JBrown's 2011 Hunting Log

[jagermeister]

9/24/2011
Hunt time: 0630 to 1030
Weather: ~50 degrees, partly cloudy, wind SW 0-5

I climbed up into a spot I call the Roost Stand... It's up on top of the ridge above my mom's house, and traditionally it holds a lot of roosting longbeards every year. This stand is nestled into a quadruple-trunk maple, just downwind of the two main trails that connect bedding areas. The name was pretty fitting this morning, because around 0715 I heard a couple gobblers not far from me on the ridge... gobbling their heads off. This is the first time I've ever heard gobbling in the fall, so it was cool.

At 0830, I caught movement just uphill of me to the north. It was so thick, at first all I could see were brown legs moving back and forth. When they cleared an opening, I could see there were four does slowly making their way to bed. At about 55 yds away and tangled up in thick brush, there was no way to get a shot. Action, nonetheless.

The rest of the morning was uneventful, other than the countless chipmunks and red squirrels running around underneath me. Their attempts to stock up for the winter were pretty entertaining.

 

[jagermeister]

9/24/2011
Hunt time: 17:00 to 19:45
Weather: 65-70 degrees and cooling, sunny, wind SSE 0-5

Deciding where to hunt on this evening was difficult for me. I had it narrowed down to two spots... One right on top of my big food plot, the other amongst a stand of red and white oaks that have been dropping acorns. Comparing trailcam pictures between the two spots, it looked like the oaks were the place to go.

I was absolutely covered up in squirrels. Usually, I find that where there's squirrels, there's deer. Unfortunately this wasn't the case during this hunt. I could've shot several limits of squirrels, but I never saw a single deer. On the plus side, I finally took my first nap in the new Millenium treestand, albeit a short one.

 

[jagermeister]

9/25/2011
Hunt time: 06:30 to 10:30
Weather: low 50s, cloudy, light drizzle, wind WSW 0-5

So to this point, I've hunted 2 of the 3 spots I've got set up for my Millenium treestand. I figured what the hell, might as well try the third. This morning I headed to the stand I've got set up on the south end of my biggest food plot. It's about 3/4 of an acre, and is currently made up of brassicas, oats, and clover. The uphill side of the plot is hardwoods, behind me is a 8 yr old thicket, and downhill of the plot is a stand of mature oaks and hickories. I was hesitant to try this spot in the morning because I was afraid of bumping deer out on my way in, but I threw caution to the wind and went for it. Surprisingly, I don't think I pushed anything out.

The first hour of the hunt was pretty slow... Nothing but squirrels, and the occasional glimpse of a woodchuck in a brush patch. More on the woodchuck later. At 08:15, I caught movement downhill of me. Three does, a fawn, and a 1.5 yr old six-pointer came out of the ravine, crossed the lane, and made their way up to the oaks. Feeding on acorns, they were about 50 yds away from me. I was excited, but collected and focused on the task at hand. The three does looked pretty damn tasty. As I waited for them to move up the hill, expecting them to come through the plot, they started bucking around and playing with the fawn! The young buck just stood there like an idiot, 30 yds away, just asking for an arrow injection. Although the does came in range, and I came to full-draw, they wouldn't stop jumping around and playing! Next thing I know, they play right into the thicket and my opportunity goes right out the window. Shortly after, the buck follows them into the thicket. I was a little discouraged, but happy that I had at least had my first real encounter of the season... And there really wasn't anything I did wrong... Just plain unlucky at that point. Whatever.

For the next couple hours, I didn't see anything other than bluejays and fox squirrels. That is, until about 10:15. I caught some movement through the canopy out in front of me... It was a woodchuck, just gorging his fat ass on my brassicas! Big mistake on his part. I thought, well if I'm can't spill some whitetail blood this weekend, I might as well spill some varmint blood. Full-draw, settle in, float the 20 pin right on the back of his dome, squeeze one off... Whack! I cracked him right through the back of the skull and pinned him to the ground. He didn't even flinch. I worked pretty hard getting this plot ready this year, and seeing undesired critters robbing the deer of all that forage really rubs me the wrong way. I know there are at least two more feeding on this plot, so they're next on the hitlist.

 

[jagermeister]

Wish I would've made the trip to hunt this afternoon. The rain cleared out and it really wasn't as windy as the weathermen predicted. Yea, weathermen were wrong... amazing, right?

My mom is bouncing back from some surgery she had this week... So I may have to make a trip to visit her tomorrow... oh and she won't mind if I bowhunt a little while I'm there. lol

 

[jagermeister]

10/2/2011
Hunt time: 13:55 to 14:33
Weather: low 50s, cloudy, light rain, wind SW to NW 5-10

Made the trip and it was worth it. Got a nice doe for the freezer only a half hour after climbing in the stand. The entire story can be found here.... No real reason to re-post it... Just wanted to update the hunt journal. I'm hoping to get back out this weekend, but the warm temps in the forecast don't have me all that excited about it.

 

[jagermeister]

10/10/2011
Hunt time: 06:30 to 09:30
Weather: 50s but warming quickly, sunny, calm

I took advantage of the Columbus Day holiday and drove down to hunt in the morning. It was a nice, cool morning, so I thought the deer would be moving... Although I must admit, with the warm mid-day temps, I was hoping to NOT be tempted with the shot at a deer. Butchering deer when it's 80-degrees is not very fun, IMO.

I set up over the big food plot since it was the closest walk from the house. I had thought about trecking back to my stand in the oaks, but I was worried I'd bump too many deer since it was a full moon. Either way, it didn't matter because I never saw a single deer. I climbed down around 9:30, as it was getting warm and I had other things to do.

I spent the rest of the day checking the cams and hanging another stand. The new stand is nestled up in the ravine just north of the house... pretty much straight downslope of the big food plot. This ravine is not only a main travel corridor between "my" side and the other private property, but it's also a main bedding area, his has held some good bucks over the past few years. I actually got a video of the nice 130"+ 8-pointer coming up out of there just a couple days ago. The 140" 8-point I shot back in 2008 came out of that same ravine. Although it was a bunch of work to hang and a bit invasive, I've got some high expectations for this stand. I can only hope my guy feeling is correct.

 

[Hortontoter]

Pleasant reads thank for posting. I gather you are hunting in Medina County. Should be some giants there.

 

[jagermeister]

Pleasant reads thank for posting. I gather you are hunting in Medina County. Should be some giants there.

Yes indeed, there are some giants in Medina County. But unfortunately no, I can't seem to gain any access to hunting ground up here... Lots of leases and uptight city slickers. Actually I hunt in Carroll County like you. Luckily, Carroll County has some giants too!

 

[Hortontoter]

I would have guessed Medina would be tough to get land access for hunting. Carroll is a bit more hunter freindly if you know the right folks.

 

[jagermeister]

Ugghhh....

I hunted all weekend and never saw a single deer. Other than rain on Saturday morning, the weather conditions were prime. Saturday evening I found myself perched in a tree on the entrance/exit trail of a known bedding area... But instead of peace and tranquility, all I could hear were 6 screaming nieces and nephews at the bottom of the holler... running around on the quad, barking dogs in tow. It sounded like the dang circus had come to town. As if it couldn't get any worse, the neighbor drove through the property on his quad and within 50 yds of my stand, only about 20 minutes before shooting light ended. To say my weekend was a disappointment would be a significant understatement.

Oh well... maybe next time.

 

[Hortontoter]

Hang in there buddy. The circus usually only lasts a week in most places.

Things are picking up down Carrollton way. I had nine new scrapes around the perimiter of my small plot. Plot is 20 X 80 yards. Should be good for huntin the next couple weeks. Hope to be on stand all day Saturday of youth season.

 

[Fluteman]

I'll tell ya, it's been pretty slow around here so far this week. The way it looks, I may cancel vacation for Tuesday and Wednesday to save and use the following week. Hang in there, it can only get better.

 

[jagermeister]

11/5/2011
Hunt time: 16:45 to 18:45
Weather: High 40s and dropping, wind SE 0-5

This afternoon I got an invite to hunt with a buddy here in Medina County. He's got some prime real estate, so I really couldn't say no lol. With my climber on my back, I made my west toward the west end of the property. As I got to within 100 yds of an inside corner of the corn field, I heard deer up in front of me. They were alarmed at first, but I immediately crouched and they calmed down pretty quickly. After ten or fifteen minutes, the three of them (does) wondered off.

With all the sign I was seeing near that inside corner, it was a no-brainer to set up in the nearest good tree. I wasn't settled in more than five minutes when I heard movement to my east! Here came a couple more does, and a 1.5 yr old six-pointer behind them. They milled around me for almost an hour... the buck was really harrassing the does, but they didn't want any part of it.

I didn't take any shots tonight but all in all it was a really good hunt. It was pretty satisfying to finally see some action again. I tell ya, I really feel like this rut is about to explode here in the next four or five days. I can't wait to get back out there and head down south!