Just got back from this seasons first sit. It was a warm morning with no wind. Made it to one of my trees that’s about 120 yards off a harvested corn field down a draw towards some bedding. The sit went horrible, had A big body deer by itself cruising just before light. Then i had a doe and two fawns come in at 15 yards. I was gonna try and get a shot on the doe but I was being eaten alive by mosquitos. Had them in my face and all over my hands. I had my bow in my hand and was gonna draw back but I swiped at my face to get them out of my eyes and a fawn caught some movement and they moved. They ended up bedding down about 10 yards from me where I couldn’t get a shot in. So I sat as still as I could watching that doe and fawns bed for awhile but the mosquitos got the best of me. The doe noticed some movement and took off. It was a great sit besides the mosquitos. They really killed me out there. Only made it til about 8:30 and I had to get out of there.
Get yourself a head net. They work well. I always keep one in my day pack just in case the bugs get bad. I've had a few miserable hunts because of bugs in the past, so I wised up.
I should be doing my first sit of the season one day this week. It'll just be an evening hunt, but I'm pumped!
Second the head net and honestly early season I carry a thermacell with me just to survive sits LOL. Prefer a decent wind at 7mph or more so I know where its scent is going just like mine but they are amazing! Sounds like a fun sit besides the bugs Simple!
Come to think of it, a head net is probably one of the cheapest, PRACTICAL items you can buy for hunting.
That's unfortunate, but at least you got to see some movement!! I bet your heart and adrenaline was still pumping with the fact that they were only bedded down just a few yards away.
Sounds like, I'll be the last to join the party for opening weekend huh? My opener is still two weekends away
Yeah it was a great sit. And I got the adrenaline pumping when they came in close and I had the bow in my hand. I might have to look into a thermacell and or headnet. This is the first year I’ve ever had problems with them little flying bastards!
It's a must here in TX. Our temps don't cool off until November usually so mosquitoes don't ever really die off.
I will second and third the thermacell. I have been using them for years and would not go out early season without one. Sounds like you had a good sit otherwise.
Still two weeks away here too, KJ... and I'll have my Thermacell practically glued to me for the first few weeks. I use is Yakgrips to cover the aluminum buckles on all my LW straps.... metal-to-metal clanking in the big woods is a very, very bad thing!
Well, with a climber there aren't any steps, but I do use friction tape on my stand to make it more quiet. It's time consuming, but it really makes a difference.
Guys as some of you know I have been battling some health issues. Originally was diagnosed with cellulitis and given antibiotics which appeared to take the symptoms away and I thought I was good and went back to normal routine. After the antibiotics were finished 2 days afterwards started feeling the same way, high fever (102) with chills and sweats, no appetite, flu like symptoms with joint pain, headache, etc. Admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of "Temperature of Unknown Origin". 4 days of seemingly unending blood work and a return visit to the doctor today revealed a diagnosis of Ehrlichiosis. A tick borne disease causing flu like symptoms including high fever and joint pain/discomfort. This is carried by the Lone Star Tick which I was bitten by earlier this year. I was fortunate to have a doctor consulting on my case that was a tick disease specialist of sorts. Had done a lot of research and had even lectured about the topic. I have been feeling pretty puny for the last several weeks and hopefully within a couple of weeks with the new antibiotics will be good to go. Just an FYI about additional dangers/diseases with ticks other than just Lyme. Permethrin and proper clothes and checking yourself when you get out of the woods is important.
That's rough stuff, kb. The lone star ticks made the news here in Ohio earlier this year.. there was talk of people developing red meat allergies at any age... That's scary. I had never heard of them until they were reported here in the spring. Prayers for a speedy and full recovery!
May not seem like a lot to you guys, but for my opener here in Texas on the 29th, this will be the coolest opener I've ever seen! We don't get those kind of temps until late October usually.
