2021 / 2022 Hunting Season Chronicle
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Great to know Some are enjoying our outings in the outdoors and our get togethers , hope your knee heals up so you can get back to doing the same .
Thanks for tagging along thru the chronicle , more will come as the season rolls on as long as life permits it .
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So I'm going try pick up on this where I left off last week ,
Took Tuesday and Wednesday off due to heavy rain and flooding both at home and the cottage , lost part my roadway going in from run off , but was quick fix with few loads of gravel and 4-6 inch stone .
Thursday rolled around and despite rain I was on the go pulling leg holds out due to ground was saturated for my dirt hole sets and even my waxed dirt for topper of the leg holds was getting washed away . Only so much you can take after relocating to higher ground and so . Even still I'm keeping a dozen sets out trying some hay style and different scent post style . got about 2 dozen snares out between
Friday was late start and a Father / Daughter hunt , couple opportunities showed up for her to fill her doe tag , as I set up my portable ladder stand on outskirts of the bait pile along the main trail they use to come up out of the thicket along the river and the side of the hardwood . Those chances turned out being a Doe / Fawn combo and a very easy pass for us , at least we are seeing what is taking place on opposite side of the ridge .
Rest of the evening turned into same old , just wait , watch , listen and enjoy the small creatures moving and visiting us . At dusk we could hear our resident Owl calling out as we exited our set up.
Picking up the next day after the rain night b4 and still at times showering till about 7 am , we set up in rain gear hoping a Big lone Doe or one of the two big bucks still showing up on camera would present us a decent shot along the ridge line or going to the bait pile . After about 10:30 We quietly got down walked out to get out the rain gear and go for couple hours of spot and stalk .
Checking the area showed several new scrapes , and rubs , lots of track along ridge line and several very fresh dropping piles , to say we are in their living room is about right . Seems only day time action is when either we are not at main ladder stand or even not there at all . For Saturday was another day not to be .
Sunday was simple work day of setting snares , setting a clean dozen of hay or trail set leg holds. We have hit this season with everything I could think of and then some, these bucks we seek out are cagey at best and wise to our movements .
More to come on yesterdays hunt ( Monday )
Took Tuesday and Wednesday off due to heavy rain and flooding both at home and the cottage , lost part my roadway going in from run off , but was quick fix with few loads of gravel and 4-6 inch stone .
Thursday rolled around and despite rain I was on the go pulling leg holds out due to ground was saturated for my dirt hole sets and even my waxed dirt for topper of the leg holds was getting washed away . Only so much you can take after relocating to higher ground and so . Even still I'm keeping a dozen sets out trying some hay style and different scent post style . got about 2 dozen snares out between
Friday was late start and a Father / Daughter hunt , couple opportunities showed up for her to fill her doe tag , as I set up my portable ladder stand on outskirts of the bait pile along the main trail they use to come up out of the thicket along the river and the side of the hardwood . Those chances turned out being a Doe / Fawn combo and a very easy pass for us , at least we are seeing what is taking place on opposite side of the ridge .
Rest of the evening turned into same old , just wait , watch , listen and enjoy the small creatures moving and visiting us . At dusk we could hear our resident Owl calling out as we exited our set up.
Picking up the next day after the rain night b4 and still at times showering till about 7 am , we set up in rain gear hoping a Big lone Doe or one of the two big bucks still showing up on camera would present us a decent shot along the ridge line or going to the bait pile . After about 10:30 We quietly got down walked out to get out the rain gear and go for couple hours of spot and stalk .
Checking the area showed several new scrapes , and rubs , lots of track along ridge line and several very fresh dropping piles , to say we are in their living room is about right . Seems only day time action is when either we are not at main ladder stand or even not there at all . For Saturday was another day not to be .
Sunday was simple work day of setting snares , setting a clean dozen of hay or trail set leg holds. We have hit this season with everything I could think of and then some, these bucks we seek out are cagey at best and wise to our movements .
More to come on yesterdays hunt ( Monday )
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Good Morning on a very rainy and blustery day out there ,
Going reflect back out on couple specific days we had Snow down on the Cape while out Deer hunting .
Start off with Wednesday Dec.1 , , Day started out cold -3 , very light to no winds , up get the fire going at 4:30 am , and do my usual for breakfast and prep for the day , was planning on hunting the portable stand on opposite side of ladder stand , try to get a better pinch point on one of the targeted bucks coming around . As every morning I take my coffee out on the side deck and listen for the sounds of the outdoors coming back to life after long cold night , not even a coyote could be heard off in the distance except for a lone owl who I had brief encounter with two days prior when it left its perch on a big Oak and swooped down thru the trail way towards thicker cover . Seems this one is a new visitor as only a Juvenile , hoping it stays around more .
Off I left once finished up and tried my best to get in the stand over the partly frozen ground of leaves and moss, trying not to make too much noise as not a breath of wind , wanting get in position as day light approached , I seen the tell tale sign of weather coming with the very red sky morning , snow was forecasted for 2-5 cm ( we ended up 3 inches of it where I was for the day ) .
Morning came in with good action two does at the apple pile , both very cautious and looking back in the direction the bigger bucks came from down in the ravine area where I as well am positioned 14 ft up . Sat watching the coming and going of these two for Hour and 45 mins till first flakes of snow came , then they moved off . 9:30 am snow was steady but not thick just enough to be calming and give that wintery feel . Does returned with a third , again cautious , taking time to feed, but alert to the ravine area where they themselves were coming and going from .
By 11:20 they left again snow by then was good inch thick and still coming down , enough to make a slight quieter exit for lunch , waited it out till 12:30 as not spook or get busted leaving . All morning birds came and went , does fed but no buck . Walking out even the Ruffed Grouse were under cover only moving around after me walking up on them .
By 1:45 I was back and this time never made it to the stand the 3 Does had a friend feeding a very nice Spike Buck but yet not what I was going for this yr , last few yrs took deer like him but was after one the bigger guys who have been roaming these areas for last 5-7 yrs , it was not a easy pass up , but stopped and watched about 40 yrds back with snow still being light , gentle and calm . Hiding behind a double White Birch , trying conceal myself waiting them out as I knew the bigger one was moving around in here watching .
Course of the after noon went on by 3:30 I needed get up in the stand and they finally moved around enough for me do that , slow and steady up I went watching for any sudden movements , does were only about 100-150 yrds away , could hear them moving , running , figured that spike was on one of them . Last hour went by and no more movement till sounds of grouse flushing thru in different directions to roost , sunset came and time to leave , the day was in my book a success , managed sit and wait them out , not get busted standing back and not scare them off . Just enjoying what I got to encounter for the day was what for me its all about .
After card change out and review of pics , big buck was around thru the night and early morning hours up till 45 mins before daylight only leaving 25 mins b4 I arrived , He knew I was there , its that old cat and mouse game only wishing the mouse stayed out longer . By night fall had full 3 inches of fresh snow and temps fell again to -4 . Time for supper.
Going reflect back out on couple specific days we had Snow down on the Cape while out Deer hunting .
Start off with Wednesday Dec.1 , , Day started out cold -3 , very light to no winds , up get the fire going at 4:30 am , and do my usual for breakfast and prep for the day , was planning on hunting the portable stand on opposite side of ladder stand , try to get a better pinch point on one of the targeted bucks coming around . As every morning I take my coffee out on the side deck and listen for the sounds of the outdoors coming back to life after long cold night , not even a coyote could be heard off in the distance except for a lone owl who I had brief encounter with two days prior when it left its perch on a big Oak and swooped down thru the trail way towards thicker cover . Seems this one is a new visitor as only a Juvenile , hoping it stays around more .
Off I left once finished up and tried my best to get in the stand over the partly frozen ground of leaves and moss, trying not to make too much noise as not a breath of wind , wanting get in position as day light approached , I seen the tell tale sign of weather coming with the very red sky morning , snow was forecasted for 2-5 cm ( we ended up 3 inches of it where I was for the day ) .
Morning came in with good action two does at the apple pile , both very cautious and looking back in the direction the bigger bucks came from down in the ravine area where I as well am positioned 14 ft up . Sat watching the coming and going of these two for Hour and 45 mins till first flakes of snow came , then they moved off . 9:30 am snow was steady but not thick just enough to be calming and give that wintery feel . Does returned with a third , again cautious , taking time to feed, but alert to the ravine area where they themselves were coming and going from .
By 11:20 they left again snow by then was good inch thick and still coming down , enough to make a slight quieter exit for lunch , waited it out till 12:30 as not spook or get busted leaving . All morning birds came and went , does fed but no buck . Walking out even the Ruffed Grouse were under cover only moving around after me walking up on them .
By 1:45 I was back and this time never made it to the stand the 3 Does had a friend feeding a very nice Spike Buck but yet not what I was going for this yr , last few yrs took deer like him but was after one the bigger guys who have been roaming these areas for last 5-7 yrs , it was not a easy pass up , but stopped and watched about 40 yrds back with snow still being light , gentle and calm . Hiding behind a double White Birch , trying conceal myself waiting them out as I knew the bigger one was moving around in here watching .
Course of the after noon went on by 3:30 I needed get up in the stand and they finally moved around enough for me do that , slow and steady up I went watching for any sudden movements , does were only about 100-150 yrds away , could hear them moving , running , figured that spike was on one of them . Last hour went by and no more movement till sounds of grouse flushing thru in different directions to roost , sunset came and time to leave , the day was in my book a success , managed sit and wait them out , not get busted standing back and not scare them off . Just enjoying what I got to encounter for the day was what for me its all about .
After card change out and review of pics , big buck was around thru the night and early morning hours up till 45 mins before daylight only leaving 25 mins b4 I arrived , He knew I was there , its that old cat and mouse game only wishing the mouse stayed out longer . By night fall had full 3 inches of fresh snow and temps fell again to -4 . Time for supper.
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So now I'll move up to Dec 4th the last day of General Season ,
Well , what can I say , This day started out almost a carbon copy of Dec.1 , only a light dusting of snow , with still -3 temps , light Westerly winds 10-15 kms . Very overcast most of the day , good amount frost to make the leaves and moss crunch under your feet . Getting to the stand was again slow and steady watching and listening along the way .
Sat up in the stand and not a movement all morning , was a complete opposite of couple days prior , but yet settings were identical , lots of fresh track going and coming via the ravine trails . Mid day check of trail cams showed everything was once again nocturnal anywhere from 15 mins after legal light to 1-2 am then nothing till next evening . I've been lucky with no visitors of coyotes , raccoons or bears thru the entire season.
That afternoon into the evening twilight was no movement either , usual visitor of birds from a lone Bluejay to the 5 Whiskey Jacks who come around from again same direction to the bait pile and only staying for min or two . It can be baffling why one day you can have activity all day long coming and going of deer to absolutely no movement or visiting of any deer .
Seems when they do come its a group activity . None the less that day came to a end with just the thoughts of where they had moved off to. So as I type this I prepare both my Xbow and my muzzie for tomorrow , going use my Xbow for the morning and take the Muzzie for the evening. Can only hope with the -8 windchill will get some movement once again during the day .
Still have few days to go to fill a tag with one of the targeted bucks .
Well , what can I say , This day started out almost a carbon copy of Dec.1 , only a light dusting of snow , with still -3 temps , light Westerly winds 10-15 kms . Very overcast most of the day , good amount frost to make the leaves and moss crunch under your feet . Getting to the stand was again slow and steady watching and listening along the way .
Sat up in the stand and not a movement all morning , was a complete opposite of couple days prior , but yet settings were identical , lots of fresh track going and coming via the ravine trails . Mid day check of trail cams showed everything was once again nocturnal anywhere from 15 mins after legal light to 1-2 am then nothing till next evening . I've been lucky with no visitors of coyotes , raccoons or bears thru the entire season.
That afternoon into the evening twilight was no movement either , usual visitor of birds from a lone Bluejay to the 5 Whiskey Jacks who come around from again same direction to the bait pile and only staying for min or two . It can be baffling why one day you can have activity all day long coming and going of deer to absolutely no movement or visiting of any deer .
Seems when they do come its a group activity . None the less that day came to a end with just the thoughts of where they had moved off to. So as I type this I prepare both my Xbow and my muzzie for tomorrow , going use my Xbow for the morning and take the Muzzie for the evening. Can only hope with the -8 windchill will get some movement once again during the day .
Still have few days to go to fill a tag with one of the targeted bucks .
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Top pic is of 2016 Targeted Buck , lower pic is of one of the targeted bucks for this yr, both come from same general direction every time . Sorry but the memory card is not loading properly to get it more clear
![Plant Branch Tree Wood Deer]()
![Rectangle Tints and shades Gas Electric blue Darkness]()
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Joined
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3,716 Posts
Yes Kevin , its off One from 2016 that was also wandering the area , I only had two pictures of that deer over 4 month period and took him very last day of General Season in 2017 . We have couple pics of a buck that is easy 250 lb on the hoof , wide bodied but low and wide rack . Taken some very nice deer off this hardwood ridge over last 20 + yrs.
Oh no porkies down this way
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Just a few recent pics , just wish the big fella would get his timing with mine
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