Edit: I totally left out this morning! It will be in the next post.
The cold front wouldn't be here tonight, but it would be cooler. I knew I wanted to be in my stand, but with a change to North wind, I debated whether I should move it. The ideal spot would be right on the point of the marsh...
I hemmed and hawed about where to go this evening. It's hot and the wind is blowing 30+, so I decided to set up near this "hole" I jumped deer out of both the first two days.
There wasn't a lot of options so I very quietly nestled into the grass and crossed my fingers that something would stand...
Unfortunately had to stop the live updates as I burned through my data in record time. Figured that was a sign I was spending too much time on my phone, so I put it away and focused on the hunt.
I bumped a deer right as I was sitting down this morning. Half an hour later, a doe materialized in...
I'm on the ground, but stationary this morning. Giving one of the heavy sign spots I found during yesterday's still hunting a try. About 2 miles from the stand I was in last night.
To my East is an unharvested grain field. To my West is another spot of very heavy sign ( which i suspect is night...
With somewhere between 10 and 15 minutes of legal light left, I caught a flicker of movement out in the tiny gap where I could see the dry creek bed. I studied it for a minute and saw a deer step through, heading right to left. I hoped it would turn and head toward the field behind me.
What I...
I ended up jumping half a dozen deer on that loop, which while I don't want to jump them, at least i know deer are using that area. Also appeard that things have dried out again, making still hunting difficult despite the wind.
In addition to the spot with the buck, I found a spot with a ton of...
Found a spot with a ridiculous amount of sign. Wondered if I should stop. Decided no, immediately jumped a buck. Thought about whether I bumped him hard or if he only took a few bounds, decided unlikely. Took 5 steps and he was right there. Golfclap me.
Finally saw a deer as it slipped out from under this deadfall. Yes, that is the road in the background. Also, dumb moment, it didn't go far and I bumped it. I knew i hadnt scared it as no tail up, but it had seemed to have gone downwind so i figured it a lost cause. Looked like a spike, though.
Damp ground, high winds and lack of movement at my stabd prompted me to bail, drive a couple miles and start still hunting again.
I really struggle picking between "during the rut, time on stand is all that matters" and "if you aren't seeing the rut, that's because it's happening somewhere...
PRANA Zions- Aha! I wondered what happened! I have 3 pairs I got 6 or 7 years ago that I wear constantly ( wearing a pair in the treestand right now). My wife got me another couple pairs 2 years ago that are tight in the thighs and loose in the waist. This explains it!
Those original ones are...
We were up in time to see the lunar Eclipse this morning, but it was not to be as rain clouds have moved in. Some showers in the first hour before shooting light, but it has since stopped. It's warm, in the 60s overnight.
I saw three deer in the eastern field as I made my way to the stand in...