Bacci's last stand...

Well, I'm not sure if it is but it very well could be.  I wanted to try and get Bacci out just one more time, just in case he can't do it next year.  We got out of work early for New Year's Eve so I ran home and grabbed the dog and headed over to Black River.  There was no one there...just me and two other cars.  Bacci and I walked to the back.  I wasn't going to push him at all but just follow him.  When we got to the back he got really birdy on a path that was in between the fields and a hedgerow.  I was certain that he was smelling something from this morning but he was locked.  I walked towards the spot he was pointing to and a cockbird came busting out of the cover.  I got him and couldn't' have been happier.  The weather, the fact that it was Bacci and I alone...and that it was probably his last made this the most special bird I've ever shot.  We walked around a bit more and made our way back to the truck (where we kicked up 5 deer).  When we got home, I immediately cooked up the pheasant and gave it to Bacci.  He deserved it.

Last Saturday birds

Went to Flatbrook for the last Saturday.  I planned on bringing Bacci but after the last time, I just don't think he would do well with it.  I met up with Greg and Amil and there was a ton of guys so we started up the hill.  I got a tree bird when we first went in and all in all, we ended up with 4 birds.  My tree bird was the only one for me.  I had a good time though.  There were ample opportunities for a change.

Unlucky 13

Took a half day from work because it was so nice out.  Went to the club with the intention to sit in the swamp.  When I got there, I saw that the pit was open and I didn't want to sit with trucks driving by again.  I thought of perhaps going to the dip but most of the fields back there have been cleaned out.  So, back to 13 I went.  I had a very enjoyable sit but no deer at all.

Birdy Christmas

Well, that was the plan anyway.  I went up to Flatbrook on Christmas eve.  I met Amil there and we hunted together for quite some time.  We only had one flush in the first field and then one in the swamp behind the big hill way afterwards.  It was a slow, but enjoyable day.

Back to the birds

After a bird hiatus, I was happy to be back at them this morning.  I wanted to get out with Bacci for a change so I went locally.  There was a few inches of snow on the ground which made the walking tough.  We did manage to see a bird or two, had a really great time together but the walking was tough so I brought Bacci home after an hour and 20 minutes.  He was shot.

Not even tracks

Went to the club today and sat on the hill next to 13.  This is the first time back since the snow so I was excited to see all the tracks from the deer that have passed by.  I was quite disappointed to see hardly any tracks.  More disappointed to see no deer while I was there.

Morning post before the snow

We're supposed to have some pretty good snow today so i wanted to get out for a bit before it hit.  I went up to the club and met Greg there.  He told me that he got a 6 on this past Monday in the rain.  He told me that Tony also got a 6 on Thursday.  I told him I was holding out for bone and he said that he would shoot a doe if the opportunity came.  I went back to 13 and sat on the side of the hill and waited for the sun.  As I was getting dressed another car drove into the pit and towards the river.  Tony maybe?  Not sure.  Late, around 10:00 I had three does come by me at a pretty good pace and go up the hill.  About 20 minutes or so later I heard a shot, quickly followed by another.  It was from our property but not sure if it was Greg or where Tony (?) was.  I waited until about 10:30 and got out.  I thought Greg may need help and when I got there his truck was there and the only pins there was me and Greg.  I'm not sure what happened.

What a day!

I started the day by going up to Flatbrook.  I met up with Greg and we decided to team up with Amil on the field.  I figured it would be a good day because when I got there, Greg was the only one in the lot and there were 4 birds in the trees.  Of course, by the time we started, the birds all flew away and the parking lot filled up.  We started down the first field and, like it's supposed to be and used to be, there were bird flushing out of the field.  We continued all the way into the back, then made our way back to the hill and once around.  When all was said and done, Greg had two birds, Amil had 4 and I had ...um, none.  lol  I was just in the wrong place each time a bird went up.  I did end up taking one of Amil's birds though.

Once we were done bird hunting I went home, ate something and then headed up to the club.  Greg said that he was going up as well.  He planned on being in 10.  He told me about a stand in the middle of the field behind the pit, on the way to the river.  I had never seen it before so I took a walk back.  It was a great area, that's were all the deer are going that I had been seeing from 13.  I went half way up the stand and it felt a little old, plus there was a big branch where I would need to draw the bow.  I went down and made my way over to 13.  It was a beautiful sit...chilly and sunny.  I kept looking around and didn't expect anything to come by.  I was really hoping to see deer walk from the brush, over the path so that the next time I'm on the hill with my gun i could have a shot.  At around 4:00 I saw a nice doe walk into the path.  Instead of her crossing over, she actually meandered down towards me.  She didn't come all the way in front of me but went into the brush to my left.  It was a 25 yard shot, I lined up the scope and squeezed the trigger.  I could see the arrow sticking out of her shoulder area and she disappeared across the path and up the brush.  I got down a few minutes later and found my arrow in half.  There was hardly any blood.  It was hard to track her, in fact, I got on my hands and knees to track her all the way up the hill.  One drop of blood at a time.  I have to get new broadheads.  This is the second deer I took with the ones I'm using and I hate them.  She went 100+ yards, maybe closer to 150 and I was on my knees the whole time.  I found her, that was hard enough...then I had to drag her back down, on my knees backwards.  I finally did make it back out to the pit, exhausted, cut up but I finally got a deer!

Bring on the parade

Ok, so today I'm going to 13.  Well, not quite 13 but I have been seeing deer along side of the hill on the way to 13 so that's where I'm going to set up.  I walked the path to 13 to see what tracks there were and just where I expected them, I saw a bunch of tracks crossing the path.  They thinned out when getting closer to 13 so I knew I would stay on the hill.  I made myself a comfy spot and was sure that I would see deer.  I didn't.

Opening day muzzy

I decided to walk to the dip stand and then along the edge of the field and then over to the swamp before heading out to stand 13.  There was a feed block put at the corner of the field, my guess is by Frank or Gary.  I went up the hill to the dip stand and saw a big pile of, what I think is, bear crap.  Not making me happy.  Then went along the field.  Saw, what looks like a highway for the deer coming in and out of the field.  I made my way to the swamp and saw a bunch of crap along the edge, a rub inside the swamp and trails throughout.  I decided to sit there tonight.  I saw nothing.  Probably a parade under 13!