Graveblanket day

Today is grave blanket day because we had our family had Thanksgiving a day late.  I didn't have a lot of time but had a really nice time.  It was a chilly 8 degrees when I started but by the end of the day it had warmed to the 30's.  It was beautiful and crisp and I got one bird (a nice fly over from within the point at the end of the first field.)

Thanksgiving Day

Well, it snowed a lot yesterday.  I was supposed to meet the guys up at Flatbrook but because of the snow I decided to just stay local so I went to Black River.  I walked in and started at one of the first fields.  When we started I had a flyover that I shot at a good distance so I was happy when it went down.  I had a heck of a time finding it in a hedgerow however.  I finally did and then walked around a bit.  After the crowds had largely dissipated, I was walking out in the middle of a field and saw a hen tucked in.  I put her up and shot and she came down.  She wasn't dead but hit well and I saw her run and tuck into some brush.  I walked over there and for the life of me, after looking for at least a half hour, couldn't find her.  Oh to have a dog.  It was a beautiful morning though.

That's a lot of walking.

Went to Flatbrook today and met up with Greg, Amil and Amil's son, Michael.  The stocking was very light and I think I walked further than I have ever while bird hunting.  We started at around 6:50 (don't remember the exact start time) but walked until 2:00.   We started in the field but by the time we turned around and went to the honey hole, we ended up all the way to the flats and beyond.  We went as far as the first field by the curve.  We each ended up with one bird.  During our break in the parking lot, my new friend Dave and his girlfriend came up to say hi.  It was nice...he's a little creepy, but it was nice.

My dreams come true...

Yeah, that's not necessarily a good thing!  Not sure if I've mentioned this here or not but I've always had this recurring dream that I am going hunting and when I get into the woods I realize that I forgot my bow, gun or whatever.  Well, it finally happened.  I left the house at around 5am to get up to Flatbrook to do some bird hunting.  It takes about an hour and 10 minutes to get there and when I was about 5 minutes away I suddenly realized that I had forgotten my gun.  I called home and checked with Jeannie and she did confirm that it was sitting in my garage so I turned around and home I went.  An hour later I arrive at home.  By this time, it's "first light" and the massive crowds have descended upon Flatbrook.  I could have stayed local but I decided to drive the hour and 10 up to Flatbrook again so at least I could know the woods that I'm walking around in.

I got to Flatbrook about an hour "late" and proceeded up the hill.  I walked around and it was nice and peaceful.  Most of the crazies had already gone home.  As I was walking from "the log" to the bottom, I saw a bird fly in from the road's side of the hill.  I immediately headed over that way.  When I did,  I heard and then saw a cockbird running into the hedgerow.  I tried to get it up but it seemed like it didn't want to fly.  As I was trying to get it out, two guys, their girlfriends and their dogs came over to lend a hand.  I eventually got the bird to show itself long enough for me to grab hold of it.  The guys came over to introduce themselves and they couldn't be nicer.  We talked for a while, one guy texted his number to me in case I wanted to hunt with them again and I left.  I walked through the swamps, to the back corner and back again.  It was a glorious day and I loved ever second of it.  I did end up meeting up with Greg and Amil and they seemed to have hit a true honey hole.  They had LOTS of birds and gave me one.  I had two now and headed home, very satisfied...despite coming up late.

Nice day off.

I took today off so I can do some bird hunting.  I met Greg up at Flatbrook and as it was on Saturday, it was crowded.  This is so frustrating.  The old starting point had guys lining up super early again so we walked down the road.  To our disappointment there was a truck parked right where we wanted to go in and 5 guys got out.   So much for that plan.  We started on the field across the road on the side of the hill and didn't see anything.  After a while we met up with Amil.  We ended up having a really nice time.  It's nice to hunt with dogs again.  I hunted until noon and left with two birds.

Buck Down!! (and opening day of pheasant)

Today would be a full day of hunting for me!  I started by going up to Flatbrook for opening day of pheasant.  I met Greg in a very crowded parking lot and because everyone was lining up early, so did we...about 45 minutes early!  We went to the far edge of the first big field  and there were a bunch of birds at the end cackling, flying around and basically just making a lot of noise.  That drew everyone to that field to line up.   Just as the time started, Greg and i made a split second decision to turn around and go up the hill.  There were a few guys going up that way but not many.  We made worked around the top for a bit and I finally came up to a bird tucked under a tree in our favorite corner.  I waited for guys to walk by and tried to flush the bird.  Instead, he just ran.  I didn't shoot.  We walked around where the bird ran to and I found it under a blowdown.  It flew but because my gloves were too big and my hands too cold I couldn't get my finger in the trigger guard and by the time I did, the bird was just about out of range.  We walked to the river side of the field and Greg got one flying across the river.  Then, as we were packing it in, we heard one in the field.  By this time most everyone was gone so we ran back into the field.  We saw it running up the hedgerow and Greg got inside.  I went to the end near the road and we managed to get it to flush.  I shot and it went down.  I went in to retrieve it and it decided to take off again, right to me and over the road.  Greg shot once but, although we could have taken another, it was over the road and didn't want to risk it.

Then I headed up to the club.  I went to stand 13 and sat wondering how badly I smelled from sweating during bird hunting.  I did see some does way out across the field.  Two of them looked like they actually got spooked by me.  They were about 150 yards away.  Then another walked from the top and by the time it got about 125 yards looked like it also got spooked.  I think that's the way the wind was blowing so I guess maybe I did smell.  At 4:00, I happen to look to my left and where I saw that spike rubbing a tree the other day was a nice 8 pointer!  It all happened pretty fast from here.  I put up the crossbow and looked through the sight but the weeds were pretty high.  The buck stepped into the road and walked towards the field.  When it was in front of me, at 25 yards, I made a noise and he stopped.  Just long enough for me to squeeze the trigger and let the bolt fly.  He ran off and i couldn't wait so I got down and found blood and my arrow soaked in blood.  I shook as I texted Danny to let him know.  Not a giant, but my biggest to date!

What a monster!

I left early from work to get some time in the woods.  After last time I couldn't wait to get back in the stand.  I got into stand 13 fairly early, by about 1:30.  It was warmer than I thought it would be and a lot windier than I thought but it was beautiful.  At around 2:30-3:00 I saw some movement on the path near the pit.  Thinking that it was going to circle around I got myself set.  Apparently it was coming from below me to go up the hill because a MONSTER 6 walked out about 100 yards up the field.  He had beautiful white antlers that just shined as he walked across the field.  He went to the upper corner and paced around up there for a bit.  I did see him chasing a doe while he was up there.  He soon disappeared in to some brush.  A few minutes later I saw another buck, smaller but still nice, following the big guy's footsteps.  A little while later the big guy emerged once again and walked across the field coming closer to me.  He disappeared in the big brush and I was hoping he would pop out closer to me.  He didn't and in the meantime, I had a spike walk out from behind me and stop to rub on a tree only 25 yards away.  He crossed in front of me and walked out into the field.  I was just about to get down because it was dark when I saw a doe walking towards me.  I stayed in the tree a bit longer and let her pass to within 15 yards of me.  I didn't want to shoot because it was getting late and I didn't want to "mess up" the area for those bucks!  I'll be back!!