2009 Journal

[DeanoZ]

Back to the same spot this morning.  Conditions were good, low 40's moderate wind out of the NW, cool clear crisp morning.  Deer seem to be bedded on the edge of the fields just before daybreak, I keep busting them getting to my stand so I'll have to find a different approach.  Morning was quiet, no action except late in the morning when I saw a big Doe and Yearling about 60 yrds out walking along the edge of the field and treeline.  The mock scape I made appeared to have been refreshed earlier in the week, I cleared it and freshened it up by peeing in it and I'm going to give that spot a rest until next week.  Tomorrow the winds will be right to try a spot I've been wanting to hunt but have not yet...should be interesting...more to follow.

[DeanoZ]

Had the woods to myself this morning...hunting morning weekdays on public land is definitely the way to go.  Winds were out of the NE 10-15mph- this morning so Iwas finally able to sit in this one stand (double inside field corner).  Made it in without bumping a single deer, I'm guessing they were not moving much and had been feeding through the night in preparation for the Nor'easter we're getting.  Was much of a repeat of yesterdays events.  Had a Doe and her fawn come by the downwind side of my stand just as I was about to call it quits.   Good news is they never knew I was there, so the scentlok suit and routine are working.  Also tried a short grunt and rattling sequence with no visible results.  Have other obligations this weekend so the next time I get out will be early next week.

[DeanoZ]

Hunted the county park yesterday morning...was crisp out so figured the deer would be moving.  Went back to the double inside corner and as soon as I entered the woods I jumped a few in the distance...I'll have to figure a better way into it.  Heard a crash in the woods about 0730 and thought perhaps I had one coming in or something got jumped.  Sure enough another hunter took a 6 pointer close by..he was using a tinks drag line and had him come in on a line...so looks like prerut is in full swing in the area.  Tried a loud rattling and grunt series, with no effect other than a doe that walked by (as usual) just about the time I was about to step off the stand.  She was a yearling so I let her pass and as I was climbing down she came back!  So I waited her out..she came within 10 ft and was none the wiser.  Was planning to head out tomorrow, but its going to be warmer.  Front moving in on Friday afternoon and it will be cooler, so I'll be out again Friday morning once I figure what stand to sit in.  Still..was always good to see something [:D]

[DeanoZ]

Back in the Park this morning, but in a completely new spot.  I did some mid-season scouting along the rivers edge to see i I could get a bead on where they are crossing.  up to this point I had been hunting mostly the interior section of this 185 acre parcel.  Since I'm getting busted by deer along the field edges on my way in I had to change my setup and entry/exit.  Found two good crossing sites with trees I could hang from.  Had only time to clear one quickly and did that yesterday with the intent of hunting it this morning.  Its a bit deeper in the woods , but was a good opportunity to get away from the masses...or so I thought.  Got in the tree, no problem and with plenty of time.  As day break came I glassed across the river where the timber opened up and was grassy...definitely one of those fringes that you know deer find interesting. I glassed some more and not more than 60-70yrds away someone had already put in a  ladder stand....grrrr.  He or she was not hunting it so no matter.   Did not see any deer this morning...that was a first in all the times I'd been hunting there, this being hunt #9, but there were fresh tracks from the evening so i know the are coming through there.  When I came off stand I crossed the far side of the river to check out the terrain I found so interesting on the other side.  Turns out this area seems to be a bedding/staging area with well worn trails and fresh scrapes.  Despite not seeing any deer, this is a good spot and I'll be hunting it again soon.

[DeanoZ]

Hunted the WMA property on Sunday.  It had rained heavy the day prior so the ground was soggy and the stream was a raging river in some parts.  Based on that I opted not to hunt the crossings, but instead focused on a funnel near a water source with a group of rubbed cedars near-by...one of which was 6 inches in diameter and recently rubbed.  I had come across this spot during my last hunt and only had time to mark it on the map.  I selected a tree with the wind quartering in my favor but without having opportunity to clear lanes ahead of time (and not wanting to disturb the area) I made the best of it.  Got on stand around around 3pm, stayed until legal shooting light and saw absolutely nothing.  The rub was facing towards the feeding and field areas so my sense is this is probably more of morning stand.  i don't like to get hooked into hunting over sign but its pretty hard to ignore this classic one...and whatever did it is no slouch!  I'll be back in that spot again soon!

[DeanoZ]

Back to the county park yesterday afternoon and this morning.  I had set up at the river crossing again.  Was a very promising area with all the right sign, transition area, and funneling terrain.  I setup in a different tree that provided a better vantage point and shooting lanes , but not far from the original tree.  To my dismay another hunter showed up and occupied his existing ladder stand about 70 yrds on the other side of the river crossing.  Saw two does further up from him and that was it for the evenings hunt.  Returned early this morning, was all setup and just before sunrise the same fella with buddy in tow come crashing through the woods, white flashlights blazing...if there were deer in the immediate area they were long gone after that!  To add insult to injury he starts this loud rattling sequence that must have went on for 5 minutes and it was still pitch black out!  Now even if a buck does come in, for sure you can't see him or legally take a shot...so why bother...did he honestly think the buck will stick around and wait for daybreak?  Suffice it to say the hunt was a bust!  Time to find a new spot...just love public land, lol!

[DeanoZ]

Hunted the WMA on Sunday afternoon.  Took the opportunity to do some on the fly scouting on two parts of the property I had previously been unable to scout do to time constraints.  My hunch was correct on one portion that borders to private CRP fields with a strip of woods that creates a nice funnel.  Some very well worn trails and good buck sign.  So I setup there for the afternoon since the winds were right for it.  No action until 4:30 when I saw several deer bolt out of the opposite side of the woods into the CRP field.  Looked like a bunch of does and the way they were moving something was chasing them.  So I hit the grunt tube and doe bleat and a fork horn came in to investigate.  My goals were to take at least a 6 point this year, so I let him pass.  A spike came out of no where, also responding to my calls.  Unfortunately he busted my movement and snorted.  Although I took no shots, I saw deer and I have a feeling as the rut heats up this spot is going to produce.

I took this week off from work to hunt the rut.  Suffice it to say the chasing is underway...not a lot but between the hunt at the WMA and the two hunts over the last couple days at the county park, it seems to be on the fringes of being underway and in-line with CA's predictions.  The county park spot is heating up..have seen on avg a half dozen deer daily...mostly young does with a spike, 4 pt, and 6 pt mixed in.  The 6 pt I would have taken had he presented a shot...but he was 65 yards away and cruising...as a matter of fact, all the bucks I've seen, with the exception of the spike have been cruising for does just inisde or on the field edges.  I'm going to adjust my stand sight closer to the field edge as I sense this will only continue and become more prevalent as the rut kicks into full gear.  Either way, i believe I'm well poised to take a shooter soon, just need the right guy to come by my stand.  Taking tomorrow off from hunting...I'm tired and need to regroup.  I'll be back at it Thursday, hopefully with a kill!

[DeanoZ]

The remaining two days I had off I split between the two public areas I hunt.  Last Thursday I went to the county park and set up along the field edge, hoping to catch that 6 point cruising along the edge again, but no such luck.  Matter of fact I saw one doe and she made her way from the field edge in the high CRP grasses...that was it for that day.  The following day I spent at the WMA property.  it was much cooler High 30's in the morning to low 40's during the day and very windy.  I had under dressed and spent a good part of the  day questioning my sanity, especially since I had not seen a single deer until 3pm.  A forkhorn showed up about then and presented the perfect broadside shot at 15 yards, but again I passed on him hoping for something bigger.  I had two does circle around my tree stand, and really wanted to take one of them, but they never presented the right shot.

So that was my week of hunting the so called rut.  I'm not convinced the rut is in full swing yet here and could not hunt over the weekend.  The upcoming week is going to be a warm one and my hunts will be limited to mornings only before work. I'm hopeful that by my next hunt on Tuesday morning, things have heated up considerably.

[DeanoZ]

Temps were unseasonably warm, low 50's this morning.  Hunted the field edge stand where I had seen bucks cruising earlier last week.  Woods were dead, only saw one lone spike.  If the rut is here you wouldn't know it or all activity is taking place at night when the temps are cooler.

[DeanoZ]

Was back at the county park yesterday morning.  Winds were not right for my normal spot so i gave it a rest and instead went back to the river crossing.  Got within 20 feet of my stand and then heard the unmistakable snort of a deer just over the other side of the river.  That was pretty much it for my hunt, sat there for part of the morning and then had to go to work.  Made small chat with another hunter who managed to take a a 7 point last week, also mentioned another fella who took an eight...so where are these bucks when I show up?  The common theme between these two hunters are these Bucks seem to be closer to the edge of the park entrance...which tells me they were staging just inside the entrance waiting for receptive does...I've been going to the other side hoping to catch them before the cross over the river...and based ona scrape I saw there as well as some rubs, its seems they are coming past that stand at night on their way to feeding.  The season has been a frustrating one for me to say the least.  Not throwing in the towel, but I have to tell you there are a couple times I wanted to!  i'll be back at the WMA tomorrow and in a new spot...time to change tactics!