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November 2002 Memories?

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Well it looks like December is here and another November has come and gone. For most of us it was fun filled month with memories that will last a lifetime.

With less than a week left until shotgun season we thought we would check and see what some of your favorite memories of November 2002 are?
 
Memmories of hunting with a buddy in the November, as the rut increades. That was the best part of all year. I loved hunting so much this year that it made me stay in town for college!!!! Oh and i cant forget about the memmories of missed shots
 
Oh what year! I arrowed my biggest deer ever and have high hopes for late BP season.
 
Well, how could one of my favorite hunting memories of Nov '02 NOT be my hunts with Trpr in southwest Iowa? For those of you who do not know him, he is a true whitetail fanatic and a great guy, too! Oh, it sure didn't hurt that he put me in hot spot where I hung a stand and whacked a jim-dandy 8 pointer on the morning of 11-02, my first Iowa whitetail.

We had a great time hunting and he showed me some great Iowa hospitality. Killing a deer was just the icing on the cake.

MO
 
Wisco Kid- your story sounds all to familiar. I let a wide 9 walk under my tree on the last Saturday of the early bow season last year in Wisconsin. Same result, the farmer next to us shot him opening morning of the gun season. He turned out to have a 19 1/4" inside spread but short tines. We have a couple neighbors buying into QDM but some old timers just won't change. We did take a beautiful 150" ten off our property in WI(with the bow) this year so QDM is working its just a little frustrating when some of those deer you pass get wacked during gun season.
 
Even though I never saw the big guy, the horns worked better than ever for me with 2 -2 1/2 year olds almost running me down, and the best part I " could " have harvested either one and from the ground.....eyeball to eyeball....what a rush!
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This what I'm taking with me from this November.

We had a realy wide 8 around our place this year. He was a very killable buck as we saw him frequently from August through the bow season. We decided to let him go because we didn't think he'd make P&Y and he had a huge spread - at least 18". We figured him to be 2.5 and since we usually don't see wide spreads like that in our area (17" is pretty normal, but we've only shot two bucks ever over 18"), we wanted to let breed a few does and hopefully his genes and also see if he'd make it to next year, hoping he'd be huge , maybe even adding a few more points and be a nice 150 class or better.

Anyway, on the morning of the last day of the early bow season, I knew I was going to be in a stand where I'd be likely to see him. My brother asked me if I'd take him if I saw him. I said no, basically because I didn't think he'd make P&Y and that I wanted him to make it to next year.

Sure enough, I had him at 20 yards that night. It was a windy night and I walked right up on him from downwind as he fed under a crabapple tree. I even drew on him when I first saw him, hoping he was a different buck. I let my draw down when I realized it was him, watched him for a few minutes and then worked my way up the trail to my stand. As I made myself visible he spotted me and trotted off.

He was shot opening day of the gun season -- two days later, by a neighbor about 3/4 mile away with a rifle at a distance of 175 yards. He gross scored in the mid 130s and netted 130". Inside spread was 19 5/8", or about an inch and a half bigger than I figured. Each tine was about an inch longer than I figured too, which accounted for my miscalculation.
 
While it is difficult , I believe you should not let it bother you that the buck was harvested by another hunter. You gave him the chance to live. Personally, I have drawn and let down 6 times so far this season. The best buck was in my opinion a 2 1/2 year old 5x5 that I believe would have been either side of 125. He is at risk where he lives but I did not molest him. I have hunted hard since then and have seen the most BIG bucks of my entire life rolled together. I would not have seen 10 bucks over 150" in a field all at the same time if I had killed that 125. Couple weeks later in one day I am sure I saw 27 bucks including three Booners and three 4 1/2 year old 4x4's better than 140 in one day. Sounds impossible don't it but it happened to me. One of the booners was in range for bout three seconds and I was not able to draw. I was hunting on the ground. None of this would have happened if I had let the first arrow go. Harvesting the animal is not the only reason to be hunting.

Bill
 
Thanks for the consolation. I'm cool with what went down. The guy that got him is a great guy and he's thrilled. Its by far his best buck ever. He and his dad have been passing on the smaller bucks the past three years, so its kind of a reward for them.

I've had more than my share of success. I have brought home some real dandies in seasons' past. I also know that to get the real big ones, you have to let some nice ones go. I still have a tag and late season opened today here. I know I'll have a few quality hunts this late season. In the past I've seen some real dandy bucks late season. In fact, two years ago I had a nice 130" 10 point at 12 yards late season, although I already had my buck down at that point and was looking for a doe. Hopefully that will be the case this year.

Oh, another buck that I had been looking for in the early season was shot by a rifle hunter last Tuesday. He grossed around 130". I had not gotten a great look at him, but I knew he was a pope class buck, due to the fact he had 10 points and not 8, with a decent 17" range spread. This one was shot at 220 yards.

You guys are lucky there are no rifles allowed in Iowa. I think that really helps account for why you have some monsters walking around. Its very, very difficult to find a 4.5 year old buck here in Wisconsin.
 
Hey Wisco Kid... I know the feeling well, I have passed on several small to mid-size bucks over the years only to have someone else take the first shot they get at them. It's a downer to be sure, but it is still the better thing to do. If you shoot him, you KNOW he won't get any bigger. If you let him go, he might.

One time an approximate 100" 8 point, a prime candidate for next year if you ask me, was right underneath me during gun season for several minutes and when he finally went over the hill, BAM! He didn't last 45 seconds past when he left me. BTW, the guy that shot him was tresspassing no less! I nearly jumped out of my stand at the shot AND I was let down that he got whacked right away AND I gave the tresspasser some thoughts to think too.

But all of that said, I can definitely testify that the practice of passing on the little ones will pay off, if not on every buck, but in general. It can take a few years too, but you can usually get others to go along with you too once they can see some fruit. In fact, if I were you I would talk to the guy that shot him about QDM while he is still feeling high about his buck. He might raise his standards in future, you never know.
 
I'll be talking about the 2002 season for a long time.I filled 2 antlerless tags with bow a smokepole tag.And saved the best for last,a nice 10 pionter in the snow on Nov. 5th with my bow. Although my Nov. was a little short,I did see more nice bucks this year than ever.
 
Thanks for the kind workds Mo-- I am just thankful that I have my health and the opportunity to share a passion. Although I have not yet harvested a deer with my bow this season I have had ample opportunity. I realized this year more than ever that harvesting a deer is really only secondary to the memories that go with good friends and monster whitetails here in this great state. None of us would enjoy it as much unless we could share it with our friends who have the same passion. My time will come! Patience is always rewarded. Jan 10 is not here yet. What I have always enjoyed about each hunting season is all those who bring there passion to this website and share there stories about there success and misfires. The kind words and encouragement go a long way for all of those who congratulate and give advise to those needing information. This sport is alive and well! Good hunting the rest of the season everyone.
 
The best memory I have is being able to see one of my best friends get his best ever buck and two days later shooting my biggest ever buck. Then the very same day I shot mine, setting up with my best buddy (Rackaddict) and video tape while he hunts and we both see our first 170 plus inch deer. The only way it could have been better is if Rack would have shot that big one. Maybe next year Rack!
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Good stuff everyone!

My November was one of my best. I was around so many nice animals all fall. The early snow and cold kicked the rut off strong and from the 1st - 7th I had seen several nice bucks. The next 11 days were just as much fun and by the 20th my freezer was full and I had shot a bunch of photo's.

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The photo's help me preserve and share the memories. Thanks to my wife for making me slow down and enjoy the moment, thanks to Roger Hill for helping me "focus" on the proper subject.
 
Another November with many memories but no fresh meat for the freezer. Momories include;
1. The buck that I killed, but then found out that he had already been injured by another bow hunter just a couple of hours sooner. I thought that it should be his and he has the meat, and I can contimnue to hunt.
2. The one that trotted by when I was doing some mid day scouting. I couldn't get him to stop in a shooting lane.
3. A buck of a lifetime that is within 40 yards but I get no shot.
4. My best memory is the BIG 8 pointer that I watched bed in a ditch with a doe. I snuck to within 25 yards of him. I had perfect conditions, sun to my back, a steady breeze to my side to hide the noise I made. But, again no shot with his rump towards me and no good vitals shot. When he stands, he goes straight away and then the doe busts me. But I did get some poor pictures of him at a distance.
5. Also, all of the stories and pictures of successes on this site. I can tell you that even though I don't personally know most of you some of your stories and pictures are etched in my memory forever.

Later
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November 2002, even though not filled with as many big buck sightings as in the past, will be remembered by me by one defining moment. Nov. 8th started off as a routine day until he jumped the fence at 300 yards at 4:30 in the afternoon into a picked bean field. I quickly grabbed my binos and was amazed to see a 170 class 8 pointer standing there looking over the field. He quickly jumped the fence in the opposite direction in chase of 2 does feeding there. I hit the horns to try to stop him and looking through the binos I saw him looking over his shoulder at me. I quickly hit them again and he hopped the fence and started towards me at a trot. I grabbed my bow and I was amazed by the sight of those antlers floating above head. At 80 yards he stopped to access the situation and I tingled the antlers again and here he comes. My breathing stopped at that moment think, I can't recall. My heart started racing for the first time all year as he drew nearer. At 50 yards he stopped and looked to the North, I too looked and pulling into the field was a combine, semi, and tractor and wagon. He quickly exited to the nearest side door and left me standing there dumbfounded, but I soon found myself with the biggest grin on my face and giggeling. For 30 seconds I was in whitetail heaven and then I found myself asking why I hunt. It is not for the kill but for the chase, that is what I live for.
November 2002, my tag is still in my pocket and he is still out there, but that is how I will remember it, and hopefully it will last me until next year.
 
1. never thought i'd see the day i'd pass up shooting a ditch tiger, and in doing so i was rewarded with a buck that's better than anything i've ever shot with the bow. compassion was good that day.

2. called in a decent buck and watched my buddy harvest it.

3. watching/calling 3 big bucks within bow range while turkey hunting, why do they always do that?
 
November.. what a month. Lot's of memories, like my brother shooting his first ever deer, (bow or gun) and it turned out to be a nice 10 point. But I must admit my best memory didn't occur in the field, it was in my back yard.
I have a shooting alley set up in my "back 40". Early in November when it was nice enough I would take my 2 year old daughter out with me to practice shooting my bow. She knew what was going on every time we went out. She would walk into the garage and get her little pink lawn chair and come sit beside me by the firing line. Everytime I shot I would hear the arrow hit the target and then I would hear two little hands clapping and a beautiful little girl saying " YEA DADDY!!". It just doesn't get better than that! After I would finish with all of my shots she would walk up to the target with me and point at it a say "deer daddy, you got deer!"

My second best memory would have to be the weekend I took my 10 year old nephew bow hunting with me. I told him as soon as he passed the hunters safety class he could come out and sit in the stand with me, well he passed his first try.
We went out Friday night and set up his stand in the same tree as mine, (1 trunk split into 4!!) and waited for morning. I awoke the next morning at 5:00 am, thinking I would have to drag his little butt out of bed, but much to my dismay he was awake and showered and he used the no scent!

We got to the stands with plenty of time to spare, and sat there for 2 hours. Finally we started seeing some action around us at 8:30 am. He originally wanted me to shoot a "big buck" but I could tell he was getting cold and asked if I should just shoot the next deer that came along and he said yes.

We waited another 10 mins. and out of the corner of my eye is saw a doe coming down the trail, I looked back at my bud to see if he noticed and he had not. So I played it cool. About 5 mins. later I feel a little finger tapping me on the shoulder and pointing toward the doe. I turned and drew and shot without even thinking. The doe went 30 yrds and was down. As soon as she fell I hear this YEAH BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She dressed out at 155 lbs, the best was watching a 10 year old boy get all pumped up about getting a deer and then turning ghost white when we dressed it. He partially field dressed it and fully skinned it, all by himself. At least that's what I told him.
 
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