Velvet Hunt

[cbhunter]

Evan made it 2 years in a row with this Mature East Tn 8 pt (20 inches inside) Friday afternoon. Old deer at least 5 and field dressed 165 lbs without an oz of fat on him. I will say he has spent the time running Cams since mid July, and only found 2 deer that were even close to big enough to shoot. This one he actually got first pics of on Monday Aug 23rd and he was totally nocturnal (pics anyway) until he showed up 2 mins early on Fri eve.

I love the peeling velvet, gives it lots of character. I assume a good taxi can make the mount look just like that

 

[Madbowh]

Been some solid velvet bucks killed across the State, seeing some activity on social media. 179 checked in thus far. Most counties 1-2 bucks, some counties 5-8 thus far. Good luck to those hunting.

Where did you find real time check-ins like that. I'm always curious throughout the season. I've found end of year results not real time like that. You have a link?

 

[BubbaGoneWild]

Private and public in KY. I had a bachelor group of 4 that were in the 140's patterned pretty well in a bean field that borders some private I have access to. That was going to be my plan until last week when some jerk leg decided to post a picture of them and exact coordinates to social media and it had around 150 comments on it in 2 days!!! Since then there have been 15 trucks pull in to "scout" on a piece that hasn't seen a car pull off all year until then…some people just don't make sense to me when they do this stuff. I get it it's public land and no ones entitled to anything but when people do that they really screw the guys who put in the leg work to find them on their/our own.

Yeah super aggravating. I'm heading out Wednesday night to west KY. Gonna do some looking around on Higgins Henry Thursday and Friday. First time for me. I'm just mainly lookin to do some glossing in the mornings and evenings Not looking to go deep and bump everything away although thats probably already been done by 100 other people lol

 

[tree_ghost]

Yeah super aggravating. I'm heading out Wednesday night to west KY. Gonna do some looking around on Higgins Henry Thursday and Friday. First time for me. I'm just mainly lookin to do some glossing in the mornings and evenings Not looking to go deep and bump everything away although thats probably already been done by 100 other people lol

That's a good spot. You should be ok over there. Best of luck to you!

 

[Winchester]

Saw this on Instagram hopefully it's ok to share, if not please delete.


View attachment 112382

I love the peeling velvet, gives it lots of character. I assume a good taxi can make the mount look just like that

Actually we did all that damage dragging him out. He was basically ready to shed with very little blood left in the velvet, very dry and would immediately break when you put any pressure on it. Not mounting this one as he's not as big as the Velvet buck he killed last year, which by the way had good solid Velvet and was nowhere near ready to shed on this date last year. As for keeping it like that, usually once the velvet is pretty dry like this deer's, you can usually freeze dry it on. Leave it in a deep freeze for 9 months or more usually does the trick.

 

[Andy S.]

Where did you find real time check-ins like that. I'm always curious throughout the season. I've found end of year results not real time like that. You have a link?

TWRA Hunter's Toolbox

 

[Volbuck777]

Evan made it 2 years in a row with this Mature East Tn 8 pt (20 inches inside) Friday afternoon. Old deer at least 5 and field dressed 165 lbs without an oz of fat on him. I will say he has spent the time running Cams since mid July, and only found 2 deer that were even close to big enough to shoot. This one he actually got first pics of on Monday Aug 23rd and he was totally nocturnal (pics anyway) until he showed up 2 mins early on Fri eve.

Awesome buck, what county if you don't mind me asking.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Evan made it 2 years in a row with this Mature East Tn 8 pt (20 inches inside) Friday afternoon. Old deer at least 5 and field dressed 165 lbs without an oz of fat on him. I will say he has spent the time running Cams since mid July, and only found 2 deer that were even close to big enough to shoot. This one he actually got first pics of on Monday Aug 23rd and he was totally nocturnal (pics anyway) until he showed up 2 mins early on Fri eve.

Great deer. Congratulations to him.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Evan made it 2 years in a row with this Mature East Tn 8 pt (20 inches inside) Friday afternoon. Old deer at least 5 and field dressed 165 lbs without an oz of fat on him. I will say he has spent the time running Cams since mid July, and only found 2 deer that were even close to big enough to shoot. This one he actually got first pics of on Monday Aug 23rd and he was totally nocturnal (pics anyway) until he showed up 2 mins early on Fri eve.

Awesome... congrats!

 

[JAY B]

Congrats to all, I know of a guy here local that shot a 162" 8 pt that is a sight to see!

 

[megalomaniac]

Congrats Lil Winchester! Great buck!

 

[Chickencoop96]

No desire to kill a buck in velvet,just a wasted deer in my opinion!

doesnt affect the meat js

 

[Winchester]

Awesome buck, what county if you don't mind me asking.

Anderson county!

 

[DeerCamp]

Didn't see anything with antlers, but it sure was pretty being out there.

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

I tried the velvet hunt. Attempted a spot and stalk on the white velvet 10 friday morning but ran out of terrain and could not catch up to him before he disappeared into bedding. Seen my target Friday evening at 80 just out of range. Saturday I seen nothing and Sunday going in I ran into a guy without permission about to go squirrel hunt the block of woods I been glassing the target deer all August. I learned two things. Squirrel season opened Saturday morning and this guy had ran through that bedding areas 2 mornings in a row. Needless to say I didn't see a deer Sunday either. So much time and gas spent narrowing a deer down only to have opening daynof squirrel season during middle of the velvet hunt. Really think they should move the hunt up to the third Saturday of August because squirrel opener has always been that 4th Saturday.

 

[BubbaGoneWild]

I tried the velvet hunt. Attempted a spot and stalk on the white velvet 10 friday morning but ran out of terrain and could not catch up to him before he disappeared into bedding. Seen my target Friday evening at 80 just out of range. Saturday I seen nothing and Sunday going in I ran into a guy without permission about to go squirrel hunt the block of woods I been glassing the target deer all August. I learned two things. Squirrel season opened Saturday morning and this guy had ran through that bedding areas 2 mornings in a row. Needless to say I didn't see a deer Sunday either. So much time and gas spent narrowing a deer down only to have opening daynof squirrel season during middle of the velvet hunt. Really think they should move the hunt up to the third Saturday of August because squirrel opener has always been that 4th Saturday.

Ahhh I feel your pain man. That absolutely sucks. People just do not realize how much time, money , sweat and sometimes tears lol into this

 

[UTGrad]

I went every year since velvet hunt started but slept in by mistake this year. I guess deep inside I wasn't that fired up about it. I did take the boys squirrel hunting the next morning which was more fun anyways.

The older I get the more I get fired up about deer season in November. I still archery hunt in September and October and it's nice to be in the woods, but being in the woods with a smoke pole on a frosty morning is the best.

 

[TheLBLman]

Really think they should move the hunt up to the third Saturday of August because squirrel opener has always been that 4th Saturday.

Actually, I'm of the opinion this "velvet" hunt overall does more harm than good to the future of hunting, and should be cancelled entirely.

To whom does it cater, and who does it harm?

Maybe as a more workable solution, open archery deer season the 1st Saturday in September, so there would still be opportunity for a "velvet" buck.

In the meantime, to avoid conflict, I suspect more hunters, particularly youth, forfeited their squirrel hunting than went "velvet" hunting.

I went every year since velvet hunt started but slept in by mistake this year. I guess deep inside I wasn't that fired up about it. I did take the boys squirrel hunting the next morning which was more fun anyways.

Glad your boys got to go squirrel hunting!
Many did not due to the conflicts (perceived or real, didn't matter).

Your lack of enthusiasm about the "velvet" hunt seems to match that of most Tennessee hunters, i.e. they have little if any interest in it.