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

Yesterday I was able to put out my other camera. I found an area that there were a ton of tracks (ton for up here anyway) along the creek closer to the lake. Looks like they've been feeding along the edge and checking for open water. I put my camera there. When I go back to check it I might push over a couple standing dead spruce. There's a ton of old man's beard on them and it might draw them in front of my camera, or stand

My other camera had a big doe that I've been watching all year on it and a small doe. No Blade. No 8 pointers.

I also put out my dad's Ice Castle yesterday. While do that I plowed a path across the lake through the drifts, but it was so windy that by the time I came back across, you could barely tell I had been there. I'm afraid that my stealthy low scent trips across are finished for the year

That just means my commute just got much quicker. Much!





Now if the wind would die down, I just might get out for a hunt.

My mom & sisters are coming up this weekend. Then we have guests and my in-laws up off & on all next week and through New Years. Not sure how much I'll get out, but I'll sure try! One week from Saturday and I'm done for the year...

 

Trips on the sled have to be better than the ones on the bike!

 

Quicker for sure... not sure about better.

 

I'm going to make it out today

Installed my propane heater this AM. Then OK'd the use of the MXZ for then next week & a half. The ol' man won't be using it anyways

So, I'm gonna get cleaned up a bit, and head across with my LW Assault. I'll try and set up closer to the lake where it seems the most traffic is. It's mild out right now, about 28 with a WNW wind @ 6mph. See you in the stand!

 

Here's a quick parting shot. No face paint today.



Instead of 15-25 minutes, it took 2 to cross the lake! I tucked the sled near the shore to hide its profile.



Took me a bit to find the right tree, but eventually I got set up.



My view straight down to the creek.



The approach to my right (towards the lake).



And the approach to my left.






I dressed perfect today. Not sweating, but warm enough.

Now it's game time.

 

Also, my dad is hunting these last days of the season. He doesn't have a deer yet, so if the opportunity presents itself, I'll take a doe for him.

 

Good luck Fitz!

 

How did your hunt go today fitz?

 

No luck tonight.

The wind started to pick up at sunset. Was blowing 12-17 by the time I got in. I really like that spot and the set tucked in the trees. This is gonna be my O.K. Corral stand

I'm hoping to get out tomorrow night and maybe part of Fri. Next time out, I'll check the camera that's nearby.

 

Alright, 18* with a MPH WNW wind. It's supposed to turn W then SW.

I've been cleared for hunting. Time to get out & across once more.

Hunt #28 will commence in 15 min

 

Man it's still out! All I can hear is the guys logging a couple miles to my SW.

One red squirrel so far. Quiet, but it just feels like it could happen.

 

Get him, Fitzy!!!

 

Well my logging buddies are calling it a day. Suppose I should too.

Thought I could hear something in the bushes up steam by the first dam. Guess it was nothing.

 

Better luck next time if you can manage to get out.

 

There wasn't anything on my camera from the last two days, but that's not out of the ordinary. Looks like we're gonna get an inch or so of fresh snow tomorrow. Maybe that'll get them up on their feet.

Looks like one of the cabins' water lines froze up. Put it on the list. If I can get that figured out and finish printing bulletins early, I might get to sneak out before my mom and sisters show up for Christmas tomorrow night.

 

Good Luck and Merry Christmas!

I hope the waterlines work out and you get a hunt in!

 

Well, this late season hasn't gone exactly as I'd hoped it would. It's just been too busy. Between visiting family and resort guests I just haven't made it out.

Then, tonight I decided to try and sneak out, though later than I would like. The camera I have near my stand hasn't gotten a single deer on it, and my other camera near the creek only has does between 8-10PM. It's seems that with the freeze-up & snow, the deer have all but abandoned the Creek area I've been hunting (this is the first year I've hunted across the lake in the late season, so there's a huge learning curve).

So, I decided to hang my other stand up tonight to the north along the old portage trail. There are a ton of tracks in this area. As I'm getting ready, I grabbed my stand and remaining sticks... CRAP, only 3 sticks. The tree I was going to set up in would require at least 4. I had forgotten that my brother had borrowed two of my sticks while hunting in WI.

Then I looked closer, one of the sticks was missing it's strap (apparently, also borrowed), so I was down to two sticks... DOUBLE CRAP.

So, I decided to kiss off tonights hunt and put all my eggs in one basket; tomorrow night. Yes, New Years Eve, the final day of the Minnesota Bow Season. I ran across and pulled my other stand so it could thaw out and I'd have my other 5 sticks. Now the plan is for both my dad & I to hunt off the portage trail tomorrow afternoon. I'll bring both stands and have 7 sticks, 4 for my tree and 3 for a second stand down the trail for my dad to sit in.

One last hunt, and it's all over until next September. I'm not sure its completely sunk in yet

 

Good luck!!!

 

I did get one buck on camera these last couple weeks...







At first glance on my phone I thought it was Blade, I was happy to see that it wasn't...

 

Alrighty, just got settled in for the last hunt of the 2011 season!

Here's the trail we're set up on. This is back towards dad.



And in front.



And back to the lake.




I'm a little concerned, it looks like someone came in on the snowmobile trail to fish the lake. I'm hoping he fishes past dark!