My last day and I went out for another try. Well Not far from where I missed the rabbit there is a squirrel in the wide open. I tried closing the distance, but around 60 yrds he knows somethings up. I mean it's not as of I haven't sounded like I'm walking on broken glass or anything . I take my time and slowly take aim as he digs in the snow. He flips sideways at the shot, tail twitching wildly, then scurries off. I have no other shot but know I hit him. As I walk to hit, a big rabbit runs out and under trailer a few yrds away. I see fur but no blood. I walk his run path and find just one spot of blood before he disappeared under a "construction" pile. . Well he's dead but no way to get him . He wedged himself up under a pallet that holds 4x2x2 ft concrete retaining wall sections. Nope pretty much rotted pallets ,hundreds of #'s, actually a tunnel of snow and weeds around it all. Snows still 8" deep over there.. At least I know I can still shoot. Took a God awful walk to gypsy blind after. Great stuff for another time.
Ok I've been figuring out how to show you an idea of what I saw on the way to the Gypsy blind. See that walk was really bad on my knees. Two inches of crust on top of 5-6" of snow. I probably would not have gone that far but I could see the door wide open in the distance. The tracks there were wild. Literally deep trails the went past and underground every set of ground/ tree stand sites The first cattle yard type activity was an area between the brush pile fence and gully. The next was the entire area around and leading to, 40 yrd radius, the Gypsy blind. The two pics of our dog prints Posted, isn't as dense, but gives and idea of what I saw. When I got to the blind I watched a herd of 15+ deer in the farmers hay field. It is straight south exposure and had some areas melted. The prints were even under the gypsy blind. Why,why?! The snow is deep, there is ZERO FOOD. You've seen the pics. No brush all young saplings are beech. Obvious we get travel but this was literal yarding sign. In DEEP snow. I did not see beds.. One certainty, this is or has truly flipped from a doe to buck property. Way too many randon huge single tracks that back hoof over steps front to some degree. Lots of spade and rounded hooves. Heavy enough the prints drag up mud to the surface.
Now that trapping season has come to a close here are a few of my catches. Also got about 30 coons and 30 opposums. Anyone do any good trapping the year? Sent from my SM-S928U using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
depends .... some good Dakota & Kansas coyotes can bring $40 , but averages are much much lower ... hell, 'rats used to bring $7, coon $25, red fox 40-55, blanket beaver $45+, Mink $25+, even 'possums were $5 ... I also worked as a skinner for a local fur buyer for 4 yrs while in high school (what a blast !) pulling skin with one hand, eating pizza with the other ... lol .. .. those days are gone ... my last year trapping (1976) before I went into the Marines, I got close to$2500, not bad for a guy right out of high school (trapped 2 counties then).. https://gfp.sd.gov/fur-harvest/
I didn’t start trapping till late January this year due to limited time. Managed 1 grey, 1 red and handful of coons, was really trying to target yotes but the freeze and thaw weather was messing with my beds even with waxed dirt. I did get one yote with the .223 up camp.
Not sure. Tanning them for my personal collection Sent from my SM-S928U using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Off to a good start. Hopefully many more to come! Sent from my SM-S928U using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
I do kinda miss the cold weather for trapping. Around here it’s pretty much just predatory maintenance as the fires don’t really thicken up much to make it worth the while. Pretty red fox and bob. I couldn’t see the bobcat’s belly, but those with the white belly’s and spots were the most sought. Pretty sure those are more common out west for some reason or other…
Figured out why that survey tape was on that island. They are putting in a 200 yard long road and dropping some rocks in the chute to prevent erosion. Will take them months. Met the construction crew who is working for the Corps Of Engineers. Very likely one of the four guys in the work crew I met knew where my cam "disappeared" to.....
Finally got out and walked a bit (trying to remember where all of my cameras were). 2nd shed I’ve ever found out there. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I was just thinking about your particular hunting area. Wonder if a spot on it could be made into a mock scrape starting soon. Put it in a place they feel comfortable moving, yet in a spot that is set for a particular wind and good entrance.
Im lucky I scouted so much the last 5 weeks. Temps rising fast this week and the swamp bugs are going to be out in full force. Hell with those things.
I’m going to do a lot more walking soon. Get some buddies out there and really cover everything. I don’t go into 80% of the property after spring. Really find some interesting things. I didn’t see as many scrapes as I thought I would. A **** load of big rubs. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I am going to set up a lot of vine scrapes soon I think. All of my buddies have great luck with them. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
finally got out today .. covered some distance .. no sheds found, but did find two new possible stand locations ... I'll say one thing, the gravel roads are thawing and are a holey/bumpy/wet mess right now ... try to get back there next week now that I'm back to regular days off ..
