Last years buck

[trex]

Last years buck. Got him the day after Thanksgiving in Lunenburg County, VA. Should be getting him back from the taxidermist any week now.

[rickjordan]

Nice deer!

[Steverino]

Beautiful deer Trex,

That buck is a dandy! I personally would have enjoyed the picture a whole lot more (and I know that I speak for alot of hunters here) seeing it positioned where it dropped in the woods that it lived and breathed with you alongside it with your bow or firearm proudly displayed along with what I am sure must have been a big ol' smile plastered on your face.

Please don't take this as a personal slam Trex-your buck is magnificent and I am sure that it provided for a wonderful hunting experience for you. I am not taken with all of the deer pics that I see from hunters, in the back of their bloodied pick-up truck beds with the obligatory tongue hanging out and the eyes ashed over from death. Granted, the buck displayed is only strapped down to a truck.

Yeah, killing an animal produces these images most of the time at some point in the hunting process I know but it also produces much better imagery- to others (especially non-hunters whom we should be trying to recruit as well as anti's who spare no expense in the demonization of our sport)

Conreatulations Trex on a great hunt and please show us some pics of your mount when you get it back from your taxidermist! ;)

Oh and good luck this season!

[trex]

Sorry if it offended you. Kind of. It took us over an hour to get the deer out of the bottom and up to the truck, which was parked at the loading deck close to where the deer was killed after I hiked out to get it. We got the deer up on to the truck and thats how he got out of the woods. At that point I was too tired to get him off of the truck. Theres other pics, but they dont do the rack any justice. Pics never do. Good luck to you as well.

[Steverino]

After seeing WT's fine 9pt pics, I'm embarrassed to have singled out your particular post Trex!:D

Years ago I used to not bring any cameras with me but kept them in my trucks. There were many deer that looked a hell of a lot worse than me by the time that I dragged them up outta swamps, ravines, and brushy hillsides. You, no doubt, had your hands full with that bruiser!

I now keep an inexpensive digital camera with freshly charged batteries in my daypack to take the pictures at the site where the deer is recovered. I can position the deer how I like for a better picture before the exhaustive deer drags as well as before field dressing-which to me, completely deflates the animal allowing the death palor to overtake the animal almost immediately.

BTW- What did your fine buck score?

[trex]

I actually haven't had him scored yet. I'm guessing in the mid 130's, but maybe a bit more. He's 23 1/2" to his widest, and 15" tall. His bases are good, and all point are as about as equal as one could get in length. One point on his right side looks like it's shorter, but it's not. It just kind of leans back more than the same point on the other side (G2's).

[Lilred]

Hey Trex...dam fine buck!
No offense to Steve...but knowin these woods round here like i do...i know draggin a deer out round these parts is a long and difficult thing to do...so i woulda took the same pic lol..

you got the dogs ready fer another season trex?

[WT Kevorkian]

Trex, that is a great deer, doesn't even matter what he scores, that is a dandy anywhere you go. Also thought I'd mention there's a great article in the october 2006 issue of Deer and Deer Hunting called "The Death of Political Correctness" I think some of you should read it. It's actually a great article and the author says its time to call a spade a spade,, for example we don't harvest, take, or reduce to possession ,,, we KILL period that's it, no matter how you candy coat it it's still the same, and I for one have no problem with that. We as hunters are being pressured to tarp our deer in the back of the truck, take only pretty pictures that PETA would find less offensive so on and so on, meanwhile while I'm riding around with my deer covered up in the back (ha ha yeah right) I have to look at guys walking down the streets holding hands, chicks kissing and licking all over each other, and all kinds of other things that might be "offensive" to some of us, but hey thats ok right. Well I'm sorry but when I get a nice one I'm riding around wherever I want with the rack sticking right up in the air, and maybe even the tailgate down so you can really see it, and if somebody don't like it tough sh** Nobody stops to ask me what offends me or doesn't, and I am not embarrassed to be a hunter,,, a killer of bambi,, and everything else thats legal. If we keep cowering around trying not to offend anyone we might as well just hand over our guns and start wearing bras ladies.

This is not aimed at any particular person, Steve especially you, I fully understand what you are saying and even agree with you to a ceratain extent. I love the beautiful pictures taken outdoors as well and I fully intend to get some with my deer and post those later when time allows, but I am not embarrassed by the pictures I posted, not at all. If we have a need to hide the truth,,, and the truth is that when you kill something its not all pretty,,, then there is something wrong with what we are doing.

Go ahead and add the list of offensive things the fact that one of our congressmen has been asking young boys "do I make you a little horny?" I don't think we need to worry about covering our deer up, Our society as a whole is in real trouble.

[Steverino]

Good post and some good points to ponder definately! I personally agree with you on most counts WT and I do respect your knowledge on archery/muzzleloading as well as hunting in general (as obvious from your many successful pictures and posts here at HC over the years)

I was/am not offended by either your or Trex's hunting pictures-it is merely my opinion, that there could be better pictures taken that do better honor to the animal and the hunter. I also pointed out that I used to not take along a camera and after pulling deer back to my vehicle, some looked pretty horrible so I opted to begin taken along a small digital camera for better pictures in the field.

As far as the harvest and killing terminology goes, in my opinion, there is a difference. A truly wild deer (or pheasant, etc.) that sustains itself on it's natural forage in a non-maintained environment is, again in my opinion, a true kill. Deer herds that are raised on managed lands (food plots, supplements to withstand the rigors of winter, etc) the same as crops for the sole purpose of harvesting, are to me, well...harvested. While it is still all fair chase hunting, to me personally, there is a difference.

This is a little different than the political correctness that you refer to above. I have no problem telling people that I kill, whack, put the whammy on them, arrow them, smoke em', you get the point. We should not be afraid of what we do as hunters, ever!

When I go hunting, the tonnea cover comes off the pick-up and there's nothing better than to have it filled up with a deer and some kids pointing as you pass them by on the street or a friendly honk and a big "Thumbs up" by another hunter acknowleding your success afield. I personally miss our states deer check stations for the commraderie but the call in process is a whole lot easier.

I used to drive an old Chevy Caprice wagon years ago when I rifle hunted up in Wisconsin and can remember some of the horrified looks that I would receive from some snooty passengers at my deer strapped down on the roof luggage rack. Because I am rather twisted, I'd honk my horn, wave, and try to keep pace with the other vehicle for as long as I could. (This was in my youth, why I'd just stick my toungue out at them now.) :D

[WT Kevorkian]

I can see your point about harvesting, I guess some of us do grow them like a garden you might say, it that case it would be a harvest I guess. the part about the station wagon is great, I'm still laughing, talk to you later

[fabsroman]

I agree with WT on this one, and that article in the deer magazine of his has been written in several other magazines that I have read. We kill things plain and simple, and that even goes for cows that are raised to be eaten. Those cows aren't harvested, just as deer that stay around food plots are not harvested. They are all killed. The chicken in your chicken sandwich, the pork in your pork BBQ, and the steak on your grill were all killed.

Regarding photos, I will also give credit to WT where credit is due. He has posted some really nice picks on here. Some that come to mind are the pic of he and his brother with nice bucks in a field with their guns laid across the animal, a setting sun, and a mountain in the background. Two other nice pics that I can think of from him are the one of our taxidermist and the other of our taxidermist's son. Of course, I liked the story that went along with the deer killed by the taxidermist's son.

As far as riding around with deer hanging out of my truck, the only way that would happen is if I had them piled so high that they were above the walls of the bed. I try to keep them away from everybody's view, not because of politic correctness, but because of little children. A lot of kids don't understand death, and I don't want to be the one that causes their parents to have to explain it to them. Kind of like I wouldn't want any of my kids to learn about Santa Claus through somebody else. Of course, my kids will be exposed to dead animals at a young age, so I'll deal with the issue when it comes up.

There are a lot of things I hate to see being done in public, but I put up with it. However, I try to act the way I would like everybody else to act. Very rarely will you see me displaying public displays of affection, and if so, they will not be to a degree that makes you think my wife and I should get a room.

I also agree that our society has some major issues. I think we have grown soft and corrupt. Everybody wants something for nothing and nobody wants to work.

[JimPic]

Real nice buck,trex!! post some pic's of the mount when ya get it back-he's awesome!.As much as I like a pic taken in the woods ,I don't have any problems looking at (or taking)"meat pole" pic's.We all go to deer camp and have taken these kinda pictures--doesn't take away anything from that one.Real nice!

[Lilred]

Well...I seen some perty nice animals killed...and the hunter wallers all over em in the pics....sit on em, lay on em..whatever. To me..that would be more humiliatin to the animal than a bloody pic.
Round these parts, the dog box in the pic is not only customary..but iffin you aint got one...yer almost considered a pot hunter by the locals...er some city slicker. Bucks just like that one ridin on top of the box is also customary and seein that deer piled behind a dogbox next to the cab would be a complete and utter sin. So what might be horrifyin to some just aint to others..and iffin that pics bothers folks...why I spect they all need to stay outta Virginnie.
Besides that...we are on HUNT Chat...we aint in the newspaper er on a new york street. So heyall yeah blood n guts dont bother me nary a bit.
Iffin Lilred gits a nice buck...ya'll will likely see the exact same pic of mine that ya'll saw on this thread...so just grin like a possum and bear it.:p

[grayghost]

Nice buck trex, congrats! grayghost

[trex]

Thnks folks. I'm starting to itch for another hunting season. If it's half as good as last year I'll be tickled. I saw some really nice bucks last year. Ended up taking 3 does and 2 8 pointers. What I lacked in overall days in hunting I got lucky and made up for in quality. Lilred, the hounds are ready to go! We've got alot of young hounds this year so it oughta be fun! They've been running in field trials all summer so they're in great shape going into the seaon. I'm gonna climb a tree on Sat. afternoon. Haven't had much time to scout so it'll be more for just getting out than anything. I do have a nice stand set up that I haven't hunted yet though. I'm thinkin Sat might be the day to fix that.:D