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1023's 2013-2014 Hunting Log

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
49,507
288
Appalachia
Is it deer season or something? I haven't heard anything about it!?! Sure wouldn't know by the amount of time my ass has spent in the woods! I may get serious before TOO long, but then again duck/goose season starts this weekend. I do plan to hunt Sunday morning since the weather is so nice.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
49,507
288
Appalachia
Good hunt with the wife tonight. Saw a mature doe that made things interesting, but no good shots. Heard a few deer down the holler that we never saw, plenty of squirrels, and a beautiful sunset. It was good to be out!

2013 Stats

Does Sightings: 5
Bucks Sightings: 0
Different Bucks: 0
Shooters Seen: 0
Total Sightings: 5

Deer Killed: 0
Arrow'd Squirrels: 0

Morning Hunts: 1
Evening Hunts: 1
All Day Sits: 0
Skunked Hunts: 0
Total Hunts: 2

Hours on Stand: 4

Average Time Per Hunt: 2 hours
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: 1.25

Stands/Blinds Hunted: 1
Properties Hunted: 1
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
49,507
288
Appalachia
I am yet to go on a serious deer hunt, but tomorrow looks like it might be the day for that. Time will tell. So far I've just been to the same blind which is just an observation spot. Only went out just to relax for the most part. The time to get serious about killing is just about here!

2013 Stats

Does Sightings: 8
Bucks Sightings: 1
Different Bucks: 1
Shooters Seen: 0
Total Sightings: 9

Deer Killed: 0
Arrow'd Squirrels: 0

Morning Hunts: 1
Evening Hunts: 2
All Day Sits: 0
Skunked Hunts: 0
Total Hunts: 3

Hours on Stand: 5.5

Average Time Per Hunt: 1 hour 50 minutes
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: 1.63

Stands/Blinds Hunted: 1
Properties Hunted: 1

Hours spent duck hunting instead of deer hunting: 5
Ducks Killed: 5 (1 drake mallard, 1 hen mallard, 1 drake woodie, 2 hen woodies)
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
49,507
288
Appalachia
Good WNW wind tonight on the backside of this front that is dumping rain down here right now. Tonight will be my first official "real" deer hunt for the season. I'm going in to the same tree where I passed a nice 135" 8 last year around this time and where I encountered my buck for the first time. I have faith in this spot and would definitely stick a doe tonight given the chance!
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
49,507
288
Appalachia
What a hunt tonight! It was well worth being cold and wet!!!

I was ahead of schedule tonight, so I took my time walking back. As a result, I was able to glass a doe bedded up in some thick stuff long before I had to push her out so I could get to my stand. It was still raining when I finished hanging the Millennium, but it wasn't long before the rains stopped and things started to come alive. It wasn't long after the rain stopped when I heard what I thought was two bucks fighting. I caught movement and could see a 15-20' tall sappling/small tree absolutely being thrashed. The tree was 4-5" in diameter 8-10' off the ground, so I instantly knew it was being thrashed by something big. I threw up the glasses and laid eyes on what I thought was a solid deer from behind. And then he turned his head! It became clear that what I thought were G2's of a decent buck, were 2s and 3s from a stud!!! I'm guessing he was easily mid-150s. At best, I got a 2-3 second look at him and really have no clue what he had other than 10-12" 2s and 3s.

Since he was thrashing the tree, I threw a few grunts his way to try and get him worked up. I was able to get two deep, guttural grunts from him and watched the top of another tree he worked over. The thicket he was in is about 100'x100' and sits in a CRP field surrounded by a swamp and hardwoods. I knew he probably wouldn't leave that thicket, so I didn't call any more and slipped out with enough light to know I wasn't bumping him. If he is going to bed there with regularity, I will see this deer again and should get a shot opportunity if I spent enough time at that spot. It was apparent he was feeling his oats, but knew better than to be out strolling around just yet.

I will say that I was disappointed that I didn't see any other deer. I expected it to be a great night for deer movement. Really was pretty slow...
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
49,507
288
Appalachia
Gern told me something one time I've never forgotten and I'm just now starting to see the truth in it. I see it from what you and Ron get done also. Chad told me to relax one time. He said he didn't start killing his best deer until he was a father. I can see how having a family would make a guy hunt smarter and harder. You also continue learn and evolve as a hunter, getting sharper by the year. I'm still relatively new to this bowhunting thing. I started in '99, it I never for serious until 2006. I feel I've come a long way and that foundation should allow me to achieve better and more consisted results from here on forward. And now I see how my lack of time may actually be a benefit in that I've stopped putting unnecessary pressure on the farm cause I was trying to be Mark Drury Jr. and when I hunt now, I hunt smarter, harder and in better spots than ever before. The spot I was on last night I've been hunting since '99 and I know what deer do there. As long as I have access to that ground, I have a chance to kill a nice deer every year. Just need to be there when the deer are.

I look forward to this season. It's going to be a fun fall!
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
32,899
274
SW Ohio
There is a lot of truth in what Chad said Jesse! Relax and enjoy, then capitalize on each and every opportunity given to you. Had I abided by this concept I'd have 6 more 150+ bucks hanging on the wall! Case in point, I once had a slunger 10 that was pushing 170 chasing other bucks off and the hot doe he was after around the base of my tree at 15 yards 3 different times inside of 5 minutes. I was at full draw 3-4 different times having to let down till he came back around. His last pass was at 15 yards through a 12 yard wide window in which he ran through but my grunts to stop him were not heard. I keep wondering had I just yelled "hey" if the outcome would have had me raking the guts out of him instead of filing that great encounter in my memory bank.

I can go on and on with a dozen or two encounters with P&Y deer I've had where I just didn't toe the line and tried to be perfect and follow the script as to how it's suppose to go down. Sometimes you have to impervize(sp?) and make it happen. When that shot does present itself get in your kill mode and let it happen.

There is no doubt in my mind that you and many others here on TOO will be filling your walls as you continue to chase mature Whitetails! Good luck buddy! Relax.....:smiley_coolpeace: