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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!

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2nd Sit

Sun is out today! There is a deer over there, I promise!

Friday September 18 2020 2nd weekend after opening day.

The work week much less the workday couldn’t get over quick enough.  Even if I was working at home today, plus Marcus was on his day off.

I was totally pumped because the big buck was on camera in the vicinity of my blind late last night

I was hoping he hung out in the area and bedded down close by

But in all reality I knew he had moved over to the next field, through the huge corn field

And through the swamp and onto the neighbor’s woods, because if I were him that is what I would do

4:15 rolled around and I am flying around the house, trying to make sure I didn’t forget anything.

Ok what do I need to hunt:

Bow check

Arrows check

Backpack check

Release arrow check

Binoculars/range finder check

Bottle water check

Camo fleece check

Cloths, hat check

Boots don’t forget to take off the camo sandals check

Check I think I have everything

Ohhhh wait SD cards, got to check the trail camera on my way out

It was a chilly day……I mean sunny just a cool breeze

I think I am ready………..Marcus send me off with a kiss and a shoot straight comment

I hop in the mud duck(four wheeler)

As I drive down the road

I make a mental note to create a word document………Of the things I need for my hunts

Engine roaring

Fresh cool breeze on my face

Driving fast as the wind flows through my hair

Driving the mud duck down the road always feel so good

Speed, freedom, the rush, open air

Ahhhh!

The road into my stand was dry……..Sure, was glad to so that

Last week I drove through water…….It was flooded last week

Flooding drives the deer away

And that is always a fear this time of year

And the grassy drive wasn’t as muddy as I thought it would be

Actually, the whole curve was dry

Parked in front of the big bush so the deer can’t see the mud duck

Last time the area where I parked was flooded

Time to get ready…….Be quite I tell myself

Putting my pack back on is always a treat

Each time I do it

it gets easier…….It just heavy to toss over my back

Oh, the bugs were horrible…….skeeters I assume

Or some bug with wings………Swarms

Just tons of swarms as I walk in

I wonder why I didn’t  get out the thermal cell

And put it in my backpack yet

I always creep quietly to my blind

As I have to walk the outer edge on the big food

 To get to my blind

No other way to get there

Need to be quiet

The bedding area is on the other side of me

Grounds drier from last weekend

Food plot looks nice

I am about to make the curve to my blind

I always sneak because I walk right up on a small food plot

Don’t want to scare anything……All clear

Blind was a little warm

No puddles this time…….Getting all settled in

Shortly after I got in

Around 452 pm

Mom and fawn walk out into the big food plot

Near where I 1st walked in

They came from the cattails on the river side

Mom and fawn ate in the field for over a half hour

Up on that same notch as last time

I don’t think they saw me I mean they ate in the field for over a half hour

but Mom is smart she knows something is off

Ahhh the blind windows are open……..Moms aren’t stupid

Saw nothing for the next hour

But I sat their mesmerized by watching the flock of birds

Several flocks of blackbird I assume

Fly through the air

In their synchronized flight

Hundreds of them

Breaking into smaller flocks

And then I would see the bigger one

And wonder why they don’t all hook up together

They just flew all around above the cattails

Occasionally I would spot a lone bird

And wonder what flock he is trying to catch up too…….And what he is thinking

I wonder what all these birds flying in a synchronized dance…….Are thinking

And I am so content thinking about the birds

Such a peacefulness……that I actually smile

4 sandhills came into the big food plot

They had a little snack and walked to the cattails

Towards the ditch

I was trying to check for the injured one I had seen last week

As that was traumatizing to me

It could have been with that group……..They are gone now

Ohhhh and that darn cat bird tweeted almost the whole time

They birds were very active this evening

The sun was bright

And as I looked towards the sun I could see all the skeeters/bugs flying

Strangely the skeeters/bug did not bother me in the blind at all

So many bugs that it filled the air above the small food plot

It was quite a sight…….I wonder what kinds party theses bugs were having

About an hour in the winds picked up

And I was cold

Oh, wait I hear an owl in the distance

Back to being cold of course I didn’t take my fleece out of my backpack

When I first got in the blind like a responsible hunter

because I figured I would be fine

Nope I got really chilly

The wind was brisk

And I had at least an hour to sit yet

And didn’t let up

Mom and fawn came back out to the big food plot around 7

Made their way back over to that nob

They didn’t stay long

But soon they trotted away back into the cattails or bedding area and outta sight

It is getting close to closing time

As the sun goes down and nightfall creeps up

And you know in the back of your mind any second now a buck could peak his rack out

My heart skips a few beats over these next minutes

Waiting and watching

It always seems as though time stand stills during these last minutes towards closing time

And not a sound is made in the whole area around me

Eerily quiet and peaceful

In those minutes leading up to closing time

It is getting close

I look to the small field

And there is a doe

Barley visible with the darkness behind her

We made a brief eyeing and she trotted away

Baby was in front of her, but I missed baby cross the field

I sat the last few minutes…….And then its quitting time

Reminding myself the whole time I am packing up to not forget to check the cameras before I go

Packing up is always a chore and most night I am a hurry to get going

As supper is waiting and there are chores to be done

And I have been gone for a few hours

I don’t like that closing time right now is so late

By the time I walk out and drive home it will be close to 8

But nights, like tonight

There is not work tomorrow

Chores can wait until tomorrow

The weekend is here…….No real urgency……

I always feel a little more peace in my soul these nights

The fellla’s are back at home and chili is cooking

Which I was looking forward to as it was a slight brisk sit

I get back to the house to give my full report

I didnt see much

But there is no bad day in the woods

And I am reminded of my many blessings.