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Hortontoters 2014-15 Season Journal

A curtain would be an easy answer normally. But, I put my crossbow limbs completely outside my shooting window to give me better balance on the shooting window ledge for the shot. Seems odd, I know, but shooting one handed it works best for me. A curtain would not work in my situation. I tried some camo netting that Curran gave me as a curtain one time and it wanted to hamper the string during the shot. I shortened it to stay above the string at the shot but it blew to easily in the wind. I plan to add a board or two to the top portion of the opening. Hopefully it will help matters.

The area that I want to shoot in is quite open in front of the stand, but the area outside my shooting comfort zone is pretty thick. I've seen two deer from this stand so far and I know the one saw me first and the buck yesterday may have had me pegged first TOO.
 
I've got a truck full of tools and I'm 3 miles away. If ya want some company, come get me, I'll be happy to help. I should be around down that way Wednesday Thursday and Friday if you're there.
 
I think I may wind up staying down in Carrollton for the weekend. The wife and kids want to come down for the Mill Festival and I haven't seen a lot of them during the past couple weeks with everything I've had going on and the season starting so I may pass on driving down to Knox this weekend for early muzzle loader take the kids out to sit in the blind a little bit instead. That sounds like a better time anyway.
 
Hunted yesterday. Morning sit was uneventful, the squirrels even slept in. The evening was exactly the opposite, the woods were alive with critters.

I've always cringed at the idea of making small noises while in my stand or moving to much. Yesterday evening taught me a little something. I normally pee where I park my tractor before walking the rest of the way to my stand. I forgot to last evening. At 5:30 the urge hit and I knew I had to get out of my stand. Reluctantly I opened the door, which has a squeaky hinge. I snuck about 20 yards downwind, took care of business and got back in the stand. The door makes quite a clunk when I close it so that sound made me cringe. I sat down on my stool and looked to my left and see a deer walking in the woods about 35 yards from me. I was more than surprised. It was a 6 or 8 point buck. He made his way heading west until he was out of sight. He never knew I existed after doing all the things I had done. Either he was deaf and blind or I worry way to much about little sounds I make sometimes.

The buck I saw last night was my second one this season. I only saw to or three bucks the entire season last year. My barricade idea last year was a total flop. But it did teach me more about my property and the way deer move through it. I really think that after nine years hunting this small property that I have found the two best natural funnels on my property. I have a permanent stand set up at both funnels and those are the two stands I'm hunting this year.

I may not get my target buck, but I have a hunch I will have plenty of deer sightings this season.
 
Good luck to you Dick! Sounds like things are starting to come together!! Maybe take some vegetable oil out for that squeaky hinge.
 
Deer hear noises all the time in farm country and suburbs. From a slight distance they may not pay much attention. When my son and I were walking out of the woods after he shot his buck Saturday we were talking as we walked. We turned a bend in the trail and saw a flock of turkeys feeding less than 100 yards in front of us. They had no clue until they saw us on the path. Don't make a habit of making strange noises but don't worry about them all that much either.

It seems to me like you are getting "on" your deer and good things are about to happen for ya.
 
Why didn't I think about that Chuck. I been wanting to oil the hinge, but I didn't want the smell of oil on my stand.

You are right Spencie. My deer hear lawn tractors, wood splitters, leaf blowers, chain saws and country music quite often. I just feel when I'm in the woods that I should be as silent as possible. I hear acorns falling all the time and squirrels and chipmunks are always rustling about. I'll still be careful about sounds I make, but I'm a little less worried than I was before yesterday.

If you only knew how much I'm hoping I'm "on" my deer.
 
Hunted both morning and evening today. This morning I had the best sit I've ever had at my property. I could have killed two does and a six point if I wanted to this morning. All three of these deer were within 15 yards or less and had no idea I was sitting in my outhouse. I saw one other doe and a 4 and 8 point. I watched the six point make a rub and then jump the fence crossing I'm sat up on and walk broadside right in front of me. I've seen more deer already this season than I did all of last season.

I invited Treed to come sit in my creek bottom stand this evening. Unfortunately neither of us saw a deer this evening.

After this morning I am convinced I'm in the right spot. It is just a matter of time until something big shows up. I was actually surprised I didn't see a deer this evening. I'm more confident than ever that something good is going to happen.
 
Good luck to you Dick!! On the veggie oil you can get the cheap spray kind or simply a can of Pam, whatever you may use at home to cook with anyways.
 
What a great hunt Dick! Sounds like you're in a great spot! Whatever the wind direction and barometric pressure was that morning it must have been ideal! Hopefully you'll have many more days afield like that and get a crack at one of them big boys! Good luck!!!!

One of those does must be getting close to have that many bucks hangin around....
 
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What a difference a day or two makes. I headed out Friday afternoon. Told my wife "I know tomorrow is Sweetest Day, but they shouldn't have it in October", thank God she understands my obsession. I got on stand Friday afternoon at 4 and sat til dark, nothing moving. Got in stand Saturday morning and sat til 10, again nothing showed. Went to the cabin for a short nap and was back on stand at 3:30. Sat til dark and again no deer. Had good winds every sit, but it just wasn't in the cards. Did see two grey foxes which was a treat. I lip squeaked the one to within 10 yards. These were the first grey foxes I've ever seen in the wild.

I'll be back at it tomorrow or Tuesday depending on the weather.
 
Headed out at 4:30 this morning and hit the stand at 6:35. Hunted until 10:00 and the woods was devoid of life. Took a short walk to see if any buck sign was around. Found three scrapes that I'm sure were made since I hunted Saturday evening. I really believe they were made Sunday night. Got back on stand at 3:00 and hunted until 6:15. Rain started about 4:45 and came down pretty steadily. I decided to get out early knowing that if I shot a deer tracking would be tough. I'd rather not shoot than to chance losing one.
 
Hortontoter said:
What a difference a day or two makes. I headed out Friday afternoon. Told my wife "I know tomorrow is Sweetest Day, but they shouldn't have it in October", thank God she understands my obsession. I got on stand Friday afternoon at 4 and sat til dark, nothing moving. Got in stand Saturday morning and sat til 10, again nothing showed. Went to the cabin for a short nap and was back on stand at 3:30. Sat til dark and again no deer. Had good winds every sit, but it just wasn't in the cards. Did see two grey foxes which was a treat. I lip squeaked the one to within 10 yards. These were the first grey foxes I've ever seen in the wild.

I'll be back at it tomorrow or Tuesday depending on the weather.
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Funny, Saturday my wife, son and I went in to the grocery store to get stuff for our movie night since it was my daughter's Homecoming. We stood there looking at all the 'Sweetest Day' stuff and looked at each other and started to laugh. Neither one of us remembered the day as we never really celebrated it because of the season. Pretty cool to see some grey fox still running around!

Hortontoter said:
Headed out at 4:30 this morning and hit the stand at 6:35. Hunted until 10:00 and the woods was devoid of life. Took a short walk to see if any buck sign was around. Found three scrapes that I'm sure were made since I hunted Saturday evening. I really believe they were made Sunday night. Got back on stand at 3:00 and hunted until 6:15. Rain started about 4:45 and came down pretty steadily. I decided to get out early knowing that if I shot a deer tracking would be tough. I'd rather not shoot than to chance losing one.
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Bet those scrapes got re-freshened after that rain. I agree with not shooting one in the rain, especially if it looks like it's going to stick around or get stronger. Glad you are getting out and enjoying things Dick!
 
Keep on keepin Dick. It gets frustrating when I get skunked a half dozen hunts in a row but realizing I'm healthy enough to at least be in the chase and sit amongst our makers creation snaps me back to realization of what's most important. It's going to get better so we just need to kick back and enjoy it till it does.
 
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