View from my chair.view from my chair.View from my chair.
11/26/20 6th day of Wisconsin 2020 Gun Deer Season
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families!
Different kind of thanksgiving here this year, as I am sure was all around the world
Due to the lack of people getting together for thanksgiving most of the hunting party was less busy,
As we don’t normally do much hunting on Thanksgiving.
I had ordered premade food from a local meat market, so I didn’t have to make a thing
just heat and go for supper
We usually don’t get together for thanksgiving as we traditionally do an evening hunt
Marcus shot a nice buck a few years ago on thanksgiving.
The hunting party did a drive through the pines over on the farm.
I was part of this drive and was posted on a hill across the road as this is a route the deer
Have fled to over the years.
That is exactly what happened this time as well
I could see them racing through a small woods, cross the highway and head straight for me
This is the part of the drives that don’t excite me very much, the hunting party is much more experienced and have been hunting longer than I.
They were running fast, technically I couldn’t make out what they were. Somene radio’d they were fawns.
I don’t make it a habit to shoot at random things.
I most certainly don’t shoot at running things, I am way to inexperienced shooting at running targets.
Much less the idea of injuring a deer and not finding it doesn’t fare well on my do to list.
Plus, there is a good chance I miss and the thought of a happily flying bullets to freedom is kind of scary and something I don’t want to be a part of.
I had 3 fawns or youngsters run right up by me.
They were so close that they were almost going to run me over.
I had to wave my arms and talk in order to deter them from running me over.
The guys did another drive and I went out for a solo sit.
I sat on Degners, which is basically a big plowed up field right now, the field butts up
to tall grass and willows with cattails all around.
I know there have been deer in this area for years, I have seen them in person and on camera
This was not a traditional hunt, as I have never sat in this spot during gun season.
I have a few sits in this area during bow season over the years.
I thought it might be a promising sit, as I had seen tracks in the fresh mud as I was walking in.
I nestled into some tall grass with my back up against a tree.
I don’t have much shooting here, to my back left beyond the field is a road, my straight left is a house, and to my front left is a tree line and field and factories/building beyond that.
But good shooting to my front and my right if they come out of the woods.
The only excitement I saw were the geese flying off of the sewer pond and want to land in the field right in front of me.
I saw nothing this night as well!
Happy Thanksgiving again!
*Sometimes in the business and chaos of this life, I often don’t concentrate on my blessing enough!*
11/23/20 3rd day of Wisconsin 2020 Gun Deer Season
My sit tonight was short. I had to work until 3 pm, but I am pretty sure I was out the door by 3:02 pm I chose my traditional route due to time constraints and went to sit in my elevated enclosed blind. I shall call her Betty from now on. Why, like Betty Crocker, my blind is home made with love.
I got all bundled up as I knew once the sun went down it would get cool. Oh, but I love the sunshine it makes me feel alive.
My 1 hour and 43 minute sit went fast and there was very little movement. I really found it eerily quite so I focused on the silence.
It was quite enough to hear movement, but this time of year the ground is damp and soft, which deters noise when walked on.
I didn’t hear many shots ringing through the air tonight
About 435 I spot 2 doe far off in the big food plot. I watch then through the binoculars for a while, next thing I know I have 5 doe/fawns frolicking through the field. They are being silly, jumping around and playing with each other. It is about 440 already and before I know it, they pranced away.
It is now time to end my sit as another hunting day come to an end.
Only 7 more hunting days to go! The weather isn’t looking the greatest! I have to work 2 more days.
Shoot straight y’all!
Sierra’s 1st deer/buck!Me in the blind, photo courtesy of Marcus!View from the blind!Views from the blind!Deer view from the blind!Its me again!View from the blind!Sunrise and frost filled earth
11/21/20 Opening day of Wisconsin Gun Deer Season!
Well the dreaded get up early of opening day, which I manage to not get up one early morning during bow season.
And of course I wasn’t able to fall asleep last night
So, I was running on 4 hrs. of sleep
Marcus may have gotten a tad bit more sleep than me but not much
You do know that there are very special deer opening day of gun season right
More special than deer any other day??? 😊
The walk in was fine, with the usually rushed feeling making sure to get to the blind before it gets light
We had plenty of time to spare, but you don’t know that when you’re walking in, no matter how much time you leave yourself
We got in and settled to hear gun shots in the distance many minutes before opening
I anxiously waited that opening minute, gun in hand ready to see the “BIG GUY”
step from the cover, well shoot he never did, as he usually doesn’t, no matter how much you play the scene over in your head.
I didn’t hold out much hope as the deer movement the last week or so had drastically decreased.
We always play this game when a close gunshot goes off, what neighbor shot it and what bucks was it.
I had to laugh occasionally at the amount of gun shots heard around us
I even joked at some point and asked are there any deer even alive anymore?
I tried to soak in the beauty around me
As the white frost had clung to every inch of the earth
The crystals sparkle so pretty
And with this white pretty frost came complete silence.
I caught myself a few times with a smile on my face recognizing how beautiful this morning was
I found the fog from the ground jumping high into the air very magical and found it fitting for the 1st day of gun season
I was warm enough but usually I always am, I pretty much always over dress
Marcus on the other hand thought it would be cool to just wear a t-shirt under his big orange hunting jacket
Yup caught him a few times shivering
A little doe had come out to the food plot to eat
She strategically hid behind the bush so I couldn’t see her all the time
The birds happen to be busy as the sun start to shine through the clouds
We decided last minute to sit all day
I have not ever done a sit all day
It wasn’t as bad as I thought
Glad I had some water and snacks to hold us over and the company of my man
I choose this man to sit in silence with 10 plus hours in a day, any and every day
It was a long afternoon
As there was little to no movement
Marcus has no problem falling asleep anywhere, any time and got a few cat naps in
I am sure my head hit the floor a few times as well
Around 330 we had some action with a little fella coming into the small food plot
He was such a little buck but so proud
When I look at these little bucks…I think of all the life they have to live and all the fun they have yet to have chasing girls.
He didn’t want anything to do with us, as if he were on a mission
A short while later a 4 pointer came into the food plot
This time this one came within 20 yards, and actually worked the scrape stick we have set up near by
I love watching deer so close in their natural habitat
It was so cool to see him working the branch
He never did spook and just got bored
About 15 minutes later a doe, 2 fawns and a small buck
Are nearby, pretty sure one was a hot doe
I figured they knew something was up when they looked over in our direction,
And did a quick slide under the radar move
You know how them old doe’s are so smart
About 5 to 10 minutes from close we hear close by gun shots
Well one of the girls in our hunting party, Sierra had taken a shot or 2
A small buck, there was potential that this buck might double back and come our way
Well just about a minute before close I have a deer to my left and in front of me, it ducks for cover into the bushes
I could not make out what gender, and it was moving slow but didn’t look injured.
Well its closing and we head back to the Mud Duck
The party had found blood
So, Sierra did get a shot to stick, I am happy for her and say a little prayer that they find her deer
Not knowing if the deer I had seen was the deer they were looking for
I told them where I had seen the deer last go in and to my surprise, what do ya know there he was
They walked right where I told them I had seen the deer and there it was
Glad I was able to help them find it
It was Sierra’s 1st deer/buck and I was happy for her
It was a good 1st day
Weather was nice, sun was out
I had 2 opportunities within shooting range to harvest a small buck.
But we all have the gut feeling, that ah ha moment, that moment in time where we say he’s mine
When I see this deer, I will to take my shot.
In the memory books it shall go as my 1st time sitting all day.
Only 8 more days to go, as I try to remind myself that this 9 day gun season goes pretty fast, so live in the moment.
I had flexed time during the week to get done early from work to get a jump start on my Friday night hunt.
I have not missed a Friday night in 7 weeks.
I had thought to go out Saturday morning to my Radix Blind, so I didn’t want to over hunt that area tonight, so I thought we should go back to where Marcus had hunted the night before.
I had hoped that the buck Marcus had seen the night before might make a special appearance.
We got a later start than I would have liked.
This was the 1st night that Marcus and I would hunt together this bow season.
We Mud Ducked(4 wheeler) down the road and up to the hill.
Oh, the walk….I repeat that again…….. oh, the walk
Thru that long long green hay field.
I am not a fan of long walks to a blind. Or long walks in general.
I always seem to become a sweaty hot mess by the time I get to the area I want to sit.
Plus, to top it off I am carrying my crossbow on my back and a heavy hunting chair all the way across the field.
Marcus had to carry his hunting chair and the Ghost Blind.
By the time I got to our location my back was on fire from pain, but I consider myself a STRONG WOMAN.
Anyways, we both get settled in, I sat behind the Ghost Blind and Marcus nestled in way behind me in the bush.
Marcus choose to not hunt tonight, and just hang out with me; we do that sometimes. Or rather he does that sometimes as he works very hard to set me up for success.
He was going to do a little calling for me here and there.
I am hunting in the Ghost Blind and I am still trying to adapt to the blind, trying to learn the techniques of hunting behind it. I have only used it 4 times so far.
There were a few blind spots I was not too happy about.
But you know how that goes once your set up, your set up.
I would have to adapt.
I will save the Ghost Blind story for another post
At 431 pm there was a doe up on the hill in the bean field
I figured she had come from the top of the hill, where Sam, Marcus’s cousin was sitting in the woods
In a tree stand up in the valley hundreds of yards away.
I figured he kicked her up.
For the next hour it was quiet.
In the distance the combine was cutting beans towards our house
There was little to no wind, so still. The weather was enjoyable.
The corn stalks did not move and I could hear the wings from the birds over head
As they flew into the bush all around us.
A blue jay here and a cardinal there.
A few morning doves flew up from the corn field in front of me
I though that might be a sign of movement in the corn field, nothing though
It had to be about 5:30 pm and Marcus had said my name from behind me
I looked back at him to see what he wanted; his eyes pointed to me in the direction of the corn field.
I can read them there eyes to mean deer over there.
The blind is blocking my front view (still trying to adapt to the blind)to the corn field so I had no clue what he was seeing
However, as I looked to my right thru the shooting hole in the blind there is a BUCK, a nice buck about 20 yards out
It was a nice rack to my standards and so I pondered the theory could this be MY RIGHT PLACE RIGHT TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Closest buck I have had in the last 8 weeks
In all the years of hunting this was the 1st time I had consciously made the decision
That I was going to shoot this buck, LORD willing!
I have passed Bucks up before; you know how that goes
It wasn’t the right BUCK for me.
So, this here buck is to my right. 20 yards out.
I had actually used the range finder on this exact old wooden post in the ground earlier.
All I can see out of the shooting hole was a head, ears, and antlers
I knew I had to be stealthy to get my bow up and in position without him seeing me.
He never did turn his back at me.
I always thought if I had to raise my bow to a deer that I would see him coming and long have my bow ready to go. I could prepare, plan it out ahead of time.
Guess it doesn’t always go the way it plays out in my head a dozen times.
I could not see his body at this time, I am pretty sure he wasn’t concerned about me and more about the beautiful hot doe he was following around. Hmmm wonder where she went.
I thought the buck was gonna go straight to my right up the hill and outta sight. At this point Marcus doesn’t not know why I am raising my bow for, he figures maybe I will shoot the doe or maybe he thought there was a buck with that doe, come to find out that he had no idea a buck had walked out from the corn
All he saw was a doe that stepped out of the corn, looked in our direction and turned right back around. He had no clue that I never seen the doe he had saw.
Well that Buck did a 180 and walked right to the front of my blind.
The way this played out in the next minute was crazy, I got this buck right in front of my blind, 10 yards
And I can’t see him, blocked by the blind. I mean the blind did its job, perhaps poor placement on my part.
At this point Marcus gives out MEHHHH, mind you I cannot see the buck in front of me.
I am unable to get him in the opening in front of me
So, all I had was “HOPE”, hope he took 3 steps further to the opening I had my bow pointed out
Then it happened, he took those 3 steps, he should have been long gone, but he took those 3 steps.
I have no idea when I took the safety off, no idea that there was lines in the scope I was suppose to line up, no time to breath, BAM
Made contact, just a hair high would be my guess, he was a lot closer than I thought
But who thinks at this time. Marcus always told me to watch where the deer goes, its important.
I felt confident the arrow went in. No doubt in my mind.
I watched him run down the hay field into the corn, jump up and down the length of the field an as he exited the field I see his one last jump and he was gone, disappeared.
He should have kept running straight ahead up the hill thru the beans to the other side, but I never saw him again.
I continued to watch for movement but none, I was excited.
I felt as though MY BUCK had taken his last breath in that vey place. I am a good Christian girl and prayed for a quick and painless death and a joyous transition the to BUCK HEAVEN!
I started packing up, but Marcus told me just to chill, that I had to give him time……I ain’t got no time…..I just shot a buck.
I packed everything up and Sam stopped his hunt to come down to help.
Marcus began looking for blood as did I, but we didn’t find any! Was there supposed to be blood????
He also looked by the corn field, no blood! Oh great….no blood!
The hay is green and short, now I started to doubt myself. Marcus of course jokes, hope the RAGE opened up, you know you hear those stories. Really guy!
I decided to send the guys on their merry way to search for my buck.
I walked back thru that long long field to get the Mud Duck and pack everything up. Yes, it was a long walk as I prayed we would find my buck.
As I walked back, I walked next to the corn field, just to look for blood. I thought he went in further down the field and he did.
I found blood, lots and lots of blood, sprayed all over the corn stalks.
I tried calling Marcus on my walk back, 3 or 4 times, I figured he had his phone on silent.
He finally picked up and I told him that I had found blood.
What a relief.
He said to bring the Mud Duck and then walk up by them.
They were standing about right where I had last saw “MY GUY”.
Yup that is his name “MY GUY”
So, I figured they were waiting for me to confirm exactly where I had last saw him.
Well, I get there and they tell me that they found blood and the trail that he came out of from the corn field.
Sam said he was going to go look down by the corn for blood
Marcus and I walked the bank trying to look for any signs
I didn’t take but 3 steps and there he was down the slope
At the edge of the corn field, he looked so peaceful.
Here was right where I last saw him
He tried to jump the little hill and ran out of blood.
Them guys…..they had already found him prior to me getting there, but they wanted me to be able to find MY GUY on my own.
He is a beautiful buck. The 1st thing I did was say a prayer and thanked MY GUY for his sacrifice.
I feel very blessed, blessed beyond words. I finally did it. The right place and the right time finally happened. Do you know how hard it has been for me to find the right place and the right time and to not give up HOPE??????
I take no pleasure in the kill itself.
I am extremely thankful to be given the experience and be able to provide food for my family.
I pay no attention to the stats; all I know is he had 9 points, a 13 inch spread and weighed roughly 135.
He has a sparkling light coat, a nice white patch, and cute little white patches on his feet.
4 years bow hunting and this is my 1st harvest. I hit it hard this year because I had switched jobs and didn’t have the time off like I am used too.
This was my 8th day in a row sitting out.
My heart is happy and my soul content.
When I hunt I take pleasure in being out in nature spending time with GOD and his beautiful creatures.
Its nice to get the monkey off my back so to speak and to put some food in the freezer.
Getting to experience this hunt with my love, Marcus by my side means the world to me as he has been by my side for the last 4 years cheering me on, keeping up my hope, providing his expertise and working the calls.
Thank you Sam and Marcus for getting him home for me.
I have officially joined the tagged out club and I could not be more proud.
The skies turning dark! These clouds produced strong winds and light rain!
Friday, October 16, 2020
When a woman makes her mind up
Its set
I had planned on hunting after work
Luckily for me COVID had allowed me to work from home
Plus, it sure does help that our hunting land is right out the back door
Got a late start but was eager to go
Of course, the cat ran out in the garage and out the door to freedom as I was getting ready
One of the big bucks I am after was down below the house gain last night again.
So, I kept a positive thought that tonight was going to be a good good night
Pulled the Mud Duck out of the garage along with the retractable electric cord
Good thing the cord decided it wanted to be retracted
Oh, that is how this night is gonna start off?
Decided to walk in the back way again
Which entails driving the Mud Duck through an intrakit weave of fields
To get to where I am going
The walk in wasn’t any easier than the last time
Plus, I was in a hurry
This time trying to remind myself where the holes and divits are
I mean what’s the point of being in a hurry if I am going to fall on my ass
Well probably on my face more like it
As I walked in, I snacked on one of the 100 calorie walnut/almond packs
I normally get hungry at this time, as it is right around when we would eat
But no, I got to go hunting
So, I have to wait until after 7 pm until I eat supper
Ahhh my pretty enclosed blind, you look so nice
Since the last time I seen you
I am proud of my blind, I have not given her a name yet
And I will, but I have always wanted a blind like this and will appreciate the blessing of having one
The weather looked nice on my drive out
The sun was out with a slight wind
But my dad had to jinx it earlier
And say something to the effect that hopes I got some hunting in before the extreme wind and rain.
Whatcha talking about dad, looks nice
At 447 pm 10 minutes after I get in the blind
There are 2 deer in the big food plot to my left
I kept this window zippered up a little as I feel it helps the deer
As I think it provides them security as they eat
Plus, I have been told I move around a lot
Whatcha talking about????
Yes, I am not quite sure how I will handle the situation when there is a buck there and I am not ready
Game time decision I guess
Is its meant to be its meant to be
40 minutes later around 528 pm I now have total of 7 deer in the food plot
Just does and several fawn, maybe one or two teens as well
Well the doom and gloom arrived
The sky turned grey and then dark
The wind picked up to almost Gail force winds
A few times I actually grabbed on to the blind
Preparing to be blown over
Oh, lookey there a tree had fallen in the woods
The deer didn’t seem to be awfully concerned
As they remained in the field
It sprinkled, rained, stopped, rained again,
Stopped, some more heavy rain and then stopped
I stuck it out
The whole time worrying about taking a shoot and losing the blood trail due to wet ground or rain
The wind/rain kept my mind busy so it wasn’t as peaceful of a sit as usual
I decided to sit out the rest of the hunt
The wind calmed down a bit the last 30 minutes or so
I tried to picture in my mind a big buck stepping out from the willows or walking straight at me down the path.
But it didn’t happened, however I sure do want to be ready when it does
Well, its closing time.
As I stepped out from the blind there were still deer to the left of me in the big food plot
One was fairly large bodied.
It was to dark to make anything out
I was a tad bit concerned walking back to the Mud Duck
Earlier in the week we had a Germain shepherd running deer below the house in the
Middle of the night.
I thought he was located by his owners as Facebook had reported
But as I was leaving the house Marcus was on the phone with someone who had seen
A Germain Shepard spotted down the road from us.
My intention was to make sure a knife accessible
You know one of those things you keep saying in your mind as your packing up to leave
Knife, remember the knife, knife, get the knife, remember the knife
And then I walked away and forgot it THE KNIFE.
So, I armed myself with the crossbow bolt( its an arrow with a special end that I use to dry release by bow)
Not sure what that would have done
But I was going to give it my best shot if I ran into that loose Germain Shepard
The closer I got back to the Mud Duck I noticed this white stuff in the air
Yup them would be snowflakes, the 1st of the year
It snow flaked on my ride back home
Brats, potato salad, and chips for supper
Sure, was yummy
Another successful hunt
I saw deer, got some peace and quiet, cleared my mind, enjoyed the simpler things in life, bonded with mother earth and sat in silence and basked in the blessing I have been given in this life, did I mention the deer.
Until next time shoot straight! Its RUTTIN time soon!
This was the little doe that walked within 10 feet of me!This is the buck I saw a minute before he stepped out into the field where I saw him. Picture off the Cuddelink, but boy that’s blurry!Much better picture! Pretty sure this is the buck I seen last night coming back where he came from.
Friday October 3, 2020
The weather is getting cooler, so I wanted to hunt tonight
Plus, I had some bucks below the house the night before.
So, it was my hope one of these big guys would have bedded
down below the house and would pay me a visit tonight.
Mud Duck is in for an oil change and maintenance.
So, I had to take princess (Dodge truck) down to the hunting spot.
It was a nice walk in
A little longer than normal because I had to park further away.
The water is down as there is no flooding only one little puddle
I kick up one deer as I am walking in, a doe
She is in the large food plot
My new stand is looking beautiful than ever.
Once I was settled in
I couldn’t help but notice the large amount of bird movement.
All I could see were yellows and blues
There were so many birds I was having a hard time watching them all.
Several of what I think were yellow rumped warblers
And……blue birds. Lots of blue birds.
And then just like that they were gone.
Maybe migrating through maybe not, I have no idea
Another doe out in the big food plot
To far away to shoot
About 15 minutes later a small doe comes out from behind me and to the right of me
I happened to be looking through the binoculars into the woods to the right of me
And the doe walks into my line of sight in the binoculars
She came out from the willows from behind me
She cautiously walked thru the small food plot
And then pranced within 10 feet of my blind
My long bow shooting window is open and she walks past that
Then she was out of site
I knew she had went into the woods
As she made the decision in her small tiny brain that it was safer to walk thru the
Woods to the big food plot
Than to walk down the path in front of me
Smart girl
For the next hour to the left of me 5 or 6 doe and fawn eat in the big food plot
They continue to eat in the field for the next 53 minutes, until closing time.
The last 5 minutes of my hunt, there is this doe in the big food plot and she is very curious
Always trying to look in in my direction.
I believe she want to come down the path in front of me to the small food plot.
She would creep closer and closer
And we would just sit and look at each other.
But the exciting news of the night was…….
I saw a buck
Roughly 630 he peeked his head out from the hidden path
I thought I had seen movement through the woods in the direction of the hidden path a while earlier.
Plus, we have a Cuddelink camera on this hidden path, as I was hoping to get him on camera.
Well we did it turned out to be blurry, go figures
Anyways he peeked his head out, he had a tall rack but it looked small
Not small small, but medium small.
I at the 1st sight made the decision he was not the guys I wanted to shoot
If he got within range.
And of course, he never did
He was probably 55 plus yards away(not very good at measurement)
He looked in my direction several time but wasn’t interested
He had other plans
He walked straight out from the path into the grassy area behind me
By the time I was able to get the binoculars on him, he was almost out of site
But then as I put the binos on him, he looked pretty enticing.
I was hoping for the next 23 minutes he might come back my way
Or circle around behind me in the willows
And come out on the other side of me to the big food plots but he didn’t
But I was already
The group of does and fawns munched the whole time in the big food plot
And the one curious little doe just would not give it up,
it’s well past closing she is 40 feet maybe form me
and she just stares in my direction
I slowly try to close the window as to not try to scare her
But she still does not leave
Even with me zippering the window closed.
She is finally gone
Packed up and ready to go
It was quite dark already
And I could not see around me
The last few time I have hunted it was light enough to make out shadows
Not this walk out.
As I made my way around the last curve to my truck
There must have been a doe and fawn on the path
Who must not have seen me until last second
As they ran quite quick
It sounds like the doe ran into the cattails right next to be
Really made my heartbeat and I could hear little movement to my left in front of me
My guess the fawn
As I continue to walk the fawn must have just been in the woods to the left of me
As I walked past I could hear it rumbling.
The boys made salmon, rice , and zucchini for supper
I realize I am a lucky girl
As I reflect back on the night
I have come to the realization that the stars must really have to align
In order for me to shoot a buck and I have seen bucks over the last 5 years.
Some shootable some not to my standards of course
Some close and some not,
But But But………
It must be a momentous minute when that right buck for me comes with in shooting distance,
