Live from Louisiana

[triple_duece]

Well I got a phone call and a picture text telling me some bad news. I’m not gonna sit here and tell you I’m not bummed and upset cause I am. We pass deer all the time trying to get some age structure to our bucks. Lucky, my nice 4 yr old died last night to my neighbors somewhere just north of me. It’s a deer anyone would should so not mad at the hunter. Heard he scored 145”, it’s hard for people to not shoot a 3 yr old much less a 4 yr old but here I am. Got to do some soul searching cause trying to grow and get good deer isn’t working here. Time to just shoot 120” class deer and be happy about it. I know many of yall have had your good deer killed by the neighbors, but it’s not like I hold or see a lot of bucks. Anyway rant over. Sitting in the stand now and just might shoot the first brown deer I see and say fuck it go duck hunting.

would’ve been in the 160’s next year.

 

[5Cent]

Nothings guaranteed, why waste time and energy on something you can't control (the anguise part, not the pursuit)? So many opportunities for this animal to die between now and 160", of not even get there due to genetics or health. Hope u kill something 2nite w/that nasty LSU undershirt, and enjoy every bite of those backstraps when the time comes.

Beautiful southern whitetail!

 

[triple_duece]

Two more weeks and he makes it another year. I’m done hunting for big bucks, time to get down to stacking them up. Those genetics don’t happen here much, hardly at all. I’m a little bitter at the moment. Can you tell?

 

[giles]

Sorry man. We have had many of talks about this deer and I know what he meant to your camp.

 

[Fletch]

Nick sorry your target buck got shot elsewhere... Makes two of us that lost bucks to neighbors... As long as you have neighbors that hunt it's next to impossible to grow big bucks... We pass on nice bucks every year and never see them the next year... Where do they go??? I'm still waiting on that giant some guys been watching 3 miles away show up in front of me on our farm... Never gonna happen...

 

[triple_duece]

Thanks guys, I knew I was taking a big chance by letting him slide. To be honest, I would’ve felt like shit if I’d shot him this year wondering what he could’ve been next year. It’s a no win situation and just hoping he made it through the hunting season. Was really looking forward to seeing his progress and he was easily recognizable. We or I don’t get opportunities at great deer and we don’t have numbers of bucks. I really don’t have much other land to say there is more. Basically have to grow my home bucks and hope they don’t wander off and get shot. They always wander off though at some point. I’m just tired of shooting 120’s on my property. And he had great potential to be my best buck next year. Last year could’ve killed him and would’ve been my best w bow here, passed on him. This year would’ve been my 2nd best buck and passed on him twice. Already had my mind made up.

for the record I have 3 friends that had their buck shot by a neighbor. It happens….ALOT! Often we shoot a good deer we never got a pic of, guess what, we was the neighbor that killed their buck. I’m over it, but still wish he got to potential next year and could care less who killed it. If that makes sense. So long lucky, it was exciting till today.

 

[Hedgelj]

Nick,
The buck I shot was on camera where a friend was hunting on a property about 3/4-1 mile away and was his number 1. My daughter's buck was on another guy's camera a mile away and was on his list to shoot at. However from a different perspective they gave my daughter and I great memorable hunts that I know I'll treasure the rest of my life.

 

[giles]

Question is, do you prefer to be the neighbor or the guy with hope of a big one? That is a question that is only for you and I'm sure it'll change depending on the moment. That is a question we can all have with ourselves. I think we all know what side of the fence I land on. Both sides are fine tho and perfect to that individual. I will never kill a great deer because I shoot the first good deer I see. I'm okay with that.

 

[triple_duece]

Question is, do you prefer to be the neighbor or the guy with hope of a big one? That is a question that is only for you and I'm sure it'll change depending on the moment. That is a question we can all have with ourselves. I think we all know what side of the fence I land on. Both sides are fine tho and perfect to that individual. I will never kill a great deer because I shoot the first good deer I see. I'm okay with that.

I just want to be the luckiest mfer in the woods, so far that hasn’t been the case . I love the element of surprise, I think that’s why I’ve been most a public land hunter. It’s also exciting to have history w a good buck. The excitement from not knowing makes me hunt more and harder whereas the “named buck” mostly ends in disappointment more often than not. I hate naming deer but it’s easier when trying to tell each other what buck we’ve seen.

I think the best type of hunting is when you sharing a hunt w friends and family “going together to hunt”, than being a loner in the woods.

In the big picture of life in the outdoors, I won it big! All I ever wanted was my boys to love the outdoors and share many memories together. That has been accomplished. Last night me and Hunter was talking about lucky. I said I want one of y’all to kill him next year. Hunter said “ I told Dj we are not shooting lucky” only Dad is gonna shoot him. How much longer do you have chances at a buck like that? We have a long time to hunt a buck like that.” It was a proud moment and a deflating moment all in one for me. Somehow they can see I can’t get after it like I used to. Instead of looking forward, I’m trying to slow the days and years back. Some of you may understand the last sentence, but all of you will realize it sooner than you think. Shit I’m only 57 years old.

Anyway we made a duck hunt this morning and I killed one woodie and Hunter killing his limit. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Currently we are in a swampy, high grass area looking for a buck pushing a doe into shooting range. Weather is warming and wind out of the southeast. Any pig or legal buck wins a tag today.

 

[giles]

Save a spot for Levi and I. Couple of years off, but we are coming.

 

[finelyshedded]

Nick, we’ve all been in your situation several to many times over the years. It is definitely becoming more prevalent with cell cameras and corn piles. Those with large farms experience less of it but these highly sought after deer cover a lot of ground over the course of their lives. It’s almost best to have low expectations going into each season and just enjoy the sheer bliss if and when you catch a target animal. Lol
It’s friggin awesome what you have provided you and your boys with so far and all of those great memories you CAN take with you to the grave.

 

[triple_duece]

Feed ban here and where I think he was killed next to the road, only one reason he’d be there…..golden nuggets

 

[Fletch]

Ric hit the nail on the head... Start the season with low expectations... Best year I had in Illinois I didn't have a single trail cam out...Enjoy the outdoors and your buddies, if you get a deer that's an added bonus...

 

[brock ratcliff]

Hunting and hoping for a specific deer almost always ends in heartache. Yet somehow, many of us are dumb enough to keep doing it. We lost 7 this year that we had high hopes for. Maybe more, but 7 for sure. One was a three year old that we decide to leave alone knowing almost certainly would be killed. He was. Nothing we can do about it. It is sickening to think what a special deer he could have become given the chance. Sorry about Lucky. It will sting less with time. More good memories to be made that will cover up the less than enjoyable ones.

 

[triple_duece]

We made a duck hunt this morning killing our limit the hard way. Nothing flew over in the morning as the brake is dry.

So I told Hunter to walk to a tank waterhole to see if there was any in there. No birds so we walked back down to the bike. Short ride later there is another hole but this time it has about 40 birds in it. I stayed back w pearl cause I knew what gets out would fly over me. Long story short Hunter kills 2 as they fly out, he got busted and the birds swung over me and I shot twice killing 2.

After we walked a couple spots and finished our limit.

 

[triple_duece]

Six Santa rainbows decide to stay south.