If he were on my property then his future roommates would be named Stouffer’s, Birdseye, and Breyers.
He is a very killable buck. I get pictures of him everyday early, late, and some in broad daylight. I think he's 3 1/2. I know with the number of better bucks I have I'll probably give him a pass, but late season rolls around he might not be so lucky if I'm still after a buck.
Okay, two decent bucks have been spotted on this 80 acres. Two years in a row, I’ve gotten “monster buck in the field in front of your parents house. That’s usually around mid nov and he’s pushing a little buck out of the woods. He’s also been spotted this summer in the beans. He normally been seen around the black square, both mid November and this summer. Yellow is a rub line I found last year, but for some reason didn’t end up hunting it. The red circle in the satellite image is where I believe him to be bedded, but I have no facts to back this up. I’m just going off the direction of the rub line and the trail across the creek. Green is the access I plan on trying with a SW wind. It’s not a trail, just kinda bushwhacking through there. The trail is on the rubline ridge and the other ridge directly north. If anybody else is hunting this piece, maybe my cousin, they’ll access it down the ridge trails. That’s how it’s been hunted for 40 years. This is based on last years information, so it may be different this year, but those bucks have showed up in the beans and there’s enough oak trees on that 80 acres to build an ark, so I think the primary food source will still be there or close by. Anybody have any ideas, tips, or tricks?
Other than hunting the wind and being cautious on your entrance/exit, I don't think there's much else we can say.
Got a new buck showing up at one of my spots. Still have 2 more cams to check tomorrow. He may be on those as well. Have to wait and see. Also have some pics of one of my shooters out of velvet. The pics of the new one aren't the greatest. Hope to get some better ones if him. He's definitely a hit lister. That gives me 8 so far on the list now.
I'll be checking 2 more cams tomorrow. One of those will be in a new spot so I'm curious what will be on it.
Without seeing any more of the surrounding area its hard to say, but I am wondering if that that rub line is him marking the perimeter of his territory rather than a travel corridor to/from bedding. Where were those trail cameras that took those photos? Is it possible to put a camera up along that rub line? Even if you only left it there a week or 2 you would be able to tell whether he is passing through the rub line daily or if he is just swinging through once or twice a week to refresh the rubs. Have you found any scrapes along or near that rub line? What is off to the left of the photo (fields, woods, etc)? If there is more deer habitat off to the left then I kind of like the looks of that area you have circled in red as bedding as well as that little line of trees through the field just below it too.. (See blue arrows in my markups) Assuming that those little peninsulas of woods that my blue arrows are pointing at are leading to more habitat then from what I can see those 2 spots are really the only way for him to stay in cover and move between your area and the area off the left of screen and would be pretty big funnels. (I am making the assumption that the areas where I put the white arrows don't wrap around off-screen and also lead to the same habitat). I am wondering if the area you have circled as bedding is actually just the exit from that funnel which leads to his bedding area located further off-screen to the left.
Also, does that creek always hold water all the time or is it more of a drainage that drys up a few days after a rain? If the creek is dry then those 2 ponds look to be the only water holes in the area. The pond that's on the bottom of the screen also has some good choke points leading to it that you could potentially hunt.
The creek holds some water, but being as dry as it has been, it may be dry except for some deeper holes. My parents pond is across the rd yellow arrow). I may go in early and scout that south west corner next to that other pond and see if I see anything. Definitely take a cam or two. The trail cam pics that I’ve posted are from behind my house about 20 minutes south of this. That area west of Ivan lane used to be owned by a family that hit the lottery, bailed all there kids out of jail, put 9 double wides on 60 acres, ran out of money in about 8 years, then started burning them down for insurance money lol. They’ve been out of there for at least 10 years though, but I can’t get permission back there. You can still see where the driveways went back to the houses. I’ll put a camera up opening day and see what happens after a week.
Not the post I was hoping to be writing. Never been much from hunting from a ground blind but this spot that is the only option. I was down off a slight embankment looking over two apple trees. Had some decent does and a couple bucks on camera. Yesterdays weather was perfect, 40 minutes before sunset had two does come in and not present me a shot. Finally moved where I could get a possible shot, drew back my bow and the top of m bow touched the roof of my blind, she quartered toward me and blew (I passed up the shot) and they took off. I un-nocked my arrow as to call it a night realizing I'm not a fan of ground blinds at all. Next thing I know shes ten yards from me starring into my blind, trying to bust me. Luckily she didn't and they ended up going over to the apple trees and feeding for another 15 minutes. I gave it about 20 minutes after dark until I left to not spook them. Im headed in today to try to see if I can place a treestand possibly on one of the trails they take to the apple tree. Any tips? You guys think I should leave that sight alone for a few days so they don't feel pressured?
I’d say if she came back after she blew, you’re probably okay. Probably just blew out of instinct and then got curious about what it was, since she didn’t get poked, she may have wrote it off.
No new bucks but several of my shooters visiting this stand still in daylight. I also didn't realize how big of a hog that big 6 is!
I wish NC had a fall turkey season. I see thunderchickems all the time when I'm in the deer stand, but come April they're practically nowhere to be found. Plus I've always wanted to cook up a wild one for thanksgiving but I never have the self control to save one until November.
I bought my first turkey tag this past spring, but only got to go out twice and got sidetracked mushroom hunting lol. I’ll be buying another for fall just in case one comes by. I’ve never killed one or cleaned one. Or cooked one.
My first turkey I ever killed I had no idea what I was doing. I tried gutting it first and I cut the bowels open and I never smelled something so wretched in my life. I didn't throw up but I was gagging for probably the next 1/2 hour.
I'm heading out after work, hope to be in the stand by around 6-6:30... Cold front came through yesterday but I couldn't hunt. Still cool today so I'm really looking forward to an afternoon hunt when its in the 60's-70's instead of the high 90's out. I think they're going to be moving a lot tonight. I would really appreciate it if a 180" buck would stop by for a visit.
