Turkey Time

I went to the club on Saturday to set up my blind.  I was filled with anticipation of Monday's opening day.  The weather had been really chilly so I wasn't sure how that would effect the birds, however.  When I got to the club it was quite chilly and I went to the blind and sat calling until about 8.  I decided to get up and stretch my legs a bit and I walked around to different spots on the property.  By the later morning it had started to warm up nicely but I still didn't hear any birds.  I spooked two deer that were crossing the big field.  I saw a bear track on the road near the new pit and had a pheasant that came to visit me in the blind.  I actually heard him calling all day.

I made it back to the club on Thursday.  It was chilly again in the morning, but didn't seem to warm up quite as much as it did on Monday.  Again, I sat in the blind until about 8 and then went to other spots before returning to the blind.  Again I saw nothing, heard nothing.

Friday...more of the same.  I am going to eat tag soup this year.  not sure if it was the weather or the fact that the property was turned into a moon scape.

Last day...

It was the last day of the muzzy season and I decided to sit on the hill overlooking the dip stand.  I had seen the deer a few nights back and thought this would be a good opportunity.  The snow was thick and crunchy...actually kind of hard to walk in.  At about 3pm I heard a bunch of snow mobiles and atvs coming my way.  I got out of my seat and walked to the field.  I met up with one of the snow mobilers and told him that he had to leave, that it was private property.  He told me he used to own it, which is a lie, but I told him that he doesn't any more and that it's my property and that he had to leave.  He did.  I saw nothing after that.

on a hill

Got to the club and decided that if everyone else is going to have luck sitting at 10, so will I!  I was alone and I walked down the farm road to stand 10, or actually just beyond where Tony had been sitting.  When I got there I saw tracks all over the place, many of them coming from the field that 10 was looking over.  I decided that 10 would be the best option.  I didn't have my harness so I walked back to the truck to get it.  When I got back to 10 I started to climb and it just felt too unsteady.  I got back down and then walked up the hill where Tony had been sitting.  I saw three empty shells there so I know it was productive...plus all the tracks, I was convinced that I would get a deer.  No such luck.

Finally saw a deer...

I feel like it's been forever since I've seen a deer.  I went to the club today and it's COLD and snowy!  I think the high, without windchill, was only 13 but I was determined to go.  We were also expecting between 4-6 inches of snow so I had this bright idea.  I'll pull my truck into the old farm road, sit in the back with the window open and if I see a deer, I'll shoot (and stay warm and dry at the same time).  I know it's not exactly legal, but I figured it's like sitting in a really nice ground blind.  I did just that...until about 2:15, then I decided to talk a little walk.  I went over to see what the dip stand looked like.  While I was there I saw an entire flock of turkeys!  There was also a lot of deer tracks in the snow, so as I stood there thinking i saw someone at the gate.  I walked back to my truck and saw that it was Tony.  Well, now I can't sit in my truck-stand!  He was heading towards 10 and asked if I was going to stay where I was because if I wasn't, he would.  I told him that I was just coming back to the truck to get my crate to sit on.  I got it and went back to the edge of the field where I saw the turkeys.

I sat there and it wasn't as cold as I thought I would be.  Maybe because the wind wasn't really blowing, but the snow was certainly falling.  I was sitting on the edge of the field (towards the pit) looking at the corner nearest the horse field.  At around 5 I happen to look to my right and there was a doe, 50 yards away looking right at me.  As soon as I even moved my eyelid, she took off.  Because I didn't see her coming I couldn't prepare.  That was all I saw and walked out where I met up with Tony.  He told me that, although he didn't see anything, he had seen a bunch at that spot and that Greg killed 5 or 6 from that spot.  He seemed very bothered by that and said that he was done with the club after this year...WHAT?!  He said that he's not enjoying it anymore and that as long as Joanne is working at the station we can go through her, if she retires then we can go through whoever is there.  This does not sound good!

Old habits die hard

Went to the club and sat back on the hill at 13.  When I got there I saw Tony's truck and tracks also driving into the old farm road.  I sat at 13 and saw nothing, but Tony walking around near 13.  I had to wave him off.  I think the guy (presumably Frank) that drove to the old farm road, he parked back and went to the dip.  I did hear a shot.

Nothing in the swamp

Left work early to get to the woods.  I went to the club and sat at the swamp.  Saw nothing

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.