Because I'm trying to hunt smarter not harder this year I'm not in the woods as much. Though I do check cams during hot days and mid days for now. The deer are killing me this year. Decades of fairly consistent habits based on pressure ,time of year and weather have been blown apart. I'm not sure if it's the highly unusual East winds or unusual pressure. We actually have more bow hunters than gun here now. Just not on my immediate up hill or down hill sides. On either side of this me and two nieghbors have hunter lining us. I went to the garden and checked cams near it. Had to walk past a brush pile fence between stand I was in the other day and cam. As I viewed pics didn't a single big buck jump up and run up over ridge 10 yrds away on the stand side of fence. CRAP!.Of course avoided both cams..lol We never have buck bed here during the day this time of year. Later yes, never now. There is a 50 acer undisturbed golden rod bedding area with summer mowed clover trails through out it, just 100 yrds away on the nieghbors. They also own the 50 acres of mixed hardwoods oak and mowed pasture on the other side. Maybe one bow hunter and the occasional gun. The doe are not moving the same either. They are coming in to areas in small groups from ALL directions at the same time. That has NEVER happened. It use to be easy down the hill in the morning up the hill at night. The occational mid day across hill. It's making me feel like a rookie again..BTW..rack was past ears. I hope he just went to lower bedding or down hill neighbors swamp bedding. They usually have gun only hunting.
Not telling you how to live your life but I would avoid walking to the stands in the dark of early morning for now.
Yep lately I've been doing mid day and afternoon hunts. To be honest I have a fit about crunchy leaf cover. We have rain coming in and that will quiet things up a bit. Now to quiet walks, guys go crazy when I say I do this,leaf blowing. I did one side yesterday just to get started. One just for dark walks in and two, safety reasons. I do not use lights to walk to my stands. I do need a frost and some really good winds. This does not keep me from having mature buck come in. This area is swamped with activity yet has one of the highest mature buck takes in the state. One year I was using the DR cutter to clear leaf cover and a wide 12 pt stepped out in front of me and walked the trail as I mowed behind him ,finally turning in to the timber. We all stop our vehicles and talk to mature deer that are standing along the road. several of us kept a running tag on how many we told they needed to run away as they stood there staring at us. So when we loose more canopy, I'll clean 2 miles of trails. Then the wind will keep them clean. Save the nasty limbs that fall. This said, tomorrow will have just first light dry before a front comes through. I'll hit the road and walk to lower line. There I can walk a plot all the way to my stand. Anything on front part of plot I may spook will circle up and around. usually passing that stand later. Brush pile fencing hides me from anything in the woods the entire way. My only issue... They oiled and stoned our road this summer. Thats ended my quiet walks down our road frontage. I always wear rubber slip ons over my hunting boots. Those REALLY quiets the crunch or occational twig. Also keeps my feet warmer on cool mornings in wet grass
Oh No! I pulled and we ate the last pack of cubed venison steak. OMG so good! I need to step up my game. I love just 4 things cubed steak is at the top, strap, BBQ, and jerky. I cube nearly a whole doe last year.
I had a great hunt last night, infact my knee pain was really good and my back wasn't barking either. I told hubby this is the first time in weeks I felt comfortable. I planned a morning hunt in 32 degree temps. Because I couldn't hunt this afternoon. I need to be Gandma tomorrow morning, as son goes to see a surgeon. BTW NEVER disregard a work place injury. He was smashed in face by equipment and did not realize the damage...ligaments tore up. Now breathing is effected and jaw issues. Anyways I woke up with an earache , a major ice pick stabbing one. Holy crap! I haven't had one since I was a kid 50 yrs ago. I hope I get all this absolutely STUPID ****e out of the way before the rut.
So as I've said I never get these cams set right... though time is right on this ,or close to it this gets checked nearly daily because it's at the end of garden. I had to go pic a few things and ear ache or not our old pup has to walk daily or she can't get up. So there was a party last night 3 scrapes under the 2 mulberry trees and these guys [/ATTACH] [/ATTACH] [/ATTACH] [/ATTACH]
Great morning hunt, though dang cold! I checked cams on way home, well after this weekend...every things gone nocturnal. They have taken the big main plot to the ground. They look like putting greens.
no hunt today ,high winds and rains. Did have a break but buckets of falling leaves with more rain due I would hate to have a trail to follow. I did check cams when I had to close blind windows. Not looking good at the moment. The weekend surrounding push boogered things up, so these rains keeping guys out will help calm them down.
20 mph sustained with 40 gust, pouring and 42 degrees. Great day to grocery shop and freeze more of my winter squash harvest.
I ordered a 6 pak of G5 type knock offs 6 for 19.00. They arrived today. Well I'm impressed, they are bigger, fit shafts great and I did a practice shot. Flew great at 20 yrds nearly blew through the cube target. Good and sharp and can be sharpened..
Going to do a midday hunt. Wet and rain , light, this morning. Winds have calmed but still a bit stiff...cold. Things were a tad rough in just the driveway with downed branches and limbs. Widow makers are a serious thing. One sent our sons friend to the hospital, we probably dodged a lawsuit on that ! Then one knocked me out on a winter walk, Good thing I was dressed warm and had enough time to try and block it. Still bad shot to my neck/shoulder. I have learned to walk looking up. Should be a good afternoon,though apples were holding, acorns a plenty , lots of food. They really don't have to move much. Younger buck will be searching for those early born fawn coming in for the first time. Perhaps pushing some doe.
Great hunt this morning. That leaf blowing worked perfectly. I was so quiet going in and saw a bunch of deer and turkey. Hunt ended early due to neighboring farmer. That is what it is, I'm sure my leaf blowing has ended a few people's hunts. Lets me know he's probably already tagged a buck seeing this was a perfect morning for hunting. He lives and owns land miles north of us. So some strange activity by both the turkey and deer. Also twice missed doe group at a particular stand that I haven't hunted yet. Headed out here in a few minutes.
Thanks Sota, working on it. Turkey and deer on cams during the day just not when I'm close enough or in those spots. A chess game, they are making better moves now, but games not over... Besides I've chosen not to shot several over the last 3 weeks. That may change here soon..lol
So today I cleaned another near mile of trails with blinds plots and stands. I do this knowing trees aren't nearly empty in some spots and stripped in others. So with a recent freeze and 19 mph winds tonight and tomorrow these trails will fill in,though not completely. So in the dark the trails will still be visible and being clean the winds will blow the falling leaves to one side or the other. That's what years tell me. Plots are a different story . Though they won't be quite as matted. Rain coming in tomorrow afternoon.
