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Posted: 11/27/2018 11:01:23 AM EDT
I shot my first deer this morning, a decent 8 point. Bucks down in Texas generally don't have the mass some of y'all up north get to enjoy.
His tines are twisty which give him a neat look. I've seen this guy on camera a few times and he gave me an easy shot. I had only been in the blind for about 10 minutes when a spike buck walked out. This guy followed about 30 seconds later. He grazed for a few minutes then offered me a broadside shot. I grunted to keep him still, them took the shot. I was using a 6.5 Grendel AR wearing a Vortex Viper 2.5-10 scope. I think this is the perfect scope, magnification wise, for hunting within the Grendel range. I shot him from about 50 yards away. Ammo was a hand load. Hornady case, CCI primer, 8208XBR powder and a Nosler 120gr Ballistic tip bullet. The deer took about 4 steps after I shot him, stopped and paused for a second. He tried to take another step and stumbled. He eventually did take a few messy steps and fell over less than 20 feet from where I shot him. There bullet did not pass through. I am very impressed with the bullet. I've taken hogs with this same load. They are lucky if they make it 20 feet. These are vitals kills, not head or spine shots. Anyway that's enough rambling. I'm back in the blind waiting on a hog to show up. The deer is at the processor, also getting a euro mount. Just thought I'd share with you. Attached File Attached File Eta Attached File Attached File |
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That’s a nice buck congrats.
Now take a (inner) tenderloin and pan fry it on high heat, browned good on the outside and cool red on the inside. Slice in medallions and place on a mixed green salad with red onions, crumbled good blue cheese, toasted walnuts, and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar that you reduced to near syrup consistency. Add fresh ground pepper and have a beer or red wine with it. |
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Very nice buck, big congrats.
First deer and its a nice buck, you cant ask for more than that. |
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That's a nice buck! Congrats.
You field dress him yourself before you took to the processor? Maybe you've done other big game before, just wondering since this is your first deer. Either way congratulations. |
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That's a nice buck! Congrats. You field dress him yourself before you took to the processor? Maybe you've done other big game before, just wondering since this is your first deer. Either way congratulations. View Quote That part I'm a bit ashamed of. Having never done it before I didn't want to screw up, and none of my usual hunting crew is here to show me the ropes. I watched tons of YouTube videos in preparation for this season but when there's a dead animal in front of you, it's suddenly more intimidating. I shot the deer around 715 and I was at the processor at 8am when they opened. It was a cool 37 degrees this morning so I think the meat will be ok |
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I did not That part I'm a bit ashamed of. Having never done it before I didn't want to screw up, and none of my usual hunting crew is here to show me the ropes. I watched tons of YouTube videos in preparation for this season but when there's a dead animal in front of you, it's suddenly more intimidating. I shot the deer around 715 and I was at the processor at 8am when they opened. It was a cool 37 degrees this morning so I think the meat will be ok View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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That's a nice buck! Congrats. You field dress him yourself before you took to the processor? Maybe you've done other big game before, just wondering since this is your first deer. Either way congratulations. That part I'm a bit ashamed of. Having never done it before I didn't want to screw up, and none of my usual hunting crew is here to show me the ropes. I watched tons of YouTube videos in preparation for this season but when there's a dead animal in front of you, it's suddenly more intimidating. I shot the deer around 715 and I was at the processor at 8am when they opened. It was a cool 37 degrees this morning so I think the meat will be ok |
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I did not That part I'm a bit ashamed of. Having never done it before I didn't want to screw up, and none of my usual hunting crew is here to show me the ropes. I watched tons of YouTube videos in preparation for this season but when there's a dead animal in front of you, it's suddenly more intimidating. I shot the deer around 715 and I was at the processor at 8am when they opened. It was a cool 37 degrees this morning so I think the meat will be ok View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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That's a nice buck! Congrats. You field dress him yourself before you took to the processor? Maybe you've done other big game before, just wondering since this is your first deer. Either way congratulations. That part I'm a bit ashamed of. Having never done it before I didn't want to screw up, and none of my usual hunting crew is here to show me the ropes. I watched tons of YouTube videos in preparation for this season but when there's a dead animal in front of you, it's suddenly more intimidating. I shot the deer around 715 and I was at the processor at 8am when they opened. It was a cool 37 degrees this morning so I think the meat will be ok Nothing to be ashamed of. Life consists of new challenges and it takes time to learn all the stuff we are faced with. I killed my first deer at 35. I hunted alone. When the farmer came up the hill to see if I got one, I was on my hands and knees field dressing with paper instructions by my side. This was before the Internet. He still gets a good laugh at my expense. You can do it. |
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Thanks y'all for the words of encouragement. To the guy above me I will be 33 in January. New hunter as of two years ago thanks to a few arfcommers actually. Thanks Kurt and Clayton.
My dad is here with me... He's never hunted before. Well he's hunted pheasant once or twice something like 30 years ago. He told me he 'had no interest' in gutting or helping to gut. I think it just grosses him out. Given my first deer, wanting to mount, needing to get meat processed, dad, etc I chose the easy route. There's normally company here at my lease but I'm here on an off time, family visiting from out of town for Thanksgiving. Next time I hope to field dress with a helper. Dad really wants a hog and I hope he gets one. We've seen a ton of deer... Hogs on camera as of a few days ago. Attached File |
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Hunting with family sounds wonderful. I never had that opportunity.
Being outdoors with tasty animals around is healthy and fun! |
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Hunting with family sounds wonderful. I never had that opportunity. Being outdoors with tasty animals around is healthy and fun! View Quote |
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Thank you. Growing up my dad was never big into hunting. Recently after hearing about my success and fun he's taken an interest. My grandpa hunted a lot but we never got to hunt together View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Hunting with family sounds wonderful. I never had that opportunity. Being outdoors with tasty animals around is healthy and fun! |
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That’s a nice buck congrats. Now take a (inner) tenderloin and pan fry it on high heat, browned good on the outside and cool red on the inside. Slice in medallions and place on a mixed green salad with red onions, crumbled good blue cheese, toasted walnuts, and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar that you reduced to near syrup consistency. Add fresh ground pepper and have a beer or red wine with it. View Quote Congrats on the buck and welcome to the club. |
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Your first deer is an eight point buck? Good for you. That's incredible
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Your first deer is an eight point buck? Good for you. That's incredible View Quote I had a chance at a doe earlier in the season but didn't feel comfortable about the shot. Saw a nice 6 point the night before I shot this guy, but I was in a bad position sitting on the ground. He jumped me when I was moving to get into a shooting position. 8 pointer had no idea what hit him. The spike that was with him didn't scare away until I got out of the blind |
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That’s a downright nice buck. I hunt the hill country and would be pleased to take home a deer like that. Congrats!
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Congrats on the sweet buck!
Nothing wrong with taking it to a processor - they can do an awesome job. Do not be afraid to do it your self. My son got his first deer at the tail end of last season - Febuary. We did the processing ourselfes - it was fun watching him work the hand grinder and he is so proud when we make a meal with his deer. Guess the next posting will be the dinner pic - backstraps w/ taters and gravy....lol Red |
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Congrats on the sweet buck! Nothing wrong with taking it to a processor - they can do an awesome job. Do not be afraid to do it your self. My son got his first deer at the tail end of last season - Febuary. We did the processing ourselfes - it was fun watching him work the hand grinder and he is so proud when we make a meal with his deer. Guess the next posting will be the dinner pic - backstraps w/ taters and gravy....lol Red View Quote I'm exited to get the mount back |
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Very nicely done that's a deer to be proud of congratulations. What do you do with the hogs you shoot? I only ask since you said you had no experience gutting that's to good of eating to just throw in a ditch but I know a lot of people do
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Very nicely done that's a deer to be proud of congratulations. What do you do with the hogs you shoot? I only ask since you said you had no experience gutting that's to good of eating to just throw in a ditch but I know a lot of people do View Quote |
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Basically all that I do is steak out the back straps and a couple of the big hind leg muscles. and I make hamburger out of the rest...You will see all the fat is the white stuff between the muscles - make that go away...all the tendons/silver skin - makie that go away and I take the membranes off of the meat.
Prob the biggest secret about making the hamburger is to add beef fat to it at the ration of 4 or 5 lbs venison to 1 pound beef fat - because venison is so lean - you will not be able to brown it up if you don't. Just so you have an idea how sweet that buck is - I am 54 been hunting since I was about 12. My biggest buck is a four point fork horn. Red PS - this guy makes it look easy - that is what a pro does - makes it look easy How To Butcher A Deer At Home. TheScottReaProject. |
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Basically all that I do is steak out the back straps and a couple of the big hind leg muscles. and I make hamburger out of the rest...You will see all the fat is the white stuff between the muscles - make that go away...all the tendons/silver skin - makie that go away and I take the membranes off of the meat. Prob the biggest secret about making the hamburger is to add beef fat to it at the ration of 4 or 5 lbs venison to 1 pound beef fat - because venison is so lean - you will not be able to brown it up if you don't. Just so you have an idea how sweet that buck is - I am 54 been hunting since I was about 12. My biggest buck is a four point fork horn. Red PS - this guy makes it look easy - that is what a pro does - makes it look easy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoawhsmKIEY View Quote |
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Congrats on the buck! My first one I was 7 years old, and it was a cow horn spike lol!!
Deer processors will either rape you, or give you someone else's deer AKA "Pound in, pound out"... Watching videos is better than nothing, but you need to pair up with someone to show you- it really isn't that difficult. Keep hunting, and enjoy the meat you provided your family! |
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That's a beautiful buck! Congrats!
I'm heading to Texas on the 13th to go axis hunting with my dad. Can't wait. I shot a nice 8 this year and had a euro mount done. Very happy with how it turned out. |
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Updated with euro mount pictures. Picking up the meat today also
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Great buck, and the Euro mount looks great! Nothing wrong with starting later in life. Best thing you can do is take the same approach to learning now as you would have if you started in your teens. I started deer hunting when I was probably 11 or 12, then took a break after graduating from college and starting a new job and a family. Got back in again in my early 30's and now really enjoy it, but had to relearn some things along the way.
Field dressing is really intimidating the first time you do it, but once you've done it a few times it goes a lot quicker. Most people really struggle with the colon / rectum and the bladder, as both can have negative effects if you botch them up. I keep a pruning sheers in the truck and use that to cut the pelvis, which gives me a nice opening to just pull everything out whole after cutting around the rectum. Do you hunt anything else, like squirrel or rabbit? Those make good practice too just in terms with being comfortable getting the guts out cleanly. While not as large as a deer, the anatomy isn't that much different and the small size means they are a little more delicate. The best advice I had when learning to field dress though is "the animal is already dead, you can't hurt it." That was in response to me being pretty delicate with my cuts. :) |
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Nice. Don't sell it short though in the trophy category. A trophy is what it is. I mediocre 6 point broke a long dry spell and is one of fondest hunts. A doe I toloh with a muzzleloader I bought the day before is another.
That is one hell of a nice first deer. Be proud. |
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