The last day of pheasant for 2008! :-(

It was the last day of pheasant stocking today. The weather started out cruddy, it was lightly raining and with the snow on the ground made for a very foggy start of the day. When we were lining up, it was nice though...just me, Greg, Joe, John and Jojo and Amil and Harley were in our parking lot! There was one other guy that was near us towards the river and then a few at the river. So there weren't many people...or birds! We walked in the first field and didn't push out anything, so we turned and hit the point. Someone else was just hitting the hill and they flushed a hen that came over us and Joe shot it. We worked the hill next and I think Joe got another from the hill...to be honest, I can't remember Joe's second bird. We walked the river all the way back. There was no one around... and just at the end Bacci went on rock solid point. As we approached a cockbird took off over the river while we were still some distance away, I took a shot and Greg nailed it. It was a really far shot so I was impressed. It landed across the river and it was a real pain to get to, but we did...then we worked the other side of the swamp towards the road. It was nice, never saw that side before. When we got to the road we worked the woods side of the road back. Then we crossed over and worked the roadside going back...just when we were about to give up, on the way back to the truck, right near the cars a hen took off...I barely saw her but I did see where she flew...so off we went to find her. After some time, we did manage to...when I say we, I mean Bacci, found her hunkered down on the river's edge. Another rock solid point. We approached and she rocketed off across the river...I gave her some time to cross the river because getting her out of this part of the river would have been impossible, it was like a rapids. By the time she crossed, I shot, it was too late, too far, somthing...I didn't get her. We saw where she flew and went to find her again. We backtracked across the river and to the other fields...we never did end up finding her again. All in all it was a very fun day, I was exhausted because we walked non stop for 6 hours but it was sad to have it be the end of the season.

Crunchy snow sucks!

Today was a good day, it wasn't overly crowded, it wasn't overly cold, but the snow on the ground was certainly hard to walk on. It's the kind that supports your weight for a second, then gives out...that's the kind that will throw out your back (God, I'm getting old). So...it started off by me going through the point. Bacci didn't put out anything there. We walked through the first field and Greg got a bird (I wish I could remember where he gets his, because it's Bacci's work that makes it happen most times, but I can't remember). At the end of the first field, we turned around and skirted back towards the woods on the hill. There were guys on the hill so we picked our way across trying to avoid them. We went to the other side of the hill and Bacci got birdy on the edge of the field. Greg went to the outside while I stayed on the inside. As Bacci was sniffing, I saw a bird walking down the hedgerow. Bacci caught up to it, the bird saw Greg, and it took off. I shot, and it fell...woo hoo!!

We continued picking our way up the hedgerow towards the road when we saw a cockbird flying overhead. It went to the same place that we heard the cockbird last week...we circled around and saw a bunch of guys working that way. So we decided to stick to the middle hedgerow and work our way down towards the swamp. We figured we would hear those guys push the bird out. They didn't. As we got into the swamp, I saw a bird walking along. As Bacci got on to him, he took off. It was a far shot, through a lot of trees. I shot twice and thought I missed, but he didn't fly too far so we went to kick him up again. To my surprise, Greg found him dead...I got him and didn't know it. I was shocked. That was about all the action of the day.

Snowy day of pheasants (aka "the one that got away")

It was a really nice day of pheasant hunting today. Daniella came with me and it was cold and there was a layer of hard crusted snow on the ground. We started off and there were a bunch of birds on the point that some guys kept pushing out...one hen flew right at my head and as she passed I took her. Then we walked on along the river. As we were walking, we saw a cockbird fly into it from being shot at...as we approached he was on the ground and couldn't fly. Bacci, of course, got up to him and got him for Greg. We walked to the end of the hedgerow and as we were on our way back talking, we got to the end of the second field. Bacci was messing around at the hedgerow and locked up. I ran around to the other side because the birds were running and I didn't want it to run out the other side. As I got closer a hen took off and Greg got it (I also shot, but a millesecond too late).



Later, we were walking around on the hill behind the cars and as we crested the field we heard a cockbird cackling from a few fields away. We went to find it, walked the hedgerow along the big mountain and couldn't find him. We doubled back through the field and Greg was on the other side of the hedgerow. He saw the bird running in and out of the hedgerow. As we got to the end, Joe saw him on the edge near the road. We circled around him and as Bacci went in, he flushed right over my head. Greg and I both shot and thought we hit him..not hard, but he came down in the hedgerow again. So again, Greg went on one side, Joe on the point and me on the other side. Bacci worked inside and for about 10 minutes he looked. Greg saw blood so we know we hit him...I kept an eye out to see if he would run out. Bacci eventually popped out of the hedgerow about 40ish yards away...as I was about to tell him to get back in, the bird expoded out of the hedgerow. I shot twice, Joe shot and we both missed. He headed towards the parking lot. This bird has been missed 8 times!! He deserved to live! It was a lot of fun. Here is a picture that Joe took of me and Bacci...he gave it to me framed (really nice of him).

Last day of 6-day

Date: 12/08/07
Season: Deer - Muzzleloader
Location: Club
Conditions: Warm for this time of year.
Summary: I decided to just to an afternoon post and as I was the only one there I went to the big feeder again. I saw three foxes, but other than that, not a deer. It was a nice post though.

MY FIRST BUCK!!

Date: 12/5/2007
Season: Deer - Muzzleloader
Location: Club
Conditions: Cold and light snow.
Summary: YES! I finally did it...finally broke the buck dry spell. I got to the big feeder from work (worked a half day). When I got there I saw Tony walking around. We chatted for a while as I got dressed and then I went across from the feeder at about 2:00. Tony was on the other side of the pit from me. At 2:50 he walked in from the pit, out of nowhere! He walked straight towards me, looking at me the whole way. I sat and waited and he eventually turned to feed. I put up my gun, put the crosshairs on him and waited for a broadside shot. He moved broadside and I sqeezed the trigger. A huge puff of smoke and when it cleared I saw him lying there on the ground. My heart was racing and just then he lifted up his head. I must have hit him high, in the spine. I reloaded my muzzy so I can deliver the final blow and the bullet got stuck an inch short of the breach plug. I pushed hard but couldn't get it to budge. I walked out of the woods to my truck hoping to do the repair work and return, but I couldn't get it to move. I called Tony and asked him to come and help me when he could. As I was in my truck I heard Tony shoot and he finished my deer who was lying there, unable to move all but his head and his front legs. I hit him really good, just a little high. It was about a 45 yard shot. Here's my first buck ever!!

6-day firearms opener

Date: 12/03/07
Season: Deer - Muzzleloader
Location: Club
Conditions: Pretty warm and wet.
Summary: Opening morning for shotgun and there's no one at the club?! I started out in the hedgerow at 16 and there was no one there. I did hear a bunch of shots around me but didn't see another sole. Sat in the afternoon at the same spot and althought I didn't see anything, while I was driving out of the woods there was a deer walking down the middle of the road...I think she had her middle hoof up at me!

Second Day Muzzleloader, still nothing!

Date: 11/27/07
Season: Deer - Muzzleloader
Location: Club
Conditions: warmish and very windy.
Summary: This time I got there and there was no one there. I decided to start at Bob’s feeder because I wasn’t sure how 16 would look in the flood. I didn’t see anything in the morning. I got down around 8 and headed over to the Cadillac. It was a nice post. Didn’t see anything from 8:15ish until 10:30 when I got out. I went to the lot for a nap and saw a gut pile, which I assume is from Rich, from either Saturday or Monday morning. After my nap I got in the hedgerow at 16 at around 12:45…I set up a nice ground blind, cleared some lanes but saw nothing. It was a nice post but I think the wind had them down.

Muzzleloader opener!

Date: 11/26/07
Season: Deer - Muzzleloader
Location: Club
Conditions: Rainy and warmish.
Summary: This was opening day of muzzleloader. I woke up in the morning and it was pouring so I decided to stay home. Stupid move…by 5am the rain had gone away. Of course it was supposed to rain all day but this was a break in the rain. I did get out for afternoon post. I got there around 1:15 and saw the new guy, Rich’s name on the board. He was in 7 which is too close to 16 so I decided to sit at Bob’s feeder. It was a really nice view and all but the only thing I saw was a fox. It stayed dry until about 4:30 ish, so I wasn’t totally wet. When I got out of the woods, the name tag was still on the board so I think that Rich just never removed it from a prior visit.

I've never seen it so crowded!!

Date: 11/24/07
Season: Pheasant
Location: Flatbrook
Conditions: Cold and sunny.
Summary: Holy crap was it crowded! There were more guys there than I remember seeing in a long long time. Well, we started off through the first field and got nothing. Didn’t really see much fly overs either. We got to the end of the first field and Bacci ran into the island. I called him out and just as he was about to leave the island, I looked and saw a guy level his gun pointing to the ground. I started to scream that “my f’ing dog is in there”. He responded with “I know”. I than said something like you’re a f’ing idiot and Greg and I got out of there. We walked to the next field…then down the side of the river. When we got to the “hold over spot” Bacci put out a cockbird and Greg shot it (before I could even get a shot off). We walked from there, into the swamp but it was too wet, we messed around working the fields and hedgerows all the way back to the right of the first field. We were going to cross the road and Greg stopped to talk to some guy that he knew and Bacci started messing around with the hedgerow next to the road. I told him that it was just the carcasses that hunters threw out, but just then, a bird took off. I looked and couldn’t find it…I called to some guys in the road if they saw it, they hadn’t. So I went down the hedgerow. There were some guys coming the other way and they ended up putting up the bird and getting it…just after that they had another come out of the field. As I watched that happen, Bacci kicked up a cockbird from the hedgerow. I heard it try to take off but it never did. Bacci worked at getting it again, just then Caroline’s owner (nicky I think) came by and his dogs helped Bacci…but they didn’t get it. As we were messing around with that, a bird soared over our heads and landed in the first field. Greg and I went after it, but there were a bunch of other guys there. We lined up with them to work the field. It came out at the point, Greg and I both shot (but it was way far for me) and we both missed. Across the road to the hill. We messed around there, and to the mountain and back but nothing. We did have a great day though (after the crowds were gone).

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Date: 11/22/07
Season: Pheasant
Location: Flatbrook
Conditions: Sunny and unseasonably warm
Summary: Had planned on just going for a quickie today. There were a decent amount of birds today but it was no where as nutty as the last hunt. Greg brought a friend of his. We went through the first field and there were a few flyovers that we saw. Greg shot at one and got it…just as I got to the end of the first field, by the island, a cockbird came flying across the hedgerow from the other field. I folded it (later to learn that I absolutely smoked it). At the end, there was a bird in the brush, in a tree and Greg’s friend shot it after we tried to throw a bunch of sticks at it to get it to fly…unsuccessfully. We continued through the first field and then to the edge of the river. I ended up with just the one and then I headed home.

Dani's first day of 2007

Date: 11/17/07
Season: Pheasant
Location: Flatbrook
Conditions: Cold (27) and sunny.
Summary: Took Dani on this hunt and we met up with Greg there. Wow, what a crazy day. We started out and got about half way through the first field when Bacci put up a cock bird. Greg and I both shot and Greg got it. About 40 more yards down the field the flood gates opened up. All I can remember is that Bacci was working a bird but it must have been a runner. Eventually he put up a cock bird, I shot and it fell…then as I was loading my gun a hen came out, I told Greg to take it, then another hen came out and I took it…in about 10-15 minutes we were done and headed back to the truck. There were birds everywhere you turned, coming from all directions! We hung out for a while just talking and then Dani and I took a ride near Van Campen and just hung for a while and then we came home.

Danny's Club

Date: 11/11/07
Season: Pheasant
Location: Dani’s club
Conditions: Beautiful, sunny and chilly
Summary: Picked up Uncle Sonny and aunt Carol and drove to Dani’s house. Once we got there we got into Dani’s truck and went to the club. It was fantastic to see how excited Uncle Sonny was. We got there and after some chit chat with the guys in the club we started hunting. We pushed out a lot of birds and I couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn…but Uncle Sonny was right on and backed me on each shot. I ended up with one hen and uncle sonny got two pheasant and two chuckar.

Opening Day Pheasant!

Date: 11/10/07
Season: Pheasant
Location: Flatbrook
Conditions: Snowy.
Summary: Met up with Greg to hunt. The bridge was out so I parked across the river and walked to meet with him. It was a good day. We flushed one out of the first field and I got it. Then we wandered around. We eventually walked the river and towards the end Bacci put up a hen that we missed and then a cockbird that we shot at and winged it. We also saw a bird being shot from across the swamp and land near the swamp so we went looking for it. Found it and it wasn’t going anywhere…wasn’t dead but was winged. We looked around for more birds and then when we were about to end, we went back and found it dead so I kept it. Altogether Greg and I limited out. I just don’t remember them all.

Rain, rain go away

Date: 10/26/07
Season: Deer - Bow
Location: Hunting Club
Conditions: Rainy and miserable. Summary: I was the only guy there again tonight. The rain was threatening all day and I left a half day to come up after work. I got there and saw that Tony’s name was in the “bob feeder”. I wanted to hunt my climber off of 5 but didn’t want to go to close so I went to the big feeder. Tony called me (because I called and left a message) and he wasn’t here but forgot to take his tag out. So I climbed down and went to my climber. I took it off the tree and tried to get closer to the place where I saw the two bucks at dark. I saw nothing all night but me getting soaking wet

Wrong place at the wrong time.

Date: 10/20/07
Season: Deer - Bow
Location: Hunting Club
Conditions: Mostly sunny and breezy.
Summary: I was the only guy there again tonight. I went to Gianna’s softball playoffs in the morning and got to the club around 2:00. I napped until almost 3 and then got my stand ready to go. I went to the old number 5 this time because I saw deer coming from there on Thursday. It was a nice post (my stand is so comfortable) and at around 4:45 I saw my turkeys feeding on the swamp stand feeder. At around 6ish, I saw a deer feeding at the Big Feeder stand (figures, right?) and a little later on I saw a deer feeding at the swamp stand. It was starting to get dark and I was starting to get frustrated seeing deer at the feeders and I wasn’t at the feeders. It was almost time for me to leave the stand and I figured I would give a grunt to try to draw in the deer at the swamp. A few minutes later, two bucks came from out of the upper field…not from the pathway that I thought the deer would come from, but from out of the small trees. I was standing and my grunt tube was tied to the stand so I couldn’t get to it, but they were just standing there feeding…about 50 yards away. I burped a few times hoping to sound like a grunt but they didn’t come any closer…finally it got so dark I couldn’t see my pins anymore. I tried to make noise without moving to get the deer to leave and then I lowered my bow and rattle the tree. By the time I was coming down the tree it was too dark for me to see if they were even there anymore or not. Now…I have one more day to hunt with the bow and I’m not sure whether to go to the big feeder or to move my climber between where I saw those bucks and where I got my deer from last year.

Jumping spiders...GOD I hate them!

Date: 10/18/07
Season: Deer - Bow
Location: Hunting Club
Conditions: Cloudy and warm
Summary: I was the only guy there tonight. I went to the Big Feeder..it was hot and I had those stupid jumping spiders everywhere! At 4:15 I had a coyote come from across the field towards the road. I tried to get a picture of it but I’m still trying to get used to the cell phone’s camera. At around 5:45 I saw a deer from two fields away…it was on the opposite side of the swamp stand, just where I got my deer last year. I think I’m going to go there on Saturday. I watched it feed into the field and then gone. When I got out of the tree, as I was walking out, I spooked a deer from the path near the road…I’m assuming it was the deer I saw…but I can’t be sure.

Just one that didn't come

Date: 10/16/07
Season: Deer - Bow
Location: Hunting Club
Conditions: Sunny and warm
Summary: The club had a bunch of guys there today. It was Greg, Bob, Me and Brad was there, but I don’t think he hunted. I was going to go to the Big Feeder but Greg was there before me so I went to 13. At around 6ish I saw from across the field to the hill, a buck walking on the edge. It made it’s way slowly to me but then after watching it for about 45 minutes, he decided to work towards the top of the field and out of sight. I even grunted once in hopes of bringing him in…nothing. Bob and Greg didn’t see anything so I guess I had the spot for the night.

Bucks, bucks, bucks (and a doe!)

Date: 10/13/07
Season: Deer - Bow
Location: Hunting Club
Conditions: Partly sunny and cool. Breezy
Summary: What a day! Ok, first in the morning I sat in the new 13, which we’ve renamed to 15. I didn’t see anything by 7:15 and I was tired, so I stretched…when I did, I twisted my body around and there was a 4 pointer only 15 yards away from me. I was frozen until we walked a semi-circle all around me. Once he got behind the big tree I picked up my bow and drew back. I waited for him to walk into the shooting zone. He didn’t, instead he walked down into the field and then away. Shortly after that I saw two does up top just walking in and out of the patch. I actually grunted once and one of the does walked towards me, but she stopped and wouldn’t come in. I got out of the tree about 8:15. Met Tony and talked for a bit. Then I went into the Cadillac stand from 9:30 to 12:30. Saw nothing. For the afternoon I went into the new Big Feeder stand. It was strange because the field is wide open and I’m wide open in it. Around 6 I had two small bucks come into the feeder. The lead came in and started behind the brush need the feeder and when I drew back, he and the other one took off. They stood away for a little while…then from down the path I saw a 4 pointer. I waited until he was passing the last brush to hide the draw back and when I did he stopped in his tracks…sniffed and left. There was a doe behind him that also left. Then a buck, not sure how big, came from across the field and went to the other side…didn’t come in close enough. Then a doe came in from the left…I shot her and she ran. As Tony was walking out, a buck came across the field. I didn’t have to track the doe as it was on the side of the field…so I dressed it and Bob came with his truck. Loaded it up and away I went. What a day!

Yup, missed again!

Date: 10/6/07
Season: Deer - Bow
Location: Hunting Club
Conditions: I don’t remember
Summary: In the morning I sat at 13. I didn’t see anything so I got out of the tree at 8:30. I then went into the Cadillac for a little bit…think I got out around 11 so that I can go to Gianna’s softball game. Night post I was back in 13 and screwed up again. It was getting dark and I saw a buck coming from up on top. He made his way down to the feeder and it was really getting dark. When he was in range I put my pin on him and let it go…I absolutely missed him…I can only imagine that I missed low based on where the arrow went. Not sure how I missed. When I think about the shot I can’t remember holding and looking or even concentrating. I went home to check the sight the next day and it was shooting fine so it was just me….argh!!

Saw lots, but...

Date: 10/2/07
Season: Deer - Bow
Location: Hunting Club
Conditions: Partly sunny, warm in the afternoon, cooling. Slight breeze
Summary: I sat only for night post. I first started off by going into the swamp stand. It is tiny and there is really no room to shoot…so I got out of the stand and walked to the place where I got the deer last year. I did see some runs going to the stand from the upper field and coming out of the hedgerow on the bottom field. Perhaps I’ll try that some time. I went over to my regular stand (13) and got in the tree about 2:30. At around 4:00 I had 7 turkeys come by the old 13 stand and work towards the pit…then up the hill. They went around behind me (almost right under me) and into the field that I was facing. All in all they were there for about an hour. They kept clucking and purring. At around 5 I had a huge ground hog come under my stand. I watched him for a while before he left. At around 6:15 I had a buck come in right behind me in the woods. I panicked a little bit, but managed to stand up on the stand (not easy) and turn myself around. I couldn’t see him anymore, but did see another buck in the field up top. The one in the woods apparently left and went up with the other one and they walked towards the trees. I gave a bleat call to try and turn them, but it only worked temporarily. Then they left. I may try the “across from the swamp stand” on Saturday, or I may go back to 13….not sure yet.

September 22, 2007

Date: 9/22/07
Season: Deer - Bow
Location: Hunting Club
Conditions: Rainy morning, cloudy and humid afternoon
Summary: I sat only for night post. I went to Dani’s soccer and Gianna’s softball game in the morning. It started raining around 12:00 so the second game was cancelled. Went home and relaxed for a little bit. Got to the woods around 3:00 and it was overcast but humid and still a little warm. At about 4:30-5:00 the sun came out and it got warm, it was still humid and the wind started to pick up a bit. There was a cold front moving in. I didn’t see anything.

In my underwear!!

Date: 9/18/07
Season: Deer - Bow
Location: Hunting Club
Conditions: Warm, but pleasant,
Summary: I brought my mom to the hospital for tests this morning. I dropped her off after we went to breakfast and then I went up to the club. I got there around 12:00, pulled into the farm road right before the entrance gate and figured I would take a nap. I took off my pants as it was hot in my truck and laid down. My phone rang so I got up to answer it, after getting off the phone I noticed two deer picking their way down the road about 150 yards ahead. I snuck out of my truck and to the back. I noticed the deer walking into the hedgerow on the left side so I got on my boots and took my bow and snuck into the field on the left. As I worked my way down the field, close to the edge I found a little cut-out. I stayed in there waiting but when nothing was happening I stuck my head out and looked down the field. I noticed a deer running towards me so I got back into the cutout. A small fawn passed by where I was, but directly across the field. I drew back and made a noise to stop it. I stopped and I shot, a total miss. I saw more deer coming so I nocked another arrow and waited for the next deer to pass by. As it did, I took a shot at that doe. By the way…I’m IN MY UNDERWEAR!! After I shot, the deer walked to the middle of the field and laid down. I thought I got her for sure. I stood still as she laid there; she then got up and walked away. I walked over to where she was when I shot and found my arrow, but no blood. When the doe walked away I could have sworn that I saw her guts hanging out so I was convinced that I had hit her. I walked over to where I thought she was laying and found nothing. I looked for a long time, probably close to an hour and a half. I went back to my truck and got on my pants. I still wasn’t convinced so I went back and looked again. Still not finding anything I decided to go to my tree. I sat for a while and wanted to get out and look again. Still not finding anything I went back into the tree. The only thing I saw was a buck, it was the spiker and never made it’s way totally to my tree, but just came close.

September 15, 2007

Date: 9/15/07
Season: Deer - Bow
Location: Hunting Club
Conditions: Warm, but pleasant, rainy
Summary: I sat only for morning post. Left the tree really early, around 8:30 because I hadn’t seen anything. Then went to Gianna’s softball games.

Trigger malfunction and a miss

Date: 9/14/07
Season: Deer - Bow
Location: Hunting Club
Conditions: Warm, medium breezy and cloudy
Summary: I sat a night post after going golfing. I got into the stand around 3:45. At around 6 I saw a doe coming from up towards the end of the field where the bucks come from. The doe started working down the field and then I lost sight of it. Shortly after that 4 does came from across the field (the long way) and to the feeder. I drew back on the lead doe once she came to the feeder and as I pulled the trigger on the release had a malfunction. When I pulled the trigger nothing happened…my mind started to race and the deer turned. I started to turn with her, but I stopped concentrating on the pin and the arrow finally released but went sailing under the deer. They all took off, stopped around 50 yards from me and started snorting…they then left. About a half hour later I saw another doe coming from the buck spot, but it too just disappeared. I left the tree around 7:20.

Opening Day Bow

Date: 9/8/07
Season: Deer - Bow
Location: Hunting Club
Conditions: Hot and Sunny
Summary: The day was super hot and sunny. In the morning I went to stand 13, the new ladder stand next to the new feeder. Of course I forgot a pair of socks and let me tell you…bare feet in rubber boots in the heat…not fun. I couldn’t get my boots off after getting out of the tree. I saw a big doe and a fawn in the morning post at approximately 7:00am and left stand by 9:30. I like the new stand, although there’s really not all that much room up there and my harness won’t fit on the tree. I then went to Gianna’s softball game in Sparta. They kicked butt and Gianna hit a grand slam!! For afternoon post I was in stand by 3:30 and saw a 5-point buck come by at around 6:00. He was followed by a spike buck about 10 minutes later. After about 15 minutes the 5-pointer left and the spike stayed around for an additional 10 minutes. It was really cool to sit there and watch them although I wanted a doe to come in really badly. Apparently Greg got one in the morning and Tony missed two shots in the afternoon. I can’t wait to get back…and I really hope that no one is going to screw that stand up for me by hunting in it. I’ll be going on Friday night post.

My 2007 Hunting blog

This is my hunting blog