Stressless's 2025-2026 season journal

[Stressless]

The drought has this late summer has been a PITA. Nature makes it hard to grow without moisture lol. Thinking I'll see the farm one more time before the first sit and that'll be good. Getting old and slow getting stands moved, trees trimmed, plots maintained, equipment maintained to maintain the plots .

We did the 2 orchards in this year, that was a big step. Mom passed in Jan, that was that for my family up and over. No parents, siblings, cousins left, no aunts no uncles. My focus - Grandkids, two now and more hoped for so looking at the property as a retreat/hunting parcel rather than a hunting/retreat parcel... the ratio varies but I think you understand the shift.

Cleaning up the deep woods openings from '21-'22 are the highest priority as soon as the WTD hunting is done.

I don't think I posted this year's gobbler just about standard at the farm. Three Dave Smith's and a late morning Tom strutting right into the kill zone. The Bullhead did the trick at 10 yards.

Set a new stand, PassThru and moved two I had out, Shaggy and Pinchpoint to take advantage of movement the new mini-orchard that Shaggy plot/orchard should provide on that side hill bench.

That bench is a funnel for lots of the local wildlife.

I have high hopes for this little ambush site. I released this pear my dad and/or bother planted 25 years ago and then forgot. It really popped this spring.

Thanks fellas.

 

[Stressless]

Five bucks in this series. Rivendell From last year, not sure if he liked to fight and won some - or just picked bigger bucks to antagonize... He seemed to loose a Beam or tine about every week.

Rivendell is the first buck to walk out.

 

[Tysonhunter]

Awesome write up and photos!!!! Many of birds have fallen to that exact same setup, it sure is hard to beat, just a bloody mess HAHA

 

[Stressless]

With the drought and pressure I'm ... satisfied with the plots.

Inside the utilization cage 4"-5" of wheat, rye and legumes.

the quote, "this is why we can't have nice things." Comea to mind.

Edit -
Got in, reluctantly filled the feeders, neighbor Cliff fillled his Fri. Sild him two Boss Buck 350's hoping they'll finally outlaw it. Anyways, removed the one on Greenbrier to Spoil, and below the Cabin to Pine. Got it done, in the heat, left the machine running, minimal impact.

Picked up some cards when going past them - always nice to see a couple I'd tighten the string on.

Thinking this is Willis or Readers (One Mooch wounded last year)

Dint head out this AM, letting it sit until the cold front tomorrow and next week. My favorite week in TOO.

 

[Stressless]

ARR Sat 18 Oct. Filled the three feeders early Afternoon.

Sun 19 Oct 1.25" rain no sits

Mon 20 Oct

PinchPoint AM. W wind
-One decent 10 pt, 2.5 or 3.5

Interchange PM. W wind
- 2 does

Tues 21 Oct hot and windy no sits
- set Grassy Knoll

Between AM and PM loaded a stand, sticks, 50# of corn stand accruments and camera, went to go on the cart - flat tire, went to town got the tube replaced, then went to with the bike and ~100#'s on the trailer went a liittle less than a mile, set it up quick and quiet.

Wed 22 Oct

PinchPoint AM. SW wind
- Rivendell #2 walked thru between DoubleB and Funnel stands 0830 about 140 yds from me... didnt walk up to Shaggy. Bike did well, scent noise etc

Funnel Blind PM sit W wind.
Notes:
Interesting, there is a ENE breeze down in this blind, on the North side of my long ESE hollow. Def solid West Wind above the terrain.

I think its combo of thermals rising (ENE) is uphill, and a big roll of air coming over the 'spoil' hill, 200 yds to the West.... wouldn't have thought this would work, stnads dead WEST of the trialsX and scrape. Milkweed is going, solidly. ENE.

Thurs 23 Oct

- AM W wind, sat Funnel, wanted to see how the thermals worked down there in the AM. Works great w Steady W wind this is great as theres a major buck travel route right down from it.

-PM SW wind Interchange.
With the wind and the hill it's iffy getting a solid wind/thermal with the big hollow behind this stand.

 

[Stressless]

24 Oct AM, FrontPad, supposedly a W beeze rhat was actually a SE wind...
Hills and Thermals it's and art..

24 Oct PM, Grassy Knoll...

HEART BREAKER!

Been seeing Barney Miller [this years hitlist names are cop shows] here fairly reg since Sat.. decided, with the NW wind forecast, to sit it tonight.

Got in took a bit to set up, had the sticks in but had to hang the stand. Gotnit done but thought I blew out a mile of deer with the racket - then I remebered I had my hearing aids in and turned way up but got settled. Had the most bumping of the year, two different does, one with fawn. One w/o. Came thru both harassed by a 18 m/o but - nothing was following.

After the two sets of does getting pushed by 18 m/o bucks came thru it got busy with a 9pt and 10pt walking in... were there for a couple mins and meandered on out.

Fun sit, 10 total deer I saw, one old.doe was about 15' linear feer from me eyeballimg and head bobin' didn't give her nuttin...

I was waiting for Barney Miller.

Anyway, he showed last light tonight. Came out of the woods on the left, could make out a hellofa body - too dark with the naked eye, pulled out the binos, he was at 35yds - GAME TIME - Barney had stepped into the ring. This is a picture of him right after my shot at 28yds. I'm a 2" group at 30... felt like I hit him, more on that later. Picture is about 1.5 secs are the sear broke...

Low light, I couldn't see my front sight circle to fit it in the peep... meanwhile Barney Miller first bluff charges the Doe then starts eating the oats I put in, so stationary. I draw back, he doesn't notice, that Doe in the foodplot in front of him I think he's going to chase her around so It's now or never.

Tried getting a bearing where there was a bit more light in the field, then swing the pin back to onto Barrny, did that two or three times - no help, the buck filled up most of the ring; was def silhouette shooting. Pins were lit, so I thought I had him, i mean i shot instinctive for 5 or 6 years, been shooting this bow since 2010, prolly 10,000 shots. It 'felt' right.

Sent it. Thought I got a pass thru but didnt hear the lovely "THWACK' going theu ribs... thought uh-oh gonna have to call @xbowguy -
Took a couple pics to check things. This is the "real" light to the naked eye.

Long exposure.

Based on where the arrow was - I shot over. First time I've clean missed a mature buck. Had one shoulder hit, hadn't clean missed. As has been said on here many time. "All of the fun, none of the mess. Waited 30, check my arrow fully expecting liver maybe gut --- you always worry. Not even a hair on it. Whiff!

Had neighbor Cliff over for steaks and we rehashed it. At full draw I had undecided feelings on the shot and most likely DIdn't aim thru the shot, basically, not just going instinctive and aiming thru the shot, I tried to mesh the pins and non existent front sight and Aimed then Shot.... at least that's where we got to after a bottle of wine and some scotch. Tomorrow's another day.

 

[xbowguy]

24 Oct AM, FrontPad, supposedly a W beeze rhat was actually a SE wind...
Hills and Thermals it's and art..

24 Oct PM, Grassy Knoll...

HEART BREAKER!

Been seeing Barney Miller [this years hitlist names are cop shows] here fairly reg since Sat.. decided, with the NW wind forecast, to sit it tonight.

Got in took a bit to set up, had the sticks in but had to hang the stand. Gotnit done but thought I blew out a mile of deer with the racket - then I remebered I had my hearing aids in and turned way up but got settled. Had the most bumping of the year, two different does, one with fawn. One w/o. Came thru both harassed by a 18 m/o but - nothing was following.

Two sets of does getting pushed by 18 m/o bucks came thru in the first couple hours, then it got busy with a 9pt and 10pt walking in... were there for a couple mins and skedaddled on out.

Fun sit, 10 total deer I saw, one old.doe was about 15' linear feer from me eyeballimg and head bobin' didn't give her nuttin...

I was waiting for Barney Miller.

Anyway, he showed last light tonight. Came out of the woods on the left, could make out a hellofa body - too dark with the naked eye, pulled out the binos, he was at 35yds - GAME TIME - Barneyh stepped into the ring. This is a picture of him right after my shot at 28yds. I'm a 2" group at 30... felt like I hit him, more on that later. Picture is about 1.5 secs are the sear broke...
View attachment 213578

Low light, I couldn't see my front sight circle to fit it in the peep... meanwhile Barney Miller first bluff charges the Doe then starts eating the oats I put in, so stationary. I draw back, he doesn't notice, that Doe in the foodplot in front of him I think he's going to chase her around so It's now or never.

Tried getting a bearing where there was a bit more light in the field, then swing the pin back to onto Barrny, did that two or three times - no help, the buck filled up most of the ring; was def silhouette shooting. Pins were lit, so I thought I had him, i mean i shot instinctive for 5 or 6 years, been shooting this bow since 2010, prolly 10,000 shots. It 'felt' right.

Sent it. Thought I got a pass thru but didnt hear the lovely "THWACK' going theu ribs... thought uh-oh gonna have to call @xbowguy -
Took a couple pics to check things. This is the "real" light to the naked eye.
View attachment 213579

Long exposure.
View attachment 213580

Based on where the arrow was - I shot over. First time I've clean missed a mature buck. Had one shoulder hit, hadn't clean missed. As has been said on here many time. "All of the fun, none of the mess. Waited 30, check my arrow fully expecting liver maybe gut --- you always worry. Not even a hair on it. Whiff!

Had neighbor Cliff over for steaks and we rehashed it. At full draw I had undecided feelings on the shot and most likely DIdn't aim thru the shot, basically, not just going instinctive and aiming thru the shot, I tried to mesh the pins and non existent front sight and Aimed then Shot.... at least that's where we got to after a bottle of wine and some scotch. Tomorrow's another day.

And we'd have been on the way!
A clean miss, he should be back on cam even faster... Good Luck!