Checked the cams yesterday on primary property and have three confirmed shooters with a few that we just aren't sure are 4 yet. Need more pics and angles. This season I will be playing camera man for fellow prostaffer Tim Ainsworth first. That's my primary goal this year but if we're lucky enough to her him one then I'll be behind the Mathews. Fortunately our 20+ acres of food plots are looking great so we should have some great late season action as well. Month away and I'm pumped to get back in the tree!!!!! Good luck guys and gals let's take the crown this year.
I put up a new camera on the 10 acre residential property that I hunted last year. Hopefully, The Duke and Classic are still hanging around there. I also moved the ladder stand about 20 yards closer to the fence crossing that they used a lot last year. I'm going to spend most of my early season sitting here.
CoveyMaster that's a heck of a buck, the tine length on him is just incredible! Checked the cams this weekend and found a couple new guys that we haven't seen before...nothing huge, but I'd definitely take a shot if either walked in front of me!
Well, I was struck by the "fallen" camera. I have my camera on a homemade camera stand and checked it today. I walked up on it and it was facing down so my gut sunk thinking that it's been sitting there for 2 weeks with no pics but after checking them on the computer it only happened on Saturday so that was a relief. I had a basket 8 and alot of doe and fawn pictures so I was pretty bummed!! I still cant figure out how the camera tilted down because the bolt was tight. Maybe a deer pushed it? My property is surrounded by corn fields so I'm not getting too worried because the big boys are out there enjoying some great buffet!! Once the corn is picked, Im sure they'll be moving in, then its on!!! Good luck to everyone b/c its getting close. I have less than 2 weeks until opener!!!
It's possible a bird landed on it....i had that happen to me this year also...except it tilted mine backwards and it was taking pictures of the sky
Coons will mess with them too and would be heavy enough to move one around with a tight bolt. Gremlins of the woods.
I was looking at the pictures again and I'm about 85% sure that it was a coon. I can see his leg and foot in the picture! Little rascal!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I strap my cams up with python cables tight to the trees and I've had them move them by twisting them on the tree. Lil bastages use them like rockface handholds. I'm finally going to start trapping (or attempting to) them out on all the properties. Here at home where I've been trapping for a couple years, we actually have quail back whistling all over the place and I flushed a huge group of young birds several weeks ago.
Took a walk around the woods yesterday (was out dove hunting). Found some good signs of deer a bit further back. Some nice tracks and beated down paths. Found three larger scrapes! Put a camera in that area. I am hopeful for that spot. I will go check it this weekend and determine if I'll put a stand there. Our other stand is on another promising looking path - so we just turned our camera the other direction to see if they're traveling other ways. Still nothing in what was our original "honey hole", but if they're still on the property I suppose I'll walk a bit further than the 100 ft from my house (lol)! Spoke to a neighbor down the road. Got permission to hunt their land, they also bow hunt, but it may be a good pass through spot if we work together. This guy is also going to try and trap our coyotes - however they don't come in for awhile. Feeling a bit hopeful that everything will turn around for us!
Disappointing pull today on my main property. The does are still around though, so the big boys will show up eventually. "Triple H" really grew in the last month! These guys will have to watch out in 2 years.
At least you got some bucks on camera. In Pa I just get tons of does on camera haha. PinkPony might be time to get a varmint rifle and do some coyote thinning if your neighbor doesn't have much luck trapping you might want to consider it for next season.
How do you guys clean your safety harnesses? I'm sure mine is a little ripe after moving stands the last couple days. Any suggestions?
I already have a 17HMR waiting at the door. We can shoot them when we see them (Except Sundays). Just waiting for them to come in to the back yard.
So how we all doin lately? Anyone shooting and staying sharp in prep for opener? We (landlord and I) are discussing building a 10' x 12' x 15' tall tower with a top platform as an addition to the rifle shooting range. The bottom space would be enclosed with a small AC unit and a big door, to be used as a skinning shed/cooler for early, warm season harvests. He and his family live a couple hours away and I generally prefer to hunt mornings and work afternoons but when it's warm I usually avoid hunting because I don't want to deal with killing, cleaning, processing an animal within a day to keep from spoiling. This cooler/tower would provide a practice archery shooting area and a cooler all in one neat package. Just thought it would be a neat project.
That's a cool idea! I got another stand up yesterday and shot a few rounds in the basement. I have 2 more property owners that I need to call back, but I'm confident about both of them. 16 acre semi-residential lot and then an 82 acre farm (20 beans, 60 woods and 2 residential). Both people were super nice at the initial contact and said to call closer to season for final approval.
Sadly, the farm is being sold to a developer next year, so this will be my only chance to hunt there. I really do hate people.
