Frank's 2014 deer hunting Journal
- Thread starter MK111
- Start date
It is supposed to rain all day today so I didn't plan on hunting. We got a little rain but it caused a problem. The mold from the rain ahs caused my eyes and nose to run non-stop. Should clear up for Saturday. And the wind will be better anyway.
11-6
I did a all day set in my woods. At break of day I seen 12 deer in the neighbors picked corn field adjoining my woods on the East. 8 bucks and 4 does.
Also seen 4 buck and a doe in the afternoon. All deer was 125-400 yds. away.
Also seen my 1st drop tine buck and a doe being bred in 48 yrs. of deer hunting.
I did a write up with pictures in the Bow Hunting Section under "doe being bred"
I did a all day set in my woods. At break of day I seen 12 deer in the neighbors picked corn field adjoining my woods on the East. 8 bucks and 4 does.
Also seen 4 buck and a doe in the afternoon. All deer was 125-400 yds. away.
Also seen my 1st drop tine buck and a doe being bred in 48 yrs. of deer hunting.
I did a write up with pictures in the Bow Hunting Section under "doe being bred"
11-8
I planned on another all day set in my woods. Seen 5 deer and passed on a doe and button buck fawns, a doe being chased by a small spike buck. All within 20 yds.
Then a 9:00 the neighbor's son showed up with a bobcat and chainsaw on the East end of the hay field but it's 1/4 mile away so It didn't bother me or the deer.
Then at 10:30 he drives straight across the hay field to the fence corner 150 yds. from me and starts cleaning up a log pile.
Ay 12:00 I had enough so I left. He would saw then split all the chunks and the pile looked like a all day job.
I'll hunt my food plot tonight and tomorrow.
Beside my Plotwatchers Pro time lapse camera came in and I'm going to mount it on the inside of my hunting tower on my food plot. I plan to just drill a hole through the metal siding so it should be save from thieves. The door is kept looked.
I planned on another all day set in my woods. Seen 5 deer and passed on a doe and button buck fawns, a doe being chased by a small spike buck. All within 20 yds.
Then a 9:00 the neighbor's son showed up with a bobcat and chainsaw on the East end of the hay field but it's 1/4 mile away so It didn't bother me or the deer.
Then at 10:30 he drives straight across the hay field to the fence corner 150 yds. from me and starts cleaning up a log pile.
Ay 12:00 I had enough so I left. He would saw then split all the chunks and the pile looked like a all day job.
I'll hunt my food plot tonight and tomorrow.
Beside my Plotwatchers Pro time lapse camera came in and I'm going to mount it on the inside of my hunting tower on my food plot. I plan to just drill a hole through the metal siding so it should be save from thieves. The door is kept looked.
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11-9
I planned on another all day set.
At 7:10 the neighbor next door is walking back to his stand directly East of me about 200 yds. The wind is right so he's no problem.
About 10 minutes later 2 does are coming from the South across the hay field and headed directly to the hunter in the stand. He must have spooked them because they take off at a rather fast trot headed South. They go to the other side of the hay field and 2 bucks are waiting for them. One really nice buck and a smaller one. It's 400 yds. South of me and they go into the trees never to be seen again.
Nothing happen until 9:30 when the farmer next door showed up with his pickup to load up the wood he cut yesterday. That takes about 20 minutes and he leaves and I see the hunter walking back to his house. His stand was about 100 ft. from the farmer loading wood.
I stayed until 12:00 and went home. I sat down after lunch yesterday and woke up at 4:30. I didn't get my Plotwacher Pro hung so I'll hang it this afternoon and since I'm right there I'll hunt till dark and see what the deer traffic is on my food plot. I plan to hunt the food plot in the morning to see if the does and bucks are there instead of going through my woods.
I planned on another all day set.
At 7:10 the neighbor next door is walking back to his stand directly East of me about 200 yds. The wind is right so he's no problem.
About 10 minutes later 2 does are coming from the South across the hay field and headed directly to the hunter in the stand. He must have spooked them because they take off at a rather fast trot headed South. They go to the other side of the hay field and 2 bucks are waiting for them. One really nice buck and a smaller one. It's 400 yds. South of me and they go into the trees never to be seen again.
Nothing happen until 9:30 when the farmer next door showed up with his pickup to load up the wood he cut yesterday. That takes about 20 minutes and he leaves and I see the hunter walking back to his house. His stand was about 100 ft. from the farmer loading wood.
I stayed until 12:00 and went home. I sat down after lunch yesterday and woke up at 4:30. I didn't get my Plotwacher Pro hung so I'll hang it this afternoon and since I'm right there I'll hunt till dark and see what the deer traffic is on my food plot. I plan to hunt the food plot in the morning to see if the does and bucks are there instead of going through my woods.
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Sat on the edge of my food plot tonight. A small 6 pt. fed in the hay field I have permission to hunt. He fed around the edge for about 200 yds. and wandered into the brush.
With no sightings in the woods I'm going to do a easy set in my tower on the food plot. Hopefully the does will be feeding there and draw the bucks with them. Anyway my back is killing me so setting in a good easy chair will get me back in shape.
With no sightings in the woods I'm going to do a easy set in my tower on the food plot. Hopefully the does will be feeding there and draw the bucks with them. Anyway my back is killing me so setting in a good easy chair will get me back in shape.
I hunted my tower on the edge of my food plot and the neighbor's hay field I have permission to hunt.
At 8:00 a hunter comes walking through the hay field. I yelled at him he was trespassing. He said NO he had permission from the landowner to go through and use the trail up ahead.
He looked like he was turkey hunting carrying a shotgun and stool.
Where he was headed puts him directly South of my pinch point woods I hunt. And I figure with him up there with his smell and sightings the deer are going somewhere else. With the wind out of the SW it's not good with him up there.
Normal years I would see 2-8 bucks per day going through my woods looking for does. This year I only seen one little fork horn chasing a doe.
I'm calling the landowner and go talk to them to find out the details. It's sure looks like it's screwed me up this year.
I did see 6 deer before 1:00. 3 fawns, 2 does, and a small 4 pt. buck. Also heard a deer bark a warning up where he was.
At 8:00 a hunter comes walking through the hay field. I yelled at him he was trespassing. He said NO he had permission from the landowner to go through and use the trail up ahead.
He looked like he was turkey hunting carrying a shotgun and stool.
Where he was headed puts him directly South of my pinch point woods I hunt. And I figure with him up there with his smell and sightings the deer are going somewhere else. With the wind out of the SW it's not good with him up there.
Normal years I would see 2-8 bucks per day going through my woods looking for does. This year I only seen one little fork horn chasing a doe.
I'm calling the landowner and go talk to them to find out the details. It's sure looks like it's screwed me up this year.
I did see 6 deer before 1:00. 3 fawns, 2 does, and a small 4 pt. buck. Also heard a deer bark a warning up where he was.
Dang Frank, sorry to hear this! Lots of friggin dip shits out there nowadays! I notice they're much more numerous on weekends too!
Sorry too hear you've got issues Frank.... Hopefully the landowner didn't give him permission and he'll be gone.....
11-11
I sat in my tower again this morning.
Ay 7:15 a sound that was like a rabbit squeal came from the West end of the hay field 120 yds. away. Immediately a deer started doing the alarm bark not 20 yds. to my left behind the brush. It's upwind from me so I figure it didn't smell me. There's a established trail about 15 yds. from the tower. Never seen the deer.
7:30 I hear a deer behind me on my walk in trail beating up a tree. On the way out I seen the tree rubbed on and ground tore up and it's not 30 yds. away in the brush. Then a deer ran through the brush towards the hay field.
I look into the hayfield and 80 yds. away a small 4 pt. is feeding and he keeps looking toward the brush line Out walks a small 6 pt. and I figure it's the one I heard behind me. They just feed around and wander away.
8:00 a small 4 pt. comes out of the brush and enters the food plot and feeds around and goes to the woods.
8:45 a bigger 4 pt. comes out of the woods and runs straight towards me and feeds around.
9:00 I see a tall 6pt. standing at the woods edge and jumps the fence and feeds around. I used the can bleat and he just looked around and every time he walked away to bleated the can again. He tried of not seeing anything and walked off to the North.
9:45 a basket 8 pt. trots past me. He's up wind but he's in a hurry and no calling would stop him.
10:15 I had to leave for a lunch with 2 friends. And I'll be darn about 75 yds. out I jump a buck that alarm called at me on the other side of the creek. It had a big body and I seen horns but on seen one jump and he's in the brush.
The bucks are moving again. I started 2nd guessing my decision not to hunt the woods. I'll never know the result of that.
I'm taking my decoy out this afternoon to try and bring the bucks closer to my tower.
Damn it. I just checked my emails and my lunch is on Wednesday. Be going back out with the decoy.
3:00PM update. I went down and took a good office chair and replaced the squeaky one. Took down the doe decoy and a foldup buck decoy.
Also took down the 25 lb. propane tank and Buddy Heater since the weather will be nasty by the weekend.
Then I did a smoke job on the whole inside of the tower and new chair. Since the tower is locked I leave my insulated clothes there so I did a good smoke job on it too.
I locked up and look and I'll be damn there's a doe feeding in the hay field 100 yds. away. She's upwind from the tower and she didn't even know I was there. She looked my way when I started down the stairs and then she went back to feeding. Hopefully I snuck out OK.
Going back now for a night set.
I sat in my tower again this morning.
Ay 7:15 a sound that was like a rabbit squeal came from the West end of the hay field 120 yds. away. Immediately a deer started doing the alarm bark not 20 yds. to my left behind the brush. It's upwind from me so I figure it didn't smell me. There's a established trail about 15 yds. from the tower. Never seen the deer.
7:30 I hear a deer behind me on my walk in trail beating up a tree. On the way out I seen the tree rubbed on and ground tore up and it's not 30 yds. away in the brush. Then a deer ran through the brush towards the hay field.
I look into the hayfield and 80 yds. away a small 4 pt. is feeding and he keeps looking toward the brush line Out walks a small 6 pt. and I figure it's the one I heard behind me. They just feed around and wander away.
8:00 a small 4 pt. comes out of the brush and enters the food plot and feeds around and goes to the woods.
8:45 a bigger 4 pt. comes out of the woods and runs straight towards me and feeds around.
9:00 I see a tall 6pt. standing at the woods edge and jumps the fence and feeds around. I used the can bleat and he just looked around and every time he walked away to bleated the can again. He tried of not seeing anything and walked off to the North.
9:45 a basket 8 pt. trots past me. He's up wind but he's in a hurry and no calling would stop him.
10:15 I had to leave for a lunch with 2 friends. And I'll be darn about 75 yds. out I jump a buck that alarm called at me on the other side of the creek. It had a big body and I seen horns but on seen one jump and he's in the brush.
The bucks are moving again. I started 2nd guessing my decision not to hunt the woods. I'll never know the result of that.
I'm taking my decoy out this afternoon to try and bring the bucks closer to my tower.
Damn it. I just checked my emails and my lunch is on Wednesday. Be going back out with the decoy.
3:00PM update. I went down and took a good office chair and replaced the squeaky one. Took down the doe decoy and a foldup buck decoy.
Also took down the 25 lb. propane tank and Buddy Heater since the weather will be nasty by the weekend.
Then I did a smoke job on the whole inside of the tower and new chair. Since the tower is locked I leave my insulated clothes there so I did a good smoke job on it too.
I locked up and look and I'll be damn there's a doe feeding in the hay field 100 yds. away. She's upwind from the tower and she didn't even know I was there. She looked my way when I started down the stairs and then she went back to feeding. Hopefully I snuck out OK.
Going back now for a night set.
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Sorry I have to laugh about you having the wrong date for your lunch. Just got a chuckle out of it. Good luck Frank.
11-11 All I can say is WOW.
I got to my tower at 3:30. In less than 2 hrs. I seen 7 bucks one of which was a shooter. There was 5 does and 3 fawns.
From 4:00 till 5:00 I had bucks chasing does in all 4 directions.
The shooter buck was chasing a doe across my food plots at 80 yds. They went to the neighbors brush area and in couple minute they came back out and went the way they came. About 5 minutes later here came a small 6 pt. trailing the way they went. He never came back out of the brush on the back trail.
I hoping it will just be a matter of time before Mr. Right walks past me at shooting range. The one thing going for me is the buck travel the edge of the hay field my tower sets on. Today 5 bucks took that route.
Be back at it in the morning. I have my heater in house and will hopefully out last the cold weather.
I got to my tower at 3:30. In less than 2 hrs. I seen 7 bucks one of which was a shooter. There was 5 does and 3 fawns.
From 4:00 till 5:00 I had bucks chasing does in all 4 directions.
The shooter buck was chasing a doe across my food plots at 80 yds. They went to the neighbors brush area and in couple minute they came back out and went the way they came. About 5 minutes later here came a small 6 pt. trailing the way they went. He never came back out of the brush on the back trail.
I hoping it will just be a matter of time before Mr. Right walks past me at shooting range. The one thing going for me is the buck travel the edge of the hay field my tower sets on. Today 5 bucks took that route.
Be back at it in the morning. I have my heater in house and will hopefully out last the cold weather.
I sorta laughed at myself to but I just had a old age mind fart. At least I got my heater and better chair brought up there.
11-12
I went back to my tower before day light.
6:30 there's a doe feeding 25 yds. in front of me.
7:15 a fawn doe comes out of the brush directly across from me and feeds towards me. She doesn't like me there for some reason and off she goes to the west.
8:00 2 fawns come out of the brush on the other side of the hay field. The feed around and get on alert and trot off to the east into the brush.
9:30 a nice 8-10 pt. buck with tall dark tines comes off the trail across the field about 80 yds. He's got his nose to the ground searching and goes to the east. The brush is only about 25 yds. away and behind the brush tops on my side. So I figure give the bleat can a try. I bleat 2 times and pick the bow up. In a minute or so I see him through the brush tops walking my way along the edge of the field.
He's a perfect 15 yd. broadside shot and he picks me up and stares. So I figure it's now or never.
I shoot. BAM goes a load noise and off he trots unharmed. At first I thought my bow limb hit the window sill but I'm setting too far back. I look at the window opening and the metal siding is sticking 1/4" into the opening.
There's a cut in that metal siding perfectly inline as to where the buck was standing. My damn broadhead it hit that metal siding. I looked high and low and never found the arrow even with a lighted nock. I'll look after dark tonight for the lighted nock. I know for sure the buck wasn't hit but I did a search pattern from the tower to where he was lasting standing and into the brush just in case. Nothing.
I went back to my tower before day light.
6:30 there's a doe feeding 25 yds. in front of me.
7:15 a fawn doe comes out of the brush directly across from me and feeds towards me. She doesn't like me there for some reason and off she goes to the west.
8:00 2 fawns come out of the brush on the other side of the hay field. The feed around and get on alert and trot off to the east into the brush.
9:30 a nice 8-10 pt. buck with tall dark tines comes off the trail across the field about 80 yds. He's got his nose to the ground searching and goes to the east. The brush is only about 25 yds. away and behind the brush tops on my side. So I figure give the bleat can a try. I bleat 2 times and pick the bow up. In a minute or so I see him through the brush tops walking my way along the edge of the field.
He's a perfect 15 yd. broadside shot and he picks me up and stares. So I figure it's now or never.
I shoot. BAM goes a load noise and off he trots unharmed. At first I thought my bow limb hit the window sill but I'm setting too far back. I look at the window opening and the metal siding is sticking 1/4" into the opening.
There's a cut in that metal siding perfectly inline as to where the buck was standing. My damn broadhead it hit that metal siding. I looked high and low and never found the arrow even with a lighted nock. I'll look after dark tonight for the lighted nock. I know for sure the buck wasn't hit but I did a search pattern from the tower to where he was lasting standing and into the brush just in case. Nothing.
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Never found the arrow. I looked tonight after dark before leaving. I was hoping I would see the lighted nock. No luck there. From the loud BAM and 1/8" cut slot in the metal that damn arrow went flying. Just damn lucky I didn't hit it a little more square then the arrow and broadhead may have shot me.
11-12
I got back to the tower at 3:00.
3:30 2 does and 2 fawns come out in the hay field 110 yds. away. They keep staring to the right. A basket buck came out and started checking each one and he chased one doe into the brush.
5:30 there is a doe running from my left and went up to the 3 other deer and started feeding with them.
I got back to the tower at 3:00.
3:30 2 does and 2 fawns come out in the hay field 110 yds. away. They keep staring to the right. A basket buck came out and started checking each one and he chased one doe into the brush.
5:30 there is a doe running from my left and went up to the 3 other deer and started feeding with them.