I finally had a foursome!!

Ok, so it was still a little crowded, but no where near what Thanksgiving was. This, however, was a great day. We started out into the field and managed to put up a bird. A nice hold for Bacci and I got it on the second shot. We walked through that field and into the next where a flyover came right at Greg...two down. We decided to head into the swamp by first hitting the edge. Greg put up a hen...three down. Then we headed into the swamp...omg! I walked with Bacci while Greg was to my right. Suddenly the dog started acting really birdy. As he worked the scent a foursome took off!! I shot...don't know what at, but I shot...missed everything. We worked that for a few minutes and saw a hen under the brush. I tried to get Bacci on the scent, but then we saw Mikey with Caroline on top of the hill. They shot at two birds that took off from the hillside and one landed in a tree. They didn't show any interest so Greg and I figured that it would be Dani's first shot at a bird. As we walked to the bird, the wind shook it from the tree and it took off....We both shot and she came down in the thickets. We walked over to where she fell and searched for her. As we did, she flew up and we shot....she came down again. A minute later, Greg said "uh oh"...he bent down and picked up the first hen! The one we just shot was a different bird!! We didn't want to waste it so we walked over to the VERY tough thicket and looked for her. We searched for about a half hour and couldn't find her. My only hope is that we missed her and she ran away. What a day!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Went bird hunting in the Thanksgiving day tradition. Not much to report from that day...Dani and I were only there an hour. Just as we were lining up, the massive crowds came...a sea of orange. To our left was a group of guys that started talking loudly in another language...got me thinking...then as the first shot rang out, some guys to our right literally ran into the field...at that moment I turned to Greg and said let's go...and we turned and went up the hill. We both ended up with our limit.

Strange bird day...

This was the day of the not-normal birds. The weird day started as me and Greg being the ONLY trucks in the parking area. Not that we would be lucky enough to be the only guys there...the crowd, although light, parked across the bridge. We started out in the field as usual. Nothing. We doubled back to head up the hill, as we got to the edge of the last hedgerow near the point, there must have been a bird in the tree. I didn't see him, but as we got there, he came flying directly at us, over our heads. By the time Greg and I turned around to shoot...we both missed. Then up the hill...Bacci got on the scent near the top and a bird went up. Greg shot, and it went down...then some other guy tried to claim it. So Greg told him that he thinks he got it but the guy could have it. The guy got ticked and left. Greg kept it. Bacci then kept going forward and put up a bird...out of range. We went down the hill and offered to help a guy and his daughter find a bird that had just ran into the thicket. I tried to get bacci to cooperate but he just ran into the field....a minute later, a bird went up in the field. I threw a few shots, but missed. Finally got bacci to help the guy, but nothing. Then we went across the road and into the mountain. After a while of walking...Bacci found a fresh, dead bird. I kept it...then later on, he ran down another cockbird...it took off and Greg and I both shot and missed...again. Just a strange day. We worked for a while longer and then called it quits. It was strange...the birds weren't cooperating, Bacci wasn't cooperating...but still fun.

The spike is back...

I went out today for an afternoon hunt back at the tower. I decided to head further up today, where I saw all the deer crossing last time. I got my gear together and headed out. It was a beautiful day...warmer than I would like for deer, but beautiful. I got to my tree and put the stand up...then realized that I left my camera on the hood of my truck. So I walked all the way back out to get it. Then back in...by the time I got to the stand again I was sweating...a lot! I set up and at around 4, I heard walking behind me. I knew it was a deer but I didn't want to turn and get busted. I had to!! So, slowly I turned...until I could just barely see that it was the spike...and he was walking towards me. So I lowered my bow and just watched him walk under my stand...he did check me out but didn't freak. She slowly walked up the hill. That was all I saw.

What a day!!

I went to the tower today. It was a beautiful day!! Although it was probably warmer than I would have liked for the rut, it was supposed to get to 60 and it was sunny. I got into the woods at 10am, roamed around a bit to find a spot. I wanted to be up the hill from where I was last time. I saw that some guy had a feeder up there...so I tried to get in between the feeder and the apartments. The woods are beautiful up there...and fairly big...I think it's the biggest piece that I could hunt. So anyway, at 12:00, a doe came walking from the top of the hill down towards the feeder. She was really spooky though. She was about 65 yards from me. Soon after that, some Mexican guy came walking through the woods with a golf club. He walked right under my stand. When he got to the top of the hill he swung his club a few times and then left. (don't ask!?)

At 1:45 I had another doe come from the bottom this time and walk up the hill. She was about 85 yards from me. Then at 2:15 I heard the ATV. I couldn't believe that I was going to have to deal with this again. Instead, it was some guy (I'll assume that other guy's kid) and he was going hunting. He drove his ATV right under my stand and didn't see me. He parked it 80 yards away, got off and left for his stand. I thought that my night was screwed for sure. At around 4:00, I heard a commotion. I grabbed my bow and I saw, coming from the top of the hill, a doe being chased by two bucks. The first was a small four and the other was a really nice wide six (at least). The six would chase the doe and then chase away the four. This happened as they worked down the hill towards me. Then the doe walked under my stand...which of course brought in the bucks. The six walked straight towards me...all he needs to do is take a step and stop broadside...he did...RIGHT BEHIND A TREE!! I had drawn back and couldn't do a thing. He was literally right under my stand. Then all of a sudden he took off chasing the doe again. I tried to stop him but he wasn't interested. They circled my tree and I turned myself around. He stopped again, right behind my tree. I couldn't get the angle on him. In my attempt to draw and try and get an angle for the shot the four saw me moving and they all took off down the hill. I tried grunting to stop them but to no avail.

After that excitement, a few moments later, I had that little pencil spiker walk right under my stand. He stood there and looked at me for a while and then stomped back up the hill. Then I had a doe come down the hill towards the apartments...she stayed about 60 yards away. Then it got dark. That was probably one of the most exciting days I've spent deer hunting. Of course, I'm SICK over not being able to get the shot on the wide six. He was a dandy!!

Second time out for birds...

I brought Dani today. It was supposed to rain, but it ended up not being so bad. It was drizzly at the worst. The crowds weren't all that bad either today. I ended up getting one bird and Greg got two. Bacci was amazing today. One bird, Bacci pointed. When it went up, Greg shot and thought he powdered it so he didn't shoot again...but it kept flying. After about a 20 minute search, Bacci found it tucked under a log about 200-300 yards away. He's the greatest!

Opening day of pheasant...

What a beautiful day!! It was the first morning that I found it to be really chilly...only about 24 on the way to Flatbrook. The sky was clear and the frost was on the ground. I got to the lot knowing that I only had a short time to hunt...perhaps just an hour or two. After catching up with all the regulars, we headed in at 8. There were birds everywhere. Greg and I went down the first field...after the first field, I had one and he had two. We went to the end and doubled back to go up the hill. We got to the top and seemed to be somewhat surrounded...so we headed back down to the field. Went along the river and then back along the swamp. I headed out and home after that but this is one of those days I could have walked all day and really knew that I could have gotten more birds.

The ATV guy...

Well, I went out today to a new spot. I wasn't seeing anything at my usual places so I wanted to try "the tower". I headed out on a beautiful afternoon...it was in the mid fifties and mostly cloudy. It was calling for a 40% chance of rain later in the day, but when I headed out it was sunny. I pulled up and started to get dressed. From the corner of my eye I saw something on the side of the road in the woods. It was a small buck...just slowly walking. I continued to get dressed (what else could I do?) I got to my spot and settled in. It was just beautiful and I really just enjoyed being there. By 4:00, I saw a deer coming down the hill towards me. When it was behind a tree I drew back and waited. Then I saw that it was a little spike...the spikes were really tall and really skinny. I let down and watched him walk 10 yards away from my stand. At around 4:30 another deer walked down the same path...but instead of coming towards me, he veered away towards the tower. He was only a fork, at best. He was messing around for a while and then took off up the hill. I thought I spooked him, but when I looked to where he had been, I saw a guy (black guy with a white hoodie) walking through the woods near the road. Grrr....

I waited because now it was getting good. I was expecting to see the big boy any moment. Then, I heard an ATV...it's coming my way!! Are you kidding me?! He rode up the hill from me and I put up my hands in disgust. Then he rode towards me and asked me "who the F are you". We had some words back and forth, me being very calm and professional. He asked finally how i came to hunt in the cull...I told him I was friends with Det. Ed and his entire mood changed. He apologized up and down, invited me to his house, told me about all the stands that were there and told me to hunt the ones that he put up. So...the hunt ruined, I got down and left. Strange place this Morris Plains is.

I don't think I'm in Kansas anymore...

I went out today behind the dump. Left work early, 12:15 and got in the woods. I went to my usual tree and because so many leaves fell I wanted to get into a different spot. I searched for a good tree and settled on an ok one. I didn't realize that the stand wouldn't fit around larger trees. I got up the tree and was facing the wrong way. The tree was leaning to one side and I had a hill behind me so on one side I felt really close to the ground, but on the other I felt like I was touching the sky. So...all in all...I was NOT comfortable! THEN...the wind started. It was WINDY!! I was swaying back and forth...a few times, I actually held on to the tree!! Unfortunately, I didn't see a thing!