2013 Deer Season Summary, lucky to have had a good one

[roundball]

My 2013 North Carolina Deer season was a good one with a lot of things accomplished.

1)While I didn’t get a shooter buck in my sights this year, I think I enjoyed this season as much or more than a lot of them mainly because of the free time I now have in retirement”¦counting both AM & PM hunts”¦both on the same day in the early part of the season, I actually went out 60 times since November 2nd.

2)I did manage to take 6 Does, and was able to donate them all to a family near where I hunt.

3)Had several good sightings / memories:

• Fall colors were beautiful as usual.
• Saw a huge dead tree fall 75yds away”¦(and yes they do make a sound, LOL)
• Watched two flocks of a dozen turkeys each, collide 75-100yds out in front of me and saw them got into one heck of a gang fight;
• Had a big 8-10 pointer came through on 12/12/13 with his left side already dropped off.
• Had a big, lone, mature Tom come along so close I got a good photograph.

4)Was able to enjoy using 5 different Flintlocks: .45/.50/.54/.58/.62cals

• Had excellent field results after summer load development by taking a Doe with an experimental .45cal “loaded-for-bear” double patched ball load like the Settlers occasionally used”¦worked perfectly on a quartering away heart shot.
• Had excellent field results testing “high-shoulder-shots with patched lead balls” (instead of heart shots) with 4 different calibers (.62, .58, .54, and .50cals) to take out the spinal column between the blades dropping them DRT”¦taking the other 5 Does that way.

5)Experimented with pop-up ground blinds (like Davy & Daniel used) to cut down the use of ladder stand risks of injuries and they were great”¦warm / dry / comfortable”¦hunted a few days in rain that I normally would have missed / stayed home and took 2 of the Does on rainy days. I did miss the greater view looking out over hardwood sections I hunt, but the safety”¦plus the ability to hunt in some rain”¦all trump the reduced view hunting in the woods.

6)Continued the good 20 year relationship with landowners / permission to hunt a couple of their small areas.

So overall a very good 2013 deer season and I’m already looking forward to this coming fall.
Meanwhile, I’m going to try and sneak up on a couple squirrels”¦good luck to all of you going forward.

 

[silly goose]

To everything a season. It seems I always have something to look forward to. Deer season is over, now I move on to bunnies and ice fishing as the weather permits. On the bad days, I stay in by the fire and work on a build. Spring turkey and striper season after that. Then my least favorite, summer. Fish and shoot when I can, mostly work, and then comes the fall and here we go again. Always something to look forward to.

I envy you in retirement. My grandfather used to tell me not to wish my life away, and I won't, but I am looking forward to being retired. I was just looking into running a small trapline again next year.

You've had a great season chasing whitetails, thanks for sharing with us.

 

[tralfae]

Yep, 8 months until I retire. I have the same plans. Hunt at my leisure, no pressure to "finish up" on time or worries about work. As long as my health holds out, I plan on being in the woods or on a lake about every day that I can. Wish I had the private land access you have. I need to work on that cause the public land is overcrowded both weekends and weekdays here in Mississippi. Safety is really not the issue. Deer stay spooked and move at night mostly, and the turkeys are just hammered every day of the season. Most hunters take 50 yard shots with with modern 3.5 inch shells so its next to impossible to get one into 30 yards thats been hunted.

 

[vietnam71]

RB,

Appears you had another great year. I hope 2014 brings you more success.

 

[roundball]

Thanks...no horns but got to try some experiments.

Where you been hiding the past couple months ??

 

[vietnam71]

I have been taking care of my wife. Her left hip went bad and she needed to have it replaced. I had some additional heart issues that Doctors have been working on.

I have had limited time at the range or hunting the last 4 months. Things are starting to get better so hopefully will get more shooting time. I have been looking in periodically just have not posted anything.

The last two years have been a challenge. After dropping dead in 2011 it changed my perspective about what is important. :wink:

 

[roundball]

Heart attack ?
(or as THEY like to say: "myocardial infarction")


Sorry to hear about the significant other, hope she's well on the road to recovery

 

[vietnam71]

No my heart sped up to 250-300 beats a minute and just stopped. It is called Ventricular Tachycardia.

Fortunately I was in a parade with an ambulance behind me. There were also two EMT's standing a few feet from where I collapsed.

I was dead 2.5 minutes. They tried CPR before they used a Defibrillator to get me back. They installed an ICD in my chest wired into my heart.

They tell me if I had been home or at work I likely would not have survived. I was in the right place at the right time.

Once my wife is back up and in good shape I should be able to get to the range a few times a week. :wink:

Glad to be back reading all the fine stories and experiences on the forum.

 

[roundball]

Wow...never heard of such a thing...like you said, you were lucky to have had it happen when & where it did

 

[Wes/Tex]

You are indeed fortunate. Glad you're better and look forward to seeing more from you. God bless. :thumbsup: