Hunting is finally over this year.

[AJBert]

My cousin drew a 2nd rifle season doe tag, his son drew 3rd season cow elk tag, my wife drew a 4th season buck tag, and I drew a 3rd season buck tag and 4th season bull tag. All in all, took most of the month of November and was successful overall. I was a guide 2nd season for my cousin as he got his first deer ever, and only second big game animal, in over 6 decades on this earth.

I also played guide for his son during 3rd season while still hunting for a buck for myself. I put him on elk the first morning, within 50 yards in the timber. Never had a chance at a shot. Two mornings later I had him on elk again, this time around 250 yards up on a ridge. He missed, and I asked him later where he held the crosshairs and he said at the very top of the shoulder. I then drew out on the ground with a stick why he should have held dead on or lower, depending where he was zeroed in with his scope. That surprised him a bit.

I did get my buck, a rather large bodied 3 point (4 point if you count brow tines on mulies, 8 point if you are from east of Rockies). One of the largest deer I've shot that made the antlers look undersized on it. Perfect meat buck, in my mind, as I prefer to eat venison rather than antlers.

Move on to 4th season and my wife drops a 5X4 buck (see above how points are counted in Colorado, if confused). I never did go out looking for that bull as I was completely worn out and our nightly temps were below zero.

My cousin and wife both shot their deer with my old trusty Winchester Model 94 in .32 Winchester Special. I need to post up some pics of this rifle one of these years. Built in 1950 and bought new by my mom, who was 17 at the time, so she could hunt with her dad as he wouldn't buy her a rifle. I shot mine with my Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in .270, topped with a 3X10 Swarovski scope. Both bought new during my days working at Cabela's about 10 years ago. Love this rifle, and I treasure the Model 94 and only let those who I trust and love dearly even handle it, let alone shoot or hunt with it. Still not sure how my cousin got his hands on it.

Keep in mind, I helped drag every deer out, or did it myself. I field dressed every deer, hung them and skinned them. I also cut each deer into quarters to put them in coolers to keep them from freezing solid. I also butchered each deer, with some help, keeping the back straps and tenderloins separate and the rest either cleaned and cut up for making sausage later this week or dog food for our pup.

I haven't weighed the meat yet but should have enough to make 100 lbs of hot Italian deer sausage mixed with pork butts at 70/30 with enough deer left over to make 15-20 lbs of deer jerky. After this meat is in the freezer, I still need to empty the camper and get it cleaned up a bit, and top off propane tanks. We went through more propane this year than any other year just trying not to freeze solid every night while hunting.

For some reason, I don't have a pic of my buck. I haven't taken a picture with an animal in years and this year was no different. I did take a picture of my cousin's son with it on his phone, but I still haven't gotten it sent to me yet. The old bald guy is my cousin with his doe. Not the biggest doe in the world, but not the smallest. The ugly guy with my wife's buck is her brother who came up to visit for a couple of weeks during a couple of the seasons. He was a big help in giving a hand with the cutting up of the two bucks, and donating a few bucks while we played cards a few times.

On to the pictures:
image000001.jpg
image000000.jpg

[yqtszhj]

Meat in the freezer. It’s a good day.

[Bawanna]

That's a damn fine buck, might give a person an appetite for antlers. I got 3 really nice bucks (not nice as your picture) and several spikes and does coming up to my feeder by the house now. First year I've seen the buck come, guess they figured I ain't killed none of the momma's they might be safe. Kind of tempting at times. Wouldn't be hard to harvest one from 3 feet away with my 45.

[Armybrat]

Yeah we get a few of those in our neighborhood, but they are thinning out quickly with all the development in the area.

[kenemoore]

Just for the record, I LOVE deer jerky. :-)

[getsome]

I hit one with my truck last Friday night coming home from work, scared me to death when it flashed across the road, I slammed on the brakes and thankfully just bumped into it’s hind end spinning her around but she got right up and hit the woods so I hope she’s ok and it didn’t hurt the truck any thank goodness but I had to change my shorts when I got home…..There are white tail deer everywhere in Georgia and I live in a neighborhood, not out in the country…….Before the 50’s there weren’t deer here until they were brought in from Texas as a game animal and now they are everywhere living in any place they can survive but more are killed by cars than by hunting which is sad…….