Thanks everyone. Hard to think my seasons over already. We have meat left over from last year so doe hunting would be overkill. Guess ill keep the boat out longer and hope for early ice

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Thanks everyone. Hard to think my seasons over already. We have meat left over from last year so doe hunting would be overkill. Guess ill keep the boat out longer and hope for early ice

🍻🍻 here's to an early and long lasting ice season

Good luck Crappie_slayer.

Treesparrow well said. My two, now adult, children have long gone, their own way. I'm thankful home computers were just making their way and these stupid phones didn't exist back in their younger days. (Boy if I only knew then what I know now🤔)

But today I gotta admit I enjoy these things, cause stories of hunting and fishing posted on these boards, sure do bring back some fond memories.

Also have to agree about the computers /IPads . So glad to see you guys teaching all you can to your young kids . Our grandsons 23 & 28 are die hard hunters I have many great memories watching them . Both do their own hunting thing now but they both have families and good jobs so sometimes work does interfere with their hunting ... lol. Now I have a grandson 14 that is a die hard fisherman which is great but not so much into hunting ... so I do get to do some fishing with him ..so maybe someday he will get into hunting but not pushing it. His dad is kinda bummed but I say be happy he loves to fish .

Now my bow season has been very slow , only 2 evening sits so far , 2 small no shooter bucks a few doe nothing close ....had a 1 fairly nice 6pt maybe 8 on camera of course at 1:30 AM last Saturday night ... nothing new at all on camera today except a 4 wheeler at 5:30 Sunday going down the one path ... lol

Great hunt Eyes.....

Hung drippers over started scapes yesterday in preparation for a hunt this Thursday evening.

It may have been a mistake to do so. There was so much activity last night that the three-dog deer alarm was going off about every 30 minutes in a howling bark-fest. We got no sleep at all.

Either deer or the ghosts of the Native Americans who used to live there.

Pretty windy out here this evening. Just a small flock of 7 hens seen so far.

The stiff west wind was just what I was looking for tonight. Got in the stand at 345 and had deer on top of me from the time I turned around. Saw a big buck I haven't seen before about 65yds out as soon as I got setup. He was headed the other direction, but then ended up coming back out and working toward me. As I'm watching him I suddenly caught glimpses of another buck, and then another tailing the first one. The second buck was the nice 8 I've been seeing in the field the past few nights, and the third was a goofy 8 with a split browtine on one side that I've had pics of the past 2 years. The deer slowly worked to within 45yds of me where they can either head toward my stand and be in one of my shooting lanes, or hop a small ditch. My heart was pounding as they all decided to hop the ditch and head off. This all lasted about an hour and a half. Rain started moving in just before 6. Saw one doe shortly after, but she knew something wasn't right when the wind began to swirl.The hemlock I'm in kept me dry, but at 630 I decided it was raining hard enough I wasn't gonna take any shots and snuck out quietly. Was a good hunt tonight

With the rain on Wednesday, I thought to day would set up well with the bucks needing to refresh their scrapes and the drippers I put out Tuesday adding to the scent.

I was up at 5:00 to let Daphne out (she finally came into heat after 5 years and needs to be separated from the Wild Bunch, so she bunking in the garage) and figured I might as well hunt the morning, even though I was only originally planning on the afternoon and evening.

My plans quickly changed when I opened the garage door. The rain was going sideways, driven by a constant 25 knot wind with gusts to 50. So I went back to bed after dog duty (literally).

When I let the boy dogs out of the kennel at about 8:00, something want right. At first I couldn’t put my finger on it, then I realized that my ground blind was missing.

I hadn’t really intended to use it in archery (unless it was raining) because it is too far, 50 yards, from the scrape it covers, but set it up in case of weather or if I thought I could catch the deer coming or going at within 35 yards for the crossbow (my self imposed range limit). The primary purpose is to set it up for a retired state trooper friend to hunt the senior season and the rifle season.

Well, I guess, as the saying goes, no good deed goes unpunished. The blind was 200 yards into the neighbor’s field, the swivel chair and trigger stick I set up in it for him were in the swale between the properties in the water and mud. Of course, the blind tie downs were still on the stakes stuck in the ground — ripped right off the blind.

I retrieved it all, which was like holding onto the tail of a kite because I couldn’t get it to fold up in the wind.

And the best part is that it is to be this windy until after dark, so no treehouse time today either.

Too many dead limbs falling.

Besides, I’m not good enough to judge windage with regard to the flight of a bolt in a 50 knot gust.

Never seen a ground blind take off...but I've seen a number of ice shantys take off when people vacated them. Somewhat comical unless its yours. Almost lost mine once.

Was hoping this afternoon would setup just like yesterday with a stiff westerly wind and rain in the AM. Had plans of taking the climber in near where I was yesterday and trying to close the gap just a little on where them bucks came through yesterday. Everything was going according to plan weather wise, but the rain hasn't stopped. Decided to stay in

All I saw tonight was a little 3pt that came in from behind me and right under the stand. Nervously hung around for 5min before he went on his way. What the weatherman said was supposed to be a NW wind ended up coming from every which way for the 3hrs I was in the stand. This is why I prefer days with a stiff wind that I can actually use

Sounds like an entertaining sit with the fox thunder

It was my plan to get home from work about noon yesterday; mow the grass one last time (we have our-of-state visitors coming Sunday); and hit the treehouse by about 4:00. Deer have been showing up at the neighbor’s at around 5:00.

On my way home, I got a call from a craftsman that was making a carved wooden sign for friends of ours anniversary. He said the sign was done and since we were to take those friends out for an anniversary dinner on Saturday, he would bring it right over.

He showed up at about 1:30; one thing led to another; and he finally left at a tick or two after 5:00. I made the executive decision to not have my wife mad at me and decided to mow the grass. If I were lucky, I could finish before it hit dark (mowing 3 acres).

Well, I made about four passes when I saw movement at the far tree line of the neighbor’s. I stopped the mower and could see a deer doing the stiff legged prancing thing like a show horse doing dressage. When it picked its head up, I could see antlers. Keep in mind this is probably 250 yards. So I knew it was definitely a shooter. But I was able to put it to rest because it was so far away and would never end up near my treehouse.

A few more passes with the mower and I spot 5 deer in the lower corner of the neighbor’s property where it meets mine. I stopped the mower and got the binoculars. Three were big does and the others were fawns. From where they were, it is about 60 yards through the woods to my treehouse.

I was able to quell this by assuring myself that at this early stage, I’m only interested in a buck.

A few more passes with the mower and the does start to move at a fairly rapid pace into the woods, headed for my treehouse. Then, I see that buck, still doing the prancing thing come across the field and follow them into the woods. At 150 yards, he looked high and heavy.

I didn’t get the mowing done because of darkness.

I thought I would be out at the butt crack of dawn this morning, but I was not because unless I could reach out and touch a deer, I wouldn’t know it was there because of how dense the fog was.

There will be no hunting this evening because we have to go to the anniversary dinner thing. I’m sure they will love their custom sign. And when they ask if it was expensive to get made, I’ll answer, “No, it only cost me a buck.”