2016 ND Deer Opener

[Kurtr]

Youth season here the boy put a good shot on a doe so I thought we looked for 4 hours but could not find it. He is pretty down about it. Chalk it up to learning experience. At least he did not want to quit if I wouldn't have called it sure he would still be looking.

 

[Paddledogger]

I have heard rumors of at least 6 good deer shot, but have only seen 1 picture so far. Its not my deer, so I am not going to post the picture.

Here's two from Friday. Made some back straps on the grill last night. Can you say DELICIOUS????

 

[deleted___account]

What ya guys seeing for numbers so far?

 

[Kraken]

Better than 2 years ago, slightly better than last year

 

[Duckslayer100]

I saw the fewest deer in years, which is odd given the supposed spike in numbers. Also saw the fewest hunters, which is equally odd given they increased licenses and were zero left over after the first draw. Not sure where everyone was hunting...

Got my little basket rack buck on Friday about 3:30. Only second deer I saw for the day and the first with antlers. Glad I tagged him, because that was it. Had I hunted Saturday I'm sure I would have seen more, but time was not on my side.

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Actually, given the heat and standing corn (STILL???) I'm not surprised by the amount of deer. Even the pushers working the buck brush didn't kick up very much (at least, I assume not from he lack of shooting).

 

[luvcatchingbass]

Have seen a pretty good number of does in my area. Have counted 12 bucks from spikes to what look like nice 4X4's with not much for shot opportunities, looks like it will be a waiting game to get them out. One decent 4X4 breeding a doe the other night. Talked to another guy and he saw similar activity of bucks chasing does.

 

[KDM]

Said to Hell with this hot weather for deer hunting and went after roosters today. Got 2 and now it's nap time. Might sit tonight, but IDK. We'll see how motivated I am. Good Luck Fellas!!!!!

 

[dean nelson]

Well temps dropped to 22 so went out for a look and saw 64 in three hours including 5 bucks of 140 or more with a 160 mule deer and a 150 whitetail being the biggest two. rut was definitely kicking in the bigger bucks were taking over the big doe herds from the little guys. only got pics of this guy who was either 2nd or 3rd biggest of the mules but it was nice to see some serious tending going on.

 

[jdinny]

deer numbers are definatley solid. saw lots and lots of little bucks and does. i did punch my tag this weekend. he was a big dam mainframe just at 27" wide with good back forks of 16" problem was he has no fronts which kills a score. literally big 3x3 but i fell in love with the frame and dropped him. taxidermist shot me a text and went 157 4/8 as a 3x3 and said that my spread credit was actually deducted nearly 2" as the spread cannot exceed the length of the main beam so essentially a 160" 3x3.

part of me wishes i woulda waited but a big part of me loves big mainframe 3x3. im just getting the bastard from the herd for you guys!

 

[deleted_account]

deer numbers are definatley solid. saw lots and lots of little bucks and does. i did punch my tag this weekend. he was a big dam mainframe just at 27" wide with good back forks of 16" problem was he has no fronts which kills a score. literally big 3x3 but i fell in love with the frame and dropped him. taxidermist shot me a text and went 157 4/8 as a 3x3 and said that my spread credit was actually deducted nearly 2" as the spread cannot exceed the length of the main beam so essentially a 160" 3x3.

part of me wishes i woulda waited but a big part of me loves big mainframe 3x3. im just getting the bastard from the herd for you guys!

pm me a picture please. a 160 3x3 is a stud

 

[sweeney]

THis guy has a tiny front but essentially a 178" 3x4 so get rid of the 3 inch front he is a 175" 3x3 backs over 20".

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The deer on the right is a mid 160's frame with an extra main beam that pushes him to mid/lower 170s, amazing how the 3x4 makes him look like a super dink

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[deleted_account]

6 to midnight

 

[jdinny]

ill put a picture up tonight. my buddies exact words were, this is a fucking deer I didn't want to see. haha he goes he has it all but the fronts. he says hes a 3x3. were 360 yards out he has no clue were there and all my buddies says is dam hes tall, and I'm thinking to myself fk hes wide. next words I said is I'm taking him, "range" "whack" lost him in the scope cuz the shot was dead into the sun, buddy goes he hit hard, he runs closer lays down at 315 and I finished the job.

I'm truly happy with this deer, I was dead set on that 175-180" mark but you don't see a 160" 3x3 every year.

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it was roughly 2 mile hike back to camp and taking my boots off and a coors light never tasted so dam good!!

 

[dean nelson]

That's why I literally bolted away from the 160....he dropped out of sight within ten seconds of when I first saw him and he was only 300 yards away and not spooked. I didn't want to see him again so I hit the gas and moved on because I knew if I had more time to look i would start talking myself into it and that would have used up my rez tag and we are just entering of good time and it has a month to go so I didn't want to end the fun just yet. now had he been on state ground I would have left chunks of his lungs all over that hillside in the blink of an eye

 

[jdinny]

pics are up. on the side bar. like I said I knew I would take a hit in the score, but the mainframe is solid.

 

[dean nelson]

Finally found a buck on state ground so was able to get that tag punched. nice to be able to get the deer down so I have no pressure going forward so i dont get tempted by a small deer like this guy as I try to fill my rez tag. passed on a deer that was ten to fifteen inches bigger just a couple of minutes before but he was on rez ground so i kept rolling on to one of my main spots when I spotted this guy paired up with a doe in a crp field so was able to do a little sneak and send some lead downrange.

 

[DirtyMike]

adda boy dean. So does that mean you're going to fill two buck tags this year?

 

[dean nelson]

Hopefully

 

[Kurtr]

Me two gonna start the hunt for west river buck and then next week east river buck if i dont find bucks i will shoot does as i want meat

 

[dean nelson]

Lots of deer in this size range hanging with the does right now up here so I'm sure you will find the same.