Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting OHIO!

Ohio was very good to me this year, and I was very lucky in more ways than one. My hunting partner has 25 acres adjoining a family piece of roughly another 100 acres just 20 miles south of Cleveland. It's suburban hunting with no agriculture surrounded by golf courses and million dollar McMansions. We never see a lot of deer there, but the last couple years have been really bad. We don't know if it's because the neighbor stopped allowing hunting on his piece, or if the other hunters are filling their tags with bows/crossbows before gun starts, but we used to count on the other guys running deer all over the block, now it seems like we are the only ones in the woods.

So Monday we are in our stands early, but by noon neither of us have seen a tail and we have heard less than 20 shots all morning. We decide to stick it out all day as the weather is nice and frankly we don't have anything else to do. about 3:30 someone/thing bumped this one to me and within 30 seconds of hearing him coming I'd shot him.



Here's the lucky part. this one was coming through the beech whips on a fast trot. He would run 20-30 yards, stop to look/smell/listen, then go quickly again. I honestly didn't know how good he was when I shot, but I knew he was a buck and was also the only one I'd seen all day. the shot was 50 yds, but I managed to center punch this sapling. The buck was standing 8 paces behind it next to the oak on the right.



The 240gr XTP still had enough "umph" to hit him mid liver and almost make it out the other side. I thought from his reaction I gut shot him, but when I got down there was a blood trail that looked like someone put a ice pick in your oil pan. it was a solid line of red leading down through the blowdowns. I'll admit I followed him up too soon and found him bedded with his head up about 150 yds away so I finished him with a neck shot. I skinned him today and recovered this from my first shot through the sapling. it was sitting against the far side skin and still weighs 143gr.



So here's the best part to me. This morning I put my buddy in my stand and he managed to shoot his first Ohio buck too. The crazy thing is where he shot his, the deer was literally standing in the footprints of where I shot mine the day before. I had to give him crap about me clearing a shooting lane for him the day before.

Those are two very nice looking bucks. Congratulations!

Nothing like the deer woods to keep things interesting..

Congrats on a some fine deer and a great season. That 10 pt. is a horse!

Nice bucks, congratulations.

Ever since gun season opened on Saturday, I've seen a total of 3 deer. Last week during bow season, I had two 8 points, a 10 point, and does and Bambi's running everywhere. Now I've got nothing. Headed back out this afternoon in the pouring rain to try again.

Good luck everyone.

Outstanding. I has a similar thing happen to me with a sabotted 240 XTP launched out of a muzzle loader.

I shot a tree once. I was using a muzzle loader, hit a small tree on the edge and hit the deer in the hind leg. It broke the leg and got a main artery. She ran about 200 yards before she bled out.

Congrats on the deer...good story which should dovetail nicely with the "brush busting" thread on here.

Good story and pictures. Congrats on a successful season.

Thanks all. I love that 44mag, and the 240gr XTPs have really earned my respect, even when I don't chop wood with them. BTW, my buddy is shooting a Contender in 44mag as well with the same load. his was a pass through and the deer made it 12 yds before piling up.

Congratulations

Excellent buck, congtrats!

Congrats!

I'll second that. great read and pics. Some times things just work out good.

My bud's old man did same thing with his 270, years ago. Center punched a tag alder and still dropped the deer.

Congrats on a nice buck....

Third.

Great story. Congrats on a very memorable season!

That buck you shot is awesome man; I also love the .44 Mag also!