Hunting harvest photos documenting some of the huntable wildlife on my precious 5 acres in Western Maryland!
Album by Magdump. 1 - 80 of 80 Total. 2278 Visits.
1 11 26 2023 7 Pointer Very nice 7 Pointer taken @ 4:42 PM as I was about to climb into Farmers Woods Stand for a late afternoon sit. I was late getting out there as I really had had enough of the frozen suffering and was seriously hurting after too many long hours on stand trying to stay warm.
2 11 26 2023 7 Pointer Saw him staring at me across the cut cornfield, his tall white beams brightly contrasting against the dark fir trees of the North Woods. It was crazy exciting and frantically loaded a round and benched off one of the treesteps in the tree, waiting for the right moment. He closed the distance from about 100 yards to about 60 or 70 and it felt right. I think he might have been curious about what I was. He had 7 or 8 other deer with him, all slick heads. One heart shot later and I am done for the season!
3 November 20, 2023 Nice 8 pointer from Farmers Woods Stand. A late and frigid night and the camera would not work properly. Could not get the flash to fire. Managed to manipulate and salvage this insanely underexposed photo enough to be somewhat visible.
4 November 23, 2022 Arrowed this fellow when a small group of does "dragged" him right under me at about 20 yards!
5 November 23, 2022 Not the best photo, but I snapped this with my phone maybe 5 minutes before this group of does reversed direction and came right under me, him following behind.
6 November 21, 2021 Hooks Grip and Grin photo 1 I had been watching this mature buck on trail camera for the last couple years. This year his antlers were basically unchanged from 2020, maybe a bit more mass.
Anyway, within the last few days, he started cruising our woods for does quite often. I was astonished to seem him suddenly approaching me. Still recovering from surgery for a torn bicep tendon, I was forced to use a crossbow. My deer for 2021.
7 Hooks Grip and Grin photo 2 I named him hooks a couple years ago due to his outward hooking brow tines. With all the countless "generic" 8 pointers we have running around, it is nice to have something distinctive to tell them apart.
8 Only about 6 hours left to live 11 20 2021.png A still taken from video from the night before. Cruising for does. . .
9 Riott's DeerFest 2021 Buck. DeerFest 2021, South Edition, November 5, 2021
Riott's Rack Fork about 10 seconds from being arrowed
10 Riott's Rack Fork Grip and Grin 11 05 2021 Amazingly, we got the shot on video on one trail camera and video of the doe and him fleeing then him crashing on another camera.
11 Mick's first Deer! 10 02 2021 Mick was hunting from Center Woods Stand and made a great spine shot that dropped her right there!
12 The Broadhead as it was removed Mick's broadhead after pulling the arrow out.
13 As I found him December 3, 2020 What a horse! The big boys were seeking and chasing HARD on this frozen morning!
14 December 3, 2020 My Deer for 2020 A big 8 pointer Our deer meat was finally getting low so it was time. I skipped shooting a deer last year (2019) because we still had tons of venison and turkey in the freezer.
15 Riott's bloody arrow stuck in an apple tree after a pass through shot
16 November 8, 2020 DeerFest 2020 South Edition was a tough one. Not much moving and the temps were too warm. On the last day, in order to put some venison in the freezer, Johnny Riott lowered his standards and arrowed two bambi deer within an hour of each other. A male and a female. Two perfect shots.
He would not let me take grip and grin photos so I am using these amazing gory photos. I was able to extract the arrow and broadhead without damage.
17 Kenny's December 4, 2019 spike From Kenny's stand.
18 Riott's DeerFest 2019 Buck It was a quiet DeerFest this year with not much seen at all on Friday, but on Saturday morning (November 9, 2019), they were moving. Have been seeing this large spike on camera for a few weeks.
19 Johnny Riott's spike.
20 Johnny Riott's spike.
21 Kenny's 8 Pointer 12 02 2018 Pic 3 Kenny blasted this nice buck from his treestand during the late afternoon of December 2nd, 2018.
22 Kenny's 8 Pointer 12 02 2018 Pic 4
23 Kenny's 2018 Buck Alive 12 02 2018 Pic 1 Kenny's December 2 2018 buck from earlier that day. He was cruising our woods for does several times that day and in recent days judging from the trail cam photos and videos.
24 Kenny's 2018 Buck Alive 12 02 2018 Pic 2
25 November 8 2018 8 Pointer Photo 1 The first buck of 2018. Been watching lots of bucks of this size/age class on the trail cameras out back.
There are several much bigger running around as well but decided I had better finally get one in the freezer.
26 November 8 2018 8 Pointer Photo 2
27 My Winter Buck December 1 2017 Pic 1 My blood thirsty days are gone. No more need to fill all 4 of my Maryland buck tags with racks. Now, I pick one deer late in the season after I have helped everyone else get their deer in the freezer.
I had watched this buck on trail cameras since July and as he shadowed a group of does, I decided it was finally time to end my season and start catching up on chores!
28 My Winter Buck December 1 2017 Pic 2 I passed on many bucks this season, including several much larger than this fellow but on the full moon late afternoon of December 1st, it just felt right. It has been a great season!
29 My Winter Buck from earlier in the season Digging into my trail camera photo archives I was able to find a few photos of this buck from earlier in the season.
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31 Early September and still in velvet
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33 Devin's First Deer 11 22 2017 Shawn and Devin drove down from Maine to hunt over the Thanksgiving long weekend and Shawn and I peer pressured (via real-time text messages) poor Devin into arrowing this deer, his first, to get it under his belt so to speak. He made a PERFECT shot with the crossbow I loaned him. We need to get him a proper bow now. He has graduated and has the passion. Good stuff. Now, onto bigger deer for Devin!
34 Johnny Riotts 8 Pointer 11 10 2017 Pic 1 John came down for DeerFest 2017 and this sweet 8 pointer was the buck he chose. On the good days, we saw, and could have arrowed, many deer. On the poor days, we saw little or nothing.
35 Johnny Riotts 8 Pointer 11 10 2017 Pic 2 it was a good DeerFest2017 with 100% shot opportunity on antlered bucks and John made a PERFECT shot on this buck.
36 Mc8 Pointer under SW Stand 10 07 2017 Pic 2 Here are a few photos from earlier in the year of John's 8 pointer. I have 7 cameras running out back and there were so many bucks of this age/size class running round that in early summer I had named this one "Mc8 Pointer" for some reason.
37 Mc8 Pointer under SW Stand 10 07 2017 Pic 1
38 Mc8 Pointer under SW Stand 10 07 2017 Pic 3
39 Mc8 Pointer at Salt Site 10 05 2017
40 Mc8 Pointer at Salt Site 10 01 2017
41 Mc8 pointer and the Uni 6 under SW Stand 10 01 2017 Pic 1
42 Mc8 Pointer and the Uni 6 under SW Stand 10 01 2017 Pic 2
43 November 19 2016 Small 8 Pointer Pic 1 My first buck of the season. Been waiting and waiting and passing on countless does, yearling spikes, yearling forks and yearling sixes. Finally, a rack buck. A small one to be sure but the first one that came in range.
44 November 19 2016 Small 8 Pointer Pic 2 At this point in my deer hunting evolution, this represents the smallest buck that I would consider harvesting. Spread just even with his ears. A nice 2 1/2 year old.
45 Johnny Riott's First Buck 11 07 2016 J. Riott arrowed his first proper buck from Kenny's Stand out back and it was a perfect shot! A wonderful yearling fork! The deer had not been moving much due to warm temps but that morning, they were moving with temps in the 30s. Temps in the 30s gets them on their feet here during the Rut. Good stuff.
46 February 27 2016 Canada Goose February 27, 2016. One last goose for the season (which closes in about a week). Was outside on the back steps before sunset sorting through my turkey hunting gear for the coming season and the flocks of Canadas started up. I decided why not? Grabbed the 10 gauge, stood about 5 paces from the back door, picked one out from a low flying flock and it crashed right next to the 10 yard target in the archery range out back. How handy is that?
47 February 27 2016 Canada Goose This gun kicks like a damn mule. Will be happy to let it lie dormant until late December when it will be time to blast the annual Christmas Goose while standing on the lawn.
48 Christmas Goose December 19 2015 Pic 1 I got the idea a few months ago that I wanted to shoot a goose while standing on my lawn and that it would be our Christmas Goose. Well tonight, near sunset, I was working out with kettlebells by the shed when the flocks of geese started to pass low overhead. So I ran inside and grabbed the H&R Model 176 10 gauge (the serial number indicates it was built in 1979) 'goose artillery piece' and missed my first shot as I did not lead my bird enough.
49 Christmas Goose December 19 2015 Pic 2 Thought too much about how much lead I needed and I flubbed it. A few minutes later, though, another flock came by. Ran back in for the shotgun again and this time, I didn't think about how much lead I needed, I just picked one out and shot and this Canada Goose came tumbling down. Christmas Goose for 2015! Will try to make this an annual tradition. Could have shot many more as the flocks were suddenly everywhere and low and slow flying too but one per year is enough.
50 BIG 10 Pointer MD Opening Day 11 28 2015 Opening day of the 2015 Maryland firearm season. I thought they would be running fast opening day so I opted for a fast handling rifle. Aimpoint Micro T-1 on top of a Micro 7 rifle in .300 Blackout. Red dot scoped rifles are strong medicine for fast moving deer.
51 BIG 10 Pointer MD Opening Day 11 28 2015 pic 2 I aged him via dental wear using current "biologist methods" and I am astonished that he is only a 2 1/2 year old. Good lord. Imagine what he would have turned into in several more years. State records contender I bet.
52 BIG 10 Pointer MD Opening Day 11 28 2015 pic 3
53 10 24 2015 Big 7 Pointer Pic 1 Last day of the three day Early Muzzleloader season. Three bucks appeared just before dark, one at a time, and they started fighting. One would watch as the other two tested strength in fairly mellow, but forceful, contests. This is the one I chose as he seemed, if only barely, the largest. He more than held his own against the other two bucks. They all seemed generally evenly matched in size and strength.
54 10 24 2015 Big 7 Pointer Pic 2 3 buck tags done. One more to go. Unfortunately, I have to wait more than 5 weeks to be able to use it. The Saturday after Thanksgiving will be firearm season and I will have 2 weeks to work hard to fill that last buck tag.
55 October 10, 2015 This CUTE little 8 pointer with the really cool mass filled micro rack was too much for me to pass up after a almost 40 minutes of watching him. He scent checked two does and chased one right by my stand and I decided to zap him.
56 October 10, 2015 2 of 4 buck tags filled. This was my Bonus Buck. Will stop hunting until Early Muzzleloader season in a couple weeks when I can shoot another buck. The last buck tag will have to be used in Muzzleloader or Firerms season. We will see.
57 Here is the Micro Basket 8 from 15 days prior From the Kenny's trail camera in our woods.
58 here is the Micro Basket 8 from 15 days prior
59 October 3, 2015 Well, out just west of Frederick they are still in bachelor groups but are starting to show interest in does I believe.
This nice little 8 pointer was cruising for does this evening I think. He was maybe loosely with a bachelor group of three. A spike and a small basket rack 6 pointer with tall bright yellow antlers were definately close buddies and I considered zapping the small 6 but passed, hoping to see him next year maybe.
Well, the smaller bucks were acting nervous and constantly staring at their backtrail. I hoped something bigger was alarming them. So I waited and waited and sure enough, just at the last possible minute of shooting light, the boss (of this group anyway) eventually brought up the rear. There was a doe and her baby there too but he was not really interested in any of the group. The spike scampered playfully around him though! He left the group in short order and was heading toward the standing corn and presented a nice broadside shot and that was that.
60 October 3, 2015
61 11 29 14 Fork Horn Pic 1 Opening day of Maryland Firearm Season today. This little guy came through right at sunrise. Savage 10MLBTSS-II smokeless powder muzzleloader. This is the third deer with this muzzleloader. Mine likes 41.3 grains of Accurate 5744 smokeless powder, Hornady .45 caliber 250 grain XTP pistol bullets, and high pressure sabots for maximum accuracy. This load pounds the deer hard with nutso accuracy.
62 11 29 14 Fork Horn Pic 2 I guess I am shooting small bucks again? The rut is OVER and things have been DEAD lately. Did not expect to see any deer at all let alone antler. Got a little too excited. Poor little bugger.
Savage quit making these guns but does limited runs every few years. Get one if you can. There is no more capable muzzleloader out there as smokeless powder simply cannot be beat. Just don't blow yourself up as these guns do not suffer the foolish, the careless, or the distracted. Botch your charge badly and off you go to the hospital or morgue.
Yes it also takes BP substitute for the states, like MD, that require BP or a BP substitute.
63 11 29 14 Fork Horn Pic 0 Checked the relevant trail camera the next day and found this! A photo of the little bugger about 6 hours before he ran by 20 yards from Center Woods Stand.
64 Kenny's 11 15 14 8 Ptr 1 Brother Kenny arrowed this nice plump 8 pointer a little after 4PM. The buck was cruising for does coming from East to West through our woods and 15 yards from Kenny's stand. Perfect pass through double lung and the deer never left our woods. Perfect!
65 Kenny's 11 15 14 8 Ptr 2
66 Kenny's Deer a few hours before he arrowed it 10:31 am on 11 15 2014
Kenny's buck a few hours before he arrowed it when it came back through the other direction.
67 Diseased 6 Pointer 11 14 2014 11 14 2014: An ill little 6 pointer. I quit shooting bucks this small some time ago but decided to stray from my 100 gross inch minimum and put him out of his suffering. I can't imagine how the poor thing ate. I would estimate that he was 40 - 50 pounds under the weight he should have been.
68 Diseased Buck 11 14 2014 pic 1 Graphic photos of the almost tennis ball sized warts/tumors. Not much meat there really compared others in the same age class in our area. Pretty bad deformity but somehow he still had enough gusto to chase two does past my stand, grunting as he went. Pretty gruesome! Poor little bugger!
70 11 3 14 Los Bastardo with 7 pointer November 3, 2014: They are in full rut up here in Marylandistan! This morning, a doe came tearing ass into the field not long after sunrise, followed by her baby, followed by a small fork, followed by a larger fork, followed by a big rack buck. Had to yell HEYYY!!!! a couple times to get the procession to pause so I could shoot. Here is the rack buck. "YA!!!! Well done Stimpson" View Comments...
71 Big 7 Another view His right brow tine never grew. Lots of antler burl activity going on at the location but no brow tine emerged from the beam. I will always remember him charging across the field, the #5 deer in the race procession, the bright November morning sun blazing off his white antlers high above his head.
72 11 23 2013 10 Ptr Pic 4 November 23, 2013: I nice little 10 pointer (ok, ok, he is an 8 ptr. that wants to be a 10 pointer-I am going by that old VT hillbilly test, if you can hang your ring off it, it is a point. Boone & Crocket/Pope & Young feel different of course, must be 1" at least for them. But we don't care about them do we?)
This buck had the kind manners to have been heading for my lawn when I arrowed him and he dropped 24 paces from my butchering tree you see in the photo. How helpful! I was in the tree stand overlooking my shooting range at the time. First time I have had that stand site actually work. Course, I have only hunted once last season and this time this season. Maybe I should sit there more next season.
He was missing his left eye and you can see the situation in this photo. Looks like he lost it in a fight long ago. It was healed up but it was just the sad remains of a popped eyeball.
73 11 23 2013 10 Ptr Pic 2 November 23rd. Another view, from the following morning. Was so cold (20s) that I was able to leave him hanging over night and cut him up the next day. Not often I get to do that!
Bet he caught an antler tine in the eye. Good lord that must have hurt!
Man was it cold that afternoon! Driving North wind and well below freezing. Coldest air of the season so far. At this point I am all tagged out and glad to be. Now I can sleep in, stay warm and tend to chores and house projects more! Been a great first season on our little parcel in W. Maryland
75 11 18 2013 8 Pointer Pic 1 November 18, 2013- Another view.
76 2 Maryland Muzzleloader Bucks Saturday, October 19, 2013. The bucks suddenly started seeking does that morning. Been hitting the woods hard the last month and a half and seen does and little ones occasionally. No Fall activity really, no rubs or scrapes. Then the temps got chilly, into the low 40's and WHAMMO they started moving. Like someone flipped a switch! The 8 was cruising the edge of the corn looking for does at 7:35. Then the little spikey (not really a 3 pointer I guess) came by at 7:39. 2 shots from the muzzle loader and that was that!
77 Kenny Doe 9 26 2013 Kenny crossbowed this large doe from his stand (See Map at bottom of photos) on the evening of September 26, 2013.
78 Wood Duck 11 10 12 Hurricane Sandy really brought our little pond to full and with the water came the occasional waterfowl visitors. Here is my first duck in years. Taken off our little pond last Saturday in our little patch of woods. Shot with my favorite shotgun, a Savage/Fox Model B 16 Gauge that is older than me!
79 Kenny gets an 8 Pointer! (11 12 12) Kenny is our neighbor and friend and is one of very few people to whom I have granted hunting permission on our little patch of land and here is an 8 pointer he got with his crossbow! I was in a tree (Stand #1) on one side of the pond and Kenny was in a tree (his stand, See Map at bottom of photos) on the other side. I tried rattling when I heard the buck grunting but it was not enough to draw him my way.The buck chose to travel on his side instead of mine just before dark and that was that! Nice shot brother! The Rage 2 Blade broadhead does the trick again. Light South wind that day, about 55 degrees F.
