2012 reports

[Deebz]

The good part is that even though the deer went on edge, she didn't blast out of there. Chances are the encounter wasn't enough to educate her too badly...

[Sailfish]

Made it out for a few hours yesterday.
THe mock scrape I made with Smokey's interdigital and Golden Scrape............is kicking in.
I have some nice activity on the camera from the last 2 weeks. Seemed everyday and or night bucks and does were hitting the scrape.
Last 2 + days on the camera however..........empty. Void of life. I'm pretty sure the rut has kicked up.
My guess the bucks were cruising last week (naturally I couldn't hunt) and there's a chance they are starting to pair off. I haven't seen any tailing of does (actually no does at all last night (7 deer: 3were <1 yo, the other 3 yo buttons with small staining).
Here's some pics at my scrape

[Sailfish]

This is it 2 and a half days left to the season

Kind of funny, I read Iowa is setting his stands right now for next year LOL and we haven't even ended our season.
Wacky all the differences.

[rthomas4]

You must be in the panhandle. I hunted the last three days of North Central Florida's season the weekend of MLK day. We were hunting outside of Branford, right off of the Suwanee River.

[Sailfish]

Central FL..........near the Green Swamp

Last day was a bust

20+ deer sightings, saw a flock of hens, heard a tom making a racket on his roost.....but the 15mph wind, while I was in my ground blind.........just wasn't conducive to a good hunt I suppose. Deer were VERY edgy all day yesterday.
Walking out, I had to check my game camera (batteries/chip) so I have my headlight on and I see a set of eyes real low on the ground. Figured it was a coon. I got to 10' before the "coon" stood up! It was a deer. Not a fawn, but not yet a year old. It was just sitting there right in the middle of the open forest floor, not the least but scared, ...didn't even walk away.
I left it be.
Then, just as I was about to exit the woods...........another one! Never had that happen that close before. It was pretty neat.

Guess its next year

Time to fish.

[Sailfish]

Think I have found another property south of me. Tad bit longer of a drive, but its hasn't been hunted x 10 years!!
I'll know Sunday if its a go.
I certainly hope this place pans out so I can knock out a few does(or a nice buck ) and get some meat in the freezer, make sausage, jerky, etc and not have to worry about things as much. Plus opening season at this place is almost 3 months before my other place.
That will allow me to concentrate more on my primary lease here closer to home, and not stress about whether or not i'll see a shooter buck or not (with the landowner point restrictions and all on my primary property).
Well thats the plan anyways.
Hopefully I can get used to deer hunting in July.......maybe I can wear cargo shorts

[rthomas4]

My season opens on August 15th every year, and I have worn shorts when sitting in a tree stand or a ground blind with rifle. That time of year when going into the swamp, snake boots are an absolute, so no shorts (the boots rub too much without pants to absorb the chaffing). The most important accessory for early season deer hunting around here, is a ThermaCell. It would be impossible for me to turkey hunt in the spring, or deer hunt in the fall without one!!!!!

[Sailfish]

prolly the finest deer accessory made........that Thermacell