A Success story!

So yesterday was the season opener for Bow hunting in my zone! I wanted to be out all day but due to a conflict with the people that pay me....I had to attend a midday meeting so I did not get into the field until around 2pm. I sat there until dark and saw nothing. (insert sad face) But I think I may have the beginnings of a new song about hunting, more on that when I get it done!

But as they say even a blind squirrel finds a nut occasionally.

I totally forgot to write about TURKEY SEASON.  I got a new camo rain suit from Cabela's for $14.99 with mega sale, clearance and Cabela bucks it was a great find and well worth it. My first turkey hunt it rained on me but I stayed dry, at least from the outside. That seems to be the problem with rainsuits they keep the rain out but act like a sauna on the inside! Anyway I went down to the WMA and came up empty actually even lost my mouth call somehow! But it was a decent day I picked up credits for 300 clay birds at the shooting range, now that's a cool story too! I also saw some turkeys while driving so it wasn't a total bust. The next Saturday the family went up to Rock Hill for a youth area wide devotional/retreat so I had the morning to hunt and then hightail it up there for the evening.
I went back to the WMA where we were accosted by green pants back in beaver season, there is a nice little field not to far in that I had seen some turkeys at while hunting with my Bama Buddy! So I thought I would set up there and see how my luck would do. When I pulled up to the gate there were 3 guys with rifles (?!) getting out of a truck. I asked what they were going for and turns out they were hog hunting...(not rifle bearing season but I did not say anything to them). They said they were headed to the end of the trail near the river, I was only going about 400yds in so it was all good. They headed out and I got ready. It was raining again...but I brought my pop-up blind this time! Set it up on the top end of the field, set out my decoys and hit the slate!

Here's the view from inside my blind.

those are my decoys

Gobblers came from the right side

 Then the rain came, it came down, down, down in rushing rising rivlets...man was I glad for the pop-up blind. Me and all my gear stayed dry! I did not think it was ever going to stop raining so I pulled out my smartphone to check the radar and no sooner than I do that I see motion at the far end of the field. I could not tell if it was turkey hens coyotes or what. Then I saw the grey heads. It is a little bit of a hill so I could only see the tops. I was thinking cool if they are hens gobblers won't be far behind. then they made their way up and towards me. It weren't hens! A group of gobblers! Then they saw my decoys and they got excited grey heads started turning red all 4 of them getting all worked up! It was cool. They started heading towards the dekes so I laid my 16 gauge Remington model 1148 up on the rail, put the bead on the head of the biggest of the bunch. who was also out in front and BOOM! he drops, DRT (dead right there) the other three start gobbling. Then two of them pounce on my bird and start digging out his tail feathers. So I am watching all this amazed at their actions and the third bird starts moving away. Then it hits my...I can shoot 2 a day....I was worried that if I aimed at the two thugs beating on the down bird I would hit them both so I aim at the third, he is already moving farther away, maybe too far for the old 16ga BOOM-gobble gobble, BOOM-gobble gobble, BOOM-gobble gobble. It was humorous that the gobble after every shot. I think the third shot may have bounced of his back because he took off flying into the woods. I ran after him into the woods but couldn't find him anywhere so I think it was too far for the pellets to do any damage. But hey I got my first ever bird!

Not a limb hanger or any record but a gobbler nonetheless.

Play Robin To The Rescue online for Free - POG.COM

Play Robin To The Rescue online for Free - POG.COM

This game is hilarious! You have to try it!

Wow! It's Been that long!

I can't believe it's been a year since my last post! Good thing I don't have followers or they may be disappointed!

So much has happened since my last post...alot has gone on in my personal life but we won't speak of that! Let's get "to the hunt".

To sum things up, I lost my sweet little farm land when my friend moved to Texas. That stinks in more ways than one. So we had to try to find another spot. A gentleman from church hooked me up with his grandson to hunt about 30 acres with a huge soybean field taking up much of that.

What a story we have here...so I meet the grandson (20ish) and he seems to be an avid hunter, he seems to have a clue and he has been working this property for a couple months trying to get ready for deer season. So we come to an agreement I give him $50 and he'll get a couple 55 gallon drums of corn from a relative. Fair enough I think. He is set up on what is the 'sweeter' area of the land and I am in a smaller area that looks ok. He has cameras all around and has seen several big bucks and is convinced that there are 2 buck that look similar but, he does not want the bigger one shot (apparently he is a budding land/herd manager). I only see one big buck on my camera! Then he proceeds to tell me to age the deer on the hoof and don't shoot anything under 3 years old! (Insert confused look.) I agree....somewhat...
So all is well I am getting good pictures of deer, several bucks coming in and so on. I have my stand on the edge of the woods looking over the soybeans with about a 20 yard swath of grasses between the woods edge and the beans. I bait it heavily with corn and the deer come.

See that guy in the center? Makes your heart skip a beat doesn't it? 

The deer come alright they come at night, early in the morning.... just not during the day when I am there! Well not in the field at least. I was sitting in my stand one afternoon and heard noise behind me the woods are crawling with deer but I am faced the wrong way and slightly out of bow range. 

Fortunately I had an old, rickety, homemade ladder stand to set in the woods. I got that stand up, sort of strapped in and I was got to go. Or so I thought...I climbed up in it and it wasn't quite as stable as I had hoped. No sooner than I got in it I saw movement coming my way. Sure enough an old saddle-backed buck with broken antlers comes up with a yearling buck in tow. They lead deer nearly bumped into the ladder that I was on! But because the stand was so unstable I felt like I was gonna fall out if I drew my bow! 

Hall Pass for those two. 

Because of the unsteady stand I used the bean stand until I could bring out tools to fix the it. 

Remember the big guy up above? I had him at 17yds broadside from the bean stand! And I passed because of the grandson! I texted him and told him I passed on it and he said it would be worth it! Worth it!???!!! ....That was the biggest buck I have ever had an opportunity to arrow and I passed! It better be worth it! Later that day he checked his camera and sent me a picture of the buck I passed on and he says "oh you could have shot him"!!!!!(insert angry face with hands out to choke someone). 

Wait it gets better. Grandpa shows me a picture of grandson's deer that he shot. Grandson thought it was a doe...until they retrieved it and it was a spike buck with 4" antlers! He thought it was a doe! I'm supposed to age them on the hoof and he shoots a spike because he thought it was a doe!!!!

Wait there's more. I talk to his younger brother and he tells me that he went to the field to check cameras and saw a big buck in the field in the beam of his flashlight while walking down there, so he goes back to the truck to get his bow. He shines the deer, sets down his light, shoots an arrow, then shines his light back, sees that he misses and tries again! 

And here's me passing on the biggest buck of my hunting career! I got one brother telling me to age them on the hoof while he shoots a yearling buck thinking it's a doe and his brother is attempting to poach deer at night!

All in all I passed on 6 deer out there last season.

Not this year! 26 of the 30 acres has been sold this season and guess who is on the last four that did not get sold? ME! that's right! I have the legal area! (do a little dance). 

So we moved the stand off the field back into the woods, I cleared a small spot, and planted a miniature food plot,

And we hung an automatic feeder a little ways off. Hopefully we have created a staging area and I will be able to arrow some venison this year! I will try to put up some trail cam pics soon.

Sorry Phil, I need the Beaver!

We always see Phil & Si busting up beaver dams and trying to kill those 'varmints' on Duck Dynasty but the other day the BEAVER saved us a hefty fine!

See me and my hunting mentor  (read that as the guy who is responsible for feeding my hunting addiction)  went hunting on Labor Day morning.  Not a big deal right?  We went hunting wild boar!  Yeah you read it right wild boar!   The thing is you can always hint boar as long as there is another open season but, you can only use the weapons allowed for that season.   So...if it's deer season you can use a deer rifle, but if it's squirrel season it's a slingshot!  Just kidding it's a .22 (not too much difference).  So it turns out it's BEAVER season in our neck of the woods.   

WOODS= not an area where beaver are primarily found!

Well we hunted the river bottom and the hardwoods and the clear cut...........and shot nary a pig! Shot! Strike that, Saw nary a pig!

As we are headed back to the truck we hear "hey you guys!"

Lo and behold it is our friendly neighborhood Green Pants, the tree police, Ranger Smith and the boys, the GAME WARDEN...!!!

  'What 'cha boys hunting?'
     "Pig".
"Pigs?"
    "Yep. Pigs."
"You guys got a couple of problems. Fellas this is running season not pig season. You can't have firearms with you."
     "Umm...it's Beaver season! Small game, so we can have the appropriate firearms to hunt beaver / pigs and we do."
"I've been doing this for 6 years...IT IS RUNNING SEASON!   BEAVER IS NOT SMALL GAME!..."
    "Sir, can you please show me your regulation book I will show you it is beaver season."
"I'LL SHOW YOU THE REGS!"

Now we have a long pause while ol' green pants reads his reg book and calls his supervisor.

"Umm ok fellas you go right ahead and keep on hunting seems like your right. Must be a misprint or something..but you're good."
   "Ok thanks but we're done for the day anyhow..oh by the way what would it have been a $25 fine?"
"No! Hunting out of season is a $180.00 fine plus points on your license."

I love that flat tailed, buck toothed rodent!

That is not word for word how the conversation went but close enough for you to get the point. We were asked for licenses, our guns were taken, my pack and the truck searched...I was getting worried that they were gonna pull a TSA on us!

Stand(s) Up!!!!

Thankfully the tractor debacle is over!

So we set out to put up our buddy ladder stand.  I got it last year to allow two of us to be in the same stand. It is a great way to hunt with my buddies!

At our food plot there is a double tree, that is two big trees growing from one base.   They run nearly straight and are only a couple feet apart.   Last year I put my climber in one and screwed a hook in the other to hold my gear; that's how close they are.   So, we decide to place the ladder stand in the second tree that way all three of us can be in the same"tree".   I like this so I can be with both of my girls and feel safe and with big huntin' buddy doing an awesome senior project this year (hunting!) we will hopefully be able to get some video footage of her hunting with this stand set up.

Now setting a ladder stand can be tricky!   We had 3 men setting one last year, on the edge of a clear field and we had all sorts of issues getting it up there.   So with me and huntin' buddies and a not so clear approach....I was preparing for disaster.   We decided to tie a rope to the topmost part of the stand and then throw the rope over the gear hook already in the tree and have little huntin' buddy stand back in the woods to, what I thought would happen, keep tension on the stand so it wouldn't fall on me and big buddy.

Well we started out good but got hung on some trees so we hollar to little buddy 'can you give it a tug to help clear these trees?'   I really can't describe what happened next...she tugged the rope and BAM!    The ladder stand was up against the tree in perfect position!   And little buddy acted like it was nothing!   It was the easiest ladder stand set up ever!   I used the climber to go up the other tree and secure the straps and VIOLA!(that's French for wa-la) we're done!

Now fast forward a couple days Labor day morning and... well let me put that in a separate post!

Labor day afternoon we head back up to the food plot to set up a ground blind on the other side of the field opposite the tree stand.  I was able to get some free, painted green, lattice so we cut it up, drove some stakes in the ground and built a decent blind to hide in.  We attached some sticks to the lattice and transplanted so tall grasses in front and left it for the deer to get used to.   Pretty much uneventful unless you count the all of the fire-ant bites we suffered and the tick I found while in the shower!!!!!!

Good news is as we showed my brother the other stands we found a nice big, active, buck scrape on the ground and several trees with fresh antler rubs on them as well as tracks all around and trough our food plot!

This has the makings of being one great deer season!

Keystone Cops meet the 3 Stooges!

Sometimes I wonder how I even get out of the bed! I went up to the food plot to see how it is growing and to mow an access path to the stand locations. My enabler (friend who is allowing me to use his land and equipment) was not around so I was on my own! The old McCormick tractor he has has a bad stater so we need to 'roll start' it. So that means when you park you need to be pointing down hill. This alone is not an issue but add to it the fact that the fuel tank is degrading inside and you need to change the fuel filter every time you wan to use it.

I can handle the roll start I've been doing that for years with my vehicles so I have a good idea how to do it I can even do it in reverse! And the fuel filter swap..not a prob Bob!! There is after all a shut off valve to stop the gravity feed from the fuel tank so it is nearly pain less to swap out.

So here I go lalalalala on my way....up on the tractor roll start, change from the spreader the mowing deck...lalalalala....down the hill mowing all the way. Up the other side tralalala...(Ok so now we teleport back in time to me on the tractor as I describe to you what is happening)

Wow it sure is hot out here! Hmmm I guess I should have brought some water with me! No worries it will only be a few minutes the weeds aren't that bad, heck I could have waited another week to do this! But oh well I'm here...Hey that rain sure did help this stuff I planted grow! I am an awesome farmer!!!!!! It sure looks nice and green, I should have brought the camera! Tralalalala..... Ok around this tree and down the hill we go..this is going well I'll be done in no time! Just twice around then maybe I'll even mow up by the house! HUH!?! what?!? aww come on tractor what's with the chugga luggin?? Oh that's right I forgot to change the filter!!!!! Ok let's get pointed downhill so we can restart! No no no  I'm still pointed up hill.....

And the tractor dies!

But I am on a hill! So I can hopefully roll backwards enough to start! I forgot to tell you it was HOT and as I mentioned I had no water and the house was locked! So I trudged up the hill to the garage to get a fuel filter, found it! Back down to the tractor. Ok shut of the fuel valve, check. Fill new filter with gas, check. Remove old filter with one hand while other hand is holding new filter full of gas....ummm chec...nope...now i got it nope...eerrrggghhh this is so much easier with two people!  Wait ok now I got it whew glad we don't use clamps. Ok remove old filter, check. Install new filter on carburetor side first...dang it why won't you slide in...whew got it...man it is hot (sweating like a farmer in the sun trying to replace a fuel filter now, I mean I am drenched sweat running in my eyes my jeans are soaked and sticking to me. I mean I was sooo wet with sweat on the ride home I had to cover my truck seat with plastic for fear of it getting uber nasty!). Where was I? Oh yeah.. carb side hooked up check fuel tank side hooked up, check. Back into the seat! I decided I would try to use the key to start the tractor...so I reach down turn the key and SHAZAM! the starter turns and the tractor crnks up!! Woo Hoo no backwards roll start! So I put that puppy in gear and up the hill I go....not so much! I FORGOT TO TURN THE FUEL VALVE BACK ON!!! Just that quick it stalls. But I knew what it was immediately. I reach around and turn the valve on and think one bump of the key and I am golden.....Hey Jack..not so fast! Starter does not respond! Hey that's ok I made it farther up the hill now I can roll start backwards easier..

Now for those of you following that do not know much about tractors and 3-point accessories (especially mowing decks) let me let you in on a couple facts. 1) mowing decks do not lift up off of the ground all the way and 2) if you try to go backwards down a short steep incline with a mowing deck raised you will most likely get into a bind. So now that you know that let us continue...

Here we go: tractor in reverse, clutch disengaged, brake on, throttle set, fuel valve open! Release brakes, roll, engage clutch.....nothing! Aww man! Now the mowing deck is in a bind and the tractor won't roll any farther! Man its hot out here, wish I had some water. What to do what to do. I got it let me rap on the solenoid with my knife! Tap, tap ,rap! Try the key, nothing. Rap tap tap on the starter...nothing! Hmmm..ok I need some thing bigger than my knife. Up the hill again. Man it is super hot out today! Wish I had some water!

My enabler has just recently refilled his garage with his tools thankfully! They were in a storage building but good fortune is with me today..sort of. Man I need a drink! Maybe I can get one up in the apartment if it is open! Cool its open..no cups guess I'll drink from the faucet. Man that was refreshing! Ok hammer, where is a hammer? Got it! Back down to the tractor. Rap tap tap on the starter (while turning the key) VAROOM!!! Woo hoo!!!!

Hoping for Rain

This past Saturday I once again pretended to be a dirt farmer! I went back up the the food plot area to disc plow the ground and layout some seed. 

I found some "sample" packs of seed online designed for whitetail deer food plots, they were free with shipping and handling. So for $9.95 I got 7 seed packs that each cover 100sq ft. Man did I do the math wrong! That makes 7 10'x10' plots quite a bit less than what we have to work with! But there is a seed & feed close by. $55.00 later I have a 50lb bag of deer plot mix and 1lb of field corn.

I took the tractor up the hill and turned towards my treestand and SHAZAM there was a deer hanging out under my stand!!! There's not even any seed down!

A couple hours of discing, leveling and seeding and the plot is ready??? Now we just need some rain. As much as its been raining lately you'd think that would be the easy part! Now I know how farmers feel! Not really my livelihood does not depend on this but i do have a better sense of how dependent they are on nature.

Hopefully soon we will have sprouts, but know folks are saying we need to keep the deer off so the crops can grow! Plant stuff to attract deer but do things to drive them away! What is this backward land?