Was aiming for vital v and hit a little forward. She mule kicked probably 8 feet into the air and only made it ~100 feet before wobbling and dropping. Virtually no blood where she was hit or where she dropped. Didn't get a good look at internals while dressing because it got dark. Compound bow from tree stand, exit wound was a bit lower on opposite side. I'm guessing front lung and maybe windpipe? Glad I was able to see her drop would've been a really challenging track.

I stashed water last week at 40lbs with 2k elevation gain and 2 miles. Roughly 20% grade, so steep but not crazy deep. I was fine. I pre weighed and estimated the rest of my gear at 40-42lbs for this weekend. Idk how, most likely clothes, food or whatever, I’m now at 53lbs total pack weight. I weigh 160.

Any other hunters pack in steep with this much weight? I know I’m over thinking it and plan to carry out more, it’s just starting out before the 5 days with a steep climb in. I don’t have experience knowing my limits really on steep terrain. I know I’m overthinking it. Just curious if it’s even worth messing with my pack to get me sub 30% as if it will actually make a difference; or shut up and just get it up there

Still very new to deer hunting, this being my second year. I’ve stuck to archery because I enjoy the challenge of the bow. Shot a deer last year at 30 yards and it had me absolutely hooked. I’ve been hunting 3-4 days a week this year since the season opened and haven’t seen anything until last night. Scouted an area of public land the other day and it was my first time actually sitting there. Climbed a tree and sure enough a mature doe walked out at 5:30 pm. She came up from behind me which i didn’t expect at all. I always use my rangefinder when I first sit just to get a bearing of distances. But I didn’t plan on one being behind me. Everything seemed perfect other than that i was able to draw back with her head behind a tree and held my draw for about 3 minutes before she was broadside slightly quartered away. Thought the shot was 30 and it was 20… arrow went right over her back she walked away circled back and started blowing at me and stomping. I guess I’m just posting this because it’s been a difficult learning experience. Feels like all the hard work was put in and I failed. Happy it was a clean miss and didn’t injure the deer. Definitely a tough lesson of perseverance.

Brand new scope out of the box with four shots under it sighting in my 270 WSM. My hunt opens Monday for deer and then elk in 3 weeks… :(

Trying to zero the scope that is brand new out of the box I took off the elevation cap and noticed this bubbling noise. Is this not going to hold zero?

Anything Bushnell can do?

Greetings! My man is going on a trip to his homestate Missouri to hunt deer next month. He has been hunting since he was a wee lil boy and has accumulated all the essentials by now as he's now 43 and has been an avid hunter his whole life. I'd like to send him off with a gift for the trip but have no idea what to get him as I don't hunt! I just love him, support his passion, and of course -- not going to lie, I eat good when he comes home with the bounty so that's a plus! I just don't know what would be something nice to send him off with as he has everything. Could you fine people make some suggestions? Whether it's one gift or even ideas for a care package to keep him comfortable? Maybe a care package of things that he might not think about when getting excited about the hunt, or something that's one gift he might like but not have because he's focused on bigger things? For a roundabout idea on budget, maybe $200 give or take? So, breaking down a few things as a care package or one bigger item? I don't know what, but I do know I want to send him off with a good feeling from his woman. Your thoughts and suggestions are so appreciated!

Got this at the antique shop yesterday in Washington

Hi, last month I bought a Tikka T3x lite with a stainless steel barrel in .308 caliber. Spent about $1000 out the door due to California taxes. I live in the northern half of the state.

I'm planning on going with friends to hunt boars and deer.

I'm looking for reliability, durability, and made in USA. Don't know much about reticles, zeroing, etc as I'm very new and still learning.

Will going from 500 to 1000 improve reliability and durability a lot, or just add more features?

It seems like the Leupold VX-3HD in 3.5-10 x 40 gets a lot of good reviews around here, would this be the right choice or too cheap for my rifle price range?

Also, what rings or mounting method should I use? Picatinny rails or regular rings?

Thanks for reading!

What is the best cold/frigid gear for hunting? Is there anything that works both in the tree stand and in the ground? I do a mix of both tree stand and slow still hunting in both eastern mountains and ag forest mix. Hard to shell out 800-1k at Sitka or First Lite for gear that may work but only for one purpose. Does anyone run wool as an outer layer? Was looking into it but they say it doesn’t block wind well. What are your recommendations when the temps drop?

I have read a bunch of posts about protecting the wood on your gun from moisture, rain, snow, et cetera, but is there anything you can do to prevent/repair scratches?

I use my great grandpa's old 16 gauge Remington Sportsman for grouse hunting, and fighting through thick underbrush has put a few scratches in the stock. Is there anything I can do to prevent this, and do you have any suggestions for dealing with them? They aren't deep, just in the finish.

We had a cougar on our property Friday morning that killed 78 of our birds in a single night. We raise poultry for both eggs and meat, so this was a pretty devastating loss.
I went out the following evening, and lo and behold, almost exactly the same time, the cat came back.
I have a lot of respect for these beautiful animals, but at the end of the day, I’ve got to make a living, too.

I think that's the right flair for the question. Bare with me.

Okay first, I was born and raised in Southern California and have zero hunting pedigree. I've moved to rural PA for love, and my wife's parents have dealt with my citiness by fully embracing me and my boys in hunting. I've been dressing, dragging, and skinning deer, elk and Bear, not to mention furbearers for the better part of 15 years. I should know the answer to this question, but I don't.

My son is going hunting for the first time this year. Going to tag his first deer. Along with his antlers, or just the doe if he gets a doe, I want to get him a good knife. Inscribed, nice, professionally done. The whole thing. It's as a big deal for me that it is a big deal for him. I want to do something exciting for him.

I've researched skinning knives, Bowie knives, all sorts of knives. I want to get him a piece of of gear, a tool, something he can use the rest of his life. Can any one point me to a good option?

I'd ask around, but the family and friends I married into can't keep a fuckin secret to save their lives. Good people, but small town and everyone knows everyone. I want this to be a surprise.

I'd like to get the boy something he can actually use, yet also put up and keep. I got a good chunk of money set aside for this so budget isn't really a thing. I just need direction.

Trying to fill my bear tag for the first time this fall.
I spotted a mature mama bear and cub this evening. Super exciting and pumped that I found some bear, but I didn’t shoot because I wasn’t sure how old the cub was. My local regs say sows are protected if accompanied by cubs less than 1-year old.
The cub was noticeably smaller than mother bear but it wasn’t a tiny teddy bear cub. I just didn’t know how to accurately judge at 300+ yards.

I follow a Black bear hunting page on FB and some of the bears people shoot are pretty small. Some maybe the same size as this cub I saw, but again it’s hard to reference a photo to something you’re looking at through 10x binos at 325 yards.

Whats the deciding factor before shooting a mama bear to determine if the cub is over a year old?
Hoping I can find them again and get a better look.

A long shot in this type of thread…

But

Has anybody ever tried hunting birds out of lapeer game state area? I’ve been scouting the past couple days during the week but can’t get there early in the morning to see what’s up with the lakes there.

I fish cedar lake and a couple of the ponds in there but usually hang up the poles come September so I never knew if the ducks and goose used them lakes and ponds a bunch.

Thanks!

I'm looking to give a gift for a family member who was instrumental in helping me plan and afford my recent wedding. He loves to hunt and will be going deer hunting here soon as soon as shotgun season opens. We live in northern Iowa, so it gets quite cold here. I don't hunt at all so I know nothing about what might be helpful!

What are some accessories that have been awesome for your hunting experience? What can't you live without now that you bought it?

I was thinking a heated vest as I don't believe he has one, but wasn't sure if there are specific brands that are better, or if they actually aren't so great under all of those layers that trap heat.

Hi everyone,

I just started hunting about two years ago with a friend that has beautiful land in central KY. I've always had an interest in nature (rock climber, backpacker, angler, etc) and that includes hunting, but I didn't grow up doing it, and didn't know anyone that did, until i met a few friends later in life. Thankfully, at 39 years old, I've met a couple of people that have given me the confidence to pursue hunting in earnest.

Year one my friend got a nice buck and I spent the day helping him process it. I'm very grateful to have had the opportunity to help in that way.

Year two I only got out for one night and didn't see anything, let alone take a shot.

I've never gotten anything (we go for deer and turkey, gun and compound bow) and I'm quite alright with that. My love for nature often leads me to philosophies that accept failure- embrace it even- and the joys of being content. Watching the sun rise in the stand in the stillness of the forest constitutes a successful experience for me.

Hunting surely marked a new chapter in my life, but even more so was the birth of my now 11 month old daughter. Lately I've been thinking about what hunting might mean for her when she gets old enough to understand. She'll go out with me one day, but I want to make sure that, as a father, I am able to instill the lessons that good woodsmanship and conservation provide.

I would love to hear from you hunters/ parents that have had these thoughts. Any literature recommendations would be appreciated, also; I'm about YouTube'd out. Is there anything in the vein or style of Norman Maclean's A River Runs Through It?

Also, don't let it be mistaken that I would like to harvest something and bring home some meat. The dream is to smoke a turkey breast having killed it the week before. So any tips on a more successful hunt would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

For those of you hunting mule deer in Idaho right now, what elevations are you finding deer at?

With the recent weather changes and temperatures starting to drop, I'm curious whether anyone is seeing mule deer moving down out of the high country yet or if they're still holding up high.

Are you seeing more activity around 7,000–9,000 feet, or are deer starting to show up in the 4,500–6,500 foot range?

Just looking for an open conversation about getting into hunting.

Ive been hunting consistently for about 2 months, and I cant tell if I suck butt at hunting, or its just hard.

If its just hard, that's fine. But I cant help but feel like im the problem, and been feeling a bit discouraged.

Im the first person in my family (that's living) to pick up hunting, and have next to no one to bring with me. I join group hunts when I can, and those go great, but anytime its just me I cant find anything. (Except rattlesnakes. Apparently I excell at finding those lmao)

Im gonna keep trying till i get better. But for now I just feel kinda bummed out.

Id love to hear how hunting/getting into hunting is/was for yall.

Had another great day in the woods today! After getting turned around in a new area (only the 2nd hunt in that stand), I found my spot and got settled in. This guy walked by at 15 yards a few hours later and he got to take a dirt nap! These Pa deer are making it too easy this year, and good thing, because now we'll be eating well for a while! What's even cooler about it all is that I got him on camera about an hour beforehand, over 400 yards away!

Second year in a row harvesting a PA black bear on public land. Last year did it with muzzleloader but my real desire has been to get one with my bow.

Checked that bucket list item off today at 10:50am when this 200 pound sow came in at 10 yards. Perfect broadside heart shot. She dropped 30 yards away.

Grim Reapers mechanical 100 grain with 1-3/8" cut shooting out of my 80 pound draw hoyt. Complete pass through and she was pouring blood.

4 days of all day sits paid off. Funny because last year's bear was also 4 days of all day sits and happened on Thursday just like this one.

930 this morning 4 bucks(including him) all came out from the bottom of this valley. About 80 years away and I grunted a few times. And they all made there way over to about 50 yards from me. I gave 2 more aggressive grunts and he decided to check out and see what was going on. Came in to 20 yards, stuck him and ran 49 yards and watched him tumble over. Arrow broke off inside and when I pulled his heart out the rest of the arrow was straight through it. (Didn’t get pics of that so just believe me). But by far the biggest buck I’ve ever shot.

Got it done, even with the horrible weather.