Wildlife 2020/2021 Deer Season
- Thread starter Wildlife
- Start date
Congrats again on the 2020 opening day harvest Denny!!
Cliff notes next time lol? Damn son, ya shot a doe at opening time over a bait pile
I take excessively long shits by normal standards, but still had to finish reading this one after I wiped and flushed.
I mean, 18 mins in, I felt empty. I then put down my phone, next to my sink, which is the 2nd sink, on the left, in our current master bath, which is a dual vanity setup. Now, this was not the std. 1,2,3 wipes your done and get on with your evening kinda shit. This was the kind where things were solid in the bowl, but the evidence on the paper said take a breath, prep the baby wipes for a final cleanup act, you're gonna be here a while.
So after #10, 11, 15 wipe, fuck it, I donno how long I was there, it started to clean up. But! Not done, gotta have that refreshing, ever so cleansing, come from behind glory of a feeling wipe of a wet one. I proceeded with my right hand to engage the rear, and something caught my eye out the north facing master bath window.
Could it be, no..... no way it could be on this opening day, but it was! A momma doe and her 2 young'ins. Well, the only weapon available within reach was between my legs, just a few inches away from that right hand locked and loaded with that ever so satisfying wet wipe. I stood quietly to get a better view, luckily the thinker didn't creek. Nope, full stand, wipe in right hand, staring at 6 delicious backstraps not having any clue they were now legal harvest targets.
The wind continued to blow out of the SW at 4-6.5389 mph and I knew it wouldn't be long until the smell of my IPA infused bowl of shit would hit heir nose. What's a man to do?!?!
Well, right then and there I decided to let em walk. While I was in a full stand position, fully exposed, I figured the weapon of choice had no chance of a clean shot and quick harvest. I proceeded to wipe that oh so glorious wet wipe, but wait!!! Could it be, yep!
Damn, needed a 2nd wet one for a final cleanup. Luckily I had set that packet down on the same counter, next to the same LH master bath sink, with the snap lid open....whew!
With the clean left hand, I pulled another oh so glorious wipe from the package and proceeded to transfer to the actionable right hand just waiting for action. In a few short seconds, the clock struck 20mins and I knew my time was done. The 2nd wipe was exactly what was needed and it came into my iew, being
clear and I could feel the relief. The episode was done, the gut and colon was clear for another day!
Cliff notes my friend, cliff notes.....
Cliff notes next time lol? Damn son, ya shot a doe at opening time over a bait pile
I take excessively long shits by normal standards, but still had to finish reading this one after I wiped and flushed.
I mean, 18 mins in, I felt empty. I then put down my phone, next to my sink, which is the 2nd sink, on the left, in our current master bath, which is a dual vanity setup. Now, this was not the std. 1,2,3 wipes your done and get on with your evening kinda shit. This was the kind where things were solid in the bowl, but the evidence on the paper said take a breath, prep the baby wipes for a final cleanup act, you're gonna be here a while.
So after #10, 11, 15 wipe, fuck it, I donno how long I was there, it started to clean up. But! Not done, gotta have that refreshing, ever so cleansing, come from behind glory of a feeling wipe of a wet one. I proceeded with my right hand to engage the rear, and something caught my eye out the north facing master bath window.
Could it be, no..... no way it could be on this opening day, but it was! A momma doe and her 2 young'ins. Well, the only weapon available within reach was between my legs, just a few inches away from that right hand locked and loaded with that ever so satisfying wet wipe. I stood quietly to get a better view, luckily the thinker didn't creek. Nope, full stand, wipe in right hand, staring at 6 delicious backstraps not having any clue they were now legal harvest targets.
The wind continued to blow out of the SW at 4-6.5389 mph and I knew it wouldn't be long until the smell of my IPA infused bowl of shit would hit heir nose. What's a man to do?!?!
Well, right then and there I decided to let em walk. While I was in a full stand position, fully exposed, I figured the weapon of choice had no chance of a clean shot and quick harvest. I proceeded to wipe that oh so glorious wet wipe, but wait!!! Could it be, yep!
Damn, needed a 2nd wet one for a final cleanup. Luckily I had set that packet down on the same counter, next to the same LH master bath sink, with the snap lid open....whew!
With the clean left hand, I pulled another oh so glorious wipe from the package and proceeded to transfer to the actionable right hand just waiting for action. In a few short seconds, the clock struck 20mins and I knew my time was done. The 2nd wipe was exactly what was needed and it came into my iew, being
clear and I could feel the relief. The episode was done, the gut and colon was clear for another day!
Cliff notes my friend, cliff notes.....
Oh, just wait for when I kill my buck
Just for you Adam, I will make sure that I turn that success story into huge bedtime novel for ya
Seriously though, I really do appreciate your sharing, which is now a horror picture show replaying throughout my head like a broken record. Obviously, you put some well-intended thought behind it. Such a classic response that is now a part of my hunting journal. I imagine when I look back onto this thread, I will get another tremendous laugh out of it once again.
Thanks Buddy
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Just in good fun Denny, really hope you take it as such. Im no writer and I try not to think to much, that flowed easily since it was a recollection of actual events.
Looking forward to seeing ya with a buck harvest picture and story to recap during this 2020 season.
Looking forward to seeing ya with a buck harvest picture and story to recap during this 2020 season.
Sunday - October 4, 2020:
Getting pretty anxious about getting back out into a tree-stand already. Been working hard lately trying to catch up on all my fall chores.
I’ve spent most of the past week getting rid of all kinds of debris and leaves, along with cutting down more trees for firewood. I’ve had quite the workout all this week I’ll tell ya, which truly gets me back into shape for the hunting season.
Yesterday, there weren’t any tree leaves on the ground, but today, you wouldn't think so based on my photograph taken an hour ago.
I just finished up doing my last trip of a dozen or better just like it over the past couple of days, hauling tons of leaves straight to the edge of the creek levy bank and dumped them all over the side. I got everything put away just before the rain rolled in and the heavy wind picked up significantly moments ago.
Did I happen to mention that I freaking hate doing leaf work with a passion? Well, I most certainly do! Trust me, I’d rather cut, split & stack wood all day long over any kind of leaf racking & blowing. That kind of work is for the birds!
Anyhow,,,
I intend to get back out for my second deer hunt relatively soon. I’ll most definitely be in a tree somewhere this coming weekend of the 10th, which seems to be a great weekend to be out according to the area's history. Roaming big bucks tend to be on the move usually during that time and that is based on at least four years of history intel of mine. I have captured some rather great bucks on my TCs during that time that were either making a fresh new scrape and/or hitting a pine licking branch that I recently hung, for example:
Hopefully, the weather cooperates, but regardless, you can expect me to be hunting for a rather good buck this weekend, rain or shine.
Until then, I wish everyone great success in all your hunting adventures and hope that you make it home safely, each and every time!
Take care!
Getting pretty anxious about getting back out into a tree-stand already. Been working hard lately trying to catch up on all my fall chores.
I’ve spent most of the past week getting rid of all kinds of debris and leaves, along with cutting down more trees for firewood. I’ve had quite the workout all this week I’ll tell ya, which truly gets me back into shape for the hunting season.
Yesterday, there weren’t any tree leaves on the ground, but today, you wouldn't think so based on my photograph taken an hour ago.
I just finished up doing my last trip of a dozen or better just like it over the past couple of days, hauling tons of leaves straight to the edge of the creek levy bank and dumped them all over the side. I got everything put away just before the rain rolled in and the heavy wind picked up significantly moments ago.
Did I happen to mention that I freaking hate doing leaf work with a passion? Well, I most certainly do! Trust me, I’d rather cut, split & stack wood all day long over any kind of leaf racking & blowing. That kind of work is for the birds!
Anyhow,,,
I intend to get back out for my second deer hunt relatively soon. I’ll most definitely be in a tree somewhere this coming weekend of the 10th, which seems to be a great weekend to be out according to the area's history. Roaming big bucks tend to be on the move usually during that time and that is based on at least four years of history intel of mine. I have captured some rather great bucks on my TCs during that time that were either making a fresh new scrape and/or hitting a pine licking branch that I recently hung, for example:
Hopefully, the weather cooperates, but regardless, you can expect me to be hunting for a rather good buck this weekend, rain or shine.
Until then, I wish everyone great success in all your hunting adventures and hope that you make it home safely, each and every time!
Take care!
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Big_Holla
Senior Member
I'm a run em over with the lawn mower raking leaves kinda guy! Looking good and good luck!!
Have one and trust me, I have been dealing these autumn leaves around this place for many years and it's crazy that I still put up with it.
Above is what was used by the former property owner many moons ago.
Watching him back then, operating that equipment, making so many trips just to dump small amounts at the creek levy, along with hearing him express all his frustrations trying to empty it each time, certainly made me realize that it was definitely time for me to take over the job for him. Those leaves blowers were always a challenge for him to start each year too.
I'm referring to my wife's grandfather, God rest his poor soul! He was an awfully hard working man during his prime that past just over 10 years ago.
Anyways,,,
Being a former lawncare business owner & operator when my kids were teenagers that needed a job so they could have some money in their pocket, I knew I could I get rid of all those leaves far more effectively & efficiently with a good rake, a STIHL leave blower & a couple of good size tarps chained to the back of a couple of zero-turn mowers than anything else.
I always got that particular job done in half the time than what it took the old man to do back then with twice the family man power, at least.
Wife's grandfather at the time was so impressed and quite pleased that I took over the responsibility for him. I've been doing it ever since around here, going back at least twenty plus years now.
It’s still a part of lawncare business that I despise the most though. You can bet on it!
The place always looks beautiful after I get rid of them.
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Thursday - October 8, 2020:
I wanted to express my sincere condolences to the family, friends and all the loyal rock music fans of a guitar legend that recently past away earlier this week, Eddie Van Halen.
In doing so, I put together a brief music video that will now be apart of my original '2020 Whitetail Deer' music playlist, which is also available to the public, but I do these types of videos mainly for my own listening and viewing pleasure while I work inside my shop.
The video contains the very latest TC captures of THUNDER, which is the buck that I hope to secure for another year or two. He continues to make his presence well known in the area, still on a fairly frequent basis. I believe he'll be a fantastic trophy deer in a couple more years, that is, if he makes it until then. We shall see...
Anyhow,,,
I'm still working towards getting out into the woods this Saturday and I'm pretty stoked about it too. It'll be my second sit of the season and most likely a much longer one than my first. Regardless, I'll be totally thrilled to be back at it again, hunting for a good buck.
Until then, I wish all those that will be hunting in this wonderful and beautiful weather we've been receiving lately, good luck!
Take care everybody!
R.I.P. Eddie
I wanted to express my sincere condolences to the family, friends and all the loyal rock music fans of a guitar legend that recently past away earlier this week, Eddie Van Halen.
In doing so, I put together a brief music video that will now be apart of my original '2020 Whitetail Deer' music playlist, which is also available to the public, but I do these types of videos mainly for my own listening and viewing pleasure while I work inside my shop.
The video contains the very latest TC captures of THUNDER, which is the buck that I hope to secure for another year or two. He continues to make his presence well known in the area, still on a fairly frequent basis. I believe he'll be a fantastic trophy deer in a couple more years, that is, if he makes it until then. We shall see...
Anyhow,,,
I'm still working towards getting out into the woods this Saturday and I'm pretty stoked about it too. It'll be my second sit of the season and most likely a much longer one than my first. Regardless, I'll be totally thrilled to be back at it again, hunting for a good buck.
Until then, I wish all those that will be hunting in this wonderful and beautiful weather we've been receiving lately, good luck!
Take care everybody!
R.I.P. Eddie
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Friday - October 9, 2020:
Sit #2 so far of the season...
Well, I couldn't stand it any longer because it was such a beautiful day today so, I grabbed my bow right after I changed into some light hunting clothes and headed straight to my 'Western Stand' for the last hour an half of legal hunting time.
Wasn't expecting much to happen in this area just yet, but it certainly felt good to be back in the stand again anyways. This setup is fairly close to my workshop and it only takes me just a few minutes to get to it. What you're looking at basically is a 100 yard wooded funnel that is in between two wild green fields that was recently cut down with a small creek bottom just below me. I am able to cover both sides of the creek shelf comfortably and in the larger photo above you can see the pine linking branch that I hung right along one of the main deer trails.
Anyhow,,,
I didn't see any deer this evening, but I do believe I heard a couple of them beyond my sight, further into the wooded area, just to my east, approximately 40-60 yards. It kind of appeared to me that they were just getting up and headed towards the bait station area, approximately 250 yards away.
Pretty much at the same time, I had a groundhog piddling around right underneath me making a fair amount of racket. After I couldn't hear the deer anymore in the area, I took the groundhog out with my 125g NAP Thunderhead anchor arrow. Roughly a 10 yard shot that instantly killed the critter.
I do NOT want these types of animals around our place so, that is why I shot it.
Nothing else happened the rest of the hunt. After watching the beautiful sunset and not hearing anything else moving about, I climbed down, grabbed my stuck arrow, took a quick field pic, picked up the hog and then headed back down through the creek back to my workshop.
Along the way, I soon met up with a huge Opossum that wanted to make its way across a large down tree that crosses the creek, much like a bridge. He was liberally within a couple of feet of me as I continued my hike. I'm totally good in keeping Opossums around because the eat ticks, basically harmless and of no real threat to any of my animals and/or our property.
With regards to the dead hog, I am going to burying him right after this post. By next spring, I'll recover the skull and add it to my collection.
Tomorrow, I will be hitting the woods again in the morning hours at a different setup, then once again for the afternoon/evening hours, also at a different location. Should be a fun day.
You can expect me to report back here sometime tomorrow night with the details.
Until then, everyone have a great Friday night!
Good night!
Sit #2 so far of the season...
Well, I couldn't stand it any longer because it was such a beautiful day today so, I grabbed my bow right after I changed into some light hunting clothes and headed straight to my 'Western Stand' for the last hour an half of legal hunting time.
Wasn't expecting much to happen in this area just yet, but it certainly felt good to be back in the stand again anyways. This setup is fairly close to my workshop and it only takes me just a few minutes to get to it. What you're looking at basically is a 100 yard wooded funnel that is in between two wild green fields that was recently cut down with a small creek bottom just below me. I am able to cover both sides of the creek shelf comfortably and in the larger photo above you can see the pine linking branch that I hung right along one of the main deer trails.
Anyhow,,,
I didn't see any deer this evening, but I do believe I heard a couple of them beyond my sight, further into the wooded area, just to my east, approximately 40-60 yards. It kind of appeared to me that they were just getting up and headed towards the bait station area, approximately 250 yards away.
Pretty much at the same time, I had a groundhog piddling around right underneath me making a fair amount of racket. After I couldn't hear the deer anymore in the area, I took the groundhog out with my 125g NAP Thunderhead anchor arrow. Roughly a 10 yard shot that instantly killed the critter.
I do NOT want these types of animals around our place so, that is why I shot it.
Nothing else happened the rest of the hunt. After watching the beautiful sunset and not hearing anything else moving about, I climbed down, grabbed my stuck arrow, took a quick field pic, picked up the hog and then headed back down through the creek back to my workshop.
Along the way, I soon met up with a huge Opossum that wanted to make its way across a large down tree that crosses the creek, much like a bridge. He was liberally within a couple of feet of me as I continued my hike. I'm totally good in keeping Opossums around because the eat ticks, basically harmless and of no real threat to any of my animals and/or our property.
With regards to the dead hog, I am going to burying him right after this post. By next spring, I'll recover the skull and add it to my collection.
Tomorrow, I will be hitting the woods again in the morning hours at a different setup, then once again for the afternoon/evening hours, also at a different location. Should be a fun day.
You can expect me to report back here sometime tomorrow night with the details.
Until then, everyone have a great Friday night!
Good night!
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Buckmaster
Senior Member
Do you hunt yotes? I kill them too and usually let lay.
I do not always eat everything I kill, and I do not kill everything I can either. Groundhogs will get eaten only if I am starving to death, including coons, or whatever.
Saturday - October 10, 2020:
2hr Morning Hunt @Northwestern Stand:
I awoke @5:00 a.m. and got settled into my stand with no issues by 6:30 a.m.
Approximately 15 minutes later, I heard what sounded like a few deer coming off the upper field, down through the woods, down the hill and slow walked to the North, possibly heading towards the bait station.
After an hour at least, I see five antlerless deer coming from the NE circling around the lower CRP field, out of bow range, roughly 60+ yards away. I continued to watch them travel along the bottom of the ridge/hill heading away from me and towards the lower CRP field on the South side of it, then finally out of sight roughly around 8:00 a.m.
Then I sat for another hour of not seeing or hearing anymore deer before I decided to pack it up, climb down and go pull the SD card out the TC that covers the pine licking branch below me, which is the one I hung at the end of July.
BTW, that pine licking branch desperately needs to be replaced. Not only is it destroyed by the deer, it’s pretty well dried out too. I will replace it tomorrow during the rain that we are supposed to receive. Right next to it though, there is a 7” in diameter vine that is rubbed to death and obviously, some rather large fresh scrapes right underneath the PLB.
I have not been to this location since August 4th, and it was raining out then too. That is when I pulled the SD card last out of the TC, which was a week right after I hung the new pine licking branch.
The very affordable, $24.99/unit, new Simmons trail camera that covers the pine licking branch seems to be holding up very well. Once opened, I was quite impressed to see that the batteries registered a full charge still after taking nearly 1,900 photographs over a two in half month period.
I need to clean up one of my main shooting lanes also. It appears, perhaps during one of the big storms we had over the past couple of months, a few small dead trees fell over and is now blocking my primary shooting window/lane that offers me a clear shot opportunity to the edge of the upper field, which is 30 yards to the wood/field edge from my hang-on stand.
After I made back to my workshop, I changed back into my regular work clothes, made a fresh hot cup of coffee, sat down and started to go through all the TC photographs on the pulled SD card that covered the pine licking branch.
The follow video encapsulates every deer, plus one coyote that visited that spot since August 5th. Out of the nearly 1,900 photographs, 95% of them are within this video, I tossed out all the small game stuff, except for the yote.
The photographs within the video are set at 3 second intervals each, which totals up to 1 hour and 27 minutes of some rather outranges deer activity at my ‘Northwestern Stand’/pine licking branch setup, pretty much at least one deer showed up every day since then.
This is the same setup/location that I use for any new and/or youth hunters that I take out. There is a 16’ ladder stand setup near the bottom of the hill, up against a large mature tree that has a perfect ‘Y’ crotch right above it, so you can see through it, towards the PLB. I also have a hang-on stand right above that ladder stand that I use to either hunt out of myself, and/or film a quest’s hunt for them. It’s approximately 10’ right above the ladder, also inside the crotch of the tree.
Anyhow, I did not have time to index the video yet for all the real cool highlights, but if you wish to view the raw version of it and see all the deer activity, you can increase the speed of the video to twice the speed, which cuts it down to approximately 35 minutes if you wish.
I can tell you that I was more than impressed with the amount of deer activity hitting that pine licking branch. You certainly will get to see several good bucks, with velvet and without, plenty of antlerless deer, tons of tree rubbing happening, scrapes being made, deer bedding and bucks fighting their asses off. The power of a good PLB being placed in a high travel area.
The imagine quality is more than simply fine for me too, which most images provides all the information that I need. For only $25 bucks a unit, I am incredibly pleased with those little trail cameras.
______________________________________________
2hr Evening Hunt @North CRP Stand:
I did not make it back out until about 5:00 p.m. because it appeared that the skies were about to open and pour rain. When I soon realized that it only turned out to be just a light sprinkle, I quickly grabbed my hunting gear, including my tree umbrella and started down the middle of the main creek, heading towards my CRP stand that is just minutes away.
Once I got the base of the tree, hooked up a new handline to swap out the old, climbed the tree. No sooner I stood up onto the platform, I seen a doe to my right at 16 yards. She was looking right towards my tree, but not up into it. I froze in place, she froze too. After a minute, she gave a very soft blow, which it alerted four other antlerless deer that were bedded within 20 yards of her inside the CRP. They all hopped towards the middle of the CRP field and away from me, then they simply disappeared within the extremely tall this year CRP. I estimate that the CRP is at least 8-10’ tall this year.
I know she did not smell me because we had a decent crosswind between us. I think she just heard me coming and did not know what it was once I got to my tree. I might have woken her out of her bed right along the edge of the field or just inside the wooded area, but I really do not know for sure. I just happened to spot her as soon as I stood up in the stand.
Anyways, that was all the deer I seen this evening and I didn’t even get to cradle the bow yet up into the tree when I saw them. Oh well, I still enjoyed the hunt. I also did not have to hang my tree umbrella, which was excellent!
I believe those were the same five antlerless deer that I saw earlier this morning.
Roughly four hours of hunting in the stand today, I seen a total of 10 deer and no blood was shed. None of them were bucks.
I doubt that I’ll hunt tomorrow, but I will replace the pine licking branch at my ‘Northwestern Stand’ and cutdown those few dead trees that are blocking my main shooting lane. All that will get done as soon as it starts raining.
So, to date, I have done four sits altogether. Three of those were hang-on setups out of the six that I have in place. I’d hope to get to the other three before I head down to deer camp, so I might get back out sometime between Monday & Tuesday, the 12th & the 13th, weather/wind depending for those setups.
Until next time, everybody take care!
Good night!
2hr Morning Hunt @Northwestern Stand:
I awoke @5:00 a.m. and got settled into my stand with no issues by 6:30 a.m.
Approximately 15 minutes later, I heard what sounded like a few deer coming off the upper field, down through the woods, down the hill and slow walked to the North, possibly heading towards the bait station.
After an hour at least, I see five antlerless deer coming from the NE circling around the lower CRP field, out of bow range, roughly 60+ yards away. I continued to watch them travel along the bottom of the ridge/hill heading away from me and towards the lower CRP field on the South side of it, then finally out of sight roughly around 8:00 a.m.
Then I sat for another hour of not seeing or hearing anymore deer before I decided to pack it up, climb down and go pull the SD card out the TC that covers the pine licking branch below me, which is the one I hung at the end of July.
BTW, that pine licking branch desperately needs to be replaced. Not only is it destroyed by the deer, it’s pretty well dried out too. I will replace it tomorrow during the rain that we are supposed to receive. Right next to it though, there is a 7” in diameter vine that is rubbed to death and obviously, some rather large fresh scrapes right underneath the PLB.
I have not been to this location since August 4th, and it was raining out then too. That is when I pulled the SD card last out of the TC, which was a week right after I hung the new pine licking branch.
The very affordable, $24.99/unit, new Simmons trail camera that covers the pine licking branch seems to be holding up very well. Once opened, I was quite impressed to see that the batteries registered a full charge still after taking nearly 1,900 photographs over a two in half month period.
I need to clean up one of my main shooting lanes also. It appears, perhaps during one of the big storms we had over the past couple of months, a few small dead trees fell over and is now blocking my primary shooting window/lane that offers me a clear shot opportunity to the edge of the upper field, which is 30 yards to the wood/field edge from my hang-on stand.
After I made back to my workshop, I changed back into my regular work clothes, made a fresh hot cup of coffee, sat down and started to go through all the TC photographs on the pulled SD card that covered the pine licking branch.
The follow video encapsulates every deer, plus one coyote that visited that spot since August 5th. Out of the nearly 1,900 photographs, 95% of them are within this video, I tossed out all the small game stuff, except for the yote.
The photographs within the video are set at 3 second intervals each, which totals up to 1 hour and 27 minutes of some rather outranges deer activity at my ‘Northwestern Stand’/pine licking branch setup, pretty much at least one deer showed up every day since then.
This is the same setup/location that I use for any new and/or youth hunters that I take out. There is a 16’ ladder stand setup near the bottom of the hill, up against a large mature tree that has a perfect ‘Y’ crotch right above it, so you can see through it, towards the PLB. I also have a hang-on stand right above that ladder stand that I use to either hunt out of myself, and/or film a quest’s hunt for them. It’s approximately 10’ right above the ladder, also inside the crotch of the tree.
Anyhow, I did not have time to index the video yet for all the real cool highlights, but if you wish to view the raw version of it and see all the deer activity, you can increase the speed of the video to twice the speed, which cuts it down to approximately 35 minutes if you wish.
I can tell you that I was more than impressed with the amount of deer activity hitting that pine licking branch. You certainly will get to see several good bucks, with velvet and without, plenty of antlerless deer, tons of tree rubbing happening, scrapes being made, deer bedding and bucks fighting their asses off. The power of a good PLB being placed in a high travel area.
The imagine quality is more than simply fine for me too, which most images provides all the information that I need. For only $25 bucks a unit, I am incredibly pleased with those little trail cameras.
2hr Evening Hunt @North CRP Stand:
I did not make it back out until about 5:00 p.m. because it appeared that the skies were about to open and pour rain. When I soon realized that it only turned out to be just a light sprinkle, I quickly grabbed my hunting gear, including my tree umbrella and started down the middle of the main creek, heading towards my CRP stand that is just minutes away.
Once I got the base of the tree, hooked up a new handline to swap out the old, climbed the tree. No sooner I stood up onto the platform, I seen a doe to my right at 16 yards. She was looking right towards my tree, but not up into it. I froze in place, she froze too. After a minute, she gave a very soft blow, which it alerted four other antlerless deer that were bedded within 20 yards of her inside the CRP. They all hopped towards the middle of the CRP field and away from me, then they simply disappeared within the extremely tall this year CRP. I estimate that the CRP is at least 8-10’ tall this year.
I know she did not smell me because we had a decent crosswind between us. I think she just heard me coming and did not know what it was once I got to my tree. I might have woken her out of her bed right along the edge of the field or just inside the wooded area, but I really do not know for sure. I just happened to spot her as soon as I stood up in the stand.
Anyways, that was all the deer I seen this evening and I didn’t even get to cradle the bow yet up into the tree when I saw them. Oh well, I still enjoyed the hunt. I also did not have to hang my tree umbrella, which was excellent!
I believe those were the same five antlerless deer that I saw earlier this morning.
Roughly four hours of hunting in the stand today, I seen a total of 10 deer and no blood was shed. None of them were bucks.
I doubt that I’ll hunt tomorrow, but I will replace the pine licking branch at my ‘Northwestern Stand’ and cutdown those few dead trees that are blocking my main shooting lane. All that will get done as soon as it starts raining.
So, to date, I have done four sits altogether. Three of those were hang-on setups out of the six that I have in place. I’d hope to get to the other three before I head down to deer camp, so I might get back out sometime between Monday & Tuesday, the 12th & the 13th, weather/wind depending for those setups.
Until next time, everybody take care!
Good night!
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Sunday - October 11, 2020:
‘What I did for the deer today’
It didn’t start to rain steady until after the lunch hour, which was perfect timing to go do some hunting setup maintenance and relocate a couple of TCs.
I took off from the workshop and headed to the bait station first to replenish the corn in the feeder with another 200lbs. and poured out another 50lbs. around the licking block. Then I pulled the SD cards from the TCs that cover that area.
Right after that, I hiked further into the woods to retrieve the two TCs that I wanted to relocate. I hung one on the North side of the small creek, on top of the shelf, just off the South side of our wild alfalfa field and then hung the other to cover the newer pine licking branch on the other side that I hung not too long ago, approximate 20-25 yards away from my ‘Western Stand’.
TC on the left, 'Western Stand'on the right looking from just off our field, on the North side of the creek.
I also setup an active mock scrape drip set just off one of the smaller vines that will drip right next to a much larger vine that I kind of expect the bucks to use and a new tree rub, also located just yards away of my ‘Western Stand’ location, approximately 10 yards away from the PLB.
Upper photo is both the PLB on the left, drip mock scrape & tree rub vine on the right, and the TC is in between them that covers the PLB only. This area is located on the South side of the small creek.
Then after that, I went and grabbed the small chainsaw and tree pruner, cut down a nice size pine licking branch out of one of our big pine trees, hauled it over to my ‘Northwestern Stand’ location. After I replenished the old PLB, I then cut down the two old dead trees that fell over recently and were obstructing my ability to shoot out to the upper field edge from my hang-on.
Replenished the old PLB @Northwestern Stand. Stuck the old one near it on the ground to keep whatever scents in the area. It appears that the scrape was refreshed last night too. Should show up on my TC above it the next time I pull the SD card.
Cleared the two dead trees that were obstructing my ability to shoot out to the field edge. I was standing approximately 35 yards away from my 'Northwestern Stand' that is circled in the photograph. Deer frequently travel along the edge of this field and it's a main deer trail going to and from the field to the woods.
It rained steady the whole time during my travels and work. I did NOT see nor hear any deer the entire time, which is good.
Once I got back to the house around 4:00 p.m., the wife had a freshly made up bowl of venison steak chili waiting on me. After I peeled off my wet clothes, I sat down, ate and started to go through all five of the TC SD cards. The deer activity is still plentiful in the area based on those most recent TC captures.
Below is the latest of THUNDER earlier this morning. It is obvious that his testosterone levels are surely picking up because neck is starting to swell up big time. I can honestly say, it will be a hard pass if he were to ever present me an opportunity. We’ll see what happens. There's a whole lot of meat on’em
Anyways,,,
I do NOT expect to get after it real hard until the end of the month and the first two weeks of November. I am hoping that all the work pays off for at least my youngest brother's sake the most. So far, he still intends to make his way back to Ohio to get himself his first Buckeye Whitetail. It will be epic when it happens, no doubt about it, regardless of what he shoots.
I’m still intending on doing at least one other hunt over the next couple of days at one of my other three hang-ons that I haven’t been to yet since the season opened. Just wanting to give each hang-on a full test run before my brother gets here.
I'll be down at 'TOO's Strouds deer camp event this Wednesday and intend on staying all the way thru Sunday morning. After that, I'm sure I'm going to need to catch up on some sort of rest before I get back after it again, hunting wise that is.
Hope that at least some of you are enjoying what I have been sharing lately. I do put a little bit of time in these updates and my journals are always a real nice reference to look back on, for my own sake at least.
Okay then, that's it for now, until next time, everyone take care and enjoy the rest of your evening!
‘What I did for the deer today’
It didn’t start to rain steady until after the lunch hour, which was perfect timing to go do some hunting setup maintenance and relocate a couple of TCs.
I took off from the workshop and headed to the bait station first to replenish the corn in the feeder with another 200lbs. and poured out another 50lbs. around the licking block. Then I pulled the SD cards from the TCs that cover that area.
Right after that, I hiked further into the woods to retrieve the two TCs that I wanted to relocate. I hung one on the North side of the small creek, on top of the shelf, just off the South side of our wild alfalfa field and then hung the other to cover the newer pine licking branch on the other side that I hung not too long ago, approximate 20-25 yards away from my ‘Western Stand’.
TC on the left, 'Western Stand'on the right looking from just off our field, on the North side of the creek.
I also setup an active mock scrape drip set just off one of the smaller vines that will drip right next to a much larger vine that I kind of expect the bucks to use and a new tree rub, also located just yards away of my ‘Western Stand’ location, approximately 10 yards away from the PLB.
Upper photo is both the PLB on the left, drip mock scrape & tree rub vine on the right, and the TC is in between them that covers the PLB only. This area is located on the South side of the small creek.
Then after that, I went and grabbed the small chainsaw and tree pruner, cut down a nice size pine licking branch out of one of our big pine trees, hauled it over to my ‘Northwestern Stand’ location. After I replenished the old PLB, I then cut down the two old dead trees that fell over recently and were obstructing my ability to shoot out to the upper field edge from my hang-on.
Replenished the old PLB @Northwestern Stand. Stuck the old one near it on the ground to keep whatever scents in the area. It appears that the scrape was refreshed last night too. Should show up on my TC above it the next time I pull the SD card.
Cleared the two dead trees that were obstructing my ability to shoot out to the field edge. I was standing approximately 35 yards away from my 'Northwestern Stand' that is circled in the photograph. Deer frequently travel along the edge of this field and it's a main deer trail going to and from the field to the woods.
It rained steady the whole time during my travels and work. I did NOT see nor hear any deer the entire time, which is good.
Once I got back to the house around 4:00 p.m., the wife had a freshly made up bowl of venison steak chili waiting on me. After I peeled off my wet clothes, I sat down, ate and started to go through all five of the TC SD cards. The deer activity is still plentiful in the area based on those most recent TC captures.
Below is the latest of THUNDER earlier this morning. It is obvious that his testosterone levels are surely picking up because neck is starting to swell up big time. I can honestly say, it will be a hard pass if he were to ever present me an opportunity. We’ll see what happens. There's a whole lot of meat on’em
Anyways,,,
I do NOT expect to get after it real hard until the end of the month and the first two weeks of November. I am hoping that all the work pays off for at least my youngest brother's sake the most. So far, he still intends to make his way back to Ohio to get himself his first Buckeye Whitetail. It will be epic when it happens, no doubt about it, regardless of what he shoots.
I’m still intending on doing at least one other hunt over the next couple of days at one of my other three hang-ons that I haven’t been to yet since the season opened. Just wanting to give each hang-on a full test run before my brother gets here.
I'll be down at 'TOO's Strouds deer camp event this Wednesday and intend on staying all the way thru Sunday morning. After that, I'm sure I'm going to need to catch up on some sort of rest before I get back after it again, hunting wise that is.
Hope that at least some of you are enjoying what I have been sharing lately. I do put a little bit of time in these updates and my journals are always a real nice reference to look back on, for my own sake at least.
Okay then, that's it for now, until next time, everyone take care and enjoy the rest of your evening!
Last edited:
Monday - October 19, 2020 - 'Playing catchup':
Sits 5,6 & 7 were down at deer camp (Strounds) and I was pretty darn close on two back to back morning public hunts. You can see & read about them in the following forum hyperlinks if you haven't already.
I compiled any TC captures that have significate meaning to me and placed them within a video format, then added those videos to my Whitetail Deer 2020 music collection on my YouTube channel. All the TC captures are in chronological order based on date & time. One is 16 minutes long and the other is like 10.
The first attached video is of THUNDER at the bait station on the 16th & 18th chowing down corn. The other are of bucks only at the two different PLBs making scrapes and tree rubbing. All local bucks. It also has within that video a coyote, a couple of future bucks (buttons) making possibly its first scrape & tree rubbing, a possible Bobcat I do believe and a cellphone photograph of a fresh scrape right along the field/wood edge that is within my field window/shooting lane from my 'Northwestern Stand'.
Our local antlerless deer herd is quiet plentiful still and very healthy. Many of them visit both the bait station area and both the PLBs daily and some more than a few times throughout the day & night times.
I do not know when I'll do my next hunt. I was recently selected to do jury duty and I have to appear first thing tomorrow morning.
If I do not make it out at all during this week, you can most likely expect me to be out sometime during weekend regardless of the weather conditions.
I wanted to keep my journal up to date so, that is all I have for now.
Until the next one, everyone take it easy out there and good luck in them deer woods!
Sits 5,6 & 7 were down at deer camp (Strounds) and I was pretty darn close on two back to back morning public hunts. You can see & read about them in the following forum hyperlinks if you haven't already.
- 2020 Strouds. F*** Covid, f*** antifa, f*** lockdown, Strouds is happening. Like death and taxes.
- LIVE from the stand 2020-21
- 2020 Strouds. F*** Covid, f*** antifa, f*** lockdown, Strouds is happening. Like death and taxes.
- 2020 Strouds. F*** Covid, f*** antifa, f*** lockdown, Strouds is happening. Like death and taxes.
- LIVE from the stand 2020-21
I compiled any TC captures that have significate meaning to me and placed them within a video format, then added those videos to my Whitetail Deer 2020 music collection on my YouTube channel. All the TC captures are in chronological order based on date & time. One is 16 minutes long and the other is like 10.
The first attached video is of THUNDER at the bait station on the 16th & 18th chowing down corn. The other are of bucks only at the two different PLBs making scrapes and tree rubbing. All local bucks. It also has within that video a coyote, a couple of future bucks (buttons) making possibly its first scrape & tree rubbing, a possible Bobcat I do believe and a cellphone photograph of a fresh scrape right along the field/wood edge that is within my field window/shooting lane from my 'Northwestern Stand'.
Our local antlerless deer herd is quiet plentiful still and very healthy. Many of them visit both the bait station area and both the PLBs daily and some more than a few times throughout the day & night times.
I do not know when I'll do my next hunt. I was recently selected to do jury duty and I have to appear first thing tomorrow morning.
If I do not make it out at all during this week, you can most likely expect me to be out sometime during weekend regardless of the weather conditions.
I wanted to keep my journal up to date so, that is all I have for now.
Until the next one, everyone take it easy out there and good luck in them deer woods!
I'd shoot em all Denny, nice options there!