Phil's journal 2020

[hickslawns]

Had a small window. Hunted. Snuck out. Busted nothing. Had 4 youngins. 2 of them couldn't have been 80#. One probably 2-3 year old doe. Moseyed thru in bow range. 45min later moseyed back thru out of range. Slid out for pall bearer duties.

Hunt: 2hrs
Deer seen: 5
Does:1
Immature does: 4

Total hunts: 17
Hours hunted: 52.25
Deer seen: 89
Bucks: 14
Non-yearling Does: 9
Yearlings: 67

 

[hickslawns]

Had my button buck in range. Hard hard quarter away shot. When he turned his vitals were blocked by trees. Happened twice. Never tried a Texas heart shot. Was afraid on the hard quarter I might go thru the rear quarter to get to vitals. Wasn't going to risk injuring him. He was out with two other youngsters. That's it. A tease at 60 yards.

Hunt: 2.5hrs
Deer seen: 3
Immature deer: 3

Total hunts: 18
Hours hunted: 54.75
Deer seen: 93
Bucks: 14
Non-yearling Does: 9
Yearlings: 70

 

[hickslawns]

In way early. Saw two sets of fawns. One group at 110-120yds. Next group at 30yds. Between 720-730am. About 945am they crossed the field back to CRP. 10am they walked to me along edge of CRP and then left I to the CRP. None of them big enough to get much meat off them. Beautiful 24 degree morning. Just not meant to shoot anything I guess.

Hours hunted 4.5
Deer seen: 4
Young deer: 4


Total hunts: 19
Hours hunted: 59.25
Deer seen: 97
Bucks: 14
Non-yearling Does: 9
Yearlings: 74

 

[hickslawns]

Did a hang and hunt. Landowner drove me back on his Gator and cut up some downed trees while I hung set to create a distraction of my noise. Hopefully pique curiosity of deer too. Once I was settled in he drove away. Always thought this would be a killing setup. Winds are right. Hoping I don't get cold from sweating. Even though I layered down, I got sweaty swamp feet. Eh. Less than 3 hrs to hunt. I love this stuff.

Picked corn to my west. Creek to my south. Thicket north, north east, and south east of me. Standing corn SE of me and a pond too. Sort of a centralized hub of activity on the property. After this hunt everything gets washed and I'll leavet thee set for bonus gun.

 

[hickslawns]

Hang and hunt was a success in more than one way. The stand is there. It is a beautiful setup. Had 3 yearlings come thru again. I let them walk. Then they came back. That makes 4 times TODAY they tempted me. With an hour left. . . I couldn't resist this time. Bow range. Picked the biggest one. None were button bucks. None should have been bred. I didn't think they would be bred this year so figured I'd out one in the freezer. Went about 10yds and dropped. Blew the heart in half.

So I get on my phone and bought another tag. Never know right? No sooner had I screen shot the tag and put my wallet away and out pops a beautiful 10 point with split brow tines. 3yr old. I'd LOVE to see him make 4 or 5 but he won't get a pass this year. So he sniffs the dead yearling. I thought "are you kidding me? Is he going to mount her? You mean she might have been bred? Ugh." Too late now. So he was behind some light brush. Twigs really. I just didn't want to chance deflection or bullet coming apart before reaching him. I lose track of him and a few minutes later I hear a massive ka-boom! My heart sank. I didn't know anyone was hunting the neighboring property. So I sit there dejected, but that is life. That is hunting. It happens. I made peace with it. Next thing I know (5-10 minutes after the shot) he comes blasting thru chasing one of the other yearlings! I grab the Savage 220 and I'm trying to get him to stop. Loud "mehs" but he is on a mission. He runs thru an opening under 10yds but wasnt stopping. 10min of shooting light left. I think it thru and I decide I just need to be patient. If he is running her I might get another chance. Then I see hunter orange walking my way. Dude who shot at him is trespassing and looking for blood. So much for that. Not counting on seeing him at this point. Lower my gun and give the kid an earful. Respectfully, but an earful. Told him he can recover on this property any time but he needs to go talk to the land owner first. Warned him about the next property over. Told him that land owner would just shoot him. He has shot at people before.

Good news? For some meat. I know one of my deer on the watch list is still alive at the end of first gun season. I know he is in the area and running yearlings. I know yearlings are coming in. Good stuff. Plus, I have a stand set up that is perfect for rut behavior.

Hunt: 4hrs
Deer seen: 4
Bucks: 1
Yearlings: 3

Total hunts: 20
Hours hunted: 63.25
Deer seen: 101
Bucks: 15
Non-yearling Does: 9
Yearlings: 77

 

[hickslawns]

Slid out. Hunted 3hrs. Saw 10 deer. One spike or possibly fork horn. Not much in antler department but a decent body. 5 deer seen about 100yds out. Just a glimpse and tiny opening thru a tree top. That tree is getting cut down before next year. It is basically a 25' tall scrub tree with big bushy top which blocks a shooting lane. Probably only 4-5" base. The last 5 walked by in bow range. Biggest one being a button buck. So essentially, 9 fawns/yearlings and a dink. Still better than sitting on the couch.

I did hear shooting from two places which were close. Bang with a follow up each time. The one shot location fired two different times. Each time with a follow up.

Hunt: 3 hr
Deer seen: 10
Bucks: 1
Antler less: 9
Mature antler less: 0

Total hunts: 21
Hours hunted: 66.25
Deer seen: 111
Bucks: 16
Non-yearling Does: 9
Yearlings: 86

 

[hickslawns]

Think I had a decent chance at killing tonight. There is a 3.5yr old 10pt with split brow tines with a regular pattern. Rather than tempt myself, I hunted a different property. Enjoyed a hunt with a buddy. There is a mature 8pt we are after on this property.

Unfortunately, we had world war 3 taking place on the property to the south. Not sure how many deer they killed but I know it cost them a lot of rounds. It also made the deer exit in a different place than they have been. So the 10 deer I saw exited the woods and fed up by the road a solid 600-800yds away if not more. Saw zero deer on our property. The deer were so far away I couldn't tell if any had antlers. Although, there were a couple big bodied and one kept moving from deer to deer in a full-sneak pose. The little ones kept running away as he came towards them. Off he'd go to the next. Horny fella.

Hours hunted: 2.5
Deer seen: I'm calling it zero as far away as they were.

Total hunts: 22
Hours hunted: 68.75
Deer seen: 111
Bucks: 16
Non-yearling Does: 9
Yearlings: 86

 

[hickslawns]

2.5hr hunt. Saw 6. Two bucks and four does got bumped out to me. Never heard any shots. Not sure what spooked them. Shooter stopped around 100yds. Took a quick aim. Was afraid he was going to take off again. Rushed my shot. Clean miss. Off they go. Watched them stop again and saw zero blood. 5-10min later they came back into field and fed thru. Only thing hurt was my ego I suppose. Frustrated given how this season has been. Get an opportunity. Screw it up. Ugh.

Hunt: 2.5hrs
Deer seen: 6
Bucks; 2

Total hunts: 23
Hours hunted: 71.25
Deer seen: 117
Bucks: 18
Non-yearling Does: 10
Yearlings: 89

 

[hickslawns]

Had a blast tonight. Another short hunt. Had 4 yearlings come thru. Couple minutes later a spike was lip curling and harassing them. They moved on. Few minutes later a 2 pt on one side with a nub on other side came thru. All these in bow range. I had the muzzle loader cocked and cross hairs on each buck multiple times. Every time I had myself talked into shooting one of them they would move and I had brush blocking the vitals. I was so close to killing two different 2pts tonight! I'm laughing but I'm not kidding. I can't believe I didn't fill the freezer and call it a season. That was fun.

Hunt: 2.5hrs
Deer seen: 6
Bucks: 2
Yearlings: 4

Total hunts: 24
Hours hunted: 73.75
Deer seen: 123
Bucks: 20
Non-yearling Does: 10
Yearlings: 93

 

["J"]

Had a blast tonight. Another short hunt. Had 4 yearlings come thru. Couple minutes later a spike was lip curling and harassing them. They moved on. Few minutes later a 2 pt on one side with a nub on other side came thru. All these in bow range. I had the muzzle loader cocked and cross hairs on each buck multiple times. Every time I had myself talked into shooting one of them they would move and I had brush blocking the vitals. I was so close to killing two different 2pts tonight! I'm laughing but I'm not kidding. I can't believe I didn't fill the freezer and call it a season. That was fun.

Hunt: 2.5hrs
Deer seen: 6
Bucks: 2
Yearlings: 4

Total hunts: 24
Hours hunted: 73.75
Deer seen: 123
Bucks: 20
Non-yearling Does: 10
Yearlings: 93

So you lost the bet?

 

[giles]

So you lost the bet?

Yup. Spunds like he's learning that the meat comes second. He ain't that hungry yet, lol.

 

["J"]

Yup. Spunds like he's learning that the meat comes second. He ain't that hungry yet, lol.

Or maybe he jumped too vegan status?

 

[giles]

Or maybe he jumped too vegan status?

I wouldn't go that far. Priorities change, sometimes in a split second.

Ever try and convince yourself to piss while swimming in a lake? I can't do it, I gotta get it out of my shorts. No matter how hard I try, I just can't do it. Looking like that is happening here. Get it out or at least stop lying to yourself! Lol

 

["J"]

I wouldn't go that far. Priorities change, sometimes in a split second.

Ever try and convince yourself to piss while swimming in a lake? I can't do it, I gotta get it out of my shorts. No matter how hard I try, I just can't do it. Looking like that is happening here. Get it out or at least stop lying to yourself! Lol

You have some fugged up analogies Dave

 

[Clay Showalter]

You have some fugged up analogies Dave

I am saying 6 Busch lattes

 

[hickslawns]

Basically, I would find an opening, cock the hammer, ensure I had a clear window, and they'd move. Happened about half a dozen times. I'd have a small window to shoot and a small window of time to squeeze the trigger. I hesitated about a second too long a few times. And Dave could be right: must not be that hungry yet. I truly was enjoying the hunt. Kinda didn't want it to end. Tomorrow night may not fair as well. I don't really want to go back out for archery.

 

["J"]

Basically, I would find an opening, cock the hammer, ensure I had a clear window, and they'd move. Happened about half a dozen times. I'd have a small window to shoot and a small window of time to squeeze the trigger. I hesitated about a second too long a few times. And Dave could be right: must not be that hungry yet. I truly was enjoying the hunt. Kinda didn't want it to end. Tomorrow night may not fair as well. I don't really want to go back out for archery.

NEVER pass up on days 1-3 that you wouldn’t on day 4....

 

[giles]

When my main property got hit with EHD, we only killed one deer in a 2 year stretch. So I get it. Don't take this as motivation to go do something you don't want to.

Zero beers BTW. This is just how my brain works.

 

[hickslawns]

When my main property got hit with EHD, we only killed one deer in a 2 year stretch. So I get it. Don't take this as motivation to go do something you don't want to.

Zero beers BTW. This is just how my brain works.

I'd estimate we are down 50-70%. Basically back to numbers we had 10-12yrs ago. We did not get totally decimated. Lots of guys killing deer like nothing happened. I shot a bambi. I'm sticking to my guns and not shooting any does which could have been bred. Today, a spike is not safe. I could use about 1/2 a deer to a deer more in the freezer. I'll offer some to my foreman if I kill one. Just don't know that I want to shoot next year's target. . . But I might.

 

[Clay Showalter]

I don’t like shooting does, I don’t understand the thinking of less does equals better rut action, this could be true, but I know one thing for sure. A dead doe means less deer next year.