Update: Last night the only deer I saw was a silhouette across a plowed field hundreds of yards off. Couldn't tell much about the rack, but it was a mature body. Stopped and I got a great view of the shadow figure. Took off again and I just scratched my head.
Fast forward to this morning. I was certain I was going to have a doe on the ground. I was hunting a stand with easy access and a perfect wind. It is an amazing "back to bed" route and they often times bed right in this area as well (within 50-75yds). Not a thing. Well, I did find one lonely, confused, and horny buck wandering around at 10am. He was a juvenile buck and did about a 300 degree loop around me while scent checking then continued on his way. I get a phone call shortly after. Trespassers shot a deer. Asked permission from the property manager to the north of us to track.
Long story short. I headed back to the truck and grabbed two more cameras. I already had 2 in my pack. I walked this property from east to west, and could see long distances during my journey. I even covered some ground we absolutely HATE to cover unless shed hunting or recovering a deer. We do have a stand in there, but it is one of those stands only to be used when we are 90% sure there is a favorable killing pattern in which we can kill a buck from this stand. Other than this, it is simply too close to their sanctuary. The winds must be right and we need reasonable belief we are going to this stand specifically to kill. However, we also have pictures of trespassers from this stand last year.
So. . . I repositioned one camera. I put a new python cable lock on another which had been tampered with. I also placed 4 additional cameras. Phone calls have been made. Ground has been walked. We did our part to search for the buck which was shot with no luck in the recovery efforts. Doors have been knocked on. People have been made well aware they are not welcome on the property. No threats. Simply a strong voice stating our position. It is well known this will not be tolerated. There will be NO trespassing. There will be NO more poaching.
Fast forward to this morning. I was certain I was going to have a doe on the ground. I was hunting a stand with easy access and a perfect wind. It is an amazing "back to bed" route and they often times bed right in this area as well (within 50-75yds). Not a thing. Well, I did find one lonely, confused, and horny buck wandering around at 10am. He was a juvenile buck and did about a 300 degree loop around me while scent checking then continued on his way. I get a phone call shortly after. Trespassers shot a deer. Asked permission from the property manager to the north of us to track.
Long story short. I headed back to the truck and grabbed two more cameras. I already had 2 in my pack. I walked this property from east to west, and could see long distances during my journey. I even covered some ground we absolutely HATE to cover unless shed hunting or recovering a deer. We do have a stand in there, but it is one of those stands only to be used when we are 90% sure there is a favorable killing pattern in which we can kill a buck from this stand. Other than this, it is simply too close to their sanctuary. The winds must be right and we need reasonable belief we are going to this stand specifically to kill. However, we also have pictures of trespassers from this stand last year.
So. . . I repositioned one camera. I put a new python cable lock on another which had been tampered with. I also placed 4 additional cameras. Phone calls have been made. Ground has been walked. We did our part to search for the buck which was shot with no luck in the recovery efforts. Doors have been knocked on. People have been made well aware they are not welcome on the property. No threats. Simply a strong voice stating our position. It is well known this will not be tolerated. There will be NO trespassing. There will be NO more poaching.