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I see you! A nice quiet night for a hunt!

The top 3 pictures are of the deer I walked in on while I was walking to my stand. The 4th picture is of 2 one years old, the doe on the right is in heat right now. The 5th picture, not that you can see it but one of them is the little buck walking up to the HOT doe.

10 Sit

Saturday October 25, 2020

Didn’t accomplish much for a Saturday

I guess you have those days every once in a while.

Boy did the day off go fast because before I knew it, it was late afternoon already.

I don’t normally hunt 2 nights in a row

Much less in the same place

But the wind just wasn’t right for anywhere else

And there was a call for rain/snow on Sunday

So I had made the decision to not hunt Sunday, but Saturday

Marcus finally came out hunting tonight

The Ghost Blind had arrived and he was goanna try that.

Marcus has not been too thrilled with the current situation

With the river flooding and flooding our land

As this limits access to out hunting land, hunting options, and wildlife movement

So, Marcus has been a little down on his luck

It didn’t take much arm twisting to get him to go

I helped him get set up a little and then he told me to go to my blind, as we were a little late getting to the woods. 

I like to get in a certain time.

The water puddles have went down a little from yesterday and the walk in was silent

I think of Marcus sitting back there as I walk in, hoping he is able to distract his running mind for awhile and hope he enjoy the hunt, the quiet and peace being outdoors offer his busy mind.

As I curved the small filed I walked up on a doe as I was walking in

I immediately stopped for at least 5 minutes,  thinking at some point she would trot off

Nope, she didn’t move, basically went about her business while keeping and eye in my direction.

I was able to get picture and a video before

I made the decision to move and allow to her to be scared off

She made her snort wheeze and away she trotted.

Had I been in my blind already she would have come into the field by my blind

As I approached my blind, I hated the thought that there would be deer in the food plot on the other side of my blind and of course there was.

4 deer, doe and fawns

We had a stare off for the next 5 minutes

I knew I had to eventually get in my blind

So, I moved slowly, closer to the steps and took one step at time very slowly

They just kept watching as I was there but not really

Once I got to the platform to enter my blind and started unzipping the door they disappeared

Once I got all settled I figured my chances of seeing deer the rest of the night

Was ruined by the deer I scared away on my way in

There was little wind and the air around me seemed still and at peace.

I kept thinking and hoping that Marcus might be seeing some action

As it was his 1st time out, reluctantly.

Eventually the group of 4 I kicked up returned to the field

They would go out of sight and come back a few times in the next hour

I basically had deer to watch all night

About 5:55 I had a little doe to my right

I have not had much movement on this little food plot

However, this is my best shooting option

The doe was at least 50 plus yards away, it was small and payed no attention to me as she walked away

The group of 4 eventually shifted out of sight

Within minutes they were back and this time much closer, maybe 50 yards

Closest they have ever been in all my hunts

I notice a larger bodied deer in the middle of the field

Well wouldn’t ya know it, we got ourselves a little buck, he would munch a little on the field

But he was most interested in the HOT young doe near by

I always find it quite intriguing

Watching buck behavior during the rut

The buck wasn’t very big as I had a hard time trying to make out at first he was a buck, the darkness didn’t help.

A little 4 pointer

I think it mysterious the way bucks look when they are walking towards you,

And even more so when a buck is walking straight towards you on a mission, but really walking straight towards a HOT doe.

I am pretty sure she had no interest as she ran away every time. 

It occurred to me that Mr. Little Buck might actually walk over by me.

But who was I fooling he was chasing a girl.

Closing time had arrived. 

Them deer were still in the field as I packed up.

I packed up slowly to not scare them

They were gone by the time I left

Walked back to help Marcus pack up and he was out waiting for me.

 He didn’t see anything and I told him all about my hunt on the way back to the Mud Duck

Of course, this time Marcus drove so we didn’t get stuck on the hill on the way out

We put the finishing touches on our supper of Beer Cheese Soup and Bacon, Cheddar, and Beer sloppy Joes.

Mighty tasty for sure

I was glad Marcus finally got out there.  I felt it was a pretty good hunt.

We did discuss changing up some trail cameras tomorrow as we didn’t have any camera on the food plot exclusively.

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

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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!

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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!

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Delightful Awesome Sit 5

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,

How does that saying go right place right time?

Well until next time……..

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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)