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

Always enjoy looking at your pics in the canoe, etc.

 

I'm done with the bow now for a bit. Rifle in WI, come back for a few days (maybe get 1 or 2 hunts in) then I'm off to Mazitlan with my wife, dad & step-mom. I'll be hard at it for the last 3 weeks of the season after that.

I'll be in touch from WI, another advantage of the iPhone I'm hoping to drop a couple does and a buck there. There are a number of good bucks we're after. These are all from last year, I don't have this years on my computer, but you get the idea...

 

Good luck with your rifle hunting and stay safe Fitz, my old man put a doe down this year with a bowtech I bought him in the summer and he'll be out there this saturday with the .06.

 

OK, quick update.

I'm back from WI for a few days. Had a good season there. Opening morning I shot a doe & my cousin got a real nice 8pt...



I ended up staying at our cabin for the whole season. Usually I travel somewhere for Thanksgiving, but I stayed this season, alone.

Well as luck would have it, I got my very first Thanksgiving Buck, a small 10 pt.





So, the freezer is nice and full

It was 5 degrees this AM! So I went grabbed an axe and checked the ice today... 3"

With the cooler temps, including our first shot at sub-zero temps Thursday night, I think I'll get a chance to cross the lake before the season is out! The good news is another shot @ Blade, the bad news is the 2 mile walk there.

Now let see if we can avoid any big snowstorms that would hinder the ice. ​

 

Looks like a great buck to me. Congrats on the 10 pt. You going to hunt anymore this year?

 

I am so glad you are back, I have missed your updates!

 

Thanks guys!

AT, I'll be hunting the last 3 weeks of December once I get back from vacation. Since I got a Thanksgiving Buck with my rifle, maybe I can get a Christmas or Newyears Eve Buck with my bow

 

Good to see this thread up this morning. Congrats on your buck.

 

OK. I'm back from Mexico. Had a blast, and I didn't even get sunburned

Came home to frozen waterlines in our pump house, so no water. Been working on that the last couple days and I think it's all squared away.

Checked the ice on Monday and there was 12" beautiful inches, so I've hatched a new plan.... Ride my bike on the ice to get to my stand.

So, I put one of my cameras back out across the lake. The bike ride was great! It will replace the canoe as my stealth transport until we get too much snow Not sure if I'm going to stuff a pack or pull a sled behind, but I'm gonna try and head out tomorrow night.





Saw some wolf tracks on the the lake. 4 wolves, two looks like this years pups and one had some size to it.


There were a number of deer tracks in the woods, two sets were pretty big.

I'm excited to get back in the woods!

 

Good to have you back Fitz!

Looking foward to more updates.

 

Thanks IH! Unfortunately, the winds are turning me into a wuss. 15-20 gusting to 25-30. I'm gonna push it back to tomorrow when it calms down.

 

I am pumped to follow this again. This is how I fill the days that I cannot get out. Love all the pics!

 

Well, better late than never. My projects today took much longer than I had hoped. It was after 3 by the time I got the rig ready.




The inch of snow last night coupled with the drag from the sled made the going tough... I made it, but I got too sweaty in the process.




The woods are open & the view has changed, but the stand is back in operation.








Now I'm just trying to cool down and wait for sunset in 30 minutes. The lake is drumming with the expansion of the ice.

If something shows up I hope this old stand stays quiet!

 

Wolves are howling, I'm gonna try & call them in!

 

Didn't have enough time to bring the pack in. Howled back & forth with then for 20 minutes or so.

The ride back was painful. It was as exhausting as the ride out only 10 degrees colder, about 3*. When I got inside my hands started to burn as then warmed up. Between the pain (worse than I've ever had before) and my exertion, I nearly puked

Well... unless it warms up, the bike idea just might have to be retired. This could have a huge effect on the number of times I go across after Blade. With only 14 days left in the season, many of which with family around for the holidays, I'm doubting my odds....




My in-laws are up tomorrow & Sunday, I my sneak out Sunday night. We'll see what the weather looks like.

 

Any deer sightings today?

 

Only the does and button buck cleaning up under my birdfeeders this morning.

 

Saw one of the 1 1/2 yo bucks at my dad's house next door. He'd dropped a side already

I still need to get some fresh batteries for my other camera so I can get it out there too. I'm anxious to catch a glimps of Blade or one of the 8pts. All I know is that if I stick a buck, I'm not gonna drag him out by his horns...

 

How was todays hunt FITZ? And you should bring something to tie to the bucks neck to drag it with.

 

AT, I never made it out. Company stayed later than I thought, and by the time we were done cleaning up, there wasn't much time left to get ready and head out across.

Today I have some work around the resort to do, but I may grab my dad's 4wheeler and plow an ice road for both his icecastle and my bike. There about 5 or 6" of snow on the lake now.