Wrong Weapon this morning

[FishHook321]

Went out this morning for the opening day of turkey season, had the ole shotgun loaded with #4 shot just waiting for ole tom for our Thanksgiving dinner. About 7:10 I can hear something going through the leaves making scratching noise, okay it's going to be an early day for me. Well, to make a long story short, the next I know I have 4 does and two bucks working the acorns all around me. All were well within bow range. I'd dare say one of the does was within 10 feet at one time. They never knew I was there. Just kept on feeding through the area. I would have loved to had traded my shotgun for my bow. One of the bucks was a nice 8 pointer and he came within 15 yards, broadside. I know what section of woods I'll be in for Saturdays opening of muzzleloader season.

Anybody else have any storys of holding wrong "object" when a nice one came by. I remember one time my former father-in-law decided to lean his rifle against a tree to relieve himself, about mid stream, a nice 10 pointer bounded across the logging road. The reason I know it was a 10 pointer, is he made the mistake of going past my brother-in-laws stand.

[done workin]

Posted on 10/31, Saturday's opening of ML??????

Which Sat opener is that?

Actually had the same thing happen to me this past Friday afternoon while trying to kill a couple of does with my ML. Shoulda' brought the bow. At 3:00 pm with my back to the trail and moving around getting settled in, had a 6 pt followed by a very tall racked, didn't look too wide, 10 pt walk between 15-25 yards from my tree on their way to the fields. DAMN!!!!!!!! Only shot with the bow had I been ready would have been at 15-20 yds quartering to me. 25 yards they were behind trees on their way out of sight.

[FishHook321]

Muzzleloader season for Virginia starts this coming Saturday (11/5).

[done workin]

I thought of that as I was opening your latest post. Sorry, I forgot there are a lot of people from Va and other neighboring states as well as even further away that have drastically differetn seasons from MD.

Good Luck to ya'.

[RYASON]

HAVE HAD MONSTER BUCKS AT BOW RANGE, PROBLEM WAS IT WAS DURING DOE ONLY BLACKPOWDER AND LATE SEASON DOE ONLY SHOTGUN. IT IS TOUGH TO WATCH THEM WALK ON BYE.

[choptank]

Had this happen to me today!!! Saw some nice bucks from my climber in the morning so came home and grabbed my lock on to hang mid day ( my climber is too noisy for evenings) You can guess the rest I was hanging like a monkey from the tree with NO weapon when a nice 8 point or so came running in 15 yards thru his head up nose to the air and then bolted. Must have heard me and got curious.

[nicbuc]

just wondering, what the deal about does only in MD and why at the best time of the year? are you guys short of bucks or are they trying to increse the herd? Fill me in.....I keep hearing you guys say too bad it was a doe only day...that would drive my bananas!!!!!

[herefishyfishy]

done workin,
Are you in Md? I think that the rules state that even if you are using a bow during ML season, that you still have to conform to the ML bag limits.....i.e. antlerless only??? I was confused at this as well, and after poking around through the DNR book, I was certain that you could only take a doe even if you did have your bow. I may be completely off (Good Lord knows DNR doesn't make it easy to understand) Anyway, if anyone could clear that up for me, it would be greatly appreciated. If I'm wrong, my grandaddy might be a little unhappy being as he let a nice buck go last week for that very reason.

[done workin]

herefishyfishy, yeah it was in carroll county but I did not have my bow with my. I had the ML so it was doe only. That was the problem

nicbuc, MD is trying real hard to reduce the overall numbers so our does days are very liberal, and I guess at the same time thay are trying to preserve the better bucks (dount it though, just conincedance). There is the age old argument and proven that the better the buck-doe ratio the better the qaulity of the bucks. The area I hunt we kill a fair nummber of does every year and only shoot 6 pts or better and we are seeing an increase in the number of nice bucks in the area. Must be working.

[nicbuc]

Done Workin, thanks for the response, I live and hunt in Va and found it odd that during the rut they would have you kill the "bait". How long have they done this and how long do they plan to continue it? But if it is working then good job.

[done workin]

nicbuc, don't know if it's working in reality but at least on paper it works.