The acorns have been killing me!I haven't hunted for the last week anybody seeing good activity. Ive been skunked since November 20th. I have seen a bunch of sandhill cranes that I can't shoot pretty frustrating

It's been tough going this year. Some activity right after Thanksgiving. Not much last weekend. Went out this past Saturday before the storm. Saw 2 bucks. I'm debating on whether to share the story, it's a bit embarrassing. What the heck, I'm among understanding folks on this forum.

I took a buddy hunting, just to hang out. He's not a hunter but enjoys being away from the city. Well we're sitting in the blind for the morning hunt. It right before legal shooting light, I can see the feeder and can tell a big bodied buck is feeding. Still about 5 minutes before shooting light. Given the overcast, it was still a bit darker than usual. The buck starts to head off, and come towards us. I'm praying that he slows down, its now a race with the sun. At this point I can see through my scope and binocs that he's the big 10 i've been hunting and hoping to see all season. He stands broadside at 60 yds. By the way, I'm shooting a Remington 7MM ultra mag. sighted in for 200 yards. I feel there is now enough light to possibly take the shot. But I decide to wait another minute. My buddy starts to panic, he's watching the buck intently. All I hear, is shoot shoot shoot, he's moving off, take the shot. At this point, I start to shake, my mind goes blank, by the time I feel I'm ready, I take the shot.

My buddy says, uhmmm... he's still there and now looking right us. I know the shot went high. With the muzzle blast and recoil, I try to reacquire. Then remember, chamber another round!!! In my panic to cycle another cartridge, the empty casing flies out, hits the side of the blind. The buck hears the commotion and turns briskly walks, trot, waving his tail right in to the woods, never to be seen again. I'm still kicking myself for not getting my fever under control, adjusting for the elevation and distance and letting my buddy influence me. All lessons learned. It did make for eventful morning.

Well sounds like my luck.it was Nov 15 the rut in full swing I'm watching a couple does running around behind my feeder setup then they disappear about five minutes later they come back towards the feeder behind them comes the big mainframe 8 with a couple kickers he chases the does they come towards me I get my rifle ready I whistle the buck stops perfect broadside shot about 80 yards get ready to shoot I'm ready pull trigger CLICK! My heart sinks I rack another round but by then he's back to chasing the does. They all disappear then about 20 minutes later the does come back out but he never showed. I have Mossberg atr and never have any issues at range but when I'm in blind and its cold its like my spring gets weak and doesn't hit primer hard enough same thing happened last year on a coyote. I haven't seen anything worth shooting since. Kinda depressing I took last weekend off hopefully the acorns will be rotten within next week or 2

I would report firing pin problem to Mossberg.

On Thanksgiving I had six or seven deer walk up to my feeder, in Montague county, at about 45 minutes after light and about the same after the feeder went off. I shot the biggest, an 8 point, just to put the meat in the freezer. Even after the shot the deer ran off about20 yards and then just hung out. Really docile.

I have also seen deer wondering around at odd time like noon to 3pm. Every time I have seen them out in the middle of the day, they have been eating acorns and no where near my feeder.

Last weekend I saw the first deer in over a month. They don't have to move to eat.

I am embarrassed to say that I haven't been ot in over 2 weeks. I have had doe at my feeder every 3rd day or so from the cam pics, but have not seen a buck since the acorns dropped.

Good news is that the oil company seems to have pulled out of where they were drilling up the road about a mile or 2 and the traffic is less.