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The Woes of Blue Spruce Outfitters

As I sit here and stew inside, cleaning for my son's party tomorrow, I feel compelled to share the story of how it all fell apart.

As all stories go, let's start from the beginning. The farm is an 150 acre working, cut-your-own Christmas tree farm, which presents a set of challenges as it lies. Such as a huge influx of people and pressure right after Thanksgiving, making gun season or even hunting a moot point. Most of the farm is obviously planted in Christmas trees with about 30 acres or so of huntable woods. Plus 20 acres next door we own, which was basically an over grown thicket we treat as a sanctuary. We have about 3 acres in various food plots, plant mast trees every year (apples, pears, oaks, chestnuts). There is the general idea. And now....for the downfall.

This year started with challenges in putting the plots in, but we overcame the issues. Our main issue has been First Energy was going to replace all the poles and lines which split out property in two and more importantly, run through a major bedding area on the neighboring property, a non hunted 300+ acres owned by MTD. So we knew that could be an issue, but we're assured "they would be done completely by October. Hahhahahha. Cute.

We're not going into the fact that we've lost 3 properties that we used to hunt last year.

We also found the neighbor to the east, erected a tower blind, awful close to the border and our corn field. On their property but, too close for out liking. I hate to make assumptions about people but, you could tell, these were people we were going to have issues with. So more human pressure.

Fast forward to deer season. First Energy isn't done. They have spent the last three weeks breaking up the wooden roads with an excavator and jamming them into large Dumpsters for haul away. Every day. 7am- 5pm. Making a shit ton of noise, human disturbance and basically just royally fucking any deer movement towards our farm.

Our farm is usually a hot bed during the rut. Buck and general deer movement between the bedding on east side and that west side bedding. Well, we haven't seen a mature doe all season, and even the immature buck movement isn't there. No deer activity let alone Rutting activity. So needless to say, with so much hunting time under my belt this season and very little deer movement, I'm very burnt out and feel like I needed to rant a bit.

I know the rut could bring a monster past me at any point so I'll keep grinding but, with a ticking clock of two weeks, I'm feeling the crunch. Now understand also, I take a hunting season vacation from work, so I've been hunting a lot since mid October, and I'm off til Dec 6 Just wanted to whine a bit. Thats all
 
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Cogz

Cogz
1,360
70
TX
Not what you want to hear but you are blessed man. You have A place to hunt and time off. Lots of people don’t. I’ve been where you are. Recently. Try to gain perspective and consider how thankful you are to even be in the ballgame to have these issues. To even plant a food plot at all. Or have corn to hunt. Or triple digit acreage. Or to own land. All the things youve talked about over the last month as challenges are also blessings and youre going to harvest a great deer this year and share that with your friends and family. If it’s got 180” of bone or not, you’re able bodied and healthy and doing what you love. Enjoy the cold air and the smell of fall for a bit. And this is coming from a guy who is bitter about some of the things right now. This response is helping me too. Thanks for sharing!
 
Not what you want to hear but you are blessed man. You have A place to hunt and time off. Lots of people don’t. I’ve been where you are. Recently. Try to gain perspective and consider how thankful you are to even be in the ballgame to have these issues. To even plant a food plot at all. Or have corn to hunt. Or triple digit acreage. Or to own land. All the things youve talked about over the last month as challenges are also blessings and youre going to harvest a great deer this year and share that with your friends and family. If it’s got 180” of bone or not, you’re able bodied and healthy and doing what you love. Enjoy the cold air and the smell of fall for a bit. And this is coming from a guy who is bitter about some of the things right now. This response is helping me too. Thanks for sharing!
Yeah, and that's my dilemma too. I know a lot of guys here have to bust their asses every day here. And then have to hunt public land. It's easy to get discouraged, even being so lucky. Im working on it for sure. Just wanted to share with everyone to show even from.the "golden spoon" you can still shovel shit. Lol
 

Cogz

Cogz
1,360
70
TX
Yeah, and that's my dilemma too. I know a lot of guys here have to bust their asses every day here. And then have to hunt public land. It's easy to get discouraged, even being so lucky. Im working on it for sure. Just wanted to share with everyone to show even from.the "golden spoon" you can still shovel shit. Lol
I get it and definitely not judging you for venting AT ALL. It can be tough for everyone, even those with all the resources they need. Only takes one brute looking for tail to make it all look easy.
 

Big H

Senior Member
4,105
151
Medina
I figured you were close to MTD, that's a good area over there, keep your head up. All it takes a minute to change everything.
 
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hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Hang in there. If the rut doesn't make it happen, I'd be hitting it hard in the late season. Late November is not a bad time either. I've seen stats where more mature bucks are killed in the second half of November than the first half. Not sure if this is still the case or not, but that was just a few years back I read it.
 
I figured you were close to MTD, that's a good area over there, keep your head up. All it takes a minute to change everything.
Yeah. They're right next door, I like to maintain a little secrecy. Lol. But yeah. It's loaded over there but they also have had trespassing issues this year as well. You're absolutely right though. Only takes one doe and it's buck parade
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,855
260
SW Ohio
Not what you want to hear but you are blessed man. You have A place to hunt and time off. Lots of people don’t. I’ve been where you are. Recently. Try to gain perspective and consider how thankful you are to even be in the ballgame to have these issues. To even plant a food plot at all. Or have corn to hunt. Or triple digit acreage. Or to own land. All the things youve talked about over the last month as challenges are also blessings and youre going to harvest a great deer this year and share that with your friends and family. If it’s got 180” of bone or not, you’re able bodied and healthy and doing what you love. Enjoy the cold air and the smell of fall for a bit. And this is coming from a guy who is bitter about some of the things right now. This response is helping me too. Thanks for sharing!

Where’s the like button👍🏻
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,741
274
North Carolina
Where’s the like button👍🏻
6DFB82D2-0D20-4134-B464-62B87E5526E6.jpeg
Right where it always is Ric 😂
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
I work on those power line right of ways. You guys got paid plenty for the intrusion and those people and equipment are bothering you more then the deer. I see deer almost daily while working, way more then I see while hunting. 😂

I think between the hunting pressure and the acorn crop this year, things have just changed. Next year will be killer with the fresh growth in that right of way and deer being elusive this year.

If you ain’t having fun, stop going and go somewhere else. New hunting spots are always a ton of fun and worth going!
 

Cogz

Cogz
1,360
70
TX
I work on those power line right of ways. You guys got paid plenty for the intrusion and those people and equipment are bothering you more then the deer. I see deer almost daily while working, way more then I see while hunting. 😂

I think between the hunting pressure and the acorn crop this year, things have just changed. Next year will be killer with the fresh growth in that right of way and deer being elusive this year.

If you ain’t having fun, stop going and go somewhere else. New hunting spots are always a ton of fun and worth going!
Dude well said.