Riverdude's Hunting Log, Kind Off.

[Riverdude]

Tomorrow will be 4 weeks straight here on the drilling Rig which means I have not been able to bow hunt or hit the rivers for Steel Heads. This is the closest I have come to hunting. mischeif.gif

10/08/11 - As I sat at in my hunting location I noticed movement to my right, I was caught totally off guard and I had no oppurtunity to score. Tomorrow I will be ready.

10/09/11 - Morning was calm, had a early breakfest and headed out to the Co. Mans Shack with my 5:00 report, stayed alittle TOO long drinking coffee and chating about the up incoming day.
I got to my hunting area rather late but Too my surprise I made a great harvest, it was a quick kill and a easy tracking job.

10/10/11 - Was up at 4:00 A.M. to get caught up on some work before I could get to my hunt. It was once again a beautiful morning. Here is a view this morning from my hunting area.

I head over to drop my Morning Report off at the Co. Man's office, drank a large cup of coffee, went over to wake the Mud Engineer up ( Which has much more luck with his hunts then I have to this point. ) I explained to him I could not stay long and headed to my hunting area.
I arrive to my location knowing this morning would be a good one but I had no idea I would score twice. I quickly took some photo's and then prepaired the harvest before it would spoil.

Not sure what tomorrow will bring but I will keep everyone posted.

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

Damn, what kind of equipment are you using? Those are some fancy traps.

I think it's admirable that you're doing it the old fashion way, bait and wait. A lot of guys use trail cameras now adays...almost cheating.

 

[Riverdude]

rotflmao I am kind of Old School Huck when it comes to hunting down here, I do not beleive in these new High Tech gadgets that are available today. :smiley_baby:

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

Ok, hate to bust your balls, but did you tag the first before taking the second?

Also, you might want to separate the traps a little bit so that the bait does not spread disease....

 

[Riverdude]

Point well taken on trap location Huck. I am very ethical and my harvest was done by the letter of the law. mischeif.gif

 

[Beentown]

When is the best time for Steelies Jeff?

 

[Riverdude]

When is the best time for Steelies Jeff?

Right now Beentown all the way to about Easter. I have fished through the winter at the river and if it does Ice up we go down river to this marina and Ice fish for them. Not as fun Ice fishing compared to fly fishing but they are there. Problem in the spring is about a month before Easter the damn Suckers run up the river so you have to deal with them as well.

 

[Beentown]

How is it after rut? Say after Thanksgiving? Cough...cough

 

[Riverdude]

Freaking great. PM your number because you know I will be home soon and maybe we can have a small TOO get together with you Badger and a few others.

Dale, PM your number again.................

 

[Dannmann801]

Outstanding harvest Jeffie! Keep on thinning the herd.

Are ya saving those pelts? If you did, I think that would be a hoot.....:smiley_clap:

 

[badger]

Sounds good to me Jeff, I might actually have time to go soon.

 

[Riverdude]

Dan, Hoot wants me to send him the pelts, lol.

Have a update coming soon.

 

[Riverdude]

10/11/11 Hunt.

This morning was a very busy one. Running on only a few hours of sleep I was back to logging my samples and monitoring gas, 1,934 ft in 24 hours. I completed my 5:00 a.m. Co. Man report and was back in my hunting area by 5:15 a.m. As the sun came up over the hill here on the drilling location I could tell this was going to be another special morning. The smell of baked Marcellus shale was coming from my toaster oven. It was quite, TOO quite.............I paused briefly and listened. It seemed like hours but actually it was probably 5 seconds and then there is was.........the sound of "WACK". A sheepish grin came to my face, I knew he was mine.

mischeif.gif

 

[saddlepants]

Haha!!!! whats the limit and season on those?

 

[rgecko23]

your slayin them things dude!!

 

[Milo]

NIce RD...we always put a little dog food in a 5 gallon bucket and made a way for the mice to jump in...then we threw in firecrackers:smiley_clap:

 

[Riverdude]

Haha!!!! whats the limit and season on those?

Thank you for reply Saddlepants, I will be happy to answer your questions.

The season typically runs from Fall through early spring. I have found that when the first cold front comes through that is when my blood starts pumping. I prepair my equipment, do some scounting for signs of my prey. This year I found some very good areas, pleanty of droppings, some chewed napkins close to what I thought was a good bedding area, I knew at that point it was "Game On".

Regarding your question on limits I have been blessed. I actually qualified for a special permit, it's called TMLTDP or "The Mud Loggers Trailer Damage Permit". It allows me to harvest a unlimited number of my prey, there are no guidelines regarded the sex or size of my prey. I truly feel this is going to be a great season and as of right now I don't see the "October Lull" happening.

Please feel free to ask me any other questions you may have in the future.

Best of luck and Happy Hunting. :smiley_coolpeace:

 

[Riverdude]

NIce RD...we always put a little dog food in a 5 gallon bucket and made a way for the mice to jump in...then we threw in firecrackers:smiley_clap:

Milo, The mud engineer seems to have the same interest as I do. He however is similar to you. He has designed and made his own method of harvesting this prey. He takes a 5 gallon bucket, drills two holes in it, puts a rod through a soda can and mounts the rod to the buck. He fills the bucket about a quarter full with water. Here is where it gets good, next he places a ramp from the floor to the top of the bucket, baites the can with peanut butter. The beast walks up the ramp, onto the rod to the can with the bait. The can will spin and the rodent is caught. I find this metod to be interesting however it seems to take up quite a bit of space. He has a larger area to hunt where I am in a small area and do not have the good fourtune of space. :tantrum:

 

[Hortontoter]

Your space may be limited, but looks like you are in a honeyhole.

 

[saddlepants]

My question is about your use of bait. Are you using a good bait to lure them in from other properties? What seems to work best for you and when? Do you hunt from a blind or a stand?