Just my luck...

I took the afternoon off of work today so I can get back to the club.  After the last time, I needed to get back to the swamp stand.  I know I'll see deer if I can get back there.  I get there and settled into the swamp around 3.  It's a cloudy but warmish, still day.  It was nice to be there.  Not much going on until...hey, what's that!!  No...no...no....not again!!  It's the freaking FARMER!  He's coming back on a different machine...it looks like it's mixing the grass that he cut when I was there on Saturday.  Does he wait for me to get there?  Well...last time, I moved stands and when I came back there were deer there, so this time I'm going to wait him out.  I watch him go back and forth...this time, he's right in front of my spot.  I know that there aren't going to be any deer while he's in the field so I take the opportunity to adjust my seat and face mask.   How the hell was I supposed to know that 4 deer had snuck up behind me! Of course I couldn't hear them coming WITH THE MIXER TRUCK DRIVING BY!   With a snort, they are all gone in a flash.  That was the last deer I'd see for the night.

Mower, seriously?

This is just the way my season is going.  It's a beautiful day.  Sunny and 60 and i decided to go up to the club.  The last two times that I've been up to the club I've seen deer go to or near the swamp stand so that's just where I was heading.  I got to the club and there was no one there...so I got dressed and headed to the stand.  When I got there I noticed that the stand was kind of rusted and I didn't feel comfortable climbing it so I found a nice place on the ground that I could tuck myself into.  I trimmed a few branches and I was good to go.  I was actually feeling pretty good about the spot and my chances of getting a shot.  It was just around 4 and I heard a loud truck on the road...wait, that's not on the road...that's coming my way.  It sounded like there was an 18 wheeler driving down the middle of the field.  It was a mower...the farmer was deciding to cut the grass now...4:00 on a Saturday of hunting season.  I sat there for about a half hour wondering if I should stick it out or move my stand.  I finally decided on moving and I made my way over to the Dip Stand.  I got in and heard the truck go on and on.  I supposed that he stopped mowing around 5:45. I sat and didn't see a thing.  When I got out of the stand and was walking back to the truck I could see the swamp stand...guess what.  There was a deer right in front of it...that's just the way my season is going.  This was, unfortunately, the last Saturday of regular bow up at the club.  I didn't get a permit for the club...I'm going to try and get out of work on an afternoon and head up there.  I don't want to wait until muzzleloader season to get back.

Another windy day...and a stupid TV

I took today off so that I can get a new TV in the morning, get it set up and then hit the woods.  I had such problems getting the TV set up (turned out that the cable box was broken) that I didn't get to the woods and set up until 3:30.  I went behind the dump and the wind was howling.  I was rocking and rolling in the tree.  I saw nothing...maybe one squirrel...but that's it.

Deer, deer, deer....

It's a gorgeous day, sunny and in the mid 60's and I decided to get out of work early to hit the woods.  Yesterday I had walked behind my company and it looked like it was promising.  Even though I hadn't hunted there in a long time, and I saw the two stands there, if I didn't see anyone there I was going there.  The company shut down so it's quiet back there now.

I got into the tree at around 2:45 and literally, by 3, I was seeing deer.  Oh, first on my way in a trailcam got a picture of me.  Wonderful.  So, by 3, I saw two does walking in front of that camera...which was in front of that other stand.  They hung around for a while...followed by a few more.  This went on until just about 4:30.  The whole time I was standing up and at the ready.  Finally they walked off and I was able to sit and relax.  Not for long, however.  By 5:00 another deer walked back to that same spot.  I wonder what's there they that like.  They never did come close enough to me, only getting to a maximum of  45 yards away.  It was still a wonderful night!

What a gorgeous day at the club

As the name indicates, I went to the club today.  Daniella had a double header kind of close to the club so after the game I shot up there (no pun intended).  Got there around 3ish and saw that Tony's truck was there.  I intended on trying to get my stand down the old road, near to where stand 5 was and where I got my first deer at the club, but with the deadfall I wasn't able to get in there.  I could have gotten into the tree, but there was not a clear shooting lane and I wasn't prepared to trim trees.  I put my stand down and while I was there, I climbed on top of a dirt mound that overlooked a pathway.  I did see a bunch of trails so I thought I may have a good chance at seeing a deer.  The mound I was on gave me complete coverage to my left (where I thought the deer would come from) and the shooting lane was only 20 yards from me.  From my vantage point I could see the big field, behind me I could see forever and in front I could see the cemetery   It was a beautiful day and I was in a great place.  I loved it.

At close to 4:30, I think, I saw a lone doe on the edge of the swamp (that makes two times I've been to the club and two times I saw deer in the swamp...guess where i'm going next time?)  As it was just starting to get dark I saw two does walking the middle of the field from the inside part of the big field, and then in front of the swamp.  I don't think they went in but I couldn't really tell.  When I was leaving, I saw Tony who told me that Jeff (I think that's what he said) got a 7 pointer that morning.  He also told me that he had to get better with the crossbow because he injured two more deer.  That infuriates me!  but what can I do.  Tony told me that he hadn't been doing as much hunting and that he's not gotten anything because he's holding out for a decent buck.

Sneaky little suckers...

Today I decided to go to the dump again.  It was much cooler than yesterday and very windy.  I got into the woods around 2:00 and after sitting, rocking and rolling in the wind, for a few hours, a gobbler made an appearance by the "inside field".  Nothing else to see until just about dark.  I turned to my left to catch a doe, at the very last second, making her way out to the field.  I was too late to even grab my bow, and honestly I don't think I would have taken that shot anyway.  At least I saw a deer.

A hot one...

Took the afternoon off of work and headed to the woods.  I went by the tower today.  Whew, it was a hot one.  The temps got into the low 80's and by the time I walked into the woods and set up my stand I was sweating my butt off.  I sat for about 4 1/2 hours and saw absolutely nothing...maybe one squirrel.