Shot this gobbler on a gasline at 1:50 in the afternoon. He was just cruising and eating. Little did he know I was waiting. Hit the Woodhaven Cherry Crystal call and it was over in a matter of minutes. 8' beard, 1 1/8' spurs. Longest spurs yet for me.
I was waiting for a North wind since bow season opened. Well after the front moved through I got in my stand Saturday morning. After a close encounter with a doe and nothing else I was debating whether to change stands. Around 10:00 I caught movement and noticed a 6pt coming to my BigandJ feed. I was getting ready to draw when I noticed another deer behind him. I saw he had a much bigger rack and was waiting for him to clear the brush. They sat there for 20 minutes not giving me a shot when the doe I saw earlier came in from behind me and started blowing. I just knew it was over. But these bucks were not leaving that BigandJ. I waited for the right moment and drew on the 8 pt. I had to stand up but couldn't get all the way up when the 6 pt busted me. I decided to let the arrow fly. I hit a little high but still caught some top lung and he didn't go 50 yards. Most nerve wracking 30 minutes of my life. 8 pts, 190 lbs. Deer was shot just East of the town of Bienville.
I selected wrong tract for turkey lottey and got picked for Angola tract. Anyone hunt this tract and if so could you give me any advise. Thanks in advance
Shot this big deer on Dec.16th. Brought a guest who had a shot at this deer but passed because he had just shot a spike that weighed 160lbs believe it or not. Needless to say, 45 minutes after he shot the spike, I shot this 11 pt out of the same stand. He was running all over with his nose to the ground. Shot in Bienville Parish around Mt.Olive. Tarsal glands pitch black and neck very swollen.
Is there anywhere in Port Sulphur you can launch? I used to launch behind the High School down there. Did anything survive Katrina down there. Also, what about Hi Ridge. Haven't been keeping up with the fishing during hunting season. Just curious on what I'll be able to do when I start after turkey season.
Shot this 224 lb buck right after the rain Sunday morning. He was shot in Bienville parish near the town of Bienville.
Shot this nice 7 pt opening day of rifle season near Mansfield La. Deer had 18 inside spread, weighed 190#'s and had real nice mass for a 3.5 year old deer. Unfortunately someone or something needed this rack more than me. I was cleaning my truck out, went inside to put clothes in the wash, came back it was gone. My biggest deer to date gone in 5 minutes.
Grosbec, if your out there, shoot me an e-mail. I got selected for Tunica and could use your help. Scott
Redbuck, only experience will help you tell how much a deer weighs. A lot of times when you see two young deer like that the mother is not far off. She will usually circle around you to make sure everything is alright. Personally I won't shoot a doe unless she's over a 100 lbs. I generally don't shoot anything without a rack at dusk and dawn so I won't make the mistake of shooting something I shouldn't. Alot of hunters can't do this but this method works for me. To get back to your question, I always look at the hind quarters, if they look like they blend into the deer it's probably not a big doe, if it looks like someone 'glued' the hind quarters on or if she has a swayed back it's a shooter. Just my .02
Randy, that is a fine buck. I hope your bow doesn't have a let off of higher than 65% or P&Y won't accept it in their books. That would be a shame. Congrats on a great La deer!
I have a lease in Bienville Parish also. As for the opening day of rifle season, I wish they wouldn't open it until mid November. I would like to have more time to hunt with the bow without muzzleloaders and rifles going off. The current system gives me 3 weeks and that's it. Personally, if it was my decision I would have a two month season, November for bows and December for muzzleloaders and rifles.Having a season that is 4 months put way too much pressure on the deer. As far as 'them' saying the rut is earlier I agree it is in some parts of Area 2 but where I hunt it doesn't start until mid December. I shoot all of my nice deer near Ruston around Thanksgiving and in Bienville around Christmas. Just my .02.
That looks like some plots on a lease I used to hunt in Fayette Ms near Harriston. Boy I sure miss that lease it was awesome. I would much rather see them mowed to the ground though. When there that high, it means there not eating the grass.
How much did he end up weighing? Nice deer. Where do you hunt?
The gunslinger is w/o a doubt my favorite stand. I've been having one for the last 10 years. They are a little different now but not much. I can hunt all day out of this stand. Best money I've spent on a stand!!!
I hunt near Mansfield. They have some giants in the area. Great buck!!
8 pt, Jackson Bienville is the place to hunt around there. I don't hunt there until Christmas when most people give up. There are some monsters out there! I'm going on the 29-30 of this month. Hope to see a B&C then. Chris, it did ease the pain a little but I was disappointed when I saw the rack on this deer. I was expecting it to be bigger. Judging from the dentine in his teeth, it looks as though he was only a 2.5 y/o deer. Ghosthunter, the rifle is a Browning 7Mag A-bolt hunter with Boss. It is the sweetest shooting rifle I have ever owned.
As the cost of taxidermy increases I have not been able to justify mounting many animals theses days. As a result I’ve started mounting mine own European skull mounts. The first skull mount I made was from a small Manitoba black bear I shot on a spring hunt. Every time I think about that experience it makes me laugh. An excited young hunter who has just killed his first bear often has some trouble thinking about any thing other than the sheer excitement he just experienced. For me anyway, the euphoria of the kill lasted two days. Being in this condition around seasoned hunters opens your self up to all sorts of leg pulling and ribbing. It was about 9:00 PM the sky bright with the spring sun still giving our bear camp some evening light. I prepared the stove to boil the skinned skull and once the water boiled, I tossed the skull in and started to wait. After a couple hours I asked my guide Ed how long it would take to boil out the brain. “What a green antler question.” I thought; too late, I’d blurted it out already. Ed looked at me with the most serious face he could muster and said “dem black bear are smart and have a lot on der mind; so it take long time.” At this response the rest of my party burst out laughing giving me no choice but to join in. Around 3:00 AM I finished boiling the skull and had to agree with Ed “dem bear did have lots on der mind.”
Skin the severed head. Working from the lower jaw first works best. Remove the lower jaw, tongue and large pieces of meat.
photo by Kristi Schlueter
Since then IÂ’ve made many more skull mounts for myself and others. Through trial and error as well as advice from a taxidermist, they are starting to look pretty good. If you like do-it-yourself projects then this entry-level taxidermy project is perfect for you. There are a few tricks to mounting a skull, most of which IÂ’ll try to point out as we go. But for the most part it is very easy and inexpensive to do. It does however eat up a fair amount of the day. Usually about six hours working time and another day to dry the skull out.
Ingredients
The ingredients youÂ’ll need are:
1. Deer head preferably deceased
2. Stove (ItÂ’s best to boil the skull on an outside stove so you donÂ’t stink your house up with hydogen peroxide and boiling skin. I use a camping stove, which I bought for $12.50 at a flea market)
3. Cauldron (must be large enough to completely submerge the skinned deer head.
4. Two 15oz. Bottles of Hydrogen Peroxide
5. Aluminum Foil to wrap the antlers
6. The desire to stand around a dead deer head boiling in water all day.
Now that you have all the required materials hereÂ’s the method.
Double Trouble, Toil And Bubble
First place the skull in boiling water for four hours at which time remove any loose meat and tissue with pliers. It is also helpful to use a garden hose to remove the brain and nasal organs. (left). Then, cover the antlers with aluminum foil to prevent them from changing color and boil them in a mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide (right).
photo by Kristi Schlueter
Start by filling the cauldron with water at least high enough to completely cover the deer skull. Set it on the stove to boil. It will take some time before the water boils so now start shinning the head. Start with the head upside down and cut the skin under the jaw towards the front teeth. Continue skinning and pulling the hide down until the antlers prevent more skinning make a “Y” shaped cut connecting the antlers and continue down the back of the head. The exact skinning procedure is not important as long as you don’t scratch up the skull with your knife. Once the skin is removed set it aside and cut away the lower jaw. Again try not to gouge the skull. Also there is a thin bone that runs from the eye socket to the skull right beneath the antler, don’t break it. With the skull separated from jaw remove as much meat from the head as possible. Be careful around the eyes, as they are mostly water and squirt when punctured. With the skull now ready for the pot wrap the horns in aluminum foil. This will prevent the antlers from discoloring in the hot steam and the Hydrogen peroxide.
"It is best not to coat the skull with polyurethane or acrylic since over time these coatings will turn yellow."
Place the skull in the boiling water. Keep the water as hot as possible and check the flame often to make sure it doesnÂ’t go out. You will also need to add about 2 inches of boiling water every forty-five minutes. By adding hot water to replace what evaporates the skull will stay hot and you wonÂ’t need to waste fuel bringing the water to boil again. After about 4 hr. depending on the stove temperature most of the meat can be easily removed. Use a plastic brush to scrub the loose flesh off and a knife to cut any stubborn pieces. The skin and hair around the bases of the antlers will also come off easily now. A garden hose helps to get brain and nasal tissue out. Carefully poke the nasal tissue out of the skull with an arrow shaft. Be careful when removing this tissue, as the bones in the face will be loosened and soft. Now empty the cauldron of all the dirty water, clean it, and bring the pot back to boil. Add two bottles of hydrogen peroxide and return the cleaned skull to boil for another hour or two. There is no definitive time for bleaching. You will have to inspect the bone and when it appears white, remove it and let it dry. If you let the skull boil to long in the hydrogen peroxide water mixture the bone will dissolve. Unfortunately the small bones around the nose are the first to go. So watch it carefully.
Drying and Mounting
The skull is now ready to be mounted on the object of your choosing.
photo by len eder
Once bleached to satisfaction and all the meat has been removed let the skull dry in a warm dry place. It will take about 10hrs. In my experience it is best not to coat the skull with polyurethane or acrylic since over time these coatings turn yellow. Also try not to set the trophy in the sun as that will also turn the skull yellow. Mount the rack on a dark plaque to highlight the bright white skull and you are done. I use a single large wood bolt to secure the skull to the plaque. Measure the plaque and determine where you want to place the skull and drill a hole through the wood and skull. Insert the bolt and enjoy your new trophy. As with anything practice makes perfect and you will learn as you go. If you had a taxidermist do this work it usually runs about $100.00. If you get too good at it all your buddies will want one.
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I have a cam traker and hate it. It's been in the shop once and is getting ready for it's second trip. First the toggle switch broke and now the heat sensor is broke. Next one will be a Cuddeback. I've heard nothing but good things and I've seen the pictures they take. Awesome camera.
him he should have shot this deer. I would've been happy to take credit for the spike.