I was going to go this morning before the games, but accidentally set the alarm for PM not AM. I am not happy
Well back at this week. Final week of gun season in Arkansas. Went trekking through the woods yesterday mid morning not really expecting to see much. Ended up scaring up 3 or so from a place they were bedded down way in the back corner of our property next to the fence line with a cattle farm. Was funny because one cow spotted me about halfway down and just watched me from the next field over all the way down. Didn't see anything else. Went out this morning back towards that corner. Sat at the top of an old ladder stand for a couple hours and didn't see a thing so walked around for another hour or two, trying to find a good place to sit along the back trails. Went out to my field stand this afternoon until sunset, just to see if there was any activity, but I'd been told there weren't any sightings. About 4:45 or so spot a deer at the end of the levee. Was only there for a quick minute, then up the levee to the pond. Waited another 30 or so but nothing else popped out. Got down and walked out the back side of my stand. Get to the driveway, and there are two standing at the opposite end of the levee. I took a knee and tried to get a look, but light was fading and they had seen me so they didn't stick around, back up the levee. So I continued to walk up the driveway, got to a tree and keeping my eyes on the levee, another one in the low spot behind the levee. Broadside. Looked like a 4-6 pointer maybe. But haven't gotten anything so far. So took a shot. They ran off. Went out about 20 or so later looking for blood and nada. Probably should have waited a second more and braced myself against the tree, but I just stopped moving and aimed for a few breaths when I saw it broadside. It was really not good light. But at least I'm seeing deer in the final week. Just gotta get a clean shot.
Ugh. Didn't see squat yesterday after freezing rain and temp drop in the early morning. Heading out this AM, bumped one or two out of the front yard. was 5-10 minutes from legal daylight. They trotted off just in time. Took the long way around the pond to try and maybe catch them on the backside. Rain yesterday plus freeze last night made for some extra crunchy leaves. Took me an hour to get to my spot making as little noise as possible, and still felt too loud. So aggravating.
Been a frustrating week. Thursday was slow. Sat in the woods in the AM and saw nothing. Sat in a different spot in the PM and still nothing. Walked the long way out of the woods to the backside of our pond, pop out at the edge of the field and low and behold there is a deer on the opposite side of the field. Closer to my field stand than I've ever seen. I dropped prone, and it took interest. Went from broadside to looking at me. Light was getting low so I army crawled about 10 feet or so hoping it would continue to be interested and not spook. It spooked, obviously. Get up to my knees and something on a closer tree line darts back into the woods, but I never saw it because I had tunnel vision. Yesterday I was confident after seeing them twice in the front field around dusk that I'd see more there. Nothing in the AM, yet again. Went out and waited, and sure enough right after sunset a lone deer popped out next to the levee. Long shot with an iron sight 30-30, so I waited. And it started heading across the field. Yes, it's happening. Wait and wait and slowly this fucker starts gets across the field and walks directly down the tree line towards me. Light was getting low, and from across the field it looked much bigger. By the time it was close I could tell it was a yearling. Now I haven't seen a lone deer yet, always at least 2. And I'm fighting my tunnel vision, hoping to see another pop out behind it. But never did. Probably got 35-40 feet from my stand, but decided not to shoot. Probably should have, not looking for a trophy, just meat. But I had confirmed to myself I knew their pattern, at least in the evenings. Back at it today. Again nada in the morning. Went back out at 3 and wait and waited. 5 o clock rolls around. This is the prime time. Every day this is when they're showing up. Wait. 5:15, nothing. Focused on the far side of the field near the pond where the one popped out yesterday. Then a few minutes later, I look up and there's one straight up the treeline from my stand. And yes, it's slowly moving towards me again. Redemption. Should have shot that little fucker yesterday, but I'm getting a 2nd chance. can't yet tell if it's the same one. Slowly. Inching. Then, all of a sudden, I see something behind that deer, out of the adjacent treeline. This is it. The big one is following it, just like I was hoping for yesterday. But it's a little light colored. Huh? Deer stands, looks, darts back into the woods. Barking. Fucking neighbor dog. I'm fuming. But I waited, and I think the deer came back out after the dog pissed off. But it was so dark at that point the deer would have had to be sitting in my lap for me to believe it wasn't the shadows playing tricks on me. Tomorrow is the last day of gun season, supposed to rain. Just hope it let's up by dusk. FUCK.
That’s fucking awful- T’s and P’s man- had dogs fuck me up more than once and it’s so damn frustrating
Keep at it. I started hunting when I was 10 on some shitty land with very few deer behind my grandfathers house. The struggle makes you appreciate the success more.
We had issues with the adjacent dog club across the street on 3 different hunts this year where the dogs run through our stands while sitting. The first time we were cordial. The second time we told them that this can't keep happening. The last time it turned bad as we caught the dogs and told the guys that this shit had to stop and threatened to shoot the dogs One of the guys told us we were fucking idiot dickhead still hunters. A guy with me took offense and was going to beat the guy's ass when he pulled a shotgun on him. We had to get DNR and the sheriff involved. We didn't press charges but made a police report and turned it over to the logging company that owns the land. We have not seen them in 2 months since that happened. Dog hunters are the worst.
Agreed but we would never do that. It's very frustrating to spend so much time, money, and taking days off of work to have hunts ruined. DNR says we can't legally do anything because dogs don't know property lines. One officer told us to call our state representatives about dog hunting. He told us roughly 90% of the calls in our county have to do with dog hunters.
I actually like to hear dogs come by me occasionally. That's how I grew up so it's a cool to hear. Obviously not ideal while you are sitting, but it will put more deer up and moving while you sit
Our camp had a dog man for years Can be a good way to get them moving, but all things considered, they suck and are a pain in the ass. He got kicked out so now no dogs on our leases.....except when you catch the dumb fucks two camps over her caught on your lease and letting them run your deer and they road hunt
Used to hunt at a buddy’s camp in college and their property manager (local trash) allegedly shot a wild dog, quarter it, and gave it away as a deer meat. Can’t speak to the truth of it, but can attest to packs of wild strays fucking up hunts.
Is there anything more aggravating than listening to a dog bark (over and over and over) while sitting on a stand? Oh well, it’s a beautiful morning out here. Just wish someone would pay some attention to their dog.
Have the final 6 days of the year for short gun season. Rolled out of bed and into the stand with a cup of coffee this AM before my morning constitutional. Dangerous game I'm playing here.
My parents came in town last night and my wife said it’s be rude if I went hunting. Season closes the 5th and I’m going stir crazy at the house
Can you at least make a morning hunt and just end it at 8am? Who’s going to be missing you between 5-8am?
Boy howdy am I stupid. Season opened back up yesterday. Had seen some deer Xmas morning behind the house just watching. Saw nothing yesterday. Nothing this morning. Went back out behind the house this afternoon. Sitting in an old truck that's been sitting there for months. There's a couple sheds, a fence full of dogs, general activity around the house and whatnot. Fog was settling in and shifting around the small back field. Dog started barking looking towards the treeline. So I looked up, didn't see anything. Check something on my phone, look back up. Think to myself "boy, that sure looks like a nice sized deer out there." Keep looking, no movement. "Nah, I'm seeing ghosts. I'll prove it to myself." *Whistles loudly* Deer nopes over the fence. Fucking stupid. Waited it out and sure enough another one comes from the other side heading the same direction as the other. Smaller, but I'll have a shot. Slowly got my earplugs in. It's close to the fence but not there. Shoot. Miss. It jumps back towards the middle if the field. Lever action (cowboy shit). Shoot again. Thought I got it because the second time it slowly turned and headed back into the small patch of woods there. Looked and looked but didn't find a blood trail. Fuck. The squirrels are going to get massacred if I go 0fer on deer. Side note - shooting a gun in a truck is LOUD. Always wear (ear) protection.
I may have that same CD/Radio combo above my sink as well. Edit: Mount looks really good. I like the Kentucky cut out that the rack is on.
As I’ve said before, we hunt on a soy bean farm and the box I sit in is on a terrace over looking a big bean field. I guess you can call it behind me, because I never face that way, is a narrow stretch that goes pretty far to the left a right, but maybe 40yrds before another terrace on a hill and another big open field. No good shot unless a deer is directly behind you in a 50yrd window. Back in the far field there are prob 6-7 deer that I can’t make out. I double check my main field and it’s empty so I step out of the box and take a couple steps to get a better view to the far field and hopefully a shot. As I’m watching, scoping, watching, scoping, 4 doe walk out in the narrow field to 10’oclock., maybe 40yrds. I freeze and start thinking how I can turn and get a shot without spooking them. As they’re grazing I’m able to drop in one knee, prop my elbow up and wait for a good broadside shot. One is staring me down and after a while she’s had enough and starts to turn back into the tree line from which they came. The second turns to follow, the the third, and the last one. Fuck, I’m pissed that I got out of the box to look a deer I knew I probably wouldn’t have had a shot on. Then the last two turn broadside to look back my way, I immediately try to pick the biggest and probably too quickly fire. She drops and then scampers about 10yrds before dropping for the last time. Very thankful to have the meat. This weeeknd is the end of the season for bucks, so there is still hope for some antlers. Have an extra week for doe.
I didn't get one this year. First year trying, so I'm not too disappointed, but I'd had opportunities I wish I had capitalized on. still have the next 2 months for bow season in Arkansas, but gotta get the bow restrung and practice with it a bit. Probably set up some different stands to. We will see.
Back up in Arkansas. Lots and lots of scrapes along a trail in the woods. Found a fresh one complete with fresh deer crap a few days ago. Got the bow out and am practicing. had to get an ez release and need to fashion some sort of notch to hold my arrows up because the old one that was on there was the sticker kind and was all eat up. Doesn't have the holes for the fancy bolt on bristled ones.
So, our season is just getting to the good part. Rut’s getting going pretty strong. Hunted all weekend (Friday morning and Sunday morning at the stand overlooking the scrape below) but just missed catching up with this guy. His time is coming soon. Ideally, he’d get another year because I don’t think he’s more than 3.5 years old. He might be 4.5, but I don’t think so. But with this head gear, no one around us will pass him, and I don’t know that I could pass him either. They don’t come around like this too often.
The more I've chased this buck, the more I'm starting to hope I don't run across him and he makes it to next year healthy. He'll be an absolute stud if he does. Here are three different videos of him in the last week after he'd disappeared for about 10 days.
I had to pull cards on those three cameras. Really impressed with the Wildgame videos. I know a lot of people don’t like their cameras and have a bunch of issues with them, but I’ve had great luck with them. This is the first year I’ve run them on trails or scrapes for videos. Always used them over bait in certain areas just to take inventory pics and other cameras for videos, like the Moultrie, but I’ve been very happy with them. Plus, I can’t get my mobiles to upload videos for me. Tried it in a couple different spots, and I don’t know if it was a service issue or a file size issue.
You can do it real time. You can do immediate, 2 times, 4 times, or 8 times a day with my Moultrie mobiles. We found that having them upload 4 times a day (usually 7am, 1 pm, 7pm, 1am for us) helps the battery last A LOT longer. Last year we were running immediate updates. So every time a pic was taken it was sent to us, and batteries in the modem would last 2-10 days depending on the usage. The 4 times per day setting is getting us 3-4 weeks per modem. It just loads pics all at once instead of constantly having to find service to send pics. Now, if we’re going to hunt an area and want to see if something is there in the morning before or as we’re going on, we’ll change the setting to update immediately for a brief time. Ours use Verizon cell service to send pics. So you can be whatever you want to get the pics. You do have to put the modems in areas with decent cell service for them to work though. Some bottoms we have on our place won’t work.
My daughter (almost 7) is fired up to hunt. Can’t hunt before 10 in NJ. I’ve taken her “squirrel and rabbit hunting” (walking in woods with an unloaded shotgun) to practice keeping quiet. She ended up singing Moana and was incredibly disappointed we didn’t get anything. I’d like to get her a youth bow and arrow set to learn with. Any recommendations?
Check archerytalk.com. you should be able to pick up a good used one for cheap. Lots of youth bows are very adjustable. Look for those.
My younger brother killed his first deer at 6. In iowa you can hunt with an adult. It doesn't matter what age.
Alabama has a youth weekend where kids under a certain age (maybe 16?) can rifle hunt the weekend before opening day with a parent. I share a lease with three other guys who all three have two kids (2, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 8). We’ve got a decently nice camp house with satellite TV and a couple of really big, comfortable shooting houses with heaters. Youth weekend is a big weekend for all of them, and it’s kind of agreed that they’ll run it past me if they’re planning on bringing their kids a weekend I’m going to be there. I never say no because they’re good kids and it really doesn’t bother me. One of the 8 year olds (they’re twins) killed his first deer this year.