I had something very similar happen to myself this year. While hunting I get a good mature buck to come in. The problem is I expected him on one trail that is exactly 30 yards. Having that in mind he takes the trail that is 16 yards. By the way did I mention that I have taken several P&Y bucks and this one was mature but by far wouldn't of been my largest. I grunt to stop him, anchor my 30 yard pin right behind his shoulder aiming into his opposite shoulder and let the arrow fly. Yes you read that right I used my thirty yard pin on a sixteen yard shot. I missed the buck, he ran off an stopped about 60 yards away. This is were it gets good. While trying to grunt this buck back, which he was responding well to the grunt tube, I neglected to notice the much larger buck that was about 30 yards behind him on the same trail. He stopped sniffed my arrow and promptly busted me in my stand. I was sick. I don't know how many deer I have taken with my bow, but I would of thought that I had never hunted before based on the way I was in that stand.
My first deer was a buck, just a fork horn, but it means as much to me as any of the larger bucks I have ever taken. I remember my cousing telling me that if I see a doe wait there could be other deer following including bucks. I was sitting there at first light when a smaller doe crossed at about 40 yards, then a larger doe, and then the small buck. I put the crosshairs on him and squeezed the trigger. It was great a feeling and It turned me into a deer hunting addict.
I believe Bushnell exursion are right in that price range. They work quite well, but if you truly need good binoculars spend the money.
The reason many of them are not making smokeless muzzleloaders, is because the are not legal in many of the states to use as muzzleloaders. That is an expensive investment for something you can't legally use to hunt with in most areas. It would be like Titleist making non conforming drivers, yes people would buy them buth not that many.
I had a mental lapse, that is phase.
Has anyone else purchased the 870 super slug or know anyone that has? What kind of groups have shot with it and with what type of ammo? I purchased the 870 super slug because of its pinned barrell to the receiver (like a rifle) because of some of the long range shots that sometimes present themself in the middle of shotgun country. I have shot mine out to 150 yards and been able to shoot decent groups using a leupold 3-9 scope designed for hornady sabots. Seems to be a great set up, but just wanted to know if anyone else has had the same success.
All I can say is trigger speed. If the camera is going to be set up on a walk way you need the fastest trigger speed to get the picture. However, set up on a scrape or food source where baiting is legal slower trigger speed will work fine. Usually the higher mega-pixel cameras are slower because of processing speed.
Has the chasing faise of the rut began in your hunting area? I live in southwest Michigan about half way between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. I experienced the first chasing action last night for the season. In the two hours before dark I saw several bucks chasing does, but had no luck drawing anything close enough to shoot. I mean no large bucks. This happened on October 26th. What a night to leave my grunt tube back in my truck.
I use Muzzy MX 3 in 100g and they work great. Blood trails are very important were I hunt because animals can disappear from view in less than 30 yards.
Have both heavy and lighter rifles and match your rifle to your hunt.