No browsing from what I can tell. We still have green beans within close proximity and plenty of acorns. I'd say I won't notice anything until late season.
Jesse's 2014-2015 Deer Season
- Thread starter bowhunter1023
- Start date
Big_Holla
Senior Member
I've had better weekends in the woods, but it was still fun to be out there. The buck I saw Saturday morning was a dandy and it was exhilarating to see a shooter this early in the season!
Yesterday we spent some time on a new piece of ground I picked up. It is 72 acres of thick nasty woods surrounded by 1k acres of WNF. Just south of there is a 200 acre chunk of private ground that is heavily managed. I'm not real sure what to think about it just yet. I have some good recon from locals and there are some monsters in the area. We put a blind out over looking a small opening in all the thick stuff. I made 3 mock scrapes and hung a camera. I essentially have one shot and that's it. I plan to call and use scents in this spot depending on what the camera I left behind has to say about it. We hung a stand about 200 yards N of there where the main trail following the narrow ridge spine intersects a well worn trail crossing the saddle. I have little doubt it is in the right place, it is just a matter of deer density at this point. When we were leaving, I decided to scout another area on a hunch and found a good supply of producing oaks. It is tough to hunt with the terrain and undergrowth, but it is the most viable food source for a good 1/2 mile.
We'll go back to check the camera in 3 weeks. Hoping one of those legendary big boys shows up!
_______________________
2014 Stats
Does Sightings: 8
Bucks Sightings: 1
Different Bucks: 1
Shooters Seen: 1
Total Sightings: 9
Deer Killed: 0
Arrow'd Squirrels: 0
Morning Hunts: 2
Evening Hunts: 1
All Day Sits: 0
Skunked Hunts: 1
Total Hunts: 3
Hours on Stand: 9
Average Time Per Hunt: 3 hours
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: 1
Stands/Blinds Hunted: 1
Properties Hunted: 1
Yesterday we spent some time on a new piece of ground I picked up. It is 72 acres of thick nasty woods surrounded by 1k acres of WNF. Just south of there is a 200 acre chunk of private ground that is heavily managed. I'm not real sure what to think about it just yet. I have some good recon from locals and there are some monsters in the area. We put a blind out over looking a small opening in all the thick stuff. I made 3 mock scrapes and hung a camera. I essentially have one shot and that's it. I plan to call and use scents in this spot depending on what the camera I left behind has to say about it. We hung a stand about 200 yards N of there where the main trail following the narrow ridge spine intersects a well worn trail crossing the saddle. I have little doubt it is in the right place, it is just a matter of deer density at this point. When we were leaving, I decided to scout another area on a hunch and found a good supply of producing oaks. It is tough to hunt with the terrain and undergrowth, but it is the most viable food source for a good 1/2 mile.
We'll go back to check the camera in 3 weeks. Hoping one of those legendary big boys shows up!
_______________________
2014 Stats
Does Sightings: 8
Bucks Sightings: 1
Different Bucks: 1
Shooters Seen: 1
Total Sightings: 9
Deer Killed: 0
Arrow'd Squirrels: 0
Morning Hunts: 2
Evening Hunts: 1
All Day Sits: 0
Skunked Hunts: 1
Total Hunts: 3
Hours on Stand: 9
Average Time Per Hunt: 3 hours
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: 1
Stands/Blinds Hunted: 1
Properties Hunted: 1
He wasn't quite as big as I thought, but I'd have needed a little self restraint had he given me a shot. Glad I got the video now so I know that he really should see another season of growth. Looks like a good 3 year old to me. This is the same property where I killed my '04, '08' and '12 bucks. Dad killed his giant here TOO and it was 5. That's 23 years of age in 4 bucks, so I know these deer can live long enough to reach their full potential in this area. And in the case of my deer, reach full potential and then start back down hill! lmao
[video=youtube;i52FNOH8rig]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i52FNOH8rig&feature=youtu.be[/video]
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Also swung by the farm tonight to check cams. The rain sure helped out the plots!
[video=youtube;i52FNOH8rig]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i52FNOH8rig&feature=youtu.be[/video]
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Also swung by the farm tonight to check cams. The rain sure helped out the plots!
Huckleberry Finn
Senior Member
- 15,973
- 135
Just saw your new tank steps to the blind. Those flimsy handrails always make this fat white kid freak out - they are a guide but not a weight supporter!
If you want, I can put the wooden ladder back up for you. I'll even supply the drill and screws. lmao
Big_Holla
Senior Member
Plots look GREAT!! Our one acre brassica plot was annihilated already by the last time I was down.
Hortontoter
Senior Member
Last night was another reminder of how unlucky I am as a hunter.
I haven't hunted the farm yet this year and decided last night was the prefect night to pop the cherry out there. I have been looking forward to sitting down in the bottom on a cool evening and figured I see deer based on the latest camera check. Sat 3 hours and didn't see a damn thing but 4 hen turkeys, one of which had a 6" beard. I was able to go because my parents volunteered to watch my kid. When I get back to the house, dad informs me he went for a walk last night and watched 4 bucks dog a doe all around my blind. The same blind I contemplated hunting as its a great evening spot, but I just HAD to go to the farm! He said a forkhorn and a small 6 pushed the doe all over the bottom, eventually getting the attention of an 8 point he said was more impressive than his '05 buck (129"). Then at last light, he said "the big boy" game in from the south and got to within 40 yards of the blind where he stood until dark watching the other bucks. He described him as a 10 with a tall, wide sweeping rack in the same ball park as his '04 buck (167"). I wanted to take Milo's hammer at his myself in the nards...
The good news is if those bucks are in there this early, they'll be back. Usually the bucks don't show up until the last week of October back there, so I'm optimistic I can take advantage of their early arrival. The next cool evening we get that I can hunt, bet your ass you know where I'll be!
______________________
2014 Stats
Does Sightings: 8
Bucks Sightings: 1
Different Bucks: 1
Shooters Seen: 1
Total Sightings: 9
Deer Killed: 0
Arrow'd Squirrels: 0
Morning Hunts: 2
Evening Hunts: 2
All Day Sits: 0
Skunked Hunts: 2
Total Hunts: 4
Hours on Stand: 12
Average Time Per Hunt: 3 hours
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: .75
Stands/Blinds Hunted: 3
Properties Hunted: 2
I haven't hunted the farm yet this year and decided last night was the prefect night to pop the cherry out there. I have been looking forward to sitting down in the bottom on a cool evening and figured I see deer based on the latest camera check. Sat 3 hours and didn't see a damn thing but 4 hen turkeys, one of which had a 6" beard. I was able to go because my parents volunteered to watch my kid. When I get back to the house, dad informs me he went for a walk last night and watched 4 bucks dog a doe all around my blind. The same blind I contemplated hunting as its a great evening spot, but I just HAD to go to the farm! He said a forkhorn and a small 6 pushed the doe all over the bottom, eventually getting the attention of an 8 point he said was more impressive than his '05 buck (129"). Then at last light, he said "the big boy" game in from the south and got to within 40 yards of the blind where he stood until dark watching the other bucks. He described him as a 10 with a tall, wide sweeping rack in the same ball park as his '04 buck (167"). I wanted to take Milo's hammer at his myself in the nards...
The good news is if those bucks are in there this early, they'll be back. Usually the bucks don't show up until the last week of October back there, so I'm optimistic I can take advantage of their early arrival. The next cool evening we get that I can hunt, bet your ass you know where I'll be!
______________________
2014 Stats
Does Sightings: 8
Bucks Sightings: 1
Different Bucks: 1
Shooters Seen: 1
Total Sightings: 9
Deer Killed: 0
Arrow'd Squirrels: 0
Morning Hunts: 2
Evening Hunts: 2
All Day Sits: 0
Skunked Hunts: 2
Total Hunts: 4
Hours on Stand: 12
Average Time Per Hunt: 3 hours
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: .75
Stands/Blinds Hunted: 3
Properties Hunted: 2
Back when deer actually fed in the fields at our club my dad use to hide out and scout to see where the bucks would enter the field from while I hunted down in the woods. I'd come out and he'd say "you should've been here" or "you should've been there". Used to drive me nuts! Lol
One of the better hunts I have had in a few years in regards to sightings. Just wish I didn't stink so bad as to blow everything out that came my way. Didn't help the wind blew every direction except what was predicted. Still a great night to be out. Had a close encounter with a hoot owl TOO. Always cool to see an owl up close and personal.
______________________
2014 Stats
Does Sightings: 13
Bucks Sightings: 4
Different Bucks: 4
Shooters Seen: 1
Total Sightings: 179
Deer Killed: 0
Arrow'd Squirrels: 0
Morning Hunts: 2
Evening Hunts: 3
All Day Sits: 0
Skunked Hunts: 2
Total Hunts: 5
Hours on Stand: 14
Average Time Per Hunt: 2 Hours 48 Minutes
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: 1.21
Stands/Blinds Hunted: 4
Properties Hunted: 2
______________________
2014 Stats
Does Sightings: 13
Bucks Sightings: 4
Different Bucks: 4
Shooters Seen: 1
Total Sightings: 179
Deer Killed: 0
Arrow'd Squirrels: 0
Morning Hunts: 2
Evening Hunts: 3
All Day Sits: 0
Skunked Hunts: 2
Total Hunts: 5
Hours on Stand: 14
Average Time Per Hunt: 2 Hours 48 Minutes
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: 1.21
Stands/Blinds Hunted: 4
Properties Hunted: 2
Nope. Followed my normal routine. I smelled the Cold Gear layers when I took them off and they still smelled like new clothes. Smoke wasn't covering that up.
Hortontoter
Senior Member
Was able to get out twice this weekend with an evening hunt on Saturday, and a morning hunt yesterday. Saturday's hunt was uneventful with the exception of a beautiful sunset. I wasn't expecting much as my evening hunts there have been slow all year. However yesterday's hunt lived up to my expectations. All started around 8:15 when a little 5-point came running through the CRP towards my stand. When he got in the brush to the N of my stand I hit him with a few soft grunts that brought him to the base of the tree. He milled around for a bit before disappearing in to the bottom below me. Not long after that, I heard a deep grunt below me. Around 8:30 a fork horn came up from the bottom like he'd been scalded, so I had high hopes there was a good buck in the bottom below. At 9AM I was looking down in the bottom when I caught movement. I thought it was a squirrel to start with, but a quick peak through the Vortex binos said otherwise. There was a 120" 8 and the deer from the pics below in my old foot plot. The 9-point was starting to walk away when I stopped him with a few grunts, then turned him with two bleats from the Primos can. Within a minute, he was on his way. I had the bow in one hand, binos in the other and Greg/Ric's words from the night before in my head. I was talking myself in and out of shooting him as I watched him close the gap. As he hit 30 yards, I put the binos down and reached in my pocket where my phone and release were. The moment of truth...
I enjoyed watching this buck for nearly 45 minutes. He made scrapes. He rubbed trees. He lightly sparred with the 8 point, then they straight up fought! It was the best deer fight I have ever seen and it was two good bucks to boot! In all, I saw 4 bucks and 1 doe in my 3.5 hour sit. It was one of the best hunt of my career in terms of sheer enjoyment. I've passed some good deer in my day, but this may be the biggest. Just not much sense in shooting a 130's 3 year old no matter how bad I wanted to justify it!
______________________
2014 Stats
Does Sightings: 14
Bucks Sightings: 8
Different Bucks: 8
Mature Bucks Seen: 2
Total Sightings: 22
Deer Killed: 0
Morning Hunts: 3
Evening Hunts: 4
All Day Sits: 0
Skunked Hunts: 3
Total Hunts: 7
Hours on Stand: 20
Average Time Per Hunt: 2 Hours 51 Minutes
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: 1.1
Stands/Blinds Hunted: 5
Properties Hunted: 2
I enjoyed watching this buck for nearly 45 minutes. He made scrapes. He rubbed trees. He lightly sparred with the 8 point, then they straight up fought! It was the best deer fight I have ever seen and it was two good bucks to boot! In all, I saw 4 bucks and 1 doe in my 3.5 hour sit. It was one of the best hunt of my career in terms of sheer enjoyment. I've passed some good deer in my day, but this may be the biggest. Just not much sense in shooting a 130's 3 year old no matter how bad I wanted to justify it!
______________________
2014 Stats
Does Sightings: 14
Bucks Sightings: 8
Different Bucks: 8
Mature Bucks Seen: 2
Total Sightings: 22
Deer Killed: 0
Morning Hunts: 3
Evening Hunts: 4
All Day Sits: 0
Skunked Hunts: 3
Total Hunts: 7
Hours on Stand: 20
Average Time Per Hunt: 2 Hours 51 Minutes
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: 1.1
Stands/Blinds Hunted: 5
Properties Hunted: 2
That's awesome! Nothing like a good buck fight and you'll be thanking yourself next year for passing that buck, given he makes it.
This is the same area where I've killed all my old bucks. Deer have the ability to grow old here thanks to limited pressure and some tremendous bedding opportunities. It doesn't have the best genetics, but they can grow old and that has served me well over the years.