I guess what some guys post is true. There are no deer in Big Oaks.

I'm going down on the 4th to hunt area 34. Anybody been in that area??

I'm going down to do the 12pm safety meeting on the 3rd. When I show up to hunt on the 4th what time do they let me go to my assigned area?

Thanks for any advise.

Never hunted it....good luck!

All the deer at BO are just south of the fence on the drive in.

Haha... a lot of truth there Wheeze.

I am hunting Nov. 9-10 and will be hunting an area new to me. Deer are there, but not everywhere. Took me 3 hunts to kill my first one there. I like hunting it though.

I'm standing under a pretty nice white oak right now.

4:30 or 5:30 AM.... (Not hunting there this year due to the property manager being lazy and pi$$ing me an my buddy off back in April), but my buddy and I would always get there around 2:30AM just to be the first ones out the gate... Saw a ton of deer going in and some really monster ones at that...

I hunted there two weekends ago and killed a small buck on Sunday morning. Shot him standing broadside about 50 yards with a .45 T/C Hawken using 55grains of 3F black powder and patched round ball.

The deer ran about 50 yards and died. I saw him take off and then I couldn't see because of all the smoke. The smoke cloud hung in the air for 5 minutes or more.

After reloading I went to find the blood trail and there really wasn't much blood. I slowly followed the trail kind of watching ahead and finally I spotted him laying with his back to me.

He was a 4pt buck, 1.5 year old. Gutted, tagged and dragged him out with the help of my hunting partner.

At the check station they weighed him and counted his teeth. This is done to 1.5 year bucks to help gauge the health of their deer herd.

7 deer were killed Saturday and 10 on Sunday. 240 showed up on Saturday and 120 on Sunday out of 420 hunting spots. They plan to increase the draw quota next year.


It was a fun hunt and I hope to do it again next year. h.h.

Don't expect to see many deer or sign. I like hunting there but I don't see many deer.

Even with the rain and my failure to fire, I enjoyed the muzzy hunt too.

Thanks to whoever worked to get it going!

For those of you that took part in the Primitive season at BIG OAKS, PLEASE call and give your feedback to the refuge office. Next years season is questionable depending on what the feedback is for this seasons hunt.

My partner and I talked about the high number of no shows and we wondered how many guys applied with out knowing they couldn't use an in-line and didn't have a side hammer gun to use when they got drawn. h.h.

The property manager is not Lazy and if he Pizzed you off you did smething to deserved it

Lol

I went the day before for the safety briefing and there was a handful of guys who had no idea what a "side hammer" or a conical or roundball were. I'm certain THEY didn't come back.

Good idea about calling... I certainly will. I enjoyed it even if the weather was miserable

I was at the 5pm briefing and the woman asked if anyone was using an inline to hunt with and no one spoke up. On Sunday my partner and i where one of the last ones to leave and we thanked all the employees at the checkout counter. We told them what a good time we had and wanted to come back next year. Very friendly people and they put on a great hunt. h.h.

I just called and thanked them for the primitive hunt. Its the only opportunity of that type currently in the state. Told them we had a great time and would love the chance again in the future.

Simple ph call - Mr Fullrut had a good idea. EZ and probably goes a long way.

The staff was very nice the days we hunted and Fri at the briefing. Now if they could tie one of those 170" deer to tree for me id appreciate it!

I'm sure they have to deal w some real characters every yr.

...lol....Joe Robb is a stand up guy ..IMO

Throbak and Brew I sent you PM's explaining the circumstances and antiwheeze your inbox is full...

+1

Joe offered to pull me out of the ditch when I got stuck in the spring. Unfortunately for me the towtruck was on the way so he deferred to them so they would not lose the business

Hunted there last weekend for archery. Didnt see a deer 3 times out and my buddy only seen 2 does. Not much sign in Area 8. Few scrapes, but no rubs spotted. I'll be back in there on the 4th as well. Not impressed with it at all so far. We will see what happens on the 4th. I think they checked in 1 doe by 200 pm on Sat and maybe 20 all together the whole weekend.

Hunted today, got a small tasty buck, partner missed a doe. Was a good day. Continued success at the proving grounds.

You ate it already?

Well not the whole thing...

I have hunted B.O Twice and Loved it, As its a long drive its like someone said you have to hunt it once in your Life time. I saw probably the Largest Buck I have ever seen In Indiana, But it was after dark, and in the No Hunt zone, I saw alot of Deer Both times I hunted it, I just held out for something Bigger, Would I ever Hunt it again, Only If I could Go With (Fullrut).

Haha ditto w/ Fullrut