Mason, Brock, others

[brock ratcliff]

Mason and I went to Kentucky for opening weekend.

 

[brock ratcliff]

He killed a doe.

 

[brock ratcliff]

A customer told me about this deer. I started looking for him and found him, but soon put him on the back burner as I found another I liked better. Good thing I did because this one got killed last week. Had to get permission on four pieces of ground to hunt the other deer. Managed to get that done. I hunted him opening day, saw him but no shot offered. Mason has hunted him 9 times now and has seen him seven of those time.

 

[brock ratcliff]

One evening he was about to get an opportunity at the big fella when these fools cleared the field. That won’t happen again.

 

[brock ratcliff]

My nephew came over in hopes of his first successful bowhunt yesterday. I dropped him off at one of our farms in the early evening.

 

[brock ratcliff]

I picked him up at sunset and helped him track his first archery deer. My brother even made the drive over to my home to celebrate the occasion. Big fun.

 

[switchhitter]

Amazing
You guys are off to a great start!

 

[Big_Holla]

Awesome to be part of his first deer!! Congrats to you all Brock!!

 

[Jackalope]

Freaking awesome man! That buck is beyond a stud man.

 

[Wiley E Coyote]

View attachment 213257A customer told me about this deer. I started looking for him and found him, but soon put him on the back burner as I found another I liked better. Good thing I did because this one got killed last week. Had to get permission on four pieces of ground to hunt the other deer. Managed to get that done. I hunted him opening day, saw him but no shot offered. Mason has hunted him 9 times now and has seen him seven of those time.

Holy Cow! I want one

 

[brock ratcliff]

Mason let a 160” walk last night. He was hunting from the ground in the corner of a field where he has seen the 160 and big fella come out numerous times. The 160 followed the script, big fella never showed. Unfortunately, his set up was an all or nothing deal and he may have blown the thing on his way out. Hopefully not.

 

[Outdoorsfellar]

Any pics of the 160 Brock ?

 

[brock ratcliff]

I don’t want to share anything too clear yet. Sadly I know we have a couple fellas spending more time watching what I put on here than they do looking for their own deer to hunt. He sees this deer about every evening too, but last night was the first time he’s had him at 20 yards and broadside. He said if he had his recurve he would have shot him. But he’s been using his compound because it’s a tough piece to get a 20 yard shot.

 

[Wiley E Coyote]

Monster bucks are to much stress, worry and lost sleep! I'll stick to those dink 150s. I'm pulling for y'all good luck guys!!

 

[brock ratcliff]

Monster bucks are to much stress, worry and lost sleep! I'll stick to those dink 150s. I'm pulling for y'all good luck guys!!

Normally, I’d agree. This year I don’t feel that at all. A lot of people will go well beyond the limits of the law to put one on the ground, and that isn’t us. I am certain if the location of this deer and Masons set up is found out, there will likely be a crossbow with a thermal scope in here inside of a week.

 

[triple_duece]

Normally, I’d agree. This year I don’t feel that at all. A lot of people will go well beyond the limits of the law to put one on the ground, and that isn’t us. I am certain if the location of this deer and Masons set up is found out, there will likely be a crossbow with a thermal scope in here inside of a week.

It’s a shame what deer hunting has become. I get hunting for big deer, but people are stupid with killing a big buck. Deer I pass are being killed on neighboring property’s next to mine. Hard to get a buck to 5 years old here.

 

[brock ratcliff]

Hard to find an old one here too. And getting harder every year. I have found a common denominator in the areas I find them, though. A couple actually that have proven themselves to me over the last few years. There are large areas around here where you just will not find an old deer.

 

[triple_duece]

Some good areas I’ve found were where the neighbors hate hunting and isn’t allowed. Other than that, better be butted up to some state park that don’t allow hunting or a military installation

 

[finelyshedded]

Large CRP fields and Marches are GOLD for developing mature deer even if it’s on public but PVT is even much better, IMO. My BIL had an absolute giant NT over 200 hundo under him a few years ago hunting just off CRP and a week later (Mid to late October) farmer cut it all down for whatever reason and he left and never came back. There was another 180+ living in there too and it got killed a few miles away. Posted property is nice too but the poachers can slip in or kill them at night but those cheaters can’t get it done if they don’t know they’re in there or see them. Vehicles probably kill those elusive monarchs more than the hunters. IMO

 

[brock ratcliff]

I’m sure it’s a little different in every state but the common denominator is that there has to be a “safer” area for deer to reach maturity- and that doesn’t exist just everywhere. Just 15 years ago people commonly shot the easier deer not knowing there were bigger there. Trail cams changed that.