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3rd sit

 

Saturday, October 9th, 2021

Put screens up. View of the small food plot.

3rd sit of the season……..

I got a late start to my hunt, the day got away from me as I was trying to conquer some projects before day’s end.

I remember I looked at the clock and it said 415 pm.  I checked the closing time for the night and it said 641 pm….oh heck I gotta get going.

Of course, it’s youth hunt in our area, so I had to make sure I had some blaze orange on….so I had to go rummaging through hunting gear to find something. Time is ticking away!

Gotta love those moments flying around the house trying as fast as ever to get ready and sure as heck not forgetting anything…..like arrows.

I was a tad concerned about the weather as it had hit the high 70’s throughout the day.  I figured it would be a warm sit so, I only wore a t-shirt, certainly not thinking about mosquitoes or getting colder out.  I normally wouldn’t wear a t-shirt, but that was the only blaze orange I could find in a hurry.

I walked in from the back of the property to my blind, normally we have an ATV trail carved out that I would use to walk in, but we haven’t been back in the area with the ATV yet, due to having corn on both sides of the pathway.  So, I had to follow the cow path the deer have made and it was quite an impressive trail.

As I am walking in I immediately question my wardrobe choice, as I now have bare skins showing and a few skeeters chomping at the bit.  And….of course no thermal cell tonight! The walk-in is peaceful and tiring walking through such tall grass.

Once I get to the blind and settled in, I play around with my set-up adjusting windows.  I have only had this enclosed blind for a year.  I have not shot anything out of it.  So, the windows are a work in progress for me.  I am about 5 feet off the ground, so I worry about exposure.

I sat in this blind tonight due to the direction of the wind, I tried to avoid having any scent blowing into the big food plot.

About 5:36 pm I had a Momma and baby in the bean field about 125 yards from my blind. They hung out for a while and meandered on.

I was concerned about heat, but it was not warm and it was quite windy, windier than I expected or like for hunting.  At one point I got a little chilly as the sun went down.

I loved the wind tonight…….as I sat enjoying the peace I thought about bottling the wind for another day, as I was enjoying it way too much. The cool breeze on my face and hair.  I even caught myself a few times closing my eyes and embracing the feeling.

The large food plot! Look at how beautiful that field is.

I hear a lonely goose above, he is honking away as he flies through the sky all alone, I wonder why it is alone and what he is honking about????   Yes, strange things I ponder in my peace.

At approx. 6:32 pm, I lean forward to look around as it is getting close to quitting time and I spy out of the corner of my eye deer, I think 2 doe, they are far back to my right, like I said I had to lean forward and look almost directly back to see them.  I just moved back to my position and let what be….be what it was going to be, never did see those deer again.

 

Well…my hunt is over, the wind had calmed down.  Decide to check 2 trail cameras on the way out.

Of course, only fitting for my life, the SD card I put into the camera, yeah you know how they are spring-loaded, well it jumped out right into the tall grass.  So, imagine this, it’s dark, I have my crossbow backpack on and I am down on all fours rummaging through the grass looking for an SD card.  Very thankful it took me less than 5 minutes to find, with minimal bites and obscenities.

The walkout was brutal and exhausting.  At least I had chicken wings waitin’ for me at home.

 

 

 

New location for the locking branch!

 

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Opening Day of Archery Season 2021!

 

Oh, opening morning I have longed for your start.   My favorite time of year!

I am not really a morning hunter.  Some say there are special deer in the morning…..I don’t even much care if there are special deer at 6 in the morning, I just don’t like to get up so early.  Ahh, some girls do some girls don’t!

I went opening morning because I could because if  I couldn’t(like I had to work) I would have wanted to be out there and couldn’t.  So I got up and went out to prove to the lesser of two evils.

So….I sucked it up.  Marcus had to work so, I got up with him at 5 am and he saw me off, with good wishes, a kiss and friendly shot straight.

I had all my stuff packed and ready to go the night before, so all I got to do is dress my tired self, in the morning.

It was a cool morning and the grass was wet.  I walked in from the front of the property to my stand.  This is something I don’t normally do, but I am a tad bit unprepared this opening day, and I am unsure of my route from the back end of the property, as I wasn’t even sure I was going out this morning.  Preparation is everything, but winging works too.

I park the UTV at the front-drive. Rocks/stones have been placed on the drive-in to deter the flooding and make the back fields accessible to vehicles and farm equipment.  I find I don’t like this new stone as it is loud to walk on in the dark as I am trying to be quiet as hell.  I try to find some grass on the side of the drive but have little luck.

My dad always said you are in their house!  If you were at home and heard footsteps in your house, what would you do!  So, I try to remind myself of this when I walk into the field early morning.  I mean…I know what I would do if I heard footsteps in my house in the dark!

Of course, walking in the front way is avoided in the morning, as I think the line of trees I walk by are bedding areas occasionally, and of course this morning they are….I scare up deer.  They are close as I can feel their presence as they get up and run away. The alert call makes my heart jump and I grabbed at my chest to make sure my heart is still there.  Thanks for the heart check!

All, I think as I keep walking is, blew any chance of seeing any more deer the rest of the morning!  Go figure!  Par for the course I guess!

I am questioning myself why my boots are getting wet and slowly my socks and feet, the grass is soaked from the cool night and I ponder getting new boots, but I love the ones I have.

As I round the corner to my blind, I see a shadow in front of me and can feel the ground speak so to say as a big deer run away into the darkness.  Lord, I am sucking at this scaring deer thing this morning.  Yes, it is still dark out!

I get into the blind and settle in.  So, quiet.  The sun is coming up and I am enjoying my view as the fog lifts from the cattails into the heavens.  It been a long time.  There is something quite special about spending those 1st minutes of light with mother nature.

Around 630am  I have at least 3 deer to my right,  I can barely see them, they are left behind my line of sight, past the open window, so I have to lean forward in order to see them.  So, I just decide to mind my business and let them be, they left.

I hear many rustles around me, the woods are alive this morning. The birds are active and fill the air with movement and color.

At some point in the morning, I  had a little bird fly up from under my blind and into the blind as if he has done this before a million times.  A small wren if I had to guess.  He sat and looked at me for a few minutes, I bet wondering what the heck I was doing there. He then flew up to the window and visited for a little while more and flew away.  I am pretty sure this bird had built a nest in the blind, as the last time the guys took supplies to the blind, they said they pulled out a nest of some type.  As the morning got lighter, I did notice his little marking here and there around the blind. Sorry, little birdy!

At 808 am I had a small doe walk the tree line to the right of my blind, way past the food plot. Way out of bow range for me. I watched as she cut through the woods.  I know what she is up to, she is trying to avoid me and walk through the woods to get to the other side of me. Mama taught her well.

Yes, a short time later there she was on my left side, in the big food plot to my left, munching on some beans. She stayed for some time before wandering off. The morning is lingering on and I have the feels I will not see much for activity the rest of the morning.

I had a wasp visit inside the blind, he was trying to be shady, it snuck in quickly and climbed under the window to stay warm, had I not seen it go there I would have grabbed the window shade when I packed up to leave to close the window. I for sure would have gotten stung as he didn’t move from where he first went in and I would have grabbed him, I hate wasps,  I had a bad encounter with one last year.

The rest of the morning was pleasantly quiet, I tried to soak up the beauty and quiet all around me as it has been way too long since I have spent some time with my best friend, the outdoors!

Life has been chaotic and stressful lately……I will be back….I very much look forward to my next hunt!

 

 

Early morning fog lifting from the cattails.
Sunrise….fog rise!
More morning beauty!
Posted on

Puddles and New Deer! A content hunt!

9th Sit

Friday October 24, 2020

It had rained and misted a majority of the day

Not a peek of sunshine from the heavens

Ohhhh and the wind raced freely thru space every which way

Plus, it was a tad bit cold

Fridays are always a long day at work

Even when you work from home

The taste of 2 days off and the thought of fresh air and hunting do a good job teasing the mind.

Its 4:15, just logged off the ole work computer and I am flying around the house trying to get ready

Well most things are already ready.

As the days get closer to the time change the less time I have in the stand

Here we go!

I parked the Mud Duck further back this time

So, I had a longer walk

I had worn my rubber boots for the walk in

I figured with all the rain we had, I would run into muddy travels

Well I ran into so much more

Puddles, lots and lots of water

In the lower land area

Sometimes way above the ankle of my boots in several areas

Now I am glad I wore the rubber boots

Thinking to myself, Dang girl you got some smarts

I wasn’t expecting the amount of water I saw

This water was not from flooding from the river

As it does a few times a year

The water was a bit disheartening

But it’s the nature of the beast.

My blind had water on the floor

I often wonder where it comes from as it is

But it sure did wind and rain the other night

An enclosed insulated blind

But where there is a will there is away

It was a windy, wet overcast afternoon

And I feel the evening would not produce much activity

About 5:00 Mr. Raccoon

Came out from the tree area and wander off thru the field right in front of me

At 5:02, 3 deer are to the left of me, Mom and 3 fawns

Eating in the big food plot

At 5:13, a doe walked out to my left out into the big food plot

This is a popular food plot since I started hunting

Anyways, the doe coming from this area had me thinking

Where that doe came from is a flooded ditch, so I wondered how it got there

Jump the ditch  suppose. 

Anyways it was neat to watch this doe come into the food plot and how the mother and fawns

Interacted with her

They sure did keep their distance from one another, but I wondered why they couldn’t be friends

But I suppose a mother needs to protect her young

A short time later

I see another doe enter the field from my far far left

It certainly was small and all alone

These deer munched on food in the plot for the next 15 minutes or so

By this time, I am distracted by the sound of four wheelers on the road

Probably the neighbors

But they had successfully managed to disturb the deer and they disappeared

I had hoped the four wheelers would not make their way back by me

Well they better not and should now better

But the sure did screw around and disturb my sound of silence for the next 5 minutes or so

I mean going down the road and back is one thing

But I felt it was so much more

And I can respect that boy need play

I could feel my blood pressure raise

I figured I didn’t have a chance to see much the rest of the night

As I sat enjoying the peacefulness

I notice how unusually quite it is

I also notice this on my walk in

I contribute the silence to the wet ground

Everything was soaked and nothing was made a sound

No rustling of the leaves and grass

Just complete quiet

I found this silence quite eerily, but almost soothing to my soul

Around 6 the big grand owl behind me on the  tree line

Gave a few hoots as the light eases into darkness

About 6:10 the deer are back in the food plot to my left

I only see 4, but who knows how many there are

As I cannot not see the entire curve of the field

As I watch the darkness grab the light by the hand

I watch as the deer in the food plot stand at attention

They are looking straight ahead of themselves

Well out comes a deer from the left behind me, in front of them

Again, I wonder where they come from, as they have to cross the water/ditch in order to get to the food plot

The ditch is overflowing from all this rain

It is now well past closing time

I quietly zipper up the window facing the deer and slowly pack up

Trying my hardest to not make much noise

As I am sure any minute I will spoke them

I unzip the door and peak my head out, hoping they had departed the food plot

Nope they did not

I released the cross bow

Below my blind

This time thinking

They would hear this and leave

Nope they are still there

I now see 2 large deer figures walk out to the tall grass

From that ditch area

I was not able to see any horn

I did manage to get a glimpse in the binocs

By the time I was all packed up and ready to step out of the blind

The field was full of deer

I am talking 10 plus deer

I could make out some pretty big bodies

The field was littered with bodies.

I tried to be as quiet as possible

Zippering up the door and climbing down the ladder

But they paid me no attention

As they all remained in the field eating.  I was able to walk away from my blind

And they didn’t know, no different.

I was pretty impressed I managed to be so quiet as to not scare then off

The walk out was dark

Which made the walk rough

As I had to walk through the water again, this time there appeared to be more

Mud than my way in

Or perhaps I just found the muddy areas this time

I was smart this time driving out

I put the Mud Duck in four wheel drive before I left

As the last 2 times I got stuck and had to back up and put her in 4 wheel drive and then go

Darn I am smart didn’t get stuck this time

The buck movement so far on camera has been minimal, but a good night hunting

Is not measured by the antlers I see

I got to see lots of deer tonight and I was fascinated by their behavior as they mingled with other deer.

They temp are dipping tonight

Once I got back home, I was getting out of my hunting gear and

I thought I would have to wear my

One rubber boot in the house

As I could not get it off,

I have a bad foot/ankle and could not find the strength to pry it off my foot

Nothing a few choice words didn’t cure

Fish, potatoes and zucchini for supper

The story of my night shared with the guys(you too Dad)

Dad, you will find the humorous in this……..

20 minutes after I left the blind

I had a buck on camera

A nice one, I think the one I had seen a few hunts back

Definitely a shooter

In the very food plot that all those deer where in when it was closing time

I wonder now as I look at that big rack

Was he out there, when I was there?

The heart feels a little heavy(you know that feeling)

Seeing him on camera, so close yet so far way

Until next time…shoot straight…its almost ruttin time!

Posted on

The Basic 8th sit!

Saturday October 18, 2020

It had been a windy day all day

Not just your typical wind , but like windy windy

If you know what I mean

I had not really thought about going out tonight

So, it wasn’t a thought much of the day

As it was pretty windy last night

I wasn’t thrilled to sit out in the wind tonight

Marcus came home from work and asked if I was hunting

I said probably not

He spoke those encouraging words like, the deer might move in the wind a little more and last night the wind did eventually die down, might not be  a bad night

Okay fine, you don’t really have to twist my arm

Plus, I thought it might give him the chance to get his  schoolwork done

2. 5 hours without  me distracting him, perfect to finish his schoolwork

The wind was good for the farm, my spirit to sit there was not so good

This is really an isolated spot, a hit or miss, and rather little movement per trail camera activity.

But hey you never know

I am not a fan of this walk on the farm, as it is almost 10 minute walk in ankle high grass

That’s fine for most but an out of shape middle aged women it’s a chore

Plus, I have had 2 surgeries on my left food/ankle in the last year

I got all settled in

……….and saw nothing

Nothing for 2.5 hrs.

At times the wind howled so strongly, I thought the blind might tear in half

 I said a little prayer a few times that a tree above me would not fall over on top of me.

The pack up was uneventful.

I didn’t do much thinking this sit

As the wind was blowing, so I tried to drink in as much warm air as I could

I occasionally tired to make out what species of birds that would fly by

I decided to walk back through the cut bean field

Which would cut my path in half, thinking it might be easier

It wasn’t

I had to walk over row after row of cut soybean

So, it was no easier than walking in ankle high grass

I crested a hill in the bean field and 4 rows over I met that white stripe

He did not see or hear me coming

As he just continued to walk towards me

So, I thought to not let our paths cross

 Of course,  I know nothing about skunks except they stink and  they can spray you with the stink

So, I was concerned what way the tail was pointing

Embarrassingly I was yelling and screaming at the skunk

In the middle of the bean field, in the middle of the dark

Can you imagine that sight????

I am driving out of the farm thru the fields, in between fields, and around fields

As I  come out between to corn fields headed up a hill to the farm a small buck runs in front

Of me, flying thru the air

Once he got to the other side he got a little distracted as he had to maneuver thru the rows of round hail bails.

Well that was my excitement for the night

Fresh air is always good for the soul

The men of the house had instant pot mashed potatoes, zucchini casserole, and beef roast ready for supper

Boy was I hungry, as I had not pre planned to hunt, so I didn’t eat lunch.

Well, like I have said before….any day in the woods is a good day

Until next time….shoot straight….it’s almost ruttin time

Posted on

Gloomy 7th Sit

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!

Posted on

Surprising 6th Sit!

The left bow blind window I opened for the 1st time.
Several of the deer I saw
You cant see them all but they are there.

Saturday October 11, 2020

I didn’t hunt my usual Friday night

We had an appointment in the afternoon

And I did not think I would make it back in time

Well we were back in time but it was windy

I am not a fan of bow hunting in very strong winds

Saturday was sunny for the most part and a little breezy

I had made the decisions early on to go hunting and once I had that in my head

There is no changing that

I was a tad bit worried this would be an uneventful hunt

As the guys had been down on the land mid afternoon

Working on a stand

So, I figure if there was any deer they be gone by know

However, the wind was not right to sit anywhere else

So, I choose to sit in my enclosed blind.

We had gotten the Mud Duck back from the oil change

 I was able to take her to the hunting grounds

I took the back way into my stand

I had to drive through the neighbors back yard

Follow the cornfield around to the bean field

Then thru this small area in a tree line to follow a grassy path around several bean fields

To where I parked the Mud Duck called the cherry trees

I had the thermal cell all fired up already anticipating lots of skeeters

They were not so bad

I hadn’t walked this way yet to my blind

It was a little rough

As had to walk through taller grass and lots of uneven grass

The walk was a little more aggressive than going in the front way, plus let’s face it I ant no model for physical fitness.

I was all settled in a little after 4

Didn’t need the thermal cell as the skeeters were not out due to the wind

I opened a new window this time around, a bow windows to my left.

I attached the picture for you to see

Wasn’t sure how I would shoot out of the window

What kind of shot I would get

But it was another option.

 It was colder and windier than I had expected. 

The wind was really blowing through the window

I ended up closing the left windows about ¾ ways

Which actually worked in my favor

Not only was I warmer, the wind blew less

But the deer I saw later would be less concerned that something was different with my blind because the window wasn’t open. 

I didn’t see anything for over any hour

The birds have migrated

So, I missed watching them dance in the sky

It was a peaceful sit

Except for the tractor far off in the distance doing some harvesting, is my guess

I always find that annoying this time of year, but I get it

I don’t get enough quite time, this is my quiet time

It the only time that the world stops for me

It just sits quietly and still

And I think about nothing, and lord knows there is enough to think about in this world

I even didn’t mind the wind so much as I try to soak up as much fresh air as I can

Even if it triggers an allergy attack.

Finally, 2 deer I can see in the big food plot to my left at 534 pm.

It’s a mom and fawn, came out the same location as always

I figure they must bed in the tree line right up against the cattails

Way too far to shoot

I don’t pay them much attention.

Eventually they get spooked by something coming behind then and trot off

At 550 I realize what spooked them, as I now have 6 deer in the big food plot field to my left

No bucks but a family with littles.

They have come to munch on the food plot.

At 556 pm I see a rather large doe come from the other direction

On the opposite end of the food plot, she must have jumped the ditch

She is alone and moves slowly to the group of six

She nibbles on the goodies in the ground

Eventually she wonders back where she came from

The group of six move to a part of the food plot I cannot see

And a few short minutes later

The mom and fawn I first saw at 550 peek their head out from the cattails

I waited patiently as the sun goes down and darkness overtakes the sky

The party of dear ate in the field until closing time, about an hour.

No big buck wondered my way.

I pack up quietly as the does/fawns eat in the field.

I am all packed up and peek my head out of the blind around 645 pm

And what do I see……a mom and fawn had come out of the willow behind me as I was packing up

And are now eating in the big food plot

50 yards from me

They were never spooked by the noise of me packing up

I waited a while and they never spooked.

I was hungry and had to use the bathroom

I could not wait forever for them to move

So, I slowly got out of my blind, zippered the door closed, climb down the ladder

And left and they were not any the wiser.

Long walk back to the Mud Duck when you’re hungry cold and have to pee.

On my way out I had to try to maneuver back through the maze of fields

To get back home

Got held up on a rock or something through the tree line

Had to try to use the four wheeled drive to get a going

The boys had supper ready when I got home

We had purchased from the fire department fund raiser earlier in the day

Hot dogs, brats, and wings

They were yummy!

All in all not a bad hunt.

Again, any day in the blind is a good day!

Posted on

Wonderful Indoor Bow Shooting Range!

Marcus as you recall is my better half. He had been to the archery place last year to score bucks at some special event. Marcus is a scorer for Boone and Crocket.

Marcus is using my d-0111ad’s left handed bow and it broke last year. So he had decided that he would go to that Archery shop and get the bow fixed last week. The names of the place is https://whaletalesarchery.com/ in Dousman. He said it had an indoor range, it actually had a bar in it and they fix the bow for you right in the store. I figure it was a Saturday and they would be packed. Well they weren’t! He told me to take my bow along just in case……..in case what I think……in case my guy says they have an indoor shooting range and I think you might like it! I was nervous because I am just beginner, I have no special skills, I didn’t want people watching me, and of course I have never shot at an indoor range, so I didn’t know what to expect. Well I liked it. I was able to shoot at many different ranges. I was able to work on my breathing and strength. It was $15 bucks to shoot for like an hour or however long you wanted. Marcus was able to get some practice shots in as well. Which I am pretty sure he had fun doing. We both had a good time. Marcus was very helpful, patient and gave me lots of good advice. I was a happy girl, because Marcus could have went by himself and he waited so I was able to go. I did some pretty good shooting as well.

Posted on

Opening day!

A few pictures from my hunt! Not the best pictures when I am trying to go undetected!

 
 

Saturday September 12, 2020

1st sit

Opening day has arrived

I don’t normally sit in September

But I switched jobs earlier this year

Which resulted in Iess time off this year

Long story

Anyways

Let face it I am not a fan of getting up early to go out hunting

I mean there are days that I will but most I won’t

Why you ask, well I do things that make me happy

1st off there is nothing appealing to me to get up that early to hunt

It throws my whole days off for the rest of it anyways

Usually I will be so tired and less motivated

In return getting nothing accomplished

And let’s face it I have enough lazy days already

Maybe morning hunts are appealing to others

I don’t feel any less of a hunter because I do not get up in hunt mornings

I will once the rut begins and a few other days here and there

I am an evening hunter

So, the condition this evening where not ideal

It had misted and sprinkled most of the day

Plus, it had rained the last 3 days

It was hazy and cold

But I was itching to get out there

You know that adrenaline rush

You feel through your bones

Plus, I suppose I was excited to sit in my new blind

I wasn’t even sure I could get to my blind

As the week before the road was flooded

I decided to put on the old waders

And was just going to walk in through the water

Hoping the water hasn’t risen that high since last week

Wasn’t really hoping I would have to do this as I am not a pro walking in waders

Especially Marcus’s waders that are 5 times too big for me

I do not have my own

As walking in water in not something I particularly enjoy

I am not a duck hunter, yet either

As I pull out of the driveway it is misting

Enough as you can see it in the distance

So, it’s a good mist

The drive to my blind is still flooded

But it appears to have went down a bit

So, I drive through the water to get on the other side

So, I can walk to my blind

I parked in front of the bush against my better judgement

As I wanted to park behind

But it was flooded with water

As I ventured in mom and fawn were eating in the big flood plot to me right

They scattered quickly

The ground was mushy

And the skeeters were horrendous

I get to my blind and have to figure out a system as this is the first time

I have sat in a raised blind( I am afraid of heights)

Plus, I have my crossbow backpack on

Eventually I managed to get in the blind and get all set up

I was in the blind by 5(why so late you ask, that another blog entry for another day)

At 630ish a doe walked across the big food plot 100 yards plus away

 But appears to be on a mission

I assume it was mom from earlier going to find her child.

A short time later 2 sandhills are walking across the big food plot

Looks like an adult and child

The child wing looks hurt

It is acting suspicious

It eventually leaves the adult, which I find strange

And comes straight towards my blind

The wing looks broken

I can hear it making some type on call/noise

it walks right by me and on to the hidden path

No idea where the adult went

The wing looked broke but I am aware that cranes can fake an injury to avoid predators or deterred

Predators from other cranes

So, I wonder what is going on here

If this crane is faking it is a good actor/actress

I say a prayer for the crane

The skies are dark and bleak

And the clouds at times look like a sky will open up and it will storms

It never does

It mists from time to time

I hear noise behind me occasionally

I do not have any windows open behind me as it is all willows and I have no shot

Plus, I don’t want over exposure

I know for a fact that the deer bed in here as well

Hence the location of this blind

This area I am in is the bedding grounds

 for many of fawns over the years

See my other post about my blind(not up yet)

About 15 minutes later child crane and adult walk out on to the small food plot

Hang around for a minute or so and turn around back down the hidden path

I wonder to myself

What is up you guys

About 7 to my right on the other end of the small food plot

I see 2 deer frolicked toward to hidden path

Small deer

Then a doe comes out from the willows to my right

Behind me about 25 yards from the stand

She knows something is different

Something makes a noise below the blind

Its new it is working its kinks out

Well miss doe

Hears the sound and we play a staring game for 5

Well I notice at the back of the small food plot behind ma

There is a fawn eating on the bush

Ma is still standing about 25 yards out

I have no interest in shooting a doe at this point

Finally, baby runs over clumsily

And stands by mom

And then a teenager runs up from the hidden path

The hidden path goes into a hidden field

Obviously

So now I have a teenager, fawn and ma all looking at me

Waiting for me to just screw up enough that I move

Nope sorry not this time

Eventually after 5 minutes or so

They cautiously meander behind my blind and out of site

The teenagers get within 10 feet of me as there is a path in front of my blind

that the deer travel. 

I do not have any windows open to the front of the blind there is a big bush there

And I don’t like to overexpose myself

Plus, there isn’t that great of a shot there anyways

As the teenager gets to the left of the front of the blind he gets skittish and tramps away.

I figured mom and fawn went into the woods to walk around my blind to get to the big food plot

What its getting close to closing time

It is raining now

I start to back up

I won’t shoot a deer in the rain

I fear losing the blood trail

As I walk out the path about 10 feet from my blind towards to big food plot

I am met by a fawn about 10 feet from me

There is no other way to get back to the mud duck

One of us has to move

I stop and we admire each other for roughly 5 minutes

I flail my arms in the air letting baby know a threat is coming

I do this several times

But she just hangs out and looks at me

So, I slowly start walk towards the fawn

And eventually it decided it is time to move

The walk back to the mud duck is long as it is raining now

Not bad for opening day

I saw 5 deer tonight

Any night seeing deer is a good night

Plus, I got to see deer on opening night as well

Back home I share the stories of my hunt

Eat some dinner

Watch a show and off to bed I go.

(sadly, I write this entry a week after and have probably forgotten many a detail, lesson learned)