2019 Oglethorpe County

[jbird1]

Great discussion jbird. Since buying a piece of OC ground in 2011 and spending a crazy amount of time improving habitat to hold deer, here's what I know for certain - Any attempt to manage for mature deer (3.5 and older), is an exercise in frustration and futility. But...I continue to try. Just too much hunting pressure with so many clubs in the county. Add a nearly 3 month long firearms season to the mix and and good looking 2.5 yr old bucks sprouting 90 to 110 inches of bone, most hunters gonna have a hard time passing on those. And here's the reality of it - If it's legal, who am I to even suggest someone else hunt by my standards. I wish folks would pass on younger bucks but I respect their choice to harvest whatever makes them happy. And I don't give it a second thought any more. Like a lot of you guys, I love seeing deer from the stand and particularly bucks.

To your point, I think you are spot on as far as improving deer numbers - better to shoot a yearling buck than a doe. If we didn't have the deer numbers we do I'd be all for shooting young bucks and letting the does walk.

That's what I like about your place TC...it's a Dictatorship!

As you undoubtedly know, moving the needle philosophically amongst a group of hunters with varying ideas about what hunting means to them can be a task that can prove difficult and takes some time. I truly believe that's why we have settled where we are on our club. From one end of the spectrum to the other, we settled somewhere in the middle after 40 years. I'm hoping we can avoid the yo-yo effect with the herd and just hunt.

Good talk, Guys!

 

[Triple C]

That's what I like about your place TC...it's a Dictatorship!

As you undoubtedly know, moving the needle philosophically amongst a group of hunters with varying ideas about what hunting means to them can be a task that can prove difficult and takes some time. I truly believe that's why we have settled where we are on our club. From one end of the spectrum to the other, we settled somewhere in the middle after 40 years. I'm hoping we can avoid the yo-yo effect with the herd and just hunt.

Good talk, Guys!

Totally agree jbird. I have absolutely no issue with whatever any other hunter chooses to harvest and happy for them all.

 

[jbird1]

Nice buck and nice blind CCC, great day you had there. If I can get my son's truck repaired today, then I am headed down this evening for a 4 day weekend. This time of year, you just gotta be in the woods as a big one may walk out at any time. Expecting a big crowd at my camp again this weekend, they all know when the time is right

You're livin' the dream getting away early..I'm envious! We'll be down for the Friday evening hunt if all goes well. Knock him down!

 

[revans4661]

Fortunate to be in the woods from now until Sunday. They are starting to lay down some scrapes and tear up some trees. I have seen some deer but no real rut activity yet. It's about to get good...

 

[Triple C]

Here's an OC (Oconee County) buck my son took Sunday afternoon on a tract of land I picked up earlier this year. Oldest deer he's ever killed. Thing's got a snout that looks like a horse. Lot less hunting pressure over there. Hope to break ground on our retirement home in a month or so as soon as we can get permits pulled. A couple more years and I plan to be in both OCs full time. Can't wait!

 

[jbird1]

Congrats on the new acquisition and great deer! Look at the Roman nose on that deer. Grass sure doesn't grow under your feet does it? Sounds like you'll have the Hunting Cabin and the Hunting Lodge within' striking distance of each other...haha. Good Stuff!

 

[Arrow3]

Can't beat hunting with great friends. Me and 2 friends decided to go camp down at the lake and hunt corps land the last 2 days. None of us have ever really hunted public land for deer . We waited to daylight yesterday morning before going in . I dropped Chad off by boat in a cove he had never set foot in. A hour and a half later he had this 9 point down. We had a heck of a celebration with fried crappie, fries , and some cold adult beverages that night. If I can't be the one killing them I just as soon see my best friends kill them!! Fun times.

 

[Triple C]

Doesn't get any better than that Brandon! That's a great buck! Truth is I'd quit hunting if I only hunted solo. I ain't that good of a hunter but I sure do love the social aspect of it.

 

[ADDICTED2HUNTIN]

Heck of a public land buck!

 

[Buford_Dawg]

Terrific day in the woods. Bucks running does. Bucks responding to grunt calls and rattling horns(bag). Took a pretty good 8 shortly after daylight this morning. One of those split second decisions when the buck is running doe all over creation ? and you pick a spot between the trees and pull the trigger as he runs thru it. Knew he was outside the ears and had good tine length from initial sighting. Thanks to my friend and fellow hunting member REVANS4661 for helping me load him up.

 

[Buford_Dawg]

Can't beat hunting with great friends. Me and 2 friends decided to go camp down at the lake and hunt corps land the last 2 days. None of us have ever really hunted public land for deer . We waited to daylight yesterday morning before going in . I dropped Chad off by boat in a cove he had never set foot in. A hour and a half later he had this 9 point down. We had a heck of a celebration with fried crappie, fries , and some cold adult beverages that night. If I can't be the one killing them I just as soon see my best friends kill them!! Fun times.
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That is a great buck. Hard to beat that. And on new territory. I bet u guys do that trip again. Maybe sooner than later with that outcome ?

 

[Triple C]

BD - Great looking buck!

 

[buckbull]

Those are some good bucks you guys are knocking down.

 

[Arrow3]

Killed this mature 7 pointer yesterday in Sandy Cross. Good hunt with several bucks bumping does, 2 bucks squaring off, and 1 throwing out a snort wheeze. I had this deer on camera close to a mile from where he showed up yesterday. Hoping to fill my 2nd buck tag with my AR-15. Good luck guys.

 

[Buford_Dawg]

Terrific deer Brandon. We did not have that deer on camera at our place.

 

[Buford_Dawg]

Well, just returning from a extended weekend in OC. The weather was fabulous, the camping was fabulous and then deer move pretty good. We had a large group at camp this weekend, I think I counted 15 persons at one point Saturday night around the fire pit. Wives, kids, girlfriends, etc..... One of our campers did a big Jambalaya for everyone and it was outstanding. Now to deer hunting, I posted my Thursday luck, but also saw 7 other bucks this weekend, and several that were close to what I took on Thursday. They all got passes. We had no other deer harvests which is crazy for this time of year, no one saw a shooter that they cared to take and for some reason, they decided to wait another week or so on Does. The buck I shot on Thursday was chasing big time, but all the other deer I saw and our other members saw were cruising or tending does, just staying close Should be good for another week or so, then it might get tough. Good Luck.

 

[Todd E]

Nothing like an afternoon spot and stalk before you go deer hunting.

I was out, in the car, checking things. Hadn't had lunch. Spotted her and babies. Called my buddies. They were all tied up. Went all way home for truck and gun. Do a ride by. Yeup.....still there. Go park. Grab vest, gun, and stix. In no time, she was pinched. I love those quickies. Course, its 7pm and I still ain't had lunch. SMH

 

[Buford_Dawg]

WTG Todd, get rid of all of them

 

[transfixer]

I agree with BD, it was a perfect weekend to be in the woods ! Great weather , even if it was a little chilly first thing in the am, lol . One of our guys took another 8pt friday around lunchtime, decent buck, but nothing special, not near as wide as Arrow's buck a few posts above, so now that guy is tagged out on bucks, kicking himself actually, cause he went back friday afternoon and sat in the stand with his camera and saw one bigger than either of the ones he took. " a good bit bigger" was all he would say, lol

I'm still not seeing anything to entice me to pull the trigger, maybe this weekend.

 

[jbird1]

Checking in from the weekend. Friday evening started out with a bang. My 10 year old and I had just finished the long walk into our hunting area when I heard my 17 yr old shoot. Soon after I get the "buck down" text. Then I get a "10 point" text. At this point we make a joint decision to extract and go assist. The way he tells it, a giant, ancient looking doe eased through. She was so mature that at first he thought it was "an old buck with no antlers." He then realized she was with another deer. He said the buck eased out of the brush and looked up at him in his climber. He felt as if the buck was about to bolt so he took the only shot he had, a neck shot. The deer dropped right there. The deer was a large bodied, main frame 10 just outside the ears with good mass. I would hazard a guess that he was 3.5...possibly 4.5 depending...definitely not an old, old buck. We managed to link up and get him dressed without the need of a torch which was nice. That was the only deer of the weekend for our crew. Everyone saw plenty of deer but they were family groups moving with purpose single file, not feeding or running in circles like last weekend. I feel like the healthiest matriarchs were probably locked down with breeders on our property. I know it varies from one part of the county to the other, and even property to property sometimes. That's just the feeling I got on our place. We'll be back at em for the next two weekends for sure.