Fitz's 2011 Season Journal (*semi-live)

Found 3 new fresh scrapes on the way in. Also had that creepy feeling something was watching me. It was a slow & quiet sneak to my stand.

Only a couple shots of the beaver on this cam so I think I'll put it over one of the scrapes on my way out tonight.

 

Shhhhhh....




... He's out there somewhere!

 

Man did it ever calm down. What a nice night. The usual suspects were there (beaver, grouse, mink, grey jay).

I did move the camera to a tree near the new scrapes. I'm thinking I'll hunt tomorrow morning, then take the afternoon off. Thursday and maybe Friday I'm going to sit all day.

I think it's going to start getting more active. Soon it will be time to start hunting behind the lodge where I know does are grouped up.

 

Keep up the awesome work Fitz, enjoy all the updates! Good luck!

 

Ended up taking the morning off as well. Need to get a few things done around here so I can have guilt free stand time this next week.

I was looking over my hunting journal, and a year ago today is the day I saw Blade on the hoof

... maybe I should have sat out

 

First all day sit of the season. Added an extra layer on top since its 19 out. See you all in the stand.

 

No wind and very quiet. Small rim of ice at the lake's edge. I wish I could get a photo of the stars right now. Looks like my buddy Orion is out hunting with me this morning

 

Very frosty/crunchy on the way in. When it's that noisy, slow & steady is my moto.

Time to finish settling in and get mentally prepared for the day.

 

Ice on the pond this am. The mink is running around on it.

 

Just had a pine Marten walk under my stand and cross the dam. Fun!

 

Anything exciting?

Good luck buddy.

 

Just hopped down to check my other camera & warm my feet again. Blade seems to be MIA, but I got more photos of that 8 pt.

I think it's him, I'll have to wait til I'm home to see them side by side.









I've been watching the beaver pop holes in the ice for the last 10 min. Pretty entertaining!

 

How far is that camera from your setup?

 

About 70 yards.

 

Grouse were everywhere tonight.

On my way back now. Trying to decide if tomorrow is going to be an all day or not. Might just spend the morning with the wifey since she gets back tonight.

 

Well, it's horribly windy & I'm dressed like a pumpkin, but I'm headed out. This crosswind might make the canoe trip interesting Wish me luck!

 

See... Pumpkin!

 

Wow... what an aweful hunt!

The 9 mph winds I had crossing the lake quickly grew to over 22mph with gusts in the high 30s. Glad it was kind of mild or I would have froze my but off in the wind & drizzle.

Did some rattling and had a squirrel psych me out. I thought it was happening, little bugger is lucky he didn't get a rage tossed at him!

Had 5 or 6 trees/limbs come down close by. Enough to pucker your sphincter!

Not sure if I'll go out tomorrow if these winds keep up. My buddy Nick will be here for all day hunts tues-thurs, so GAME ON!!!

 

Well, Nick got here at 11 or so last night, so after game-planning and a bit of chit chat it was after midnight. the 0415 alarm was a bit harsh , but we are both too pumped to really care. We're headed out soon. both with bows in hand...

Wish us luck

 

Well after a bit of a scramble & a slight change of plans, we're in. Nick opted for the rifle as we headed out. It'll come in handy with the extended view from this stand.

The plan is simple. Bow range I shoot. Out of bow range, he shoots.

Now... Let's do this!