Deer hunting BS thread

I have couple scopes, binos, rangefinder.

 

We never tape the bottoms of the antlers when boiling. Just place them in there just right. Usually bleached the bottom inch of the base. I've seen guys use furniture paint on elk horns and it turns out great. Most of the deer I've helped with are whiter horned so we just smear some coffee grounds on em and let em stain for a couple hours before wiping it off.

As for vortex I just cant get behind them. I had a pair of diamondback binos and they fogged up on me. Was planning on returning them to warranty them but they were stolen before I could do that. Got a pair of Leupolds and It was a huge difference. Vortex is just too dark. My buddy says his vortex rangefinder hardly works the last 1/2 hour of shooting light because it cant read the laser. I'm using a Leica for range finders. Buying a new rifle here pretty soon and am going to top it with a Leupold vx3i 2.5-10 cds. Don't really need much more but who knows. Maybe I'll be feeling frisky when the time comes and get something different.

 

All Nikon (for better or worse) was on HUGE discount over black friday / I suspect still on sale until that inventory dries up. I know they no longer support the outdoorsman, but rifle scopes and binos at ~65% off is a great deal no matter what way you skin it.

I used my buddies Leica 3500 rangefinder while elk hunting this year, and that thing had clearer view in lowlight than my Vortex binos! I like Vortex because the price / glass is great for 99% of hunters (myself included). Being out west and trying to stretch how far the eye can see, the glass does have tendency to fog/blur. That said, I drop shit all the time. Dropping those binos gives me zero heartburn while in the field.

 

@Zeke588 just noticed you're from Billings. My wife went to MSUB for a few years before transferring elsewhere. I've got plenty of family back there, in Glendive and ol' Savage.

 

I have a nikon on my 30-06 and I love it! Nice bright crisp picture.

Now I will admit. I do have a pair of 15-50 vortex diamond backs. Bought from a friend for real cheap. For glassing during day trips I enjoy them over my 10x42's for sitting and glassing long periods over a spotting scope. They have real bad chromatic aberation when looking at their max range, but I haven't looked through a pair of vortex that didn't. Mind you I haven't looked through their higher end line up, razor uhd.

 

Lol Savage MT. Only been through once on my way to Sidney.

 

Lesser known parts of the state for sure. Swing by Craig's Meats if you ever drive through again, that's my uncle.

 

I messed up and neglected to pay any attention his head outside when it was too warm of weather so it was rank when I grabbed him. Decided it gives me an opportunity to try burying the head for a couple months to try and make a euro mount. Instead of monkeying with cleaning the hide off and boiling and everything when I can barely breathe. Threw the skull cap from the buck I killed in Mississippi in there as well to clean it off maybe. Will update in 3-6 months hopefully. Covered it up to keep the sun from bleaching them and hopefully keep rodents out from knawing on them.

 

Put some moth balls in there should keep rodents out

 

Anxious to see how this turns out. I’ve heard of people doing it but never tried it.

 

I fill out a survey for the state every year for each hunt, hours hunted, etc. I counted the other day and I saw 15 deer from the beginning of November until last Thursday. Most of them were the opening week of muzzle loader. I didn’t see a mature doe all season.

I killed one 8 pt with the muzzle loader, missed 3 with the muzzle loader this year

Didn't shoot at anything with the rifle and didn’t bow hunt any.

 

Damn!! You only seen 15 deer in 7-8 weeks. I don’t know if I could keep myself interested in hunting if that’s all I seen. I may bitch and moan about all of the outfitting in our area but at least I see a lot of deer.

 

Same here. If I go two times without seeing deer I get really pissy!

 

Id always see something when i went out...mostly doe and spikes but def more than 15 in 2 months...some were probably the same ones multiple times

 

Just like that!

 

I saw at least 20 deer a day. And that's on the low end of the spectrum per day. Probably 10 antelope a day too.

 

Illinois and Montana are entirely different hunting environments than (most of) the East Coast. I would love to get out to your areas and hunt one day. Montana is on my list for sure, and I know Illinois has some monster deer!

Serious question though, do you still get excited to see deer if you see 20+ every time you go out? What's exciting about that?

 

I didn’t see a deer from November 9th to November 30th and that’s hunting over bait.