First day at the club...

Where: Club, stand 13
When: Sat. Sept 20
Time: 5:45 - 9:00
Weather: foggy and chilly

I met up with Bob, Tony and Brad at the club this morning. I went to stand 13 to sit for the morning post. I didn't see a thing. Tony was across the field at what he calls the "secret stand" and he saw a doe. Bob and Brad didn't see anything. Apparently, on opening week Tony got one, Greg shot and couldn't find and Bob shot and couldn't find...I think Brad has one. I'm going to hopefully go out again on 9-23 and 9-25.

Pin cushion doe

Date: September 16, 2008
Place: MP tennis courts
Time: 3:30 - dark
Weather: overcast, cooler - in the low 70's

I got set up in my stand by 3:30. Almost immediately I saw four deer, I think they were does, about 70 yards away. Apparently another guy has a stand up there but he wasn't there. They picked around near that stand...so I think he has a feeder up there. They never came down to me. At around 6:00, I saw some deer meanerding around near the same stand as the others. They only stayed for a bit and then started working towards me. I had one doe come close and stare at me...she was tucked in some brush so I wasn't able to get a shot and she was with another small deer...not sure if it was a bb because he looked like he tried to mount her. She cautiously walked away and others were starting to surround me. There must have been 8-10 deer. One doe came in close, maybe 10 yards and turned. She was between broadside and quartering towards and I shot. She immediately went down. The shot was high and above the shoulder. Now I started to shake from the nerves/excitment. I took another arrow to put her out and I hit her in the backside, behind the belly but in front of the back legs. Oh my God, now I'm gettin frustrated...I took yet another arrow and nailed her right in the heart...she died immediately. When I went to check her in at Frank's, I saw the most amazing 12-point buck ever. He had double brow tines and a two drop tines.

Opening day, Bow 2008

Place: The Recycling Center
Time: 5:00am - 11:45pm
Weather: It rained the night before and started out cloudy and muggy and foggy. The sun came out and it was soupy.

I got into the tree at around 5am. I did see someone else come in with thier flashlight and I shone mine at them once or twice and I'm assuming they just got up in the tree. At daybreak, I had a hen turkey clucking around me. She started to yelp a few times too. At around 7:00ish I had a spike come up from down below and up towards my tree. He spotted me as I wasn't very high in the tree and walked around me. Shortly afterwards, a 4 pointer came up the same trail. He also saw me after feeding for a bit but wasn't overly concerned. The spike walked away once the 4 got there. After a minute or two the 4 walked away, unspooked. Soon after the 4 left 4 jakes came by. They fed there for a while and then walked away but stayed in the area for the whole morning walking back and forth feeding. A while later they were joined by a long beard and two hens...they all hung out until I had to get down from the stand around 11:30. Then they hurried off, but they didn't freak. I had a band gig so I couldn't go out in the afternoon. I'm hoping to go on Tuesday, Sept 16

Tomorrow is opener!!

Well, it's finally here! BOW SEASON!! I am going to go to the recycling center. I had a little bit of an issue there this week. I went to go check it out and there was a cam and a feeder hung were I was going to hunt. So I left a note on the tree for the guy to call me. Luckily he did and said he wasn't going there on opening morning so I'll be there. There are at least two other guys on this property but I'm going to try it anyway. I also have been looking at the property behind the tennis courts and pool. The area behind the tennis courts looks good, I saw tracks there and deer there after the meeting. I was concerned about hunting too close to houses but Ed Dobbins told me that I'm far enough away and that I could hunt near the pool house if I wanted to as well. So...I'll hopfully be able to write with some good news...I'm also going to try and film my hunt too...that's if the weather breaks...it's raining now.

Getting close!

So here's an update of what's been going on. Last weekend (8/16/08) the bow shoot at Whittingham with Daniella. We met up with Tony, Bob and Brad and Brad had a friend there too. It was a lot of fun and I actually shot really, really well. I'm very happy. I even hit the 45 yarder. Only lost two arrows and learned, dont' shoot on your knees under a log! lol.

Today (8/22/08) I took a walk in in the recyling area. I wanted to fine tune where I will most likely be on opening morning and I brought my ranger finder too, I wanted to make sure I wasn't too close to the houses. I walked up the path and just about past the power towers I walked in the woods. I happened to see a deer, she was trying not to be seen, but I clocked her at about 75 yards away. I walked up and towards the front. When I got about even with the tower I saw a good spot. I saw some droppings there and there was obviouly a walk way there as well. So, that's probably were I'll be. It's well away from all the houses and I've seen deer there every time.

To the club...

Went to meet Tony on Saturday. Yes, it IS my birthday, but I went to go meet Tony so I could pay him. We looked at a few stands that he had worked on the week prior. After that, Tony left and I went to the big feeder stand to do a little shooting. I actually did horribly!! I was missing everything high and to the right. I'm not sure, but I think that it's my form when shooting from the stand...something just didn't feel right.

Just a mid-summer update

Yeah, I know it's summer time, but that doesn't stop me from thinking about hunting every day! I still go out and shoot my bow almost every day...I try for at least 5 times a week. I'm getting pretty good with it too...I have some off days, but most of the time I'm hitting the zone. I've picked up the application form for the Morris Plains property and am sending it in today. I've spoken to Tony about dues, they are due at the end of this month and will be $250. I told Tony that if he goes to the shoot in August with Greg I would like to go as well and that I'm available before then to hang stands, etc. I guess that's it for an update...i'll hopefully have more to add before the season starts.