Any killers hit the woods this weekend? I keep checking on the local deer herd to see if they have dropped their antlers. Seems that most are still packing antlers.
Jeff and I got out yesterday morning and scouted that public land that I never been on. It seems promising, but will be very challenging. Not the typical marsh I would hunt. It was a huge circle with a road completely around it. So access is easy for anyone. Don't know how big it is, but would guess 80 - 100 acres of nothing but cattails. It was loaded with deer trails and had to have largest deer population I have ever seen. It would be all ground hunting in the cattails. Found probably close to 50 beds in there and maybe only 2 stood out as buck beds. They were way out in the middle. There was small little patches of woods on the outside of the road that I would guess that all the hunters use. Some rut sign, but nothing that screaming big buck. Found a couple dead bucks on property lines, but nothing big. All deer seem to leave the property for food. This place was definitely a major bedding area. Going to give it another scout and try and locate more buck sign out in cattails. Good news is its bow only! Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Any spots to set up on bucks coming into that bedding during the rut? Maybe even a couple hundred yards away through a spot that would allow for a treestand?
All sides have really great rut funnels, can pick any side and looks like could catch a buck cruising. The problem is you will always be in sight of the access road all the way around. And all neighbors have stands on the property lines. There was a couple really great trails coming out of cattails that are pinched down because water on one side. And on other side there was a steep bank that had them pinched down. I doubt many deer leave the cattails before dark. The whole thing has a 15' tall dirt berm complete surrounding the cattails, so it's a big bowl. It's a old dump site when they dredge the mud from the rivers near by. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
I was out this morning to check trail cams to see what’s still around. Had pics of 2 bucks without antlers and 2 pics of bucks with 1 antler. There were also a few that had both antlers still attached. Was happy to see that there were still some bucks around for next season. Nothing giant on camera but most will be respectable next year. (For me anyway)Walked around for 2 1/2 hours looking for sheds but found nothing. Also got a handful of prospects for spring Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
I’m real jealous of you guys that don’t have a ton of snow to deal with. I’ve got a month or so before I start scouting. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I actually wish we would get some snow. Have not had a single day this year that had any snow that stuck. Only 1 day that got snow and it melted before dark. Weird weather this year. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Same here, Monday starts a warm up in the 40's. I hate pushing deer with all this snow. I have about a month to go also. From the snow belt in Erie County Pa
Gonna test out one of my strategies right now. Gonna walk in about 2 and a 1/2 miles, put on my waders, and then cross the Creek to the other side of the Lake. That will get me in nice and quiet in the morning and won't risk my life dumping a Canoe in the middle of freezing water. I hope it works
Day 7 had me walking 6 to 7 miles up and down steep terrain and swamps. Used my waders to cross several creeks and found a few ambush spots. No way I can walk in the 3 miles to hunt. Steep terrain and a lot of it is only 100-150 yds wide from the lake. I'll have to use my kayak or canoe. Found some big tracks in the swaps and mapped out all the treestands on the public and private border. Got to a trail cam I had out for 6 months. Excited to see it. Get to the trail cam and it had been ripped right off the strap and broke. Looks like claw or teeth marks on it from a bear. It was on the ground and full of water. Sd card seemed fine. Dried it and put it in my phone sd reader. Saw like 1500 pics come up and I began looking at the 1st 2 of deer when it just stopped working. Ughhh Any of you guys have an easy way to recover sd card files? App..program?
I recovered them but only got maybe 2 months worth of pics. Seems like right about mid October the bear ripped off the trail cam. Tons of deer pics but not during the time I really wanted pics. But I know based on the doe travel pics that it will be well worth hunting come the rut.
Those dang bears had your number this year! Lol I always heard if you buy a bear tag, you will never see a bear Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
I have no desire to kill a bear. And I dont think I can kill one on that base with a bow, only a gun. So I don't even be tempted. Haha. Those bears have certainly been real pains in the butt this season. Perfect scouting weather tomorrow. Light snow tonight and cold. Should be able to pick up some deer movement and follow.
I'm thinking I'm going to take a half day from work and then scout til dark tomorrow. High in the low 30's, sounds perfect for me! Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Day 8 was pretty much land elimination and exercise. Did find a single set of tracks coming out of a grass field and entering the blowdowns. About it.
I got out for about 4 hours. That's was all I could walk! Haha. Confirmed one buck bed. Found a 2nd buck bedding area, but not one single bed. That buck was home, but never laid eyes on him. Cut his fresh track in the marsh then followed it out right to a fresh scrape that was hit in the last 24 hours and a doe pissed in at least this morning. I spent the rest of the time walking field edges. I picked up a huge set of tracks running the back property line followed for over 200 yards. He was hitting every scrap along that line. Probably 5-6 scraps, all less then 24 hours old. The sign he had left said big buck to me. Ended up finding about a dozen scrapes in all and cut at least 6 buck tracks, my be more. Also picked up a shed, first fresh one! About a 12" spike! Lol Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Can’t take it anymore. Hitting the back 40 and a large piece of public today. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
