Leftovers

Between last winters deep snow and this winters no snow making for a bit harder hunting we are seeing a few nice 2-1/2 or better bucks while pushing for extended muzzle/archery. Not many deer overall but things look fairly promising for good bucks next season. Anyone else finding some leftovers.

Saw 3 bucks but they are safe where they are at...WF

Have not been out hunting at all due to a very long Honey To Do list, but have talked to several groups putting a lot of time in the woods with a muzzleloader and they have been moving a lot of buck and with a few being taken. One group was on a deer's track and found the sheds, it was a decent buck. I know of 2 bucks killed, both the antlers fell off one of them and the other had one fall off. I think it will be a short season for antler retention. Last year it was pretty amazing how long they stayed on. Not as much food in the woods this fall or winter as last year. I did put camera back out and only have a 1.5 (5) point, but lots of doe.

Coyote tracks and sightings out the wazoo. Same farmer just trapped a 34# male bobcat Saturday.

Just on my relatively small piece of property, since Friday I've seen a drop horn buck, a coyote track, a fisher track, two cub bear tracks, and the first turkey tracks I've seen since the snow came on. I was seeing a nice 7 but he may have been muzzyed on the weekend.

We put the cams back up last week.  Surprisingly we are getting quite a few photos of mainly does/fawns, but also a couple of bucks have posed.  The bucks have all been on the small side thus far.  I have no idea where the 4-5 good ones we were seeing before archery ran off to.  I am hoping that they made it (will make it I should say) through the season as another year on those ones is going to be impressive.

On another note, the deer seem very appreciative of the food plot we put in this summer. While there is not much left in it, I am amazed at how the deer gravitated towards it after our gun season ended.  I think a major expansion of the plot will be in order for this summer     

Yes I know that would be ideal, but with as swampy as it is there now I am not so sure that we will be able to get equipment back there for a while.

The second issue is that currently, there is very little soil on the area we intend to plant (expand) since it is reclaimed strip mine.  We used an old stockpile to bring soil in for the area we planted over the summer, and will likely have to do the same for the new area.  We brought in nearly 20 loads in a 5 ton dump to do about 2/3 acre.  The area available to do the expansion is about another 1/2 acre.  Once again, it is going to be a lot of work... 

After hunting all but two days of the flintlock season,I will say I did not take a deer.I had a GREAT late season,it's just fun to hunt un pressured deer.Total count 86 deer 5 bucks. One horn spike,one horn Y buck,4PT, small 6 PT and a very nice 6 PT.I held out and did not shoot a doe.Don't be miss lead because most of these deer are repeats but I did see 17 and 15 deer on two different days. Several chances to take a deer,funny all bucks where 35 yards or less. So next year I should be SWEET HaHa. The best is yet to come I saw a MONSTER today hunting in 2B,just out of city limit,I guy running his dog off the leash spooked him at 4:30 he had 4 doe with him and was running the H-ll out of a small doe.Well I've got a few more days to get the job done.If I get this buck,pics will be posted.Its a very long tined deer and I'm pretty sure it's a 9 PT,I'm guessing the G2's where close to 12 inches.