional thinking. I wonder, as some conspiracy theorists pose, whether these rogue protien infections are a creation rather than a natural occurance.

Hmmm.

Al

[Strider]

Strider,

Don't know if you remember me, but I think it was you that knew my sister from UW-Madison. How bad is the CWD down in the Madison/Mt. Horeb area? Any fears on this at all? I have seen CJD (human form) a couple of times and it is pretty scary. Hunting has been pretty good here so far, have gotten two does and am patiently waiting for the 12 pointer that I have seen all summer. Early goose season has been the best I've seen in years. Can't wait for it to get cold so they really start flying. I was at Devils lake last weekend and the geese were all over the place...was longing for my 10 gauge. Anyway, happy hunting.

Yup..rememebr you all right. Sounds ,like your season is off to a good start :) I've not been overly concerned with the CWD problem, and have been hunting in the middle of the zone for a few years now. I also happen to work at the University's Veterinary School and some of my fellow researchers have worked with prion diseases. In CWD's case its pretty much impossible for a human to contract it and the majority consensus is that it doesn't transmit to humans like Scrappie in sheep. That being said, I've passed up a deer that didn't look healthy to me, and like Al I do all of my own butchering and processing, including sausage. As long as you don't cut into the spine, head, or lymph nodes you put the risk of infection at almost zero, and if you don't cut open bones and expose the marrow you are that much better off.

As far as numbers of deer with it, I can't really say beyond the DNR's numbers as I don't think I've ever run across one that definitely had it, and none of the people I know have had one test positive yet either. I do wish people would stop feeding them and using bait piles as it is the main way of transmitting it with the close contact from saliva, but some hunters and backyard enthusiasts just don't seem to get it.

Anyway, I can't get out again until the weekend.....good luck with your season.

[Bubba]

Yup..rememebr you all right. Sounds ,like your season is off to a good start :) I've not been overly concerned with the CWD problem, and have been hunting in the middle of the zone for a few years now. I also happen to work at the University's Veterinary School and some of my fellow researchers have worked with prion diseases. In CWD's case its pretty much impossible for a human to contract it and the majority consensus is that it doesn't transmit to humans like Scrappie in sheep. That being said, I've passed up a deer that didn't look healthy to me, and like Al I do all of my own butchering and processing, including sausage. As long as you don't cut into the spine, head, or lymph nodes you put the risk of infection at almost zero, and if you don't cut open bones and expose the marrow you are that much better off.

As far as numbers of deer with it, I can't really say beyond the DNR's numbers as I don't think I've ever run across one that definitely had it, and none of the people I know have had one test positive yet either. I do wish people would stop feeding them and using bait piles as it is the main way of transmitting it with the close contact from saliva, but some hunters and backyard enthusiasts just don't seem to get it.

Anyway, I can't get out again until the weekend.....good luck with your season.

Every year MN has the CWD warnings in the regs and I like you and Al and CC am careful with butchering deer. We had a story here a couple of years ago that someone died of CJD after eating at a game feed which included deer. This blew up into months of speculation and conjecture. Who knows what happened to him. I have a friend that hunts elk in CO and said that CWD has been there since the late sixties with no ill effects. I was out scouting ducks tonight (waterfowl opens on Saturday) and watched two eights chasing a doe. With the way the birds have been flying and what I saw tonight, it may be an early winter which translates into earlier riding. I have a management conference in Madison the end of January, maybe we could hook up at Tyrol? I didn't mean to threadjack this so back on topic. Good hunting to all!

Kenton

[Fleaman]

I went grouse hunting this weekend and was hoping to spend the day beating forestry roads and some hiking.

I came across one bird 20 minutes into my hike and then at around an hour in I got 4 more in one area that held about 8 grouse. I got my limit and had to go home early and mow the lawn and finish my household chores.:(

[Strider]

That CJD case made the papers down here as well, but all of the experts pretty much said it most likely wasn't the venison. Its still hard to tell what the real deal is.

I don't do any waterfowl hunting, but I've noticed that the bucks here are following the does already too. Not all out chasing like in the thick of the rut, but definitely more interested than they should be tis time of year. I'm looking forward to pheasant season opening in 2 weeks. My dog is 4 years old now and really knows what he's doing now. We seldom go out and don't get one or two.

Definitely let me know when you hit Madison. If I'm in town I'll get you out at Tyrol, and there's a bunch of other carvers here as well who would ride. If you happened to be here on a Monday you could run some gates with us too :)

[Bubba]

MN waterfowl opened at 9 am today. My kids and I set up decoys last night and my son woke me up saying that the geese were flying. Walked across the road to the decoys and this bruiser was walking in them. Dinner is served.