Weird...another good sized deer that hasn’t been touched by wildlife. Can’t help but have my mind wander.
Brock/Mason 2018-2019
- Thread starter brock ratcliff
- Start date
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Yeah, he started off about half speed and went downhill from there. His nose is still in top shape but I’m done taking him out for the season. He finished in better shape than he did last trip but I could tell he was feeling it. He’s retired for the year. We are supposed to go to my buddy Tony’s farm on Wednesday and still plan to but we will be reliant on Tony’s dog alone. We will get after wild birds a time or two with Clint and his dogs too. I hate to leave Ruger at home but I think it’s the only option for now.
No idea what killed the buck. It didn’t appear he had been dead long but whatever killed him probably had him lingering for a while considering he shed so early. He appeared skinny too.
At least you have other dog options to keep chasing the birds. Hope you can get Ruger back in shape. Did the chiropractor consider some extra pizzas in exchange for checking him out? At least point you in the right direction? I would think someone does this sort of work on dogs.
EHD? CWD? might be worth your trouble to alert wildlife officer. they may want to cart that head back to a lab for study.
Gotta be honest, I’m worried. I don’t know the location on this one, but if in the same waterway area, I’m really going to be concerned.
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Buckeye Hills Golf course. Actually the property to the east of the course. I’m not worried. Deer die. And I have it on good authority that when enough of them die, people will quit hunting them. Then, if it’s nature’s will, they will replenish. If there is something catastrophic in the whitetail pipeline, the DOW can’t do anything about it anyway.
Maybe not for our area, but the research might help our neighbors. That’s worth something IMO.
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Wrong. Did you attend any of the talks with Tonk? Our DOW could care less. Example; I was the first person to bring up coyote predation as a serious issue to him. He said it was a “non-factor “. He later attended a seminar in Florida in which other biologists and managers had actually done research. When he returned, he told Mrex to pass along to me that I might be on to something regarding coyotes. That’s a good indication to me that we (Ohio) are not the tip of the spear. Let’s say this deer died of some horrific communicable disease... as Tonk said about coyotes; what are they going to do about it? Nothing. Our WO are good for making sure mostly law abiding hunters have an ink pen and a string for attaching tags, beyond that, not so much. When I was more naive, I’d have called. Today I’m not wasting my time.
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Additionally, for as long as I can remember, I’ve found dead deer while small game hunting this time of year. They litter the forest and fields. Sometimes there’s an obvious wound and sometimes there isn’t. To me this is not abnormal. A horrible shame and seemingly a waste, but not abnormal.
That’s true, I always seem to find at least 2-3 every year. Guess I’m just being paranoid with the reading I’ve been doing lately. Thanks for making me slow down and think rationally. 
Very good points made Brock.
Dang shame though. Whatever caused the buck to shed early is what killed it though, just wonderin what it might have been.
Dang shame though. Whatever caused the buck to shed early is what killed it though, just wonderin what it might have been.
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Today was fun. We started off hunting pen birds at my buddy Tony’s place. We killed 6, saw a coyote and rabbit. We shot bows for a spell and then ran one of the beagle pups. She ran two really well. We shot none, but she is coming along slowly but surely.
For anyone that hasn’t done this stuff in years, it’s way more fun than hanging on the side of a tree staring at leaves.
For anyone that hasn’t done this stuff in years, it’s way more fun than hanging on the side of a tree staring at leaves.
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If we had pheasants, I'd be all over that! I'm very close to getting a beagle and running some rabbits. Hunting with a dog is WAY more fun than 99.9% of my bowhunts!
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I think the difference may be that with deer hunting you’re always waiting for something to happen. If there is a dog on your team, something is always happening. Even when they aren’t chasing or pointing, they are about to at any minute. And well mannered dogs just make me happy.
Proactive vs. Reactive
That relationship is why I've fallen in love with gun hunting again because it's proactive. Sitting and waiting is alright, but it gets old fast. Waterfowl has about ruined me on deer!
That relationship is why I've fallen in love with gun hunting again because it's proactive. Sitting and waiting is alright, but it gets old fast. Waterfowl has about ruined me on deer!
Buckmaster
Senior Member
We sit all season for that one minute of fun followed by 8-10 hours of work. Sedative versus non-sedative hunting.
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Mason and his pal, Caleb chased ‘em a little this morning on Caleb’s family farm. They took Holly. She ran two, they killed one. She also got on a hot track that Mason figures to be a deer. He gave her a correction and she came off the trail. She’s coming along.
I ate lunch with Doc Sims today. He’s been a vet in the area for 45 years or so. He told me Ruger most likely has a disc issue. Aside from surgery he will need 6 months rest and steroid treatment. Retired for the year.
I ate lunch with Doc Sims today. He’s been a vet in the area for 45 years or so. He told me Ruger most likely has a disc issue. Aside from surgery he will need 6 months rest and steroid treatment. Retired for the year.