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Wildlife 2020/2021 Deer Season

Wildlife

Denny
Supporting Member
5,248
191
Ross County, Ohio
Tuesday - December 8, 2020 - 'The Collection':

The past couple of days, I've been busy trying to catch up on some of the things that needed to get done, such as;
  • collect all field hunting gear - pop-up ground blind, API climber & 'Lone Wolf Alpha II Stand' w/ 5 LW long sticks
  • collect two field trail cameras
  • replenish bait station w/ fresh whole corn
  • swap SD cards at the remaining TCs
  • cut, split & stack more firewood for the workshop woodstove
  • a complete inspection & whatever minor maintenance to be done to the Mathews No-Cam ST compound bow, arrows & broadheads
  • thoroughly clean the Remington 870 Express Magnum shotgun & put away for the year hopefully
  • go through all the TC data from the latest SD swaps
The following are a couple of videos that I made just moments ago. One is of the very latest TC captures that I have of THUNDER at the bait station, and the other is of me returning home the other night from my last hunt in my county, which was on the fourth, then again of me collecting the big doe that I harvested. The following morning is when I went and collected all the hunting gear that was afield.

I wanted this information to be added to my hunt journal since it is technically apart of my 2020/21 deer season.

Video description:

The latest trail camera capture of THUNDER at the bait station. I'm glad to see that he's made it up to this point in time at least.

I hope that he makes it through the rest of the deer hunting season. He's looking rather thin and bit run down, I'm sure from a hard rut.



Video description:

The video starts off with me returning home from my ground blind hunt on 11/4, right after I shot a big doe. I walked through the bait station area headed to my workshop. Right after I dropped off my ground blind chair, shooting stick, backpack, rifle and changed into some different clothes, I then immediately headed back to out to go collect the doe, which was a 450 yard drag with the sled/toboggan approximately.

You'll get to see me drag the harvested doe through the bait station area, headed to my workshop once again.

The the following morning, I went back out to collect my 'Lone Wolf Alpha II Stand' with 5 LW long sticks, my old API climber, my 'Big Mike' pop-up ground blind and two field Simmons trail cameras, which concludes my 2020/21 deer hunting within my country because I reached the deer bag limit, which is a total of three. For the following season, I will be hunting a different Ohio county to hopefully harvest a good buck before February 7, 2021.

 
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Wildlife

Denny
Supporting Member
5,248
191
Ross County, Ohio
Thursday - December 10, 2020 - 'GO TIME!':

Back in the game in Fairfield County with the bow looking for a Whitetail with antlers!

(Nearly a 360* panoramic view from the tree-stand.)
20201210_150242.jpg

This afternoon, I arrived at the property in Fairfield Co. a little before 2:00 p.m. and the first thing that I did was hauled out a 50lb. bag of whole corn out to my hunting area that I intend to hunt over the course of the next four, maybe five days during the late afternoon, evening hours, hoping to harvest a good buck.

The wind forecast for the next three days will be ideal because my tree-stand is setup in between the picked cornfield to the West, NW & SW, and a heavy thick pine bedding area located to the East, NE & SE. The mild winds will be mainly from the South & SE over the next three days. The following two days will be from the West in the double digit speeds, cloudy, wet & cooler too.

(Top to bottom, left to right: Looking NW of cup area of the picked cornfield plus the red circle is where I spread out the 50lb. bag of whole corn. #2 - Looking North. #3 - Looking East towards the thick pine bedding area. #4 - Looking SE towards the end of the pines and another heavy deer run. #5 - Looking South, SW along the backside of the picked cornfield. #6 - Looking towards the wooded finger to the West, the end of the cup area and where there is a deep ravine begins, heads North to the creek bottom, approximately 750 yards away, which is a huge elevation shift down approximately 200-300 feet. Another area where the deer pop out from into the cornfield.)
20201210_202152.jpg


My 'Lone Wolf Alpha II Stand' with 5 LW long sticks are set up in a Maple Tree just 10 yards off the backside of the picked cornfield, right next to a significant buck tree rub that is also 10 yards away, just to the NW. The only one in close proximity as well.
20201206_132918.jpg
20201206_132823.jpg


I also hung two trail cameras. One that covers the area where I poured & spread out the 50lbs. of whole corn within 3 rows of the cornfield and also just off a main deer trail the goes to & from the field into the wooded area and leads NE towards the very top of the large hill.
20201210_201903.jpg


The second trail camera covers the buck tree rub right along the backside of the picked cornfield, 10 yards away from my tree stand setup.
20201210_201941.jpg


I finally got settled into my tree-stand right at 3:00 p.m., ready to hunt.

(This evening's sunset and my view to the spread out 50lb. bag of whole corn within the cup area of the picked cornfield, approximately 30 yards away to the NW., a 25-35 yard shot opportunity for me if a deer gets hungry.)
20201210_202312.jpg


I did not see my first deer until right at quitting time; 5:39 p.m., which was a large doe and one other smaller antlerless deer, just a bit further to the SW of her. Both came from the end of the wooded finger area that leads out into the picked cornfield, from the end of the ravine that comes from the North and the creek bottom area. The leading big doe nearly made it to the poured out corn area, approximately 30 yards away, just to the West, completely downwind of me, then stopped, turned around and headed South towards the other deer that was roughly 50 yards to my SW within the field.

Then that same doe turned back around once again, heading back towards the poured corn and stopped again due West of me, obviously trying to wind me.

I had to wait on those deer to leave the field before I packed up, climbed down and headed back to my pickup truck that is parked clear around the wooded finger area and to the North side of the picked cornfield.

I did not leave the property until 6:30 p.m. sharp.

Video description:

ATN Thermal Scanning Monocular Video Footage: Had two antlerless deer show up right at quitting time from the West. The bigger one got within 30 yards and the other stayed more to the SW, just out of bow range, approximately 50 yards away. I had to wait on them to leave the picked cornfield in order for me to climb down and hike back to my pickup truck, which was parked clear to the North-NW, however I had to hike around the wooded finger first that is due West, approximately140 yards to the backside, then turn North towards the parked truck.

_________________________________

20201210_202547.jpg

20201210_203225.jpg

According to usprimetimes.com, the following 5 days (December 11-15) are supposed to be "Very Good" for hunting, which I intend to hunt evening's only over the course of the next 4, maybe 5 days, all dependent on whatever deer activity I experience over the next couple of days, and/or whatever TC captures I collect from the two different locations.

So, if anyone has anything else to add to my plan, I'm all ears!

It's 'crunch time' and I will not be too picky on whatever buck presents an opportunity for me. I have just my buck tag left and at this point, I am mainly concerned with filling the rest of my freezer more than anything else.

I will be updating my hunt journal after each hunt during the evening hours, after I arrive back home. Other than that, check back tomorrow and see what happened during my Friday evening hunt.

Good night 'TOO'ville!
 
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Bowkills

Well-Known Member
2,577
85
Nw oh
Can u post what type monocular that is. Atn but model. This is what many guys are using walking in and walking out on deer hunts around me.
 

Wildlife

Denny
Supporting Member
5,248
191
Ross County, Ohio
Can u post what type monocular that is. Atn but model. This is what many guys are using walking in and walking out on deer hunts around me.

Sure,

ATN ThOR-HD 640 1-10x that I'll be using a whole lot more of for coyote hunting here relatively soon. Below was my first coyote hunt with it back in March 2020 where I shot a coyote 150 yards away from me. I will be continuing this thread when I finish my deer hunting and transition into coyote hunting so, I hope to have more film footage of those hunts where I connect.


Website with specs & capabilities - https://www.atncorp.com/ref-thermal-scope-thor-hd-640-1x-10x
 
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Bowkills

Well-Known Member
2,577
85
Nw oh
Sure,

ATN ThOR-HD 640 1-10x that I'll be using a whole lot more of for coyote hunting here relatively soon. Below was my first coyote hunt with it back in March 2020 where I shot a coyote 150 yards away from me. I will be continuing this thread when I finish my deer hunting and transition into coyote hunting so, I hope to have more film footage of those hunts where I connect.


Website with specs & capabilities - https://www.atncorp.com/ref-thermal-scope-thor-hd-640-1x-10x
Thanks!!! Hope u get ur buck. I'm in the same boat my quest for large thick base antler is dwindling. More freezer meat sounds great! I'm relying on the last gun seasons to score but won't rule out hunting the large herds near seasons end.
 
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Wildlife

Denny
Supporting Member
5,248
191
Ross County, Ohio
Friday - December 11, 2020 - 'MORE DEERZ':

My second post gun week evening archery hunt in Fairfield Co.

I got settled in a little before 3:00 p.m. and I didn't see my first deer until about 4:45 p.m., which were four antlerless deer that stepped out into the picked cornfield and grazed within it for about a half an hour before they headed back to were they originally came from, which is the thick pine area within the woods. The lead doe got within 15 yards of me a couple of times, just before she stepped back into the woods.

Approximately 15 minutes after those four antlerless deer left the field to the SE of me, two more antlerless deer popped out from the wooded finger area to the West, approximately 90 yards away, and headed SE towards the far corner of the cornfield. Right about quitting time is when I lost sight of them. That's when I packed up, climbed down and swapped SD cards in both the TCs that I hung yesterday afternoon.

The following below is the only wildlife captured on the two TCs over the course of the last 24hrs., which are a couple coyotes and one buck at 6:00 a.m. earlier this morning, right in front of the buck tree rub.

This is also the same property where I took my first and biggest coyote ten years ago with my compound bow at 30 yards.
_______________________________________

Video description:

This evening's archery hunt:
I got settled in around 3:00 p.m. Four antlerless deer stepped out into the picked cornfield, just South, about 4:45 p.m. and grazed within the cornfield for about a half an hour, then casually headed back to where they originally came from, to the thick pine area within the woods, just East of my setup. The lead doe got within 15 yards of me a couple of times during the encounter. Roughly 15 minutes later, two more antlerless deer stepped out into the picked cornfield from the wooded finger area to the West, headed SE to the backside of the cornfield and into the woods, just beyond the end of the pines right about quitting time. I packed up, climbed down and headed home for the night.



Tree Rub TC: Two captures over the course of the the last 24hrs.
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Corn Pile TC: Two coyotes.
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That was all the deer I saw during this evening's hunt, a total of six antlerless; four adults and two yearlings.

I'll be back in the same tree tomorrow with the bow.
 
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Wildlife

Denny
Supporting Member
5,248
191
Ross County, Ohio
Saturday - December 12, 2020 - 'EVEN MORE DEERZ & ANOTHER FUN DAY!':

20201212_202548.jpg


This morning, I headed to the Fairfield Co. property early because I really didn't have anything else much better to do. I got settled in right at 10:30 a.m. sharp and 15 minutes later, I took out a big Fox Squirrel @20yrds. that left me an easy opportunity. A few more perhaps by E.O.D. tomorrow or the next, and I'll have myself a good meal.

20201212_202840.jpg

Right around the noon hour, I picked up some movement to the NE, right along the edge of the thick pines, approximately 50 yards away. A few long-beards walking about and I gather they were the same five I encountered during my Thursday evening's hunt. I captured a brief video clip of at least three of them before they headed back into the thick pines again, roughly an hour later. The three that got the closets to me was about 30 yards away. Beautiful big birds!

After a couple of hours of not seeing anything other than more squirrels, I decided to pull out my ATN Thermal Monocular and start scanning the area around 3:00 p.m. That is when I quickly discovered at least four deer, three of which were bedded and one just got up for a brief moment, then laid back down, roughly 50-60 yards away to the SE, just inside the thick pines.

(There are four deer within this 3:30 p.m. cellphone photograph, which is zoomed in by 8x right at them. If you watch my YouTube - '12/12/2020 HUNT ' video below, you'll be able to clearly see them when I utilized my ATN Thermal Monocular.)
20201212_153859.jpg


An hour later of watching them closely, just before 4:00 p.m., all four of those deer got up from their beds and slowly headed North, staying well within the thick pines, approximately 50-60 yards away. I tried to keep up with them with my ATN Thermal Monocular as best as I could until I could not see them anymore when they got due East of me and much further into the thick pines.

About an hour after that, I caught some more movement within the same area where I saw the first four with my Thermal Monocular, apparently staging within the thick pines, facing West towards the picked cornfield, obviously waiting on all the others to show up. Within minutes, more and more deer did appear, showing up roughly within the same location, waiting on that magical moment in time to head out into the cornfield.

Approximately 5:20 p.m., all of them slowly started to head for the picked cornfield. Half came out due East of me, and the other half a bit further on down to the South, all coming from the thick pines. I captured a good bit of it on my ATN Thermal Monocular, which you can view in the following shared YouTube video below.

Eventually, at least 10 deer, and I presume all of them were antlerless, at least from what I could tell anyways, made it into the cornfield and fed well past quitting time.

I waited until nearly all the deer made their way to the furthest SE corner of the cornfield before I decided to pack up and climb down, while most all of the deer that appeared remained within the field.

Once I hit the ground, I headed just North to both of my TCs and swapped out the SD cards. The following is the only wildlife capture that I have over the past 24hrs., which is a different and rather large buck than the one from the day before, in the very early morning hours. It's not the greatest photograph, but it's obvious that the buck has a nice rack to'em while traveling just past the whole corn that I laid out within the three rows of the cornfield.

I now know that there is at least a couple of good bucks within the area at this point. I just need one of them to make it out during daylight while I'm up into my tree.

Corn Pile TC: (Far middle left edge of the photograph is a decent buck where you can just barely make out his left antler)
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Video description:

Cellphone capture of Wild Turkeys & ATN Thermal Monocular video footage of most of the deer seen this evening:

Hunted today at the same location as yesterday in Fairfield Co. with my bow. I got settled in @10:30 a.m. sharp. I encountered 4, perhaps 5 wild turkeys around the noon hour and they stuck around for about an hour. Then about 3:00 p.m., I pulled out my ATN Thermal Monocular and scanned the area. That is when I found at least 4 deer bedded approximately 50-60 yards to the SE. Eventually, those 4 deer got up around 4:00 p.m., and headed North within the thick pines, staying approximately 50-60 yards away. An hour later, several deer came from the thick pines to the East, headed to the picked cornfield to feed. Approximately 10 of them altogether eventually, and they grazed within the field just South of me, ranging from 50 to 120 yards away. I waited until all of them worked their way to the furthest SE corner of the field before I packed up and climbed down, approximately 10 minutes after quitting time. Afterwards, I swapped SD card from both of my TCs, then hiked back through the cornfield while most of the deer remained in the field. Not one of them noticed me nor became alarmed that I was in the area while hiking out to my pickup truck. I estimate that I saw at least 14 deer and I presume that all of them were antlerless.

________________________________________

So, inconclusion for today's 7hr. hunt, a handful of squirrels of which one of them came home with me, five wild turkeys, four of which were long-beards, and approximately fourteen antlerless deer, with perhaps five of them got be within bow range for a few brief moments, but mainly obstructed.

I intend to hunt again tomorrow around the same time at the same place.

Since there are that many antlerless deer within the immediate area, I mind as well take out one, or perhaps two of them if any real opportunity presents itself over the next two maybe three days. I'm nearly at full freezer capacity now. One more good deer ought to do it for me, then I'll donate the rest to a needy family in town.

Again, I had a real good time today in the stand!
 

Wildlife

Denny
Supporting Member
5,248
191
Ross County, Ohio
Sunday - December 13, 2020 - 'SKUNKED!':

20201213_141647.jpg


Hunted once again at the Fairfield Co. property this evening, from 3:00 p.m. until quitting time, 5:38 p.m.

Unfortunately, I did not see any deer anywhere during the entire time, and then some. I did manage to see three Wild Turkeys again, pretty much at the same location as yesterday, but just a bit further NE, right along the thick pines, right around 3:30 p.m., and of course some more squirrels too.

So, I climbed down immediately after quitting time, swapped SD cards at both of my TCs. The following is all the wildlife captured during the last 24hrs., which are a couple of bucks, some wild turkeys, some antlerless deer, a racoon, a bunny and what I believe is to be an owl. I hear owls hooting all the time when I hunt that property within the pines so, that's why I believe it's an owl, but I'm not entirely certain.

The ladies finally found the corn that I laid out within the three rows of the picked cornfield, which I thought it looked rather light when I finally got up into my tree and checked the area out with my binoculars. That's probably why I didn't see any deer this evening because they already filled their bellies full with that corn this morning. It's all good though. Now that they found that good source of food, I'm expecting them to visit that location regularly now.
__________________________________________

The following TC captures below are in consecutive order according to time stamp of the wildlife captured over the last 24hrs.

Corn pile TC - Owl
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Buck Tree Rub TC - Buck
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Corn pile TC - Bunny & Racoon
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Corn pile TC - Buck
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Corn pile TC - Wild Turkeys
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00000008.JPG


Corn pile TC - Antlerless Deer
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Corn pile TC - Wild Turkey & Antlerless Deer
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I'll be back out there once again sometime tomorrow and give it another go with the bow.

Definitely staging things up for the 'Bonus Gun Weekend'.
 

Wildlife

Denny
Supporting Member
5,248
191
Ross County, Ohio
Monday - December 14, 2020 - 'DECENT DEER DAY':

20201214_113749_2.jpg

From a Deer's perspective above, from the ground where I've been hunting in Fairfield Co.

All deer have the ability to see 300* of view in full focus at all times, much like what you see above but, in grey tones of mainly of black and while. The do however, have the capability to see the color blue, which totally stands out like a sore thumb in case you did not know. Studies have shown that; Blue Jeans won't cut it...
___________________________________

This morning I woke up early so, I packed up and headed to the property I've been hunting over the last four days, this being my very first time this season hunting from first light.

Once I started to hike out through the picked cornfield, headed to my tree-stand, I had my ATN Thermal Monocular turned on to scan the field first. As I started to approach the wooded finger area that goes clear out toward the middle of the field, I noticed a large bodied deer due South in the middle, and a much smaller deer in the SE corner, grazing. So, I paused for a moment and watched, since I had plenty of time to get to my tree-stand, which is clear around the wooded finger and just inside the wooded area, right off the NE corner of the picked cornfield.

After a few minutes watching those two deer within the field with my thermal monocular, each of them were facing towards the East and slowly walked into the woods, roughly about 80 yards just South of where I go in to get to my tree.

I continued my hike to my tree, climbed up into it without any issues, got settled in about 15 minutes before legal hunting time. As I was waiting for legal hunt, I started to scan the area where I saw those two deer go into the woods with my thermal monocular and saw the much bigger deer bed, approximately 70 yards to the SE of me.

After about 30 minutes, I saw that same big deer get up from its bed, and slowly headed N-NE into the thick pines, then completely out of sight within seconds.

Right at 8:00 a.m. sharp, I caught movement to my North, which were four Wild Turkeys that popped over the large North hill, slowly headed towards the picked cornfield and to my laid out corn. Just moments later, about 10-15 minutes, a young six point buck came over the top of the North hill right behind those turkeys, right in the same area. Then the buck entered into the very beginning of the thick pines, from the North, and casually cruised along the West edge of them, headed South. I got a real good look at him from the closets point of the entire encounter, which was 50 yards straight away, as he continued to head further South, to the other end of the pine patched, then finally out of sight.

Meanwhile, the Wild Turkeys continued their quest to hit the cornfield. I pulled out my cellphone right about the time they entered the field and captured a couple of photographs and a brief video clip of their initial activity.
20201214_232521.jpg



All of them were long-beards and I watched them graze clear across the field, headed South, then an hour later, they entered back into the woods from the East side of the field, approximately 100 yards South of me. That was the last time I saw them for the entire day.

Then around 9:30 a.m., three antlerless deer came form the South wooded area and cut across right in front of me, headed into the thick pine patch. At the same time, which I did not see initially or know about it, there was another deer that was apart of that group that walked down through the picked cornfield right behind me, and headed to the laid out whole corn within the three corn rows. I caught a brief glimpse of movement right out of my left eye as I was paying attention to those three antlerless deer, straight out in front me, approximately 50 yards away, heading into the pines.

When I turned to look, to my surprise, the adult doe just took her last bite of the laid out corn, turned and headed towards the deer that was pretty much waiting on her, just to the NE of me. I could have shot her if I have known that she was right there behind me, but unfortunately, I missed seeing her when she first arrived.

Then about an hour later, a doe popped out of the pines, right where the previous four went in earlier, and headed in a big hurry to the South, much closer to the edge of the cornfield.

An hour after that, right at 11:00 a.m., another doe comes screaming out at the very same area of the previous one, and did a ditto of what the prior deer did, however this time there were two little bucks chasing her, with the one buck tailing, grunting the entire time.

Those last five deer were all within bow range too, however, only the one that fed briefly at the laid out corn provided any such shot opportunity, if I were to have seen her first, or at the moment she first arrived at the corn, but unfortunately I didn't.

Then about a quarter to the noon hour, I packed up and broke for lunch at my pickup truck where I had a couple of sandwiches that the wife made for me the night before waiting on me, plus a full thermos of hot coffee.

Most of the morning, the wind was coming mainly from the E-NE and fairly mild. As it got closer to the noon hour, the wind shifted to the NW and the winds dramatically picked up, making it much cooler than what it was during the early morning hours.

Right after lunch, I carried out another 50lb. bag of whole corn to replenish the area for the next couple of days, since it's supposed to snow on Wednesday, and I will not be hunting tomorrow. I have to cut more firewood instead for my workshop and my poor animals. I burn wood all winter long, 24/7 within my workshop's woodstove. I intend to get back out to the property on Wednesday, when the wind is more favorable for my current setup and the wintery conditions should hopefully get those deer moving all throughout the day, much like this morning.

I got settle back into my tree by 1:00 p.m. and I didn't see my first deer until 3:30, then again at 3:40, which I believe were either the two young bucks I seen previously chasing, or the two does that came flying out of the pines prior to them. Each of those deer came from the South wooded area, heading North back into the pines.

At to my surprise, because I was expecting a fair amount of deer activity during this evening's prime-time, I only saw one deer, which was a large doe that came out from the South side hedgerow property line area right at 5:20 p.m., and into the picked cornfield. She casually walked out all by herself and fed/grazed approximately 50 yards along the South edge of the field, roughly 150 yards away from me to the SW.

I packed up immediately right at quitting time, climbed down, walked over to both TCs to swap out the SD cards, then gathered all my belongings and headed to my pickup truck through the cornfield, around the wooded finger, which put me approximately 70 yards away from the big doe that was still feeding within the field, turned North, and hiked straight to my truck, just beyond the cornfield.

The follow are the only wildlife captures on only the 'Corn Pile TC' this time, over the last 24hrs.
00000001.JPG
00000002.JPG
00000003.JPG
00000004.JPG
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(Then the first & last deer captured on my ATN Thermal Monocular, 41 seconds of video of two deer.)

Video description:

ATN Thermal Monocular video clips of the first & last deer of the day. One large bodied deer that bedded just inside the thick pine area to the SE and one large adult doe that entered the picked cornfield approximately 10 minutes before quitting time to the SW edge of the field and grazed there well after quitting time, even while I hiked out through the cornfield and she never became alarmed of my being in the area. I always walk in & out with any source of light.


So, inconclusion for today's first time all day hunt at this property of this season so far, I saw a total of approximately 13 or 14 deer, which I believe 4 or 6 of them were bucks, and roughly five deer got to be within bow range, but only one of them left me any such opportunity, which I happen to miss out on completely.

So once again, I am NOT hunting tomorrow. Instead, I'll be doing wood work for the day at home. I do intend to get back out at that property on Wednesday, during the early morning hours again. Then I'll take Thursday & Friday off, giving the area a short break just before 'Bonus Gun Weekend', which I'll be back at that same location once again, most likely setup within the wooded finger area someplace, overlooking the entire North cup edge area, East edge area and SE corner of the picked cornfield, leaving me and ideal shot opportunity for my 12g Remington 870 Express Magnum pump shotgun with a 100 yard zero. I should basically be able to cover the entire back half of that entire cornfield for any deer that steps out.
 
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Wildlife

Denny
Supporting Member
5,248
191
Ross County, Ohio
Tuesday – December 15, 2020 – ‘WOODY’:

Yesterday, I did not hunt at all. Instead, I played catchup on the chores I needed to get done so I could get back into the woods the follow day for another hunt.

So, I slept in a little, which was nice.

Once I got situated for the day, I prepped the chainsaws within the workshop for an all-afternoon job, but before I headed out with those tools for the woods, I first replenished the bait station with more whole corn, another 50lbs., and I also pulled the SD cards from all three of the TCs that cover that area.

No mature bucks were captured over the course of the last three days within that area, just young deer.

Then I headed to my ‘Western Stand’ area with the saws and cut up most all the deadfall within the immediate area, which I was able to open back up the main deer trail once again afterwards, that goes right by that stand.
20201215_163527.jpg


Before I got started to cut though, I first swapped the SD card at the TC that covers ‘pine licking branch’ #2.

Again, no mature bucks were captured over the past week, just young bucks, and more antlerless deer.

I spent the next four hours cutting, stacking, and loading up nearly all the deadfall within 50 yards of my tree-stand, which was enough to pack the bed of my pickup plumb full, and enough to get me through this next cold snap, at least.
20201215_164150.jpg


Afterwards, I had to check my bow at the target range because when I went to put it away last, for the very first time ever, it fell over onto the concrete floor, right on the bow sight. So, I had to check it, and it was just fine, thank goodness! I did not have to make any adjustments to it at all. I ended up shooting it from 20,30,40 & 50 yards several times and it’s still right on the money, which pleased me to no end.

Then after dinner, I unloaded all the wood from the truck and stacked inside the workshop, all ready to be burned now, which should please all my animals.

They all spoiled rotten, let me tell ya!

I take exceptionally good care of them, no doubt. All four of them are rescues, three mutts and a cat, which started off helping a family member out, babysitting the cat until she got settled in Florida, which eventually turned into at least a year. So, I pretty much own the cat now, and/or the other way around. ‘Hank’, I think, is incredibly happy right where he is at today.

Then I hit the hay early so I could get back out to Fairfield Co. property once again for another all-day hunt, needing to get up way early.
 

Wildlife

Denny
Supporting Member
5,248
191
Ross County, Ohio
Wednesday – December 16, 2020 – ‘LET IT SNOW’:

20201216_141725.jpg

This morning, when I left the house, there was a slight mist in the air and bit chilly. I got to the Fairfield Co. property right around 6:30 a.m.

After I got changed into my hunting clothes and ready to head out with my bow and two LW sticks in one hand, I turned on my ‘ATN Thermal Monocular’ and scanned the picked cornfield to the South with the other hand, towards the wooded finger. I did not see a thing. Then I continued my hike out to the end of the wooded finger and scanned the field once again towards the South corner, then to the East wooded edge and finally, to the North corner. Once again, I did not see a thing.

Then I hiked straight to my tree to the East on the other side of the picked cornfield, just 10 yards into the woods right off the field. Still having my thermal monocular in hand, I scanned straight ahead of me once I stepped into the woods and immediately, I saw a deer standing there straight in front of me, looking my direction, approximately 30 yards away.

Once I reached my tree, which was a few yards away, I scanned towards the deer once again and he was still standing there, motionless.

I then hooked up my bow to my hand line, strapped my first LW stick to the tree, climbed it, set the second LW stick, then continued climbing the rest of the way to my ‘Lone Wolf Alpha II’ platform, super quiet and stealthy like.

After I reached the top of the platform, I hung my pack, pulled up my bow and immediately sat down right at 7:14 a.m.

Then I scanned again towards where I last saw that deer and he was still standing there, approximately 25-30 yards away, just to the NE, completely motionless, still looking in my direction. I had a mild NE wind so; I was completely downwind of him the entire time.

I continued to watch that deer for the next 20-25 minutes, and legal time was approximately 7:15 a.m., however I could not see that deer with the naked eye until approximately 7:40 a.m., which by then, he circled to the South, SE from me, staying close to the patch of pines. Then he finally worked his way further SE and finally out of sight by about 7:50 a.m.

10 minutes later, I caught movement where I last saw the previous deer and it was a small young buck, heading my direction from the South, SE of me by about 50 yards.

That young buck slowly worked his way right in front of me, just to the East, approximately 30 yards away, perfectly broadside. I could have shot him because he left me a couple of good opportunities, but I held off, and watched him continue to head N-NE, back into the thick pine patch and out of sight by about 8:05 a.m.

By this time, it started snow rather hard so; I pulled out my tree umbrella and placed it right above my head into the tree, and then finished hanging the rest of my stuff, such as binos, rangefinder, grunt call, ‘ATN Thermal Monocular’ bag with the scanner inside and finally knocked an arrow.

I noticed that plenty of squirrels were extremely active right from first daylight, plenty of them running all over the place so; I swapped my mechanical broadhead arrow that I just knocked previously with the only fixed broadhead arrow that I have within my quiver to take out a good size squirrel that first leaves me an opportunity.

Well, it did not take long at all for that to happen because by 9:00 a.m., I shot a big fat ‘Fox Squirrel’ that was approximately 20 yards just to the South, running on the ground. I captured it all on the ‘Tactacam’ too.
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Then shortly afterwards, I caught some more movement just to the SE again. I grabbed my thermal monocular quick and scanned in that direction. Sure enough, another deer that just bedded at 9:10 a.m., approximately 50 yards to the SE.

I tried to see what kind of deer it was with my regular binos because through the thermal monocular, the deer looked to be rather large, however I could not see the head area because it was obstructed from a small leaved Oak Tree that was between us. So, I waited patiently for the first opportunity to figure out what kind of deer it was.

Approximately 30 minutes later, I saw the deer get up from its bed and slowly work its way towards me, staying just West of the pines. I also noticed that there was another deer heading towards me as well, from the NE, from within the thick pines.

Roughly around 9:45 a.m., both of those deer joined up together straight out in front me, to the East, just West of the thick pines. One button buck and a large doe.

Eventually both, nose to tail, slowly worked their way further towards me through the deadfall and all the little saplings, but stopping just short to bed once again, straight away, approximately 30-35 yards.
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The doe was closets to me, laid up against a down tree, and the button bedded just on the other side of it.

Both remained bedded for the next four in half hours, which prevented me to break for lunch at the pickup truck as I originally planned, plus I was hoping to retrieve my arrowed squirrel, and the arrow itself by then as well. I wanted to retrieve my one and only fixed broadhead arrow to shoot me another squirrel because I had several other fat squirrel encounters after the first, just yards away all morning.

Once the two deer got up from their beds, I assume, due to the heavy wet snow that was piling up on top of them, they headed back into the thick pines for which I’ll bet, to get out of the snowy wet weather and into some better cover.

After they left the immediate area, I climbed down and retrieved my arrowed squirrel and arrow, climbed back up into the tree, and re-knocked the fixed broadhead arrow for the next squirrel that provides me opportunity.
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Unfortunately, the squirrel activity was virtually null and void for the rest of the day. I only saw a few more after that point, and none left me a shot opportunity.

Then around 4:00 p.m., I caught a quick glimpse of the back end of a coyote that was cruising through the West edge of the thick pine patch, heading South. I never got a good look at it and I did not see it all again.

The next deer came from the South, which was a decent buck, at 5:05 p.m. One that was captured on my ‘Corn pile TC’ the evening before. He was coming right at me and I was seriously considering in shooting him, but when I pulled my hands out of my jacket pocket to grab my bow, one of my hand warmers fell out and fell to the ground, however before it reached the ground, it hit one of my LW stick foot pegs and made a tin like sound and that made the buck stop dead in his tracks, then glared my direction towards the ground. I froze in place while he intensely tried to figure out what that noise was. He was approximately 35 yards away, just to the SE, facing towards me, leaving me no ethical shot opportunity.

After another minute of him just standing there, he finally made that decision to turn East and quickly flee the area. No blow, no flagging tail, he just fled into the pines. There was no way he could have winded me because I was totally downwind of him and I do not believe he was able to see me up into the tree because there was leaved up Oak Tree branch between us, but I do believe he was not able to figure out the unnatural sound and decided to play it safe and get the heck out of dodge.

5-10 minutes later, I saw deer pilling out of the woods clear to the South and into the SE corner of the picked cornfield. A total of five antlerless deer that made their way out into the cornfield to fed approximately 100 yards away and remained within that area of the field until quitting time.

I packed up immediately right at quitting time, lowered the bow, climbed down. Then I swapped SD cards at both TCs all the while deer remained within the cornfield, clear at the other end.

continuation to the next post....
 

Wildlife

Denny
Supporting Member
5,248
191
Ross County, Ohio
After collecting all my belongings at the tree, plus the arrowed squirrel, I hiked out through the cornfield, heading West towards the end of the wooded finger while only two deer remained within the cornfield at the SE corner. I do not know where the others ended up going or when the left exactly.

I made to my truck without disturbing any more deer that know of, changed out of my hunting clothes, threw them into my tote, and jumped into the cab of the truck for the second time for the entire day.

The truck was covered with 4-6” of snow and I was parked near the woods and downhill. I started the truck and let warm up completely, to the point where it melted all the snow that covered the windshield and side windows. All the while that was going on, I ate one of the sandwiches that my wife prepared for me, my lunch, and drank all the lukewarm untouched coffee that sat in my cold truck all day long, in a thermos.

At the same time, I pulled out my old cellphone, attached my ‘BONEVIEW’ adapter, then went through the SD cards that I just swapped out of my TCs.

Once I felt comfortable enough to attempt to drive out of there and up that hill, hoping that I do not get stuck while doing so, I threw the truck in gear and went for it. To my amazement, I did not have any real difficultly getting up that hill with all that fresh untouched snow on the ground, even though the truck virtually had no wait to it, and it is only two-wheel drive too, but my tires are in rather good shape.

So, I made it home safely and the roads were not bad as I was expecting either.

Inconclusion for the all-day hunt, one sit, I saw ten deer for the entire day, four of which were bucks and only half of the total amount got to be within bow range at some point, and three nearly offered up a somewhat realistic shot opportunity for me, which was the young six point, the button buck and the last one, which was the largest buck of the day, an eight point. Those three potentially offering a 30-35-yard shot opportunity, but none of them really tripped my trigger.

I am NOT hunting tomorrow, nor on Friday either.

I do have plans however in setting up my pop-up ground blind at the property Friday afternoon within the wooded finger area, overlooking the entire back half of the picked cornfield for this weekend’s ‘Bonus Gun Season’. The weather forecast is showing rain for Sunday, so utilizing my pop-ground blind will keep me out of the wet nasty weather for the most part.

My next hunt will be Saturday morning, the 19th, with my 12-gauge Remington 870 Express Magnum pump shotgun. I'm looking forward to it!

Video description:

All day hunt, from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes past sunset. One sit.

The following video is of today’s 12/16/2020 hunt, which is a collage of video clips and photographs taken throughout the day from my cellphone, Tactacam and ATN Thermal Monocular - all in consecutive order in accordance with time stamp.

The video starts off however with the last 48hrs. of TC captures of wildlife.

 

Fletch

Senior Member
Supporting Member
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118
Damn Denny.... I thought I pushed it to the limit... You make me look like a couch potatoe... Good for you... God Bless You...
 
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Fletch

Senior Member
Supporting Member
6,078
118
Good stuff Denny. Glad the bow wasn't harmed in any way, hate it when something like that happens. That's a load of wood, all good and dry so it should burn easy. Sounds like the snow piled on in a hurry, glad you didn't get stuck w 2WD!! That would have made for a long day.
Why do you think he keeps all that wood in his truck....:LOL:
 
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Wildlife

Denny
Supporting Member
5,248
191
Ross County, Ohio
@Fletch & @Big_Holla

Appreciate it the kind comments, thank you!

Doing what I do within the woods these days is what keeps me sane inside an insane world. Trust me, I'd rather keep a good distance away from all the bullshit of the year 2020.

Keeping up with my journal is just another way for me to stay focused on the things that matter to me. I know that I'm no 'James Patterson' or a 'John Grisham' of a writer by any stretch of the imagination and I do not wish to be, but I hope at least someone gets something out my sharing, even if they're lengthy and whether or not, it's good or bad. I said previously that I was going to be as transparent as much as possible with regards to my hunting season, and at this point, I believe that's what I have accomplished so far, or as best as I could anyways.

So, that fat lady hasn't sung just yet, and I'm pressing onward hoping to achieve a good buck harvest before the season runs out on me.

Thanks again guys! (y)

Have a great day!
 
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