muuuuch better

So, it was a lot cooler today.  I went in the morning and the only thing I was was a smallish 7 pointer. He came in and fed all around me and although at times he smelled the air, knowing something wasn't right, he just hung around for a while.  I got out of the tree around 10 and went into my office to do a little work (and use the bathroom).  Then went outside and hung in my hammock.  I went back in around 3.  At 5ish, Gianna texted me and asked me to come home.  After a bit of guilt tripping I left the tree.  On my way down, I had a big buck come near me, about 40 yards.  I didn't see him again.  I left and noticed that the other guy was in his stand.  hope I didn't screw him up.

Opening day....whew

It's opening day and holy mackerel it's HOT!  I went behind work, however and it wasn't too terrible. I had one with spots and a small unspotted "older sister"  not too much older however.  I didn't have the heart.  I went home after about 10 and washed my motorcycle.  it was so dang hot I couldn't go back (about 95 with 90% humidity).

Opening day Turkey 2016

What a great day it was!  To start with, it seems like the season started a little later than normal and so the weather was really  nice.  I was disappointed, however, that I couldn't smell the autumn olive.  In year's past it would fill the air with sweet fragrance but either way, it was great!

As usual, I had the club all to myself.  At dark I went into the blind that I had set up over the weekend.  I set up the decoy and went to the blind on the first field.  I didn't realize when setting up the blind that the ground underneath it wasn't level so I was sitting on a lump!  It was quite uncomfortable, to be honest.

Around 6:30ish, I had a hen come walking into the field from the railroad bed and as she started to walk around I had to adjust myself because it started to hurt sitting the way that I was.  That noise was enough to scare her off but she didn't run putting, just meandered away.  Soon afterwards, from the left of me, appeared a group of 5 deer.  I think they caught my scent (or heard me move) and they ran off too.

It was about 7:15ish and I was feeling like I should walk around.  Just then I heard a gobble, so I called and to my surprise, two gobbles!...from different directions.  One behind me to my left and one from, it sounded, across the property.  I called and they both answered back.  I thought "It may actually be on".  After a bit of calling back and forth, I noticed a hen coming into the field to my left. She was followed by two more hens.  I couldn't see them too well because of the brush but as they approached my decoy I saw a gobbler!  He also approached the decoy and I lined up my sights and pulled the trigger.  NOTHING HAPPENED!  My gun wouldn't shoot!  I checked the safety and it was absolutely off so it should be shooting.  I pulled the trigger again and nothing.  I decided to cycle another round into the chamber.  So slowly, and as quietly as I could, I cycled the pump on the shotgun.  I took off the safety again, lined up the shot and this time it went off.  The bird fell on the spot and the hens flew away.

What an awesome hunt!

All the last days rolled into one.

I guess I forgot to post what my last days of hunting were like for the season.  Could be, because they were so uneventful.  I don't think i even saw a deer.  There was one day that I went to the club after some snow fall and saw only one track from the field in 4, which tells me that I was wasting much of my time.  There were actually a bunch of tracks from the pit into the main field so I sat in the back of my truck along side of the field.  Saw nothing.  Oh well, the end of the season came and it was a slow, but good season.  I got the biggest buck of my life.

Behind the rock

I know that Tony and Greg are going to push the club so I wanted to get out a bit before they do that.  I am going to Joe and Danny's tonight so I can't get out, so I went to the club and sat behind the rock this morning.  It was a nice morning...not too chilly.  I saw nothing, but I Tony did sit in the morning as well.  When I got out of the woods I chit chatted with Tony for a few minutes and then when Greg came, I left.

Happy new year!

I had planned on taking Tuesday, December 29th off to go hunting.  The weather had other plans for me so i worked on that day and took the day off on New Year's Eve.  I met with Greg and Amil and was told that, despite the cruddy weather on Tuesday, the hunting was great.  They said that there were very few guys and a ton of birds.  FIGURES!

This wasn't the case today.  The parking lot was full, it's the last day of the season.  We started in the fields and it's amazing that there were no birds.  Nothing!  We did end up getting 4 but they were late birds and, for the most part, from walking the edges of the fields on the way back from two bridges.  I shot like crap...couldn't hit anything!  It was fun though and the weather was nice.  When we got back to the trucks we had a celebration beer to end the season.

Need some peace

So, after having 18 people over on Christmas Eve and 18 people over on Christmas day, I need some time in a tree!  I went, for a quick trip, behind my company.  I was only there for 3 hours but it was nice to have some peace and quiet.  I saw nothing but enjoyed it a lot.