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Arizona Monster Bow Mule Deer: 240"
Posted On: September 9, 2010 | By: mike hanbackThe email I got said Matt (hunter) and Chad Smith (guide) stalked to 52 yards of this bedded buck the other day. After a short wait in the 95 degree sun the giant got up and walked to 32 yards broadside. Chad gave him a grunt and Matt killed him. Matt’s monster gross scores 240 with a gross typical frame of 228 7/8 by an official measurer.
Good work Matt and Chad, tremendous animal. comment
What-Would-You-Do-Wednesday: Shoot a Buck and Leave Him Overnight--or No Way?
Posted On: September 8, 2010 | By: mike hanback
Mike: I see it on hunting shows a lot: A guy shoots a deer near dark and is not sure of the hit, so they do the famous “back out of the woods” and come back in the morning. They always find the animal, but my question is--Is a deer left in the woods with guts in for 12 hours or longer still ok to eat? Is there some rule about how long before the meat spoils? I don't think I'd feed my family a deer like that. Thanks, Jim
Good question and a dilemma we all might be faced with in coming days. What would you do? All hands on deck, we need to discuss this fully and educate people, so we'll find our deer with good meat for eating. comment
UPDATE Wednesday, 3:30 PM:
Fantastic discussion! I want to point you to a comment by bking earlier in the day. This is the kind of hard-core info you get here on BIG DEER--from guys who walk the walk and know their stuff, it's cool man:
"Went to meat cutting school and have processed my own deer for 35 years. Have had absolutely no success in saving meat on animals left overnite in field. Most recently my elderly father shot at 2 does in evening. We found no blood that nite and returned at 6:00 the next morning. Temperature was 30 degrees. Found both deer and gutted both. Tried to salvage meat but were unsuccessful. I sometimes wonder what is important to the hunters on TV shows, the horns or the meat."--bking
Trail Cam: 3 Acres, 2 Shooter Bucks!
Posted On: September 7, 2010 | By: mike hanback
Hey Mike: I'm 17 years old and I eat, sleep, and breath deer hunting. The archery season is going to be here before we know it. But this archery season is definitely going to be different from all the others. I have a friend that has a 3-acre wooded lot behind his house near mine. Just recently I convinced him to let us hunt it this year. About a week ago I set up my trail camera to see if there were any decent bucks in the area and I was astonished with what I saw. I attached a picture (August 25) of 2 nice bucks that have been wandering past my camera, one is a monster 13-pointer; I am not an expert but I would say he scores in the 160s. The other buck is a nice 11-pointer that probably scores in the 140s. I'm not sure on the scores so I was wondering if you could look at the pictures and tell what you think. Thanks, Nick
My comments:
- How many times do I have to tell you that you don't need a lot of land to hunt a big buck. You might feel uncomfortable hunting 3 acres, but you might kill a big deer there.
- But bowhunting 3 acres is tough: These bucks will spend a lot of time (most of the time) off the tiny property, so being in a stand there when the deer are there will be a crapshoot. Still, the bucks will pass through sometime, so Nick has a shot.
- Gotta strive for the BEST bowshot in this situation; even if you double-lung one of them he might run off the 3 acres and die--tough dilemma. Pick your shot well.
- These bucks are the best of buddies; if Nick sees one in bow season he will see the other. Nick, I know you want to kill the 13-pointer, but shoot the other one if he comes in first and gives you the best shot--great deer for a teenage bowhunter.
- The big buck is 150-class (he won't look quite as big when he sheds, but still heck of a deer).
- Makes me feel good that a 17-year-old is so "eat up" with it like most of us were at that age. Good luck Nick, send us another pic if you get one on the ground.
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