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Welp its opening day

DocRDS

Head Maffs Monkey
Full Member
Minuteman
Feb 21, 2012
3,472
6,425
The Great Beyond
Didn't get out in the field today. Family is coming for Thursday as I've been cross country for the better part of the 21st century and we're busy unpacking and preparing. But having been away for a while and being young enough to grow up and learn to hunt here, I missed a few things:

I missed all the shit I would have gotten for showing up with an AI AND a can
I missed all the shit I would have gotten if I showed up with an AR-10
I missed falling asleep in the afternoon sun and getting busted: "Ain't gonna get yer deer that way!"
I miss my uncle and his "tank" tracked vehicle and busting his chops about it. But it was nice we didn't have to walk
I miss my aunt who was the only person who took in a city kid who wanted to learn to hunt.
I miss telling her how 6mm is cool again.
I miss all the goofy orange hats. Including mine.
I miss being so naive I didn't think I needed to lead a target
I miss my grandpa--he woulda gotta a kick outta my stuff--and how I still practice on pop cans with his/my 22
Mostly I just miss being another one of the guys on opening weekend.

Those were good times and now those folks are all gone (RIP).
And maybe next year my son and I can argue the merits of 30-06 and 6.5 Creedmoor while we're parked in the snow. Or go chase some pheasants around the field. Or I can laught at his southern ass freezing in the Northern Winter.

Mostly I just miss not having anyone to share it with--no one else really wants to go with "Crazy Family Gun Guy"
 
Didn't get out in the field today. Family is coming for Thursday as I've been cross country for the better part of the 21st century and we're busy unpacking and preparing. But having been away for a while and being young enough to grow up and learn to hunt here, I missed a few things:

I missed all the shit I would have gotten for showing up with an AI AND a can
I missed all the shit I would have gotten if I showed up with an AR-10
I missed falling asleep in the afternoon sun and getting busted: "Ain't gonna get yer deer that way!"
I miss my uncle and his "tank" tracked vehicle and busting his chops about it. But it was nice we didn't have to walk
I miss my aunt who was the only person who took in a city kid who wanted to learn to hunt.
I miss telling her how 6mm is cool again.
I miss all the goofy orange hats. Including mine.
I miss being so naive I didn't think I needed to lead a target
I miss my grandpa--he woulda gotta a kick outta my stuff--and how I still practice on pop cans with his/my 22
Mostly I just miss being another one of the guys on opening weekend.

Those were good times and now those folks are all gone (RIP).
And maybe next year my son and I can argue the merits of 30-06 and 6.5 Creedmoor while we're parked in the snow. Or go chase some pheasants around the field. Or I can laught at his southern ass freezing in the Northern Winter.

Mostly I just miss not having anyone to share it with--no one else really wants to go with "Crazy Family Gun Guy"
I do!
 
The best hunting I ever had the privilege of enjoying was with my military buddies, freezing our asses off in unheated tents and sitting by an afternoon camp fire waiting to walk back out to our spots for the evening sit down. The evenings were dinners on a Coleman stove and a warm fire before an early bedtime and then back at it at 530am.

Today's left wing pussies will never know the joy of life when their was only two genders and a trip to the woods meant to contact with the outside world for a few days and real peace and quiet. I didn't even bother to go out this year. There is no point, the public land is over run with people and even my next door neighbor won't let anyone other than family on his 2,700 acres.
 
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I went opening day and then also Saturday of last weekend. I was going to go yesterday but decided I needed to concentrate on getting stuff. Even though I am alone at my house (my wife lives in a skilled nursing facility,) I still plan on cooking a Thanksgiving turkey and sides Thursday morning. But I will have time to hunt Friday morning and Saturday morning.

Problem with the last two Saturdays was way too many people. Including deer drive hunters. 4 or 5 guys. 1 is the designated shooter and the others go through the public plot of land in an attempt to pressure the deer to the designated shooter. Then, they get nothing and take a few pot shots in the woods.

I may have to save money for an outfitter. Maybe one that offers axis deer. I hear those are good, as well.
 
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Opening day in Indiana. 30-30 Win 94. Definitely not as deadly as a 6.5 but did the trick
 
Got snowed in my house so we didn’t / couldn't go to camp. So deep I can't even get to one of my stands behind my house.
Perfect time for road hunting. They will be stuck on trails / roads etc now
 
Didn't get out in the field today. Family is coming for Thursday as I've been cross country for the better part of the 21st century and we're busy unpacking and preparing. But having been away for a while and being young enough to grow up and learn to hunt here, I missed a few things:

I missed all the shit I would have gotten for showing up with an AI AND a can
I missed all the shit I would have gotten if I showed up with an AR-10
I missed falling asleep in the afternoon sun and getting busted: "Ain't gonna get yer deer that way!"
I miss my uncle and his "tank" tracked vehicle and busting his chops about it. But it was nice we didn't have to walk
I miss my aunt who was the only person who took in a city kid who wanted to learn to hunt.
I miss telling her how 6mm is cool again.
I miss all the goofy orange hats. Including mine.
I miss being so naive I didn't think I needed to lead a target
I miss my grandpa--he woulda gotta a kick outta my stuff--and how I still practice on pop cans with his/my 22
Mostly I just miss being another one of the guys on opening weekend.

Those were good times and now those folks are all gone (RIP).
And maybe next year my son and I can argue the merits of 30-06 and 6.5 Creedmoor while we're parked in the snow. Or go chase some pheasants around the field. Or I can laught at his southern ass freezing in the Northern Winter.

Mostly I just miss not having anyone to share it with--no one else really wants to go with "Crazy Family Gun Guy"
Man I do too,
Nobody understands 'Deer Camp' anymore, the fire, the food, the drink, the games and BS stories, damn....
 
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Sadly, my dad didn’t hunt. But we did have fishing trips. Lots of the same “male bonding” activities- beer, cigars, card games, wild stories. I started hunting in my 30’s with friends from work.

While I understand what you miss (I miss the same for fishing), it’s really up to you to bring in the next generation. I’m not having luck on the fishing side, but I am helping some friends with kids, nephews, etc. It’s not the same, but it is what you make of it.
 
Elk season for me, lots of windshield and glassing time. Nice temps 30ish but wind. Hit it again in the morning. I used to hunt with a great group of guys, nice rally point cabin, cards, beer, pass around bottles- don’t get shit faced we’d take away the gun from someone to fucked up. Afternoon nap to chase the hangover away. Good food and stringing up a few deer in the evening. Now I hunt solo.
 
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My 2022 Indiana Buck. sure understand missing family and friends during hunting season. Miss my uncle a bit more this time of year. Also missed being able to text a great friend who build the 308 I shot this deer with. I know how much he liked pictured of deer from “his rifles”.
 

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I have sure enjoyed my time at Deer Camp over the years. My two boys were practically raised at Deer Camp. Now we have Grandsons living the life. Good friends, good food, good fellowship! And memories!
 
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Got this feller opening day. First time i've hunting in probly a decade or so. Those that know me know I have a weird thing for blackpowder and muzzleloaders right now. This guy was taken with a patched round ball from a front stuffer made in the '80's. Dropped him in his tracks. His cheeks were absolutely packed full of seeds, acorns, and corn when I shot him. I don't know what the deal was, but it was all really hard like a stone, I think it's just been building up for a long time, I don't know what the deal was, but at least it wasn't a cyst, or something really nasty. Still gotta finish up the european mount on him. A Buck like this on public land is amazing though. Spend the rest of the season, and this weekend working on getting a doe. There's another little 6 pt that's in the area i'm hunting, and i've seen him 3 times now, and only once working a pair of does i've been targeting. Saturday morning I would had one if I were hunting with a modern rifle, but with the open sights, I didn't want to take a chance on the back of a head at 85 or 90 yards.

Branden