Hunting with a camera

[Lobocop]

It has been 5 years since drawing a tag in this State, so it is time to hunt with a camera. Spent a couple hours this afternoon scouting the area around my house, on my quad, and found many nice bucks to shoot. These deer were between 400 - 500 yards away and I was using a Canon EOS 20D with a 75-300 Canon lens. Some day I will have a really good telephoto to zoom in on these critters. In all, I spotted over 20 nice bucks today and took 70 photos.

[SpectreMan1]

Some nice bucks there.
Used to hunt some when I lived back home in Michigan but never did get anything the one time I had one in my sights , there was a house beyond the thickets he was in and I decided not to take the shot and am very glad I didnt 3 little kids were playing in the yard that would of been in my line of fire behind the thicket. had I missed him..........well glad I dont have to worry about that!!

[Lobocop]

You made the right decision if you were unsure of your backstop.

There was one huge 5X5 that I would get a glimpse of every so often, but he would never expose himself where I could get a good picture of him. I'll be going back soon and hope to catch him in the field, just wish I had a better lens for that distance.

[SpectreMan1]

Yeah I have never taken a shot when unsure of my backstop and never will.
On my dads farm there was a huge 12 pointer for awhile he never hunted so the deer would congrgate on his property, used to love watching him out on the back 40.

[Guitar7272]

Originally Posted by SpectreMan1

Yeah I have never taken a shot when unsure of my backstop and never will.
On my dads farm there was a huge 12 pointer for awhile he never hunted so the deer would congrgate on his property, used to love watching him out on the back 40.

Good control friend... when I took hunters education (mandatory in NJ) that was one of the points they hammered home: NEVER FIRE UNLESS YOU ARE SURE OF WHATS BEHIND YOUR TARGET

[Tim_Stanley_47]

Nice shots. How do you like your Canon? I have a similar setup with the Sony Alpha A100, and I am just getting to where I am comfortable with it.

Tim

[fretbuzz]

Kudos for making the best of a situation, Lobo.

Too bad that doesn't put venison in the pan.

[kc6wfs]

Originally Posted by Guitar7272

Good control friend... when I took hunters education (mandatory in NJ) that was one of the points they hammered home: NEVER FIRE UNLESS YOU ARE SURE OF WHATS BEHIND YOUR TARGET

Ya thats what got VP D!ck Chaney in trouble!! hehe...

[StarGate]

Originally Posted by Guitar7272

Good control friend... when I took hunters education (mandatory in NJ) that was one of the points they hammered home: NEVER FIRE UNLESS YOU ARE SURE OF WHATS BEHIND YOUR TARGET

Hunter safety is such a important part of hunting. I've witnessed hunters that didn't positively identify what they were shooting at, much less what was behind it. AR passed the mandatory hunters ed law several years ago. I wasn't required to have it because of age and # of years hunting but when it came time for my stepson to get his certification, I took the course with him just as a refresher course.

[Thunder Lizard]

Camera hunting has always been my favorite..... season's always open, fifty people can share the same animal for years in a row, and no messy cleanup.
Nice shots, I've been eyeing the EOS 30D for a while now, and the more photos I see taken with that line, the more convinced it's the camera I want to move up to.
And with a camera, Bambi keeps Mom, AND Flower, lol.

[Lobocop]

Originally Posted by Tim_Stanley_47

Nice shots. How do you like your Canon? I have a similar setup with the Sony Alpha A100, and I am just getting to where I am comfortable with it.

Tim

I love the camera, just wish I had a better lens for these shots. It has great auto features or you can get really creative if you desire. The only drawback to the Canon 20D is the price and when I picked this one up 2 years ago it was spendy, but I guess the price has dropped a great deal on them now. Here are a few more cropped from the large 3504 x 2336 images.

[Lobocop]

Originally Posted by fretbuzz

Kudos for making the best of a situation, Lobo.

Too bad that doesn't put venison in the pan.

It sure doesn't, but some day I'll get another tag (I hope)

[Fab Man]

Camera hunts can help calm the craving, I sitting here counting the clock, I leave for a 7 day antlope hunt this friday in eastern MT

[A2rider]

Nice pics, Ken. All the deer down here are small compared to what I grew up with in Michigan.

[Lobocop]

Originally Posted by A2rider

Nice pics, Ken. All the deer down here are small compared to what I grew up with in Michigan.

Thanks, Tina. These are Mule deer and all that we have in Northern Nevada. They do get huge up here.

[Lobocop]

Originally Posted by Fab Man

Camera hunts can help calm the craving, I sitting here counting the clock, I leave for a 7 day antlope hunt this friday in eastern MT

Just had to come in here and tell me that ... didn't you

Wish you luck on your hunt, guy. It is getting to be almost impossible to get a tag as a resident here in Nevada. I guess the State gets more money from the out of State hunters and that is where their focus is ... money.

[Fab Man]

That is what I hear. A friend of mine just moved here so he could hunt mule deer. He lived in nevada for 6 years and never did get to hunt mule deer. He did get lots of bird hunting inn. Yes I am still staring down the clock, tick tick tick

[StarGate]

Just got my permit in the mail today for a 3 day whitetail hunt in Nov. on a federal refuge.

Lobo, if you wanna pay shipping I'd consider sending you a hind quarter or something, providing I get something this year. I've got 4 tags and theres no shortage of deer here you just gotta be able to find them come opening day. By the way, never hunted mule deer whats the avg weight on the hoof? Our largest run a little over 300 for a mature buck on the refuge.

[Lobocop]

Originally Posted by StarGate

Just got my permit in the mail today for a 3 day whitetail hunt in Nov. on a federal refuge.

Lobo, if you wanna pay shipping I'd consider sending you a hind quarter or something, providing I get something this year. I've got 4 tags and theres no shortage of deer here you just gotta be able to find them come opening day. By the way, never hunted mule deer whats the avg weight on the hoof? Our largest run a little over 300 for a mature buck on the refuge.

Having never had the opportunity to hunt whitetail, yet, it is on my short list to do someday. I know there is a better chance of getting a tag as an out of state hunter so hitting the Dakota's or Wyoming again, or possibly Idaho is what I will probably do.

Thank you for the generous offer, but I will have some venison soon from a friend in Wyoming.

A good Muley will run 300 - 350 on the hoof. My last one from Wyoming went 176 skinned at the meat locker (4X4 28" spread). Got him just off the Chief Joseph Highway near Red Lodge.

Thanks again and good luck on your hunt! Would love to see any pictures of it.

[Tim_Stanley_47]

Here are some of my favorite "Hunting pics". Enjoy.

Tim