Wildlife 2023/2024 Deer Season

[Wildlife]

From your experience do you think certain deer are more tolerant of smaller game?

I ask that because it looks like the buck in the post above doesn’t mind the raccoon

Morning, Cole!

Yes, for nearly a decade now of living here in Ross Co. I have witnessed while in the stand that some deer appear to be far more tolerant of other animals being next to them and some are not at all in the least bit.

Some bucks are loners, they seem to want to be left alone or stay completely away from other animals nearly all of the time, and they're not old in age either, it's just part of their personality, I believe.

The oldest buck in the area that I am quite familiar with, 'THUNDER', he's a loner now, and has been each year after his antlers go hard over the past three [3] years. In fact, I most likely won't see him again with my own eyes while hunting until we are much closer to the rut. He's a very, very smart deer! He's saving his energy. I know where he beds and I will not go anywhere near there at this time. As long as he continues to stick around, I'll be patient and let him come to me, hopefully.

Hope I answered your question, Cole? Let me know, thanks! Have a fantastic day!!

___________________________________


10:30 a.m. EDIT:

Just to be clear, in post #138 & post 139, those are two eight [8] point bucks that look kinda similar, but they are two different bucks completely with two different attitudes. In post #139, the buck that got scared off by the possum, is also the same buck I had a close encounter with while hunting October 8th. If you were to view the video, you'll get to see that he is more aggressive than the other.

I have encountered more than half of the local resident bucks already while hunting, and I could have shot either one of them, but choose not too. I have my reasons. Much of the videos that I post does display a fair amount of deer behavior, especially the videos of me while hunting this year.

A little SIDE NOTE too: 'FREELOAD' is gone. Happened last Sunday. We had two hunters in the area. One known, and the other was not. Waiting on confirmation still. If true, that will be a hard pill for me to swallow because he had tons of potentials. He was a 2.5 year old that stayed very close to home. The unknown hunter hunted within 100 yards of my property. Not happy about that in the least bit.

 

[OO2]

Makes sense to me, thanks for taking the time to provide your insight.

 

[Wildlife]

Makes sense to me, thanks for taking the time to provide your insight.

No problem, Cole! Anytime!!

 

[Wildlife]

8:00 p.m., Sunday, October 22, 2023: 'NO EVENING HUNT'

First deer to step in front of a TC after our woods was treated like a playground by our neighbor dogs.

Then mom, and both stayed for about 20 minutes there, then moved on.

Choice photo from the other farm this evening.

Things are finally snapping back in shape again after our neighbor friends left. I called the owner to inform him that Bell is on the loose again with her friend. Pretty much all the bucks are regularly harassing the does, hitting scrapes and licking branches. Things are definitely picking up around here. First newcomer {ROAMER II] showed up early this morning, which I shared in a previous post. There stands a chance of others showing up also over the course of the next two weeks.

'Jr' harassing one of the ladies this evening. He must be feeling better because this is the most activity I've seen out of him
since his injury. Again, I hope he makes it through the season. He's an excellent herder of all the does around here. He was a hard worker the previous years, so I hope that he is back to good health and continues to do what he does. Him and 'DIAMOND' are NOT friends, so, one of them has to go.

 

[giles]

Boffem can ride west a little way.

 

[Wildlife]

9:00 a.m., Monday, October 23, 2023: 'NO HUNT/Overnight '

Video description:

I did hunt in the morning for a couple of hours and encountered two antlerless deer within bow range. For the evening, I somewhat was planning a hunt, but we had some unexpected visitors instead that made that decision for me, so I did not hunt yesterday evening.

The following is over 250 images captured last night of the deer activity within my neck of the woods. Everything was placed in consecutive order by way everything happened overnight, by timestamp.

I had to make a friendly phone call to our neighbor to have them get their dog out of our woods. Everything snapped back together afterward of their dogs terrorizing our woods.

I ended up going to bed a little after midnight, but not before I captured some audio of all the coyotes singing last night nearby. So, you may want to turn up the volume a little more when it gets to that portion of the video. Anytime we have a new moon cycle, the coyotes in the area definitely let me know.

On Saturday, early in the morning, a new buck showed up at one of the hunting setups. You'll get to see him in this video around 3:00 a.m. hour today. I expect him to either remain for a couple of weeks, or he'll be back making perhaps weekly visits until the rut.

This morning, I was not planning on hunting because of the expected heavy fog, which we received, as usual in our creek valley anytime it rains the day or night before, or we receive a freeze warning, which was in the forecast.

I may get out this evening, At this point in time, I'll be playing everything by ear, based on pervious years experience/history. So, I'll hunt around here when I believe I'll have the highest opportunity of encountering the target buck that I am after. His activity will determine when I hunt next.

I hope you enjoy today's video, which is the latest update of all the deer activity within my neck of the woods, and then some.

Thank you for reading and watching!

 

[Wildlife]

@giles - midmorning at the other farm

 

[Wildlife]

7:30 p.m., Tuesday, October 24, 2023: 'NO HUNT/YARD DUTIES INSTEAD

Just showed up to fill up

Been fairly slow today with regards to overall deer movement/activity. Most occurred in the morning. There was a button at both the 'Western Stand' and 'Main Feed Site' during the last half hour of legal time, and that was it for today. I worked outside all day so, I'm sure that had a negative impact as well.

While taking care the endless leaves on the ground today, I had some intermittent issues with the mower. The PTO kept disengaging. My initial thought was the PTO switch was going bad, but oh-no. Instead, upon further investigation, I ended up finding that the power lead the feeds the clutch was shorting out onto the frame, which cause the PTO to disengage each time I hit a decent bump with the mower. I bet that short also shorten the life of my starter too.

Anyway, I got it all taken care of by simply wrapping a couple layers of 3m Scotch #33 around the original harness. Plugged everything back in, and the mower is good as gold once again.

I thought I'd share the latest mower issue for those that might have an older zero-turns with clutches underneath the frame. You may want to take a look at your wire harness, especially where it transitions through the frame, if by chance yours is anything like mine.

Not sure when I'll hunt next, but I do have to get to the other farm sometime soon to swap memory cards. May do that either tomorrow or the next.

That's about it from me today.

Goodnight all!

 

[Wildlife]

7:50 a.m., Wednesday, October 25, 2023: 'NO HUNT/Some of the locals last '

Video description:

Some familiar faces from last

I have not done a hunt since the morning of October 22, 2023. I may get out for an antlerless hunt over the next couple of days at the other farm.

Hope that enjoy today's video and thanks for watching!

 

[Wildlife]

Mornin 'TOOville! It's gorgeous out!

Good luck today if you're getting out!

Later-on!!
________________

 

[Wildlife]

8:20 a.m., Saturday, October 28, 2023: 'I got'em!'

Another tresspassor, that is.... Busted him real good too. Sherriffs are dealing him now. Little f'er was hunting right behind my house this morning.

 

[triple_duece]

From North Carolina?

 

[Sgt Fury]

From North Carolina?

Is that “J”?

 

[gjs4]

Would suspect someone trying to hunt like that would be on a smaller school bus with saliva on the windows....
DId he walk weird cause his balls were so big?

Glad you got him and the good guys won. Fing dipshit thieves

 

[Wildlife]

@triple_duece - Ohio is the plate.

No daylight deer today, which hardly has happened this year. Things are gonna get buggered up around here if I can't get scrupulous uncouth individuals to stop squeezing in around here. I know of four other situations over the past month where I believe that same person was right behind our home, and he shouldn't have been there, and those are the times I can't necessarily prove, but know it was him back there.

 

[triple_duece]

Good luck to ya! I’m getting my ass kicked as of now. Not complaining it’s just my 3rd sit with nothing figured out or a feel good spot. But persistence and time always prevails. Doesn’t matter if I let an arrow loose or not. Hoping DJ gets a chance, but that’s how every dad feels right?

Monday or Tuesday will tell the real story, weather will be great and deer will be moving.

 

["J"]

Is that “J”?

You Yankees are all alike

 

[Wildlife]

Good luck to ya! I’m getting my ass kicked as of now. Not complaining it’s just my 3rd sit with nothing figured out or a feel good spot. But persistence and time always prevails. Doesn’t matter if I let an arrow loose or not. Hoping DJ gets a chance, but that’s how every dad feels right?

Monday or Tuesday will tell the real story, weather will be great and deer will be moving.

I agree with you, next week for sure! Good luck to you two and have a bunch of fun

 

[Wildlife]

Goodnight all!

 

[Wildlife]

10:10 a.m., Sunday, October 29, 2023: ' @ , but'

typical midmorning @theotherfarm

Next hunt for me will be Tuesday, the last day of October.

Best of luck to anyone hunting today!

Have a good one everyone