Some of you may remember a couple of years ago, I put a ladder stand up against a big old dead cottonwood tree in December. It proved to be a very good stand in a transition area from bedding and an ag field. It wasn't until the next summer that I realized it had a bee hive in a lateral branch about shoulder height just behind the stand. There is not another tree in the area big enough to support a stand so I considered getting rid of the bees, but thankfully I asked on HNI before doing so and a few people such as Germ and DukeMichaels reminded me how beneficial bees are. So I didn't do anything and decided to just hunt it in cold weather. Gradually I became more comfortable with the situation (there only honey bees) and began hunting it during warm weather as well. I have even taken a lot of photos of them with no conflict. I added a couple to the end of this thread. Well that changed tonight. It was about 60 degrees and that light mist/light fog kinda weather. I took a jacket with me just in case it got too cool. Well, I get up on the platform and the bees are all in the tree with no activity. So I put my jacket on the limb over the crack they enter/leave from. I did this dozen of times last year in the winter with no problem. Well, about 15 minutes later, they got madder than heck about the jacket and came out of the woodworks(literally). About 15-20 buzz aggressively all around me (SWARM would be too strong a word but close). Now I have had a few buzz around me while up there, but never this many. I never knew I could unhook myself and shimmey down the ladder so fast. I only got stung once. I removed the jacket on my way down so I waited about 5 minutes and went back up there and stayed on the opposite edge of the platform without further incidence. I am glad I went back because before the night was over, I saw a mature buck that would put my "brush buck" to shame. It had to be a 150 class if there ever was one. It didn't present a good shot (had a quarter to at 26 yards but I waited for a better shot that never materialized) but he wasn't buggered, so the next time the wind is right (looks like Thursday based on current forecast) I will be co-habitating with the bees again.
I remember dad making us pick small alfalpha bales right by the wooden box bee hives as kids. Only got bit once in all the years and only because he got caught in my hair. Pretty cool hunting by a hive as I doubt many would. I hope you get a crack at the big buck. Tim
I keep two hives, they really are cool, try smoking them a little to calm them down, instead of covering thier exit :D
I hate bees and will wreck a car if one flies in the window, can imagine what would happen 20 feet up. Was stung 22 times by those big black queen bees when I was a kid, made me paranoid of bees I tell ya.
John ....I ALWAYS lok forward to your posts .. they never dissappoint Great pics and story, Bro ... thanks for posting!! Tim ..... those mullets are BIGTIME bee holders :D Live .... I tried smoking a bee hive once .... couldn't keep it lit Rick ... ROFL!!!:D
I hate bees, grandpa used to keep some hives around back, never got stung when we had them but since then I have been stung like 5 times by them little suckers. I think I have genetics that attract flying insects, Ive been stung by wasp, yellow jackets, hornets, Ginny wasp, honey bees around 20 or so times in my life, Im pretty much immune now lol. Good luck with that buck, but id have to find another way to kill him.
I dont mind bees all that much......, but sitting next to a hive, eh i think would wait till winter haha.
