[johntwarchery]

Well here in SC gun deer season starts on August 15th, in the upper part of the state archery starts on September 15, Ive never wanted to go out in August in the heat to hunt it just doesn't feel like hunting season to me, never shot a velvet buck, I've bow hunted since I was 12 and having to get close to deer while bow hunting I didn't see the point accept to educate the deer by going out in that heat, anyone starting hunting this month

 

[johntwarchery]

some of the up comers are starting to show up

 

[johntwarchery]

already sparring still have velvet

 

[cbhunter]

I live in Maryland and our starts the first week in September. It's still HOT! I only hunt first and last parts of the day. I've killed many nice bucks that are unaware it's hunting season. I have light weight clothing and my stands are close to the truck. I get to the deer quick as possible to gut it and get it home. Sometimes I'll get it home and quarter it, put it in my "deer frig." and go back out. Educating deer starts as soon as you step into the woods with those cameras, stands, bait piles, etc. What's the difference whether you start early or late, you have to start to get something. Many people don't hunt early season which definitely gives me the first crack at uneducated deer. I hate the heat but love the hunt! Take plenty of water and a change of clothes, spray for ticks and mosquitoes, take a Thermacell, and have fun!

 

[Gabowman]

A net shirt, camo cap, short pants, and a thermacell. I'll be on stand starting Sept. 12th even though I prefer cooler weather too. Like you, I have bucks hitting feeders in the daytime, both mornings and evenings. I cant wait!

 

[Gabowman]

BTW, Ive never seen a picture of bucks sparring when still in velvet that I can remember.

 

[robertyb]

BTW, Ive never seen a picture of bucks sparring when still in velvet that I can remember.

I would bet that they are just barely touching and not putting any pressure against their racks.

 

[cbhunter]

The bucks will start mock fighting (playing) soon after they get antler growth. Dominance is starting to be established through this "play" but tested during the rut. Most bucks know where they stand in the pecking order before the rut begins. The search for sex will drive bucks to try to move up the ladder and they may. Similar to us humans; we pretty much knew where we stood in school, just by our play and the performance of others during play. A girl could push us to fight someone stronger if we desired. Good luck.

 

[johntwarchery]

Those pics are at my 80 acres I tried letting my neighbor hunt over there but it didn't work out, I showed him pics of some of the deer that are over there and told him not to shoot nothing under 8pts and he ends up shooting a 3pt. so needless to say he doesn't hunt over there anymore, I have only bow hunted the property for the past 15 years besides him shooting that little buck that's the only time a gun has been shot over there. I have watched a lot of bucks grow up over the years and have taken some pretty good ones over there, so what's yalls opinion my neighbor believes once a cowhorn always a cowhorn, anyway I would like to see what others thank about that

 

[cbhunter]

Do you mean, should you trust your neighbor again? I would say no, unless he had a really great story of why he thought the 3 pointer he shot was an 8 pointer. Some people were just never taught to respect and that's what this is - a respect issue.

 

[jac63]

Not one single big buck was born that way, they all started as buttons and progressed. Sure they might have been bigger than average as forkhorns or sixes but they still went through those stages of growth. The single most important ingredient for bigger bucks is age. You can't have big 5.5 year olds if you shoot all of them at 1.5 years. I'm not a pure trophy guy but I do give the obvious youngsters a pass.
With that said I don't care what anyone else shoots as long as they are legal deer. You hunt to please yourself not me. And a guest should adhere to the host's restrictions. Simple enough IMO.

 

[Gabowman]

This 6 pter's antler wasn't bent down like this until a few weeks ago. Reckon it was from sparring?

 

[Gabowman]

IMO a true cowhorn would be a 150+ lb deer with very long spikes. I've seen only a couple in my life that I thought would never be much more. That said with me not being a horn hunter....if you told your neighbor not to shoot unless 8 pts or better then I wouldn't let him back. But that's just me. You do as you think best.

 

[robertyb]

He more than likely bent it while running from something. I am surprised that any of them get to the hard horn stage without bending a few tines.

 

[johntwarchery]

just to show yall how difficult it is to predict the hunting season here in SC, I just went and put corn out and found this scrape about 50yds from my camera and it was rank

 

[johntwarchery]

So deer already sparring with velvet and finding scraps already going to be a fun season

 

[johntwarchery]

Those three buck have got a couple of more years before i think about shooting them I've got one 10pt that I'm after and a 230lb 8pt those are my 2 hit list bucks for this year, I will go to the hunting club to shoot a couple of does well I shouldn't say a couple our limit is 5 so that's what I will take, and the bucks they give us 3 tags with the option of 2 more tags that have to have 4pt on one side and a minimum of 12" spread, the hunting club is trophy manage also that's why I say I will take my does over there

 

[tryinhardarcher]

Well here in SC gun deer season starts on August 15th, in the upper part of the state archery starts on September 15, Ive never wanted to go out in August in the heat to hunt it just doesn't feel like hunting season to me, never shot a velvet buck, I've bow hunted since I was 12 and having to get close to deer while bow hunting I didn't see the point accept to educate the deer by going out in that heat, anyone starting hunting this month

I’ll have one of my Sub1s in the woods of the lowcountry the 25th - 28th. I work with a outfitter down there and I’ll have a camp full of hunters starting the 15th