"Official" Sam Houston Natl. Forest 09/10

[huntinfool]

I was wondering the same thing. But I thought it said in the map book that you were allowed only one buck all seasons combined in the SHNF. But don't quote me on that. I will see what I can come up with.

[TexaRican]

I was wondering the same thing. But I thought it said in the map book that you were allowed only one buck all seasons combined in the SHNF. But don't quote me on that. I will see what I can come up with.

I interpret it the same way. Already shot a buck so all I can take in muzzy season is a doe. My kid can get a spike and a doe in youth season since she has not shot anything yet.

[HotRod Hunter]

You are only allowed one buck a year in the SHNF all seasons combined.

[HillCountryBowHunter]

Got a decent doe this evening with the smokepole.....

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123317

[Limbwalker]

Guys, nice work on the does with the muzzleloaders. I'll have to try that someday...

I broke down and (now that I'm back in Texas) bought a deer rifle this year. Got a doe permit for SHNF and took it out there about 4 times with no luck. But I learned a lot about the areas I'm hunting, so next year...

Again, congrats on all who were successful on the NF. It's tough duty and you should be proud...

John.

[TexaRican]

Congrats on the doe. I'm heading up as soon as my kid is out of school today. May get there with some shooting light left.

[HillCountryBowHunter]

There are definately an abundance of does, It shouldn't be too hard finding one.

[TexaRican]

Not really the memory I wanted to create...

Does had been coming through very regularly at 10:00am and 4:00pm. We got there right at dusk last night and saw a few along the road driving in. This morning they came right down the trail at 9:49 and me and my daughter were in our ambush spot.

There must have been 20 of them with the biggest one out on point and the first into our shooting lane. My kid was all lined up and using a downed pine as a shooting rest. Saw the doe turn and look right at us then I noticed my daughter trembling and I knew it was all over. I put my hand on her and said not to shoot. She looked up at me lips quivering. I said "baby, it's ok if you don't want to shoot. You have not let me down". She just started bawling and said that she was ok until "it had to look at me with those eyes". Oh well, I still have a little girl (10) and I don't care if she never becomes a hunter. She is the sweetest thing on earth.

Things went downhill from there though. I took the muzzloader and put the crosshairs right on the heart of that big doe. I had done the exact same shot on a buck opening day in the exact same spot. The buck was a clean-thru heart shot and it ran 50 yards into the forest but was an easy find. The doe on the other hand dissappeared from view, as happens when you shoot a smokepole. We waited about 20 minutes and I reloaded then started down the trail. Within 40 yards we saw tails again and ultimately the whole herd. The big doe was laying down not much further. We just stood and waited to make sure she was bled out and the herd moved on down but after a few minutes that dang doe popped up and trotted right off.

We blood trailed her for the next 2 hours until the herd turned back into the neighborhood. A resident did not like that we were so close to his house and came out trying to tell me about all the laws we were breaking. He was totally clueless and did not even know about youth or muzzy seasons. After 3 hours we I took my kid back to the house, dropped the gun off and went in the forest again. Picked up where we had marked the last of the blood trail and after another 30 minutes I spotted her - outside the forest boundary. She was laying alone but alert on private property. I just sat there and watched another 30 minutes until the herd came back that direction. She got up and I could see the shot was clean thru. Must have been just under the heart. She trotted off with the herd and I followed as far as I could but even if I was armed I was not in a legal or safe shooting position. Eventually they did come back into the forest but I lost them. I returned to where she was laying on the private property and found only a very small amount of blood.

I'm so sick over all this that it makes me want to give up. I'm done for this season for sure. Sorry for the long rant but this is my first lost one. Still can't believe she was up and moving like nothing had happened.

[BuckSmasher]

That really sucks Pepperfool, I can only imagine how bad that feels. Sometimes even though full respect is taken for the game the conditions in the field turn out like this. I say get your confidence back with your muzzleloader and go out and take one cleanly. That'll help you get over it better.

[Limbwalker]

I can relate. I had a couple bad experiences this year with the bow, and I'm as much a dyed-in-the-wool bowhunter as you'll ever find.

It makes you sick alright, and that's okay. It means you care.

But just remind yourself that if you are feeling bad, it's because you have ethics. And take heart in knowing you did the best you could.

That's all we can do.

John.

[TexaRican]

Salt in the wound: after my kid went to bed last night my wife told me that she said she never wants to hunt again. She was so terrified at the thought of killing that doe and never wants to feel that again but was also terrified of telling me.

Oh well, guess that 2 seat ladder stand I just bought will go up on the classifieds. I'd rather use a light climber anyway.

Here is the doe that broke my kid's heart. She was really close. Sorry for the blurry pic. She's just left and low of center in the pic.

[Limbwalker]

Pepperfool,

She might come around someday. Hang on to that stand...

My youngest loves to shoot a bow and loves to help me clean, skin and process the deer we all eat. But she's already questioned whether she wants to actually shoot one...

I understand what you're dealing with. But you have to respect their choices, and I think you're doing that.

Not playing monday-morning quarterback here, but the only thing I probably would have done differently is not shooting the deer myself after she expressed her concern about shooting the doe. I probably would have just watched them walk by and packed it in at that point. But I wasn't there, and you were. I'm sure you've thought of this too...

Just give it time and go do something else with her to get her mind off it all... Kids have pretty short memories and their opinions change weekly.

John.

[Trent D]

Congrats!

Still trying to connect this season, and if I do, it will by my first with a muzzleloader. I have off Thursday and Friday, but looks like the rain might give me a good going over.

I made it out last Saturday (18 degrees when I stepped out of the truck). Hunted a powerline near New Waverly. Passed on taking a dow that had two fawns with it. My scent bombs froze solid and couldn't be closed. Later on I saw two more does with fawns next to two separate highways that afternoon. Those were the only deer I saw after gun season opened. That cold really got them moving.

I did a lot of scouting and hunted pretty hard this season, but without any success, except for some good memories. With the ML season closing Sunday, this is do or die weekend for me, but I'm not expecting much. Come rain or shine, it'll just be nice to sit in the woods and take it all in one more time. I thank God for the woods and the peace that sitting in a stand brings. I hope he lets me share it one day with my two young daughters that I know will be bouncing up and down to play "whack a dad" as soon as I walk through the garage door.

It don't get no better than that.

I finally scored for the season and my first deer with a muzzloader! I feel really good about the 2009-10 season I saw deer almost every time I went out and I passed on shots at 3 different spikes and saw 4 other bucks none of which were the 13" plus one I was looking for. I got the doe this morning with my Hawken style smokepole for meat and I am looking forward to seeing those bucks again next year. I am kinda liking the 13" rule.

[BuckSmasher]

Thank you Trent D.
Good luck to ya!

Don't be hesistant to shoot the does with this years fawns they are old enough to survive without her by now and she is gonna push them off this spring when she has her new ones anyway. January 2010 D&DH (where I get most of my Deer Biology info...very good mag) says, "Rarely will you ever encounter a fawn with its mother that is too young to make it on its own. The fact is most fawns are able to survive on their own, without adverse effects, at three weeks of age". It also cautions against shooting 'lone' antlerless deer as it may be a button buck.

[TexaRican]

Thought I had read where you can't bait hogs in Sam but searching TPWD tonight I don't see it. Anybody know?