Huck's Hunts
- Thread starter Huckleberry Finn
- Start date
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- 135
I'm tied up Saturday evening, so I'll be hitting the range on Saturday morning. I'd like to hang another stand on Sunday morning, hunt a new farm for the first time on Sunday afternoon/evening, and then hunt the newly hunt stand on Monday. Depending on the corn, may just put the Millennium up and hunt the C farm again. We'll see what happens. Very excited to hunt this new piece of ground on Sunday.
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Well we did get that storm on the 31st or so... 2nd has a high of 48 and the 3rd has a high of 53. With it being dry until the 7th, but not cold.
Farmer's almanac, you're close to being worthless!
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- 135
Had an absolutely great two day stretch of hunting.
Saturday I got up to my folks around 11 and got dad to hang a ladder stand with me in the "Big Woods". I knew where I wanted to put it and while there are plenty of good trees, it's impossible to not stick out like a sore thumb. It is the epitome of an observation stand. I can probably see 40 acres of cut CRP field to the west. The stand is the northwest corner of a woods, facing southwest. We ended up putting the stand against the same tree I was sitting at the base of last opening day when I shot a buck and probably about 20 yards from where my first deer fell. It will be money on opening morning. We did kick a doe up walking in.
Grabbed lunch, smoked up, and hunted Farm R. This is my first year hunting the farm and first sit. It is a very well maintained property. 3 of us were hunting stands across a line probably 300 yards wide and all saw the same 6 point and I also saw a doe. The buck came up to me down a path and circled off, presenting an easy 25 yard shot downwind. He went back on the path and gave me a perfect 15 yard shot, again, downwind (thanks Scent Smoker). Always fun to watch deer. Great folks, too.
This morning I went back to the "Big Woods" and got into the ladder stand with plenty of time before light. A few minutes after 7, a very nice 8 point presented himself in the cut CRP field, probably 70 yards away. He went towards a finger of woods and stopped where I could just see his rack (note to self, if you can see a full rack above his ears, shoot). I grunted him and he came back across the field, took a piss at the "pissing branch" and surveyed the woods. He eventually turned and went back to the finger of woods. Definitely a buck that I'd love to shoot. About 20 minutes later, a coyote ran down the field edge (40 yards) and stopped before crossing the CRP field himself.
I had to get down around 10 to do some errands and ending up returning at around 2:30. Upon arrival, I kicked what I'm assuming was the same doe up - sure wish I had been sitting in my stand. At 4, I had a scrub buck come barreling through the woods - only to stop at the pissing branch before crossing the CRP field. At 4:30, I saw movement and glassed a tall 6 out in the CRP as well. Probably nothing to write home about, but on that property, I'd probably shoot him, mount 'em, and sneak him out of the woods before the neighbors saw.
So, the ladder stand worked out just as I thought that it was - awfully hard to make 50 yard shots but a great stand to see what is there. And I actually saw deer! It will be a great spot during gun season, although the ole man did climb up and say "huh, maybe I should buy a tag this year!"
(decided to drop Strouds from the deer count)
Does Sightings: 3
Bucks Sightings: 3
Total Sightings: 6
Morning Hunts: 2
Evening Hunts: 3
Skunked Hunts: 1
Total Hunts: 6
Hours on Stand: 16
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: .375
Saturday I got up to my folks around 11 and got dad to hang a ladder stand with me in the "Big Woods". I knew where I wanted to put it and while there are plenty of good trees, it's impossible to not stick out like a sore thumb. It is the epitome of an observation stand. I can probably see 40 acres of cut CRP field to the west. The stand is the northwest corner of a woods, facing southwest. We ended up putting the stand against the same tree I was sitting at the base of last opening day when I shot a buck and probably about 20 yards from where my first deer fell. It will be money on opening morning. We did kick a doe up walking in.
Grabbed lunch, smoked up, and hunted Farm R. This is my first year hunting the farm and first sit. It is a very well maintained property. 3 of us were hunting stands across a line probably 300 yards wide and all saw the same 6 point and I also saw a doe. The buck came up to me down a path and circled off, presenting an easy 25 yard shot downwind. He went back on the path and gave me a perfect 15 yard shot, again, downwind (thanks Scent Smoker). Always fun to watch deer. Great folks, too.
This morning I went back to the "Big Woods" and got into the ladder stand with plenty of time before light. A few minutes after 7, a very nice 8 point presented himself in the cut CRP field, probably 70 yards away. He went towards a finger of woods and stopped where I could just see his rack (note to self, if you can see a full rack above his ears, shoot). I grunted him and he came back across the field, took a piss at the "pissing branch" and surveyed the woods. He eventually turned and went back to the finger of woods. Definitely a buck that I'd love to shoot. About 20 minutes later, a coyote ran down the field edge (40 yards) and stopped before crossing the CRP field himself.
I had to get down around 10 to do some errands and ending up returning at around 2:30. Upon arrival, I kicked what I'm assuming was the same doe up - sure wish I had been sitting in my stand. At 4, I had a scrub buck come barreling through the woods - only to stop at the pissing branch before crossing the CRP field. At 4:30, I saw movement and glassed a tall 6 out in the CRP as well. Probably nothing to write home about, but on that property, I'd probably shoot him, mount 'em, and sneak him out of the woods before the neighbors saw.
So, the ladder stand worked out just as I thought that it was - awfully hard to make 50 yard shots but a great stand to see what is there. And I actually saw deer! It will be a great spot during gun season, although the ole man did climb up and say "huh, maybe I should buy a tag this year!"
(decided to drop Strouds from the deer count)
Does Sightings: 3
Bucks Sightings: 3
Total Sightings: 6
Morning Hunts: 2
Evening Hunts: 3
Skunked Hunts: 1
Total Hunts: 6
Hours on Stand: 16
Deer Seen Per Hour on Stand: .375
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Thanks. I was pretty pumped. I've hunted the "Big Woods" for many, many years. Last year I hardly saw deer back there, save the opening morning of gun season. I give a ton of credit to the guy that leased the other side of the woods. I was pretty pissed at first because I used to hunt the whole thing, but he is an absolutely good dude with some pretty high standards. It's impossible to control everything but it's nice to know that it's not being pressured. He does a great job of keeping people off both sides of the woods so that is a good thing as well.
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Well it's finally here! Looking forward to hitting it hard the next few days. I'm planning on getting into the woods around noon tomorrow. Hunt all day Friday, at least some of that with Hoyt, and then Saturday and Sunday. Hopefully I will be able to connect with something. To be honest, depending on the property it may be tough to pass up a doe given my anterless tag still in my pocket. We'll see about that...
Back on 9/30 I also took this from the Farmer's almanac for this week:
Still hit and miss, but couldn't help but look to see what the forecast is for December to stay on top of it.
Dec
1-3 Very cold and dry
4-7 Fair, then snow showers Ill. and Ohio
8-11 Snowy for Wisc, Mich
12-15 Mainly cloudy and cold
16-19 Gusty wind, snow showers
20-23 Fair and pleasant
24-27 White Christmas, wintry mix
28-31 Fair, increasing clouds
Jan
1-3 Scattered snow
4-7 Rain and fog
8-11 Heavy rain and snow
If nothing else, could be a dry start to gun season and potentially a snowy Saturday for driving deer.
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My view for tomorrow, hopefully with some snow still sticking.
I'm about 50 yards from this cut CRP field where I saw the action 1.5 weeks ago:
This is the view slightly left of the ladder stand. I killed my buck last year after he climbed out of that little ditch. I shot my first deer ever about 10 yards in front of where this stand was, several bonus weekends ago. I'm confident that I'll have the same chance on Opening Morning of gun season. I'm getting just as excited for that as always.
I'm about 50 yards from this cut CRP field where I saw the action 1.5 weeks ago:
This is the view slightly left of the ladder stand. I killed my buck last year after he climbed out of that little ditch. I shot my first deer ever about 10 yards in front of where this stand was, several bonus weekends ago. I'm confident that I'll have the same chance on Opening Morning of gun season. I'm getting just as excited for that as always.
That's one of the most open clear woods I've seen in awhile Huck! You ought to be able to see them long before they get to you! It's always nice hunting a spot where victory has been claimed so you can sit back and reflect or daydream of those past hunts during the slow times during your present hunt.
Good luck buddy, I hope history repeats itself for you!
Good luck buddy, I hope history repeats itself for you!
Hortontoter
Senior Member
badger
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