# What's your goal...



## Wildlife (Dec 12, 2010)

I'm sure this question has been asked on this forum before, but I'll ask it again anyways.

*What do you wish to harvest next deer season? *

My goal is to harvest a mature velvet buck with a symmetrical rack of decent size. It doesnt need to be absolute trophy, however if Mr. Monster (170"+) just happens to presents himself within my range, velvet or not, I'll make sure he'll be hanging on my wall! :devil:


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## negs (May 25, 2010)

that's a pretty lofty goal for ohio since most deer are peeled and hard horned by the beginning of archery season, good luck:!


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## TomC (Aug 14, 2007)

My goal is 4. Of course one would like a decent buck, but hey i shot 6 deer this year and only found two. Ive never spent so much time looking for deer in my life, spent Since i have a new place that has an infestation of deer and the land owner told me to take my limit, why not try?


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## Wildlife (Dec 12, 2010)

negs said:


> that's a pretty lofty goal for ohio since most deer are peeled and hard horned by the beginning of archery season, good luck:!


Im a newbie to the site and Im not a native of Ohio; but I can still dream the dream and theres no doubt that it is a dream of mine. 
If by any chance I can't get one right here, then Ill have to give it a try somewhere else until I succeed. Rests assure Ill give it my best next season right here in Ohio. 
Im just trying to learn as much as I can without offending anyone at all. I have read many interesting threads and posts right here on OFG, which I absolutely appreciate. I thought that this thread might spark something inside of some in hopes for them to perhaps share their dream or goal with us if they choose. Thank you for sharing.

I attached a picture of one that I kind of hope for one day.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

I don&#8217;t think you offended anyone. He just wanted to make sure you knew that Ohio is an unlikely place to fulfill your goal. KY on the other hand is close and archery opens up early Sept. 
My only goals are to take a 4.5 year old or older buck, and as many does as the state allows.


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

to just be able to get out and hunt. put some meat in the freezer, enjoy these ohio woods and wildlife. i never really set goals such as inches or points. im not saying its a bad thing, its just not my thing i would like to record my kill on video myself. i guess thats a my goal.... to make a great video of my harvest.


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

I'd be happy to kill a Doe or two...


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

ezbite said:


> to just be able to get out and hunt. put some meat in the freezer, enjoy these ohio woods and wildlife. i never really set goals such as inches or points. im not saying its a bad thing, its just not my thing i would like to record my kill on video myself. i guess thats a my goal.... to make a great video of my harvest.


Bring on the Videos!


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## Wildlife (Dec 12, 2010)

Jigging Jim said:


> Bring on the Videos!


I definitely plan on doing a much better job next year making my videos. Being this was my first year trying to do these videos, I think I did okay. I managed to take approximately 2hrs worth of videos during the 2010 season. It's a pretty cool feeling when youre watching one of your hunts on TV. I plan on making better videos next season for sure.

Son's very first 2010 gun hunt...






Last 2010 archery hunt...


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## pj4wd (Dec 9, 2009)

My goal is to help my 12 yr old nephew harvest a deer with his Diamond bow. I'm takin him to 3D shoots this summer so he should be somewhat prepared this fall. He got a doe with a shotgun in 2009, but there's nothin like that first bow kill.


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## wildman (Sep 3, 2008)

*pj4wd* That's a great goal!! Keep it fun... Take him small game hunting to if you can.. Kids love to squirrel hunt.



My goal is to shoot one with all the things I hunt with. Recurve, Muzzy, New compound bow and crossbow. Also teach my girls how to shoot cans and block targets.


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## negs (May 25, 2010)

@wildlife sorry bud didn't mean to come off as a d..k, i was simply stating that it very rare for bucks in ohio to be in velvet come the start of archery season. like the videos keeping em coming


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## Wildlife (Dec 12, 2010)

negs said:


> @wildlife sorry bud didn't mean to come off as a d..k, i was simply stating that it very rare for bucks in ohio to be in velvet come the start of archery season. like the videos keeping em coming


Hey,,, no problem here. I truly appreciate your advice. Any good information is always welcomed by me. I'll find that dream buck sooner or later I'm sure. Thanks.


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## MuskieManOhio (Jun 29, 2008)

To get a deer with a bow ive had a lot of opportunities to kill a lot of deer with a bow and I blew them but I got a new bow this christmas. Lets hope the BEAR STRIKE does its thing!


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## monster7 (Nov 17, 2010)

TomC said:


> My goal is 4. Of course one would like a decent buck, but hey i shot 6 deer this year and only found two. Ive never spent so much time looking for deer in my life, spent Since i have a new place that has an infestation of deer and the land owner told me to take my limit, why not try?


Not trying to step on your toes but you may want to reconsider your methods. Shooting 6, and only finding 2?? That is a 33% success rate, and a waste of good meat (assuming the deer eventually died because of the wound). I know there are situations in which you don't always find a deer you connected on but 2 for 6 seems as if something could be wrong. Spend some time with your hunting equipment making sure it is sighted in and take ethical shots. It has always worked for me. Just my two cents


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## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

To fill one of my land owner tags....the goal last year got me skunked....the heck with head hunting

.


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

monster7 said:


> Not trying to step on your toes but you may want to reconsider your methods. Shooting 6, and only finding 2?? That is a 33% success rate, and a waste of good meat (assuming the deer eventually died because of the wound). I know there are situations in which you don't always find a deer you connected on but 2 for 6 seems as if something could be wrong. Spend some time with your hunting equipment making sure it is sighted in and take ethical shots. It has always worked for me. Just my two cents


I recall in my Travels this past November, coming across 3 guys at a Rest Area (in another State - not Ohio) who had 8 Deer. I congratulated them and one of them told me that they had killed 8 but lost 4. That much waste is unexceptable IMO.


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## TomC (Aug 14, 2007)

Two were during gun week. They were shot and hit the ground hard. Both got up and one fell again and got up and the other did not The blood trails went 20-40yrs then vanished. Me and the landowner looked for 5 hours to no avail. One was during archery, this one was my fault. I shot one and saw it go down. The deer spooked up as i came up to it and ran. I tracked the deer until I was stopped by not having permission to go on the land from an ajoining property owner. One was a liver shot. It was bleeding out but not fast enought. I let it lay over night and couldnt find it the next day after 6 hours of searching with my dogs. 

One section of property I hunt is 800 acres. Its surrounded by plots of corn and beans, the first 10-20 yards in the woods is thin and after that its thick as all get out. The one issue we have( property owner and the few that hunt this section) have is that there is so many deer that its impossible to track them unless they are bleeding heavy. If the wounds close up were in big trouble because there are so many tracks and paths. 

Do I like the fact that i shot 6 and only got 2? NO. The one thing i really want to change up this year is to find a different slug for my 870. After taking one during gun week I discovered that the slugs were not expanding as they should. Any sudjestions for a new slug?


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## Wildlife (Dec 12, 2010)

TomC said:


> The one thing i really want to change up this year is to find a different slug for my 870. After taking one during gun week I discovered that the slugs were not expanding as they should. Any sudjestions for a new slug?












with rifle slug barrel and scope. !% Trust me, I was amazed how well they worked with my Express, plus theyre less expensive than most.  They've yet to let me down.


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## TomC (Aug 14, 2007)

have you ever used it in a 2 3/4? what kinda hole and or expansion do you get from it?


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## Wildlife (Dec 12, 2010)

TomC said:


> have you ever used it in a 2 3/4? what kinda hole and or expansion do you get from it?


Ok, Im not really sure exactly what you are asking, but Ill do my best to answer.

No, I do not use the 2 ¾" KO Sabots, only the 3. I prefer them over the 2 ¾", because Im all for impact! Regardless, no matter what slug bullet you use, if your placement is on, then that deer will go down and go down quickly with a nominal recovery IMO. However, I have shot some that didnt quite present themselves in the best of fashions. Lets say, in each case, the deer recovery was still nominal and I credit that to the impact of these KOs. All I know is, each deer I have taken with these slugs, Im always impressed with damage they put on them. Recently, Ive had to order mine though the internet. Some places around me do not even carry them anymore, which is great, because I received a better deal anyhow.










This particular buck is one example. He presented me a head [email protected] only. Im very confident to take any deer within 100yrds with my Express setup, so I took him with a neck shot. I placed my cross hears right exactly where I hit him. This buck dropped right where he stood. All the other deer Ive taken with the gun setup I have along with the Brennekes 3 KO Sabots; never recovered from any shot I put on them. Each year when I sight the gun in, I try different bullet manufactures and each time I always end up comimg back to the Brennekes. My best groupings always came from the Brennekes than any other Sabot manufacture Ive used. I took a doe a few years back @110yrds with a single shot into the vitals, which was my distance test and I was more than pleased.

Give them a try if you have a rifle slug barrel. What else do you have to lose?


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## TomC (Aug 14, 2007)

thats what i needed to know thanks. The hole that was left from my slugs were less than 1/2" diameter if best and showed no signs of expansion even on the exit wounds.


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## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

Nothing against slug gunners, but I've found that an inline muzzle loader does a more effective job at putting deer down for the count. I also had the same issue with slugs not expanding the way they were advertised. I have a T/C Encore 209x50 Before I bought it I used a T/C Thunderhawk inline. In fact My dad and my bro Matt still carry Thunderhawks. I use two 50 grain Triple 7 powder pellets and a 240 grain .45 Cal Hornady XTP pistol bullet in a sabot. I can honestly say that I've never had a deer go more than 30 yards after taking a hit with this load and the majority drop in their tracks. This load does a little less damage than a 1 ounce 12 gauge slug and is every bit if not more effective. I have shot deer at 200 yards with my Encore and they usually don't go more than a few yards before going down. I know some of the newer slug guns and newer slugs allow shotguns to shoot farther and more accurate but I personally wouldn't attempt a shot that far with a slug gun.


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## Header (Apr 14, 2004)

My goal this year was to take an 8pt, I did that. Next year I hope to take one of the other two 8pts which hopefully are bigger then this year. The year on the first standing 8pt is wrong.


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## buckzye11 (Jul 16, 2009)

I want to get out of the stand and become the Great Blue Heron, and the deer will be my frogs.


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## Narf Koscelmik (Sep 21, 2007)

Well this year was my most sucessful season ever, killing a doe with my bow and my first buck with a shotgun. Next year I hope for the same success but I would prefer to get them both with a bow and maybe have the buck be a decent 8? That's my goal but I'll settle with what ever is presented to me. Also, my goal is to spend as much time in the stand as possible.


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## katfish (Apr 7, 2004)

I think I will throw in with Ironman

I passed on several 6 and 8 point bucks waiting on trophy deer the last 2 years. I am heading into next year with the intent of sticking an 8 point and stop head hunting and ending seasons with unfilled tags.
There may be some show stoppers out there but I am not seeing them and definately not getting any in bow range. I need to reassure myself that my bow and arrows will still do their job.


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## Roadkil (Mar 11, 2011)

My goal is to tag out with six deer; or the maximum the DNR will allow for 2011 in my area. I hunt strictly public land and am a meat hunter so neither antler size or gender play a roll in my decision making process when deer hunting. 

2008- tagged 4; 3 does and one buck.
2009- tagged 5; 4 does and one buck. 
2010- tagged 4; 3 does and one buck. 

I enjoyed this past year the most though cause all 4 were taken while hunting from the ground still/stalk hunting on public land. Two of the does were taken with my bow @ 30 yards or less and the buck and other doe were taken with my muzzleloader still/ stalk hunting-.


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## BIGDIPPER (Jan 25, 2010)

My goal is to take a mature buck and a nice doe to put in the freezer.


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