I still haven't been able to make it out yet. We have about 10" of snow on top of 6" of crusty snow on the ground. I'm really hoping my fall 2021 school schedule is like it was this past fall. I was able to log more hours in the woods than any year prior, which made for more encounters.
Went out yesterday to just walk around. There is about 15" of snow on the ground. It is interesting to see how deer behavior changes with that much snow. Normal travel routes were abandoned as the snow was too deep. The deer seemed to be using a few twisting paths that led from one cluster of pines to another where the snow wasn't as heavy. Also, it was much easier to spot bedding areas. I jumped a pair of does and chased them through the snow for a bit. Turns out deer are still faster than me even in the snow
I got out Saturday afternoon. I scouted through a new section on a piece of public that I started learning this season. This section was a half mile long strip that is only about 250 yards wide. Bordered on the north by a lake and on the south by a two lane highway. I walked in from the west where there was parking at a G and F public fishing dock. Scouting was mainly around a small pond in the woods. I jumped five does that were bedded in the draw I had Marked on HuntStand as potential bedding to the south side of the pond and only 75 yards from the highway. Access will be tough for evening sits in late season with how open it was. I had the wind in my favor and the does jumped when I was 100 yards away. There were several More draws with thicker cover that I did not have time to scout that I suspect would also be bedding. I will check it out more next chance I get.
I got out Saturday to do some scouting, hiked about a mile on on public to a remote field, ended up being a bust and didn’t find much sign at all, so I hurried back to the car and got out to another spot down the road and found some incredible sign in the snow at the top of this ridge, I also came across 17 beds in about 50 yards, hung a camera and will be back in a couple weeks to scout the area a little more and possibly take my XOP and figure out where I want to hang a stand at and prep the area
Now that I found a bedding area in the snow, what would be your next move? Find their exit/ entry? Try to figure out where the fall food would be? Or should I take advantage of the snow and try to find more bedding areas?
Got out again to the same location to get a little more intel and hang another camera, I’ve never seen so much sign on Public land, I found another dozen beds or so and kicked up two deer. Checked the camera I put up last week and there were 67 pictures of deer in a week! Decided to hunt this area I’m going to need to be mobile.. selling my XOP and getting a saddle, if anyone’s interested in a decked out xop hang on it’s in the classifieds!
I went out yesterday afternoon and did a four mile bow hike in a foot of snow. Arkansas rarely gets this kind of snow. Scouted my way further through the area I looked at last weekend. As I suspected, the sign got better about a mile and a half from the parking where the lake shore and highway funneled the woods down into a thick creek bottom. I found several beds and a few rubs from the fall. Some of the beds were only 50 yards off the highway. I followed a couple of trails through different bedding areas until I got to a point where I couldn’t cross the creek.
Where’s the squirrels? We don’t know because we couldn’t find any. But we had a good time finding deer sign and scouting. Among our interesting finds today; an empty turtle shell, a leg of a dead deer, a well-used creek crossing, and a couple of rubs from last fall. Despite four hours of walking and covering 2.5 miles we only saw one squirrel and no deer. Oh well, beats watching tv. That will put a wrap on the 2020-2021 season for us. Archery season is over Monday. It will be storming the rest of the weekend.
I picked up a phantom off a college buddy! Just got the XOP mini sticks as well, just need to get my platform and I’m ready to roll!!
Do you have any certain platform in mind or one you are researching? A bunch of new ones are being launched right now. I think they would have been featured at the ATA show if they had had one. XOP is coming out with one that looks nice and is at a better price point than tethrd or the mission. Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
Jealous of you guys getting out! Started working a second job and have devoted all spare time to learning my new craft. Itching to get out everyday. Still have my reveals in the woods. If the activity holds up it looks like I'll have a nice turkey season.. deer sightings are at a minimal though. Probably a factor of the weather and food sources but still nice to at least have an eye on what has been going on.
