Thanks Rich. Rinsed out. Neosporin. Band aid. Didn't stop me from cutting firewood today. It'll be fine. Sure did bleed a lot in the stand though. Lol
Phil's journal 2020
- Thread starter hickslawns
- Start date
- 6,414
- 136
Neosporin helps heal cuts up fast.... I hung a stand the other day and took a chunk out of back of hand.... Bled like an SOB.... Got stand up and sat till dark.... What we do for a deer.... Cut looks 10 times better today.... Hang in there....
Hunted tonight. 3 hours in a traditionally good stand for evenings and rut. Been a lot of deer killed out of this stand. Several good bucks. Tonight it produced a one or two year old 8pt. Last 20min of light. It was warm but the stand is in a thick section, pinched between a creek and standing corn. Bedding several areas close. One. One young buck. The stand had not been hunted all year. I made a silent entry. The EHD has our area weird this year.
Hunt: 3 hrs
Deer seen: 1
Bucks: 1
Total hunts: 4
Hours hunted: 13
Deer seen: 13
Bucks: 2
Yearlings: 11
Hunt: 3 hrs
Deer seen: 1
Bucks: 1
Total hunts: 4
Hours hunted: 13
Deer seen: 13
Bucks: 2
Yearlings: 11
Went to the property I cut my finger at on the last hunt there. I've had two different people report nearly hitting a really big buck since Thursday. Let's just say he wasn't there tonight. Not were about any other deer. Saw two yearlings. Did see a scrape on the field edge on the way in.
Hunt: 3 hrs
Deer seen: 2
Yearlings: 2
Total hunts: 5
Hours hunted: 16
Deer seen: 15
Bucks: 2
Yearlings: 13
Hunt: 3 hrs
Deer seen: 2
Yearlings: 2
Total hunts: 5
Hours hunted: 16
Deer seen: 15
Bucks: 2
Yearlings: 13
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Started poopy. Blew 4-5 deer out of the field walking in. Maybe more. Sat until 815 when I saw a lost little doe walking the edge of the creek a bit east of me. Then I saw 4 deer step out into the field SE if me. Roughly 100yds south of the little girl. Then I saw what I guessed to be a 2yr old doe who looked like she was cracked out. She was real skittish. The fawn came to greet her and wigged her out. They bolted into outer space.
So the little girl comes back to the creek to have the 4 pack of yearlings taunting her from the other side of the creek. They finally find a place to get into the creek. Right in front of my stand. I nearly killed the lead button buck as he would've been the biggest and not a doe. (Does are still off limits due to the EHD.) They chase her around the creek and she runs away from them. She went the ABSOLUTE worst direction and ran straight into a big hole. She was completely submerged for a bit and then I see her head pop up out of the water. I busted out laughing.
In the meantime I see the 2 yr old doe back wandering around. Shortly after a 2yr old 7pt is on her trail. While watching I lost track of the foursome pestering the lil one. So the doe and buck do some in and out of the trees for awhile and the little girl shows back up to follow them. Eventually I lost track of them and decided to slide out.
As I get down and to the field edge I catch movement across the field in a fence row. Bigger bodies. Three of them. I catch a glimpse of a body disappearing which I am guessing was the doe because then I saw the 7pt again. He was running off a larger buck which appeared to be an 8pt. I hunkered down and found a spot to ground hunt. He could have gone a few directions but he didn't pick my escape route. After awaiting 10-15min I decided the coast was clear and I made it back to my truck. I have some work to get done.
Hunt: 3.5hrs
Deer seen: 8
Bucks: 2
Does: 1
Yearlings: 5
Total hunts: 6
Hours hunted: 19.5
Deer seen: 23
Bucks: 4
Non-yearling Does: 1
Yearlings: 18
So the little girl comes back to the creek to have the 4 pack of yearlings taunting her from the other side of the creek. They finally find a place to get into the creek. Right in front of my stand. I nearly killed the lead button buck as he would've been the biggest and not a doe. (Does are still off limits due to the EHD.) They chase her around the creek and she runs away from them. She went the ABSOLUTE worst direction and ran straight into a big hole. She was completely submerged for a bit and then I see her head pop up out of the water. I busted out laughing.
In the meantime I see the 2 yr old doe back wandering around. Shortly after a 2yr old 7pt is on her trail. While watching I lost track of the foursome pestering the lil one. So the doe and buck do some in and out of the trees for awhile and the little girl shows back up to follow them. Eventually I lost track of them and decided to slide out.
As I get down and to the field edge I catch movement across the field in a fence row. Bigger bodies. Three of them. I catch a glimpse of a body disappearing which I am guessing was the doe because then I saw the 7pt again. He was running off a larger buck which appeared to be an 8pt. I hunkered down and found a spot to ground hunt. He could have gone a few directions but he didn't pick my escape route. After awaiting 10-15min I decided the coast was clear and I made it back to my truck. I have some work to get done.
Hunt: 3.5hrs
Deer seen: 8
Bucks: 2
Does: 1
Yearlings: 5
Total hunts: 6
Hours hunted: 19.5
Deer seen: 23
Bucks: 4
Non-yearling Does: 1
Yearlings: 18
Made it out. Late. But got a little seat time. Settled in about 330-340. Less than 5 min of sitting and had a solid buck 75-100yds away thru the trees. Threw the kitchen sink at him. Grunt stopped him and made him look. He started walking again. Snort wheezed didn't stop him. He walked another 5-10yds and shredded a tree. While doing so I turned over the can call. No dice. I was hoping he was off to check a scrape and circle back thru. He didn't.
Later had 2 groups of 3 come thru. Got within 50 yds. Started to exit directly downwind. Held up. Then walked directly to my stand. Milled around nibbling on leaves. Then exited. 5/6 had faint spots on their backs. Tough to find much besides this years fawns. Shortly after I saw a single slick head run across the field 100-150yds out. Was hoping to see a buck chasing but none did. That was it for the night. Great sit for a short hunt.
Hunt:. 2.5hrs
Deer seen: 8
Bucks: 1
Mature does: 0
Yearlings: 7
Total hunts: 7
Hours hunted: 22
Deer seen: 31
Bucks: 5
Non-yearling Does: 1
Yearlings: 25
Later had 2 groups of 3 come thru. Got within 50 yds. Started to exit directly downwind. Held up. Then walked directly to my stand. Milled around nibbling on leaves. Then exited. 5/6 had faint spots on their backs. Tough to find much besides this years fawns. Shortly after I saw a single slick head run across the field 100-150yds out. Was hoping to see a buck chasing but none did. That was it for the night. Great sit for a short hunt.
Hunt:. 2.5hrs
Deer seen: 8
Bucks: 1
Mature does: 0
Yearlings: 7
Total hunts: 7
Hours hunted: 22
Deer seen: 31
Bucks: 5
Non-yearling Does: 1
Yearlings: 25
Hadn't hunted this property this year. Didn't know what to expect. Pleasantly surprised to see 8 deer. Maybe 9. Unfortunately they were all 200yds away on the next property. I guess I did nudge a few yearlings on the way in. 5 deer clearly young. 3 appeared to be mature deer. No bucks but seeing my first mature does of the season is good.
Hunt: 2.5hr
Deer seen: 8
Bucks: 0
Mature does: 3
Young deer: 5
Total hunts: 8
Hours hunted: 24.5
Deer seen: 39
Bucks: 5
Non-yearling Does: 4
Yearlings: 30
Hunt: 2.5hr
Deer seen: 8
Bucks: 0
Mature does: 3
Young deer: 5
Total hunts: 8
Hours hunted: 24.5
Deer seen: 39
Bucks: 5
Non-yearling Does: 4
Yearlings: 30
Got in quiet. 24 degrees. Bumped nothing. Hard frost. Got into stand. Pulled how up. Reaching to grab it off the pull rope and the rope broke. Climbed down and got it. Ugh.
No deer at first light. Ended up seeing 8. One goofy buck with his first rack. The rest all appeared to be fawns again. I was really close to killing the 1.5yr old buck for the freezer. He just didn't have enough meat on him. Stayed until 1015-1030. Swapped a camera card. Had I hunted yesterday until 1015-1030 I would have had a 3 yr old 10 point with split brows in bow range. Such is hunting.
Morning hunt: 3.5
Bucks: 1
Young does/buttons: 7
Total hunts: 9
Hours hunted: 28
Deer seen: 47
Bucks: 6
Non-yearling Does: 4
Yearlings: 37
No deer at first light. Ended up seeing 8. One goofy buck with his first rack. The rest all appeared to be fawns again. I was really close to killing the 1.5yr old buck for the freezer. He just didn't have enough meat on him. Stayed until 1015-1030. Swapped a camera card. Had I hunted yesterday until 1015-1030 I would have had a 3 yr old 10 point with split brows in bow range. Such is hunting.
Morning hunt: 3.5
Bucks: 1
Young does/buttons: 7
Total hunts: 9
Hours hunted: 28
Deer seen: 47
Bucks: 6
Non-yearling Does: 4
Yearlings: 37
Evening hunt. Blah blah blah. More fawns. Did see one mature doe at last light. No bucks. All deer spooky. Most of them hundred plus yards away. The end.
Evening hunt: 3hr
Deer seen: 9 I think
Bucks
Mature does: 1
Young deer: 8
Total hunts: 10
Hours hunted: 31
Deer seen: 55
Bucks: 6
Non-yearling Does: 5
Yearlings: 45
Evening hunt: 3hr
Deer seen: 9 I think
Bucks
Mature does: 1
Young deer: 8
Total hunts: 10
Hours hunted: 31
Deer seen: 55
Bucks: 6
Non-yearling Does: 5
Yearlings: 45
2 deer ran across field 100-150yds south and east of me heading west. Small buck 100yds behind them. Not running. They all headed back east eventually.
About that time I hear water splash. Look to see a drunken 8pt staggering home. Grunted. Nothing. Can call 3 times. Nothing. Longer grunt. He stopped. Then walked off again.
Then two yearlings a few minutes later follow same path. 50yds out. Maybe 75. As close as 40 on the buck at one point but no shot and brush in the way. The two yearlings coax him back. They exit 75-100yds north and west of me. Almost same path. Maybe 60-75yds north and west of me 4 yearlings and one mature doe enter heading east.
I wait for them all to clear and throw a rattling sequence out. No dice but it did lure a coyote thru the same 50yd path. Lip squeaked to no avail. Hoping he circles around them and pushes them all back my way.
All between 730-8am. Great hunt already. Only reason I'm out is because I couldn't sleep last night. 45 and overcast. Amazing morning.
About that time I hear water splash. Look to see a drunken 8pt staggering home. Grunted. Nothing. Can call 3 times. Nothing. Longer grunt. He stopped. Then walked off again.
Then two yearlings a few minutes later follow same path. 50yds out. Maybe 75. As close as 40 on the buck at one point but no shot and brush in the way. The two yearlings coax him back. They exit 75-100yds north and west of me. Almost same path. Maybe 60-75yds north and west of me 4 yearlings and one mature doe enter heading east.
I wait for them all to clear and throw a rattling sequence out. No dice but it did lure a coyote thru the same 50yd path. Lip squeaked to no avail. Hoping he circles around them and pushes them all back my way.
All between 730-8am. Great hunt already. Only reason I'm out is because I couldn't sleep last night. 45 and overcast. Amazing morning.
Just had another coyote run thru. This one about 100yds south of me from west to east. Another reddish coat. Black tip on tail. Lots of white in face, lower jaw, and down into it's chest. Yes. I know that sounds similar to a fox. It was clearly coyote though. Must be a little of reddish colored ones this year. Both of these I've seen today were probably in the 27-32 pound range
Morning hunt was amazing. Did end up seeing another buck who was a beautiful 10 point with split brow tines. He followed one of the yearlings out. Passed thru at 75 yards and then again at 45. So close, but not quite.
Morning Hunt: 5 hrs
Deer seen: 12
Bucks: 3 (2 shooters)
Mature Doe: 1
Yearlings: 8
Coyotes: 2
Evening hunt: 3 hrs
Deer seen: 8
Bucks: 3 (2 shooters)
Mature doe: 1 nanny that woudn't leave me alone in the climber.
Yearlings: 4
Total hunts: 12
Hours hunted: 39
Deer seen: 75
Bucks: 12
Non-yearling Does: 7
Yearlings: 57
Morning Hunt: 5 hrs
Deer seen: 12
Bucks: 3 (2 shooters)
Mature Doe: 1
Yearlings: 8
Coyotes: 2
Evening hunt: 3 hrs
Deer seen: 8
Bucks: 3 (2 shooters)
Mature doe: 1 nanny that woudn't leave me alone in the climber.
Yearlings: 4
Total hunts: 12
Hours hunted: 39
Deer seen: 75
Bucks: 12
Non-yearling Does: 7
Yearlings: 57
Working hard to prep for this snow. Got out the last 2hr 15min. Had the guy hunting property to west of me right on the line again. Sorta hated boogering his hunt. Then again, his scent was blowing right at my stand 30yd off the line. He is right on the line on an 11 acre parcel. Maybe half of it is CRP and a fence row surrounding it. I really don't know why he has one stand hung. Didn't matter. I saw one of my young regulars 100yds off in a picked cornfield very briefly. That was it.
Hunt #11
Hours hunted: 2 hr 15min
Deer seen: 1
Yearlings: 1
Total hunts: 13
Hours hunted: 41.15
Deer seen: 76
Bucks: 12
Non-yearling Does: 7
Yearlings: 58
Hunt #11
Hours hunted: 2 hr 15min
Deer seen: 1
Yearlings: 1
Total hunts: 13
Hours hunted: 41.15
Deer seen: 76
Bucks: 12
Non-yearling Does: 7
Yearlings: 58
Spent 24hrs awake. Some salt spreading and checking parking lots. Some preparing in case we had to plow. Much answering of phones. Just busy. Got 3 hours of nap in the recliner. Decided I better hit the woods. It is very rare for me to be able to hunt gun season with snow on the ground. I just had to take advantage.
Got in plenty early. 31 degrees. Steady 14mph winds. Roughly 20' up. The tree was rocking. Heard two shots fairly close. Handful of others in the distance. Looked like I was only going to see one lonesome doe. At last light saw 3 more. Got down. Snuck around edge of field to glass and see if the coast was clear. Bam! Off run 7 does. No antlers. Frustrating but it is what it is. No shots fired by me today. Was hoping my lonesome doe was a button buck. Had several opportunities to shoot her within 60yds. No buttons. She got the pass.
Hunt: 4hrs
Deer seen: 4 (plus 3 more busted on exit)
Bucks: 0
Mature does: 1
Immature does: 3
Total hunts: 14
Hours hunted: 45.15
Deer seen: 80
Bucks: 12
Non-yearling Does: 8
Yearlings: 61
Got in plenty early. 31 degrees. Steady 14mph winds. Roughly 20' up. The tree was rocking. Heard two shots fairly close. Handful of others in the distance. Looked like I was only going to see one lonesome doe. At last light saw 3 more. Got down. Snuck around edge of field to glass and see if the coast was clear. Bam! Off run 7 does. No antlers. Frustrating but it is what it is. No shots fired by me today. Was hoping my lonesome doe was a button buck. Had several opportunities to shoot her within 60yds. No buttons. She got the pass.
Hunt: 4hrs
Deer seen: 4 (plus 3 more busted on exit)
Bucks: 0
Mature does: 1
Immature does: 3
Total hunts: 14
Hours hunted: 45.15
Deer seen: 80
Bucks: 12
Non-yearling Does: 8
Yearlings: 61
triple_duece
Ragin Cajun.
- 9,641
- 159
This is my first year seeking a button buck. We had EHD run thru my area this summer. I don't want to shoot a doe. That said. . . I saw 7 last night walking out (does and yearlings). My buddy hunted our other hunting grounds and saw 7. "Maybe" I will shoot a larger doe if it appears to be young. A "big" youngin "might" be in trouble. Or any big bodied buck.
For perspective: last gun season I would see 20-25 deer on this property grouped up during gun season.
Crazy, your worst year is still better than most of our best years. Perspective
I never said this has been my worst year. Just different. They are all good. Outlook. Perspective. However you want to look at it. I've had years where I went 5-10 hunts without seeing deer. I still went hunting. The last few have been extremely good for deer numbers. Nature has a way of balancing herself out.
I made it out the last couple hours tonight with a buddy. We tag teamed a property. Both saw the same two yearlings. Me at 180yds. He had them walk up on him from the ground. Swapped camera cards on way out. Surveyors been all over the property for the stupid solar facility they are trying to put in. Boot tracks from other hunters on the other portions of the property. Deer pics are nocturnal if there at all. Guess I should be thankful we saw any deer. Oh well. Had fun hunting with my buddy.
Hours hunted: 2.5
Deer seen: 2
Yearlings: 2
Total hunts: 15
Hours hunted: 47.75
Deer seen: 82
Bucks: 12
Non-yearling Does: 8
Yearlings: 63
Hours hunted: 2.5
Deer seen: 2
Yearlings: 2
Total hunts: 15
Hours hunted: 47.75
Deer seen: 82
Bucks: 12
Non-yearling Does: 8
Yearlings: 63
Tag teamed same property with my buddy tonight. Heard people talking playing. Guessing 1/2 mile away. Maybe walking down the road 1/4-1/2 mile away. Shortly after had a shooter 8 come trotting out in the field. Headed south. 230yds was as close as he got. Ventures south across picked cornfield to a camp that is off limits. Granted, we've seen foot prints on this property coming out of the camp. Another friend witnessed a group pushing the camp Monday. Ugh.
Later the big boy and another smaller buck came out of the camp to feed. Hundreds of yards away. My buddy saw them too. He also had a 4 or 6 running a pair of does under his stand.
Hours hunted: 2.5
Deer seen: 2
Bucks: 2
Total hunts: 16
Hours hunted: 50.25
Deer seen: 84
Bucks: 14
Non-yearling Does: 8
Yearlings: 63
Later the big boy and another smaller buck came out of the camp to feed. Hundreds of yards away. My buddy saw them too. He also had a 4 or 6 running a pair of does under his stand.
Hours hunted: 2.5
Deer seen: 2
Bucks: 2
Total hunts: 16
Hours hunted: 50.25
Deer seen: 84
Bucks: 14
Non-yearling Does: 8
Yearlings: 63