How was your muzzleloader opener?

[O.T.C.]

So since it is that tough of battle the time is now to add more properties for upcoming muzzleloader seasons. Don't trust in Dave Dahl's forecasts too much, he said Wednesday but looks to be tomorrow is the deer movement chance in legal light. Having some AM options and some PM options is key. This mildness really stinks. Well we have one last wkd to go then I'll see if I can get off this 5:00AM wake up every day time that started about August 8th with goose hunting lol, good luck and maybe this weekend weather will move the right deer past us.

[O.T.C.]

Well it's time to sing it's the 6th weekend of deer camp and a few of the boys are here. They could let us hunt till Groundhog's day and none of us are taking a mature buck lol, we are 0- 7 two years in a row lol. So in our last 28 licenses 14 rifle 14 muzzleloader we're jinxed. But, the boys are on my land right now and I'd be thrilled if they could put one down, they've definitely put in time and effort the last 2 years, seems to be an ok morning to be out. Good luck and I'm ready to empty her out Sunday night and lick my wounds, again.

[O.T.C.]

I emptied her out but on a buck Saturday at 4:19PM. One thing I'm learning about muzzy for me and my observations over many years now is seems like the last muzzy weekend is the best for some reason and maybe it just gets further removed from rifle season. Maybe they get hungrier earlier.  Maybe the weather to me was good, idk. My dad and I talked and we discussed there's 4 large bucks on camera since rifle ended 3 in the middle, 5 yearlings and 2 of those we wished weren't around. Ottertail County isn't dominated by spike type yearling bucks. Blew the grunt tube at 4:15PM and immediately had a deer coming on a string and it was the most inferior buck we've ever had on camera. So since body size he was as big as any of the yearlings I took him out of the equation. Processor guy said you brought in deer # 302 on the year. And that's that. Saw 2 does 2 fawns Saturday AM so they can help populate the area and this runt can't start breeding next fall as a likely crummy 2.5 year old.   

[paceman]

Good Job OTC.

[O.T.C.]

Paceman what do you think ? Ottertail County, I've rarely seen a spike buck in the hundreds of tcam pics over the years. Most of the time it's basket 6's or 5's or Y's sometimes 7 or 8 point yearlings. It's a tough forecast but what do you think a cruddy spike thing would turn into as a 2.5 year old in OTC with rich farmland ? In 2011 I saw a real small spike, 1st spike I ever saw. From the same stand the next year in 2012 this icky racked Y buck without a doubt a 2.5 year old just going by body size, guessing it was him from the year before. He was much larger then the yearling 6 and 5 pointer who were with him. I was thinking that on Saturday, if I let him go my guess is he wouldn't have been much of a 2.5 year old but I don't know that for sure. I do get the APR argument a little better now to make that a statewide rule would protect some yucky bucks and some wouldn't be legal until at least 3.5 years of age or maybe 4.5 on some really poor genetic bucks. I wondered if larger yucky Y was part of the genetics to the spiker I shot Saturday, will never know but this spike genetic needs to go if we can clean that up or not is also a mystery. Before I get APR blasted I do get how in rich soil farmland spikes are rare and they do grow better racks a year or 2 quicker then in some places in the state. I'm thankful I was able to down him and let all the other yearlings with better racks continue on their way to maturity. Will post a picture of that rack soon, rack lol I mean idk what I mean lol.   

[fr0sty]

Here's the buck that O.T.C shot.

 

 

[O.T.C.]

Thanks Frosty and since this muzzy season is in the books I figured it would and will now fall off the pages as soon as I let it go.   But, there's the spike guy guess he nearly forked on the one end. After last Winter/Spring being so mild why didn't this yearling put something decent on his head ? I figured genetics as an issue and notice the bases the one is straight up and the other has some angle to it. I wonder what you guys think he would've maybe become as a 2.5 year old. This is the worst yearling I've seen in my 32 seasons of deer hunting and 10 years of trail camming in Ottertail County. I definitely wanted venison and it seemed the better deer to take vs. a pregnant doe in an area where I'm getting more antlered buck pictures then does and fawns. Then again my tcams are set more for where I'd catch bucks maybe more so then does and fawns. Thanks again Frosty !

[leechlake]

OTC-  I certainly don't doubt your experience in your area.  We hunt a great farm area adjacent to the Missouri River in So Dak.  Farmland up top with corn, beans, alfalfa fields and thick draws down towards river.  We see a lot of nice bucks and always see or kill a 150 or two every couple years.  We still see spikers from time to time.  The deer seem similar big size like the Minnesota deer body wise too.  

Like I said I can't speak to the particulars in your area but what I'm saying is in prime habitat where we hunt for whatever reason we see spikes.  Maybe late fawns, mixed with runt genetics?

[jerkin'm]

We are also in OTC and there are spikes, forkies, basket 6 and 8 points etc...a few years ago we started being more selective about the bucks we shoot and the difference has been eye opening. There is no way to say what that spike would have been next year. We got one more good buck before the end of the season and my son found a very heavy old 5 point shed..a good season for us...

[O.T.C.]

My Tcam here in zone 1 yearling wise is dominated by spikes, rarely even see a true fork on camera. Was just surprised some by spikes in OTC just because the hundreds of bucks over the years as yearlings I had never seen a spike buck, but I'm sure they exist lets say and I agree maybe I was trying to justify myself taking him lol, I wanted venison quite badly, my 4 year old is happier then I am, she loves it. There is no way to tell what he may have become next year I agree but seeing a few oddball 2.5 year old Y's has made me think about it and spending as much time at it as I did crazy analyzing enters the noggin as you hope to hear that 1 twig snap you back into awake mode so to speak.

Very nice buck by the way very cool shed also ! Now we got snow to track in etc. of course lol.

[bigbucks]

I'm late to the reporting party.  I saw a doe, I think, & a big male bobcat opening morning of muzzy season.  I didn't go that evening & was blanked the second am on a short prechurch hunt.  All in all I hunted WAY more this muzzy season, then I ever had, & saw WAY more deer.  I did finally fill my bonus tag just before dark on Sunday of 2nd weekend. Most of my firearm hunts are in an HC area.  I went a stretch where I saw deer in 8 consecutive sits, which kind of blew me away. Most seasons I see just a few deer & have one shot opportunity, usually the first day or two, & then don't see anything the rest of the season.  Most of the times I don't shoot & later think I should have.  This year I saw deer in the first few minutes of legal on the opener & in the last few on the final day.  I saw two spikes that I could have shot easily during muzzy season.  I actually think I probably saw the same one 3 times on one property, although I was only able to confirm him as antlered the one time.

Here's a pic of the Powerbelt I dug out from under the skin of my double-lunged doe & the doe herself.

[leechlake]

nice bullet photo.  I have around 6 of those from elk I've shot (some elk I shot multiple times) the powerbelts didn't perform like yours.  Best was a partial mushroom.  Hopefully someday I get to use one for a deer, they are so easy to load I like em.

Congrats on a deer filled season and the kill.

[bigbucks]

It did mushroom well, only 3/4's of the bullet is actually there.  I wasn't happy that it didn't exit though.  I don't know if I could have blood trailed it or not.  It went almost out of view then angled across & fell down, so I didn't have to track it.  I shot it like 4 minutes before the end of legal & didn't have a light with way back in the tuleys where I was, so I just wanted to get it gutted in the very low light so I didn't have to go back for a light.  I can see like a cat in the dark, but even that has it's limitations...

[O.T.C.]

Just surprised with the dozens of trailcams we have in the county spike bucks we just don't have but now we are starting to see them. I was just curious as I've read a spike maybe will max out at 120" when fully mature lets say but a penned deer in another state seems like bad information to me. A guy would have to tranquilize a few and brand em to know lol. I'm thankful to hear you think like I did and do that at 3.5 who knows what his headgear might become. When I think about Muzzy season had a good one, saw 14 total deer in legal light,did 9 sits and better yet realized the swamp is full of pheasants ! Plus found the major deer escape route, knew it was there but confirmed it. So much changed in the last 5 years. New land owners to the south and they kill every buck they see. SW group shoots anything brown. Those tidbits are good to know for future seasons.

[leechlake]

It did mushroom well, only 3/4's of the bullet is actually there.  I wasn't happy that it didn't exit though.  I don't know if I could have blood trailed it or not.  It went almost out of view then angled across & fell down, so I didn't have to track it.  I shot it like 4 minutes before the end of legal & didn't have a light with way back in the tuleys where I was, so I just wanted to get it gutted in the very low light so I didn't have to go back for a light.  I can see like a cat in the dark, but even that has it's limitations...

I found all of mine in the opposite side hide.  The bullet must loose energy and hit that thick hide and stop.  Dead elk are easier to find than deer for sure so the blood trail isn't as important.  Congrats again.

[O.T.C.]

Quick ? for you musket guys, did any of you find a fresh scrape this season ? Rubs ? Most seasons I find a few that get re-worked but not this year although mild it was hard to tell as some had fresh track in them, but idk. I certainly found fresh tree rubs that were made between rifle and muzzy as my trail had saplings in the way, they were all raked and weren't like that on the final day of rifle season or it would've been glaringly obvious. Just curious, usually you have snow and that tells you they are fresh since rifle etc. 

[bigbucks]

I can't remember finding any fresh rubs, maybe one.  Most of the scrapes that had been being hit went dead, but I did find a couple last Saturday, 12/12 that I hadn't seen before gun season.  Now I could have missed them, I wasn't really on that property during gun season as other guys were hunting it then.  I did see a decent buck that I had pics of with a hot doe on Wednesday, 12/9.  He was staying right with her.  They stood up in an open swamp a bit over 200 yards & moved around a bit & then laid back down.  I couldn't pull him off her with calls, but I'm not sure he heard me in the wind.  I ranged him broadside & clear at 222 yards, but just didn't feel confident that I wouldn't gut shoot him.  That coupled with the fact I wasn't sure if I wanted to shoot him, made me hold off.  I think he's about a 120", give or take, two year-old 8 pointer.  I think he'll be an awfully nice buck next year.

[jerkin'm]

I shoot those same power belts. I shot my last one from my original purchase at the buck I got the first weekend. That was the only bullet that passed through the deer. All the deer I have shot with them (4) have traveled a grand total of 30 yards. 3 of them dropped in their tracks. All shots were 40 yards or less. I like them as they load easy and you can take them out without having to shoot your gun. Nice to not have to thoroughly clean your gun just to unload it. I loaded a TC shockwave (I think it's called) for the last weekend, no way that bullet was coming out without firing the gun. Thats a nice big doe bigbucks! Looks like you are doing some sort of garage dance in the picture...(: As far as scrapes and rubs, we saw a lot of fresh ones the last weekend of the season. I never recall seeing a fresh/new one the last weekend of the season in prior years. Now my son is ready to unleash some squirrel rage next time up to the property! 

Leechlake-I think I have 7 points for a Colorado ML tag saved up now so I will hopefully be pulling the trigger on one of those soon as well! 

[bigbucks]

Thats a nice big doe bigbucks! Looks like you are doing some sort of garage dance in the picture...

I guess I do kind of have my hand on her shoulder like she's my dance partner, too funny.

She only weighed 105, long, but not heavy.  That was okay by me as I shot her on the wrong side of a very large hill.  Maybe it's the "right" side, it's like the 6th deer I've shot behind that hill...

[Satchmo]

Definately looks heavier. Congrats!