went back this AM and trimmed up the second location .. very windy(35-50mph) dusty/hazy, sky is yellow from all the dust .. heard two YUUUGE tree/branch crashes while I was out there .. didnt stay long, did the trim and got out ... gonna be cooler next weekend .. I'll be going to the 640 (finally) ..
Wallked 4 or 5 miles in some decent hill country today. I'm pretty picky but I think I found def 1, maybe 2 set ups. And of course they are never easy and are a clean mile walk up and down ridges at the back of the property. Ha
Selfie for today Beaver pelt made into a hat. Friend of mine not mine , the old timer that made it , passed away 2 months ago. He took all kinds of furs Rip Mr T
Took the boys out for a walk in the woods. Only thing found was a neighbors toss as in a back bone. He must have gotten a bruiser from the size. Scout found it. Update, still a work in progress. More scraping and the air compressor used today. Heres an up date pic. Teeth are going to be an issue...very blk still
This has to be one of the best/funniest scouting days for me. I started off walking a couple miles. Found one decent set up. Drove around and walked in on maybe a 50 acre spot that seemed like it may be overlooked. Tons of sign. Definitely will hunt in that area when the time is right. Very good buck sign and some of the best Ive found in Missouri. I drove and looked again and saw something on the aerial map that made me want to check it out. Looked like a 30 acre old clear cut on the side of a hill. I walked all the way in and started picking up big buck sign. Big buck beds. I had never encountered so many large, well-used buck beds. I spent 3 hours in there and really nailed it down. Marked a bunch of spots. I walked out the opposite way I came in to gain some knowledge and thank goodness I did. I saw a sign that said, "wildlife refuge, no hunting". I never saw that from the direction I entered. I went back and looked at the map and all the huge buck sign sat right in the middle of that hunting refuge on the conservation area. I started laughing so hard. So all in all, I left out of there with 2 or 3 good set ups in what looked like a dynamite spot unless it is pressured. And I left with sore legs from hammering up and down steep hills in a no hunting zone. Wildlife refuge scouter! LOL
First time in the woods since deer season was last weekend. Walked the entirity of my buddy's 40 acres in WI last weekend. Found this really nice 3 point side within 5 minutes of starting and within 50 yards of camp (looks like it was dropped last year.) Probably would have gone close to 100" as a 6: Thought it was a good omen that we'd find a bunch more...nope. Not even a spike. Also found some areas that were really rubbed up that we don't have any stands nearby...looks like 20 years ago someone thought it was a good spot: Good news is we didn't lose any major trees or anything over the winter. Bad news is it was an extremely low snowfall this winter so unless we get a really wet spring, and/or summer, it's going to play hell on the water table so our well won't be deep enough and we can't go any deeper without hitting bedrock. Pattern shot my grandpa's old Remington 58 with #4 turkey loads, this pic was the first shot at 30 yards with the old Poly Choke set on "MOD": I didn't take a pic but "FULL" put about 15 pellets in the neck and head.
Oh, we also found a random Easton Venture arrow, just laying on the ground in the middle of the property, looked like it had only been out this winter. Had a cheap mech head on it sort of similar in style to a NAP Double Cross that used a band to keep the front blades closed which was gone. It wasn't rusty but the blades were dull, so altogether that makes me think it was shot into a deer that made it onto our property and then it pulled the arrow out. Was 400 spine and only about 25" long, too light to be shooting a big mech like that. Only fresh bone we found on the property was one small front leg bone that canines had been at, so hopefully whatever it was lived. ...3 weeks till spring turkey! About time someone started a LFTS 2025 thread!
Corps of Engineers is putting a hurting on one of the properties I am focusing on this year. Not sure what is possessing them to lay down dirt roads for miles. Hauling in rocks to block the chute and ripping trees out left and right. Many of the deer are going to relocate.
You may be surprised how fast ground growth will appear and animals return. That said, if the road building is for more than official use only or public. You should go to locals to find out if this is for either resource capture or pipe line route. Good luck, at least you have a few months heads up. Maybe to get in on adjoining lands if possible.
3 more. Had 1 other one yesterday and gave it to a friend since he hasn't found any yet Sent from my SM-S928U using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
I walked a long way today. Steep terrain in some parts. Mile after mile with little to no sign until I ran into the far back end of the property. No water for a quarter mile and you have to go down some steep slopes to get it or you find this sitting not 50 yds from great cover on a ridge. I bet this thing gets hammered. High ground hidden pond.
