anyone else getting excited? !
Pennsylvania
Was planting food plots and getting a few stands ready today... can't wait for the season to open!
I did the same thing today. Went over all of my stands. I'll have them all hung and blinds set by Labor Day. I only have eight stands and three blinds.
This is my first year using the climbing sticks. I've always used screw in steps because they're not as noticeable and you can go higher. My age is catching up with me though. The screw-ins kick my butt. Do you like the climbing sticks?
Got most of my stands up already. Hung 7 stands and 5 cameras in Ohio 3 weeks ago and got a few up in Pa also. Still have a couple more to go in both states.
SP, you will love the climbing sticks! I started using those a few years ago and will never go back to screw in steps!
Dang, you guys got a LOT of stands! ;-)
I just use a portable climber or hunt off the ground, so nothing really to get ready.
But I did fletch up a half dozen arrows yesterday getting ready to put new Broadheads on them and was getting pretty excited! :)
Excited? Ah, I wouldn't say excited. I'm a little anxious to be on vacation soon and I moved to a different wmu and will be exploring new ground, so that will be fun. I'm going to stay on the ground, stay mobile, hunt mushrooms, chase bushytails, and learn the area. If a deer presents itself, who knows?...
Ready? Yep. I don't have anything to GET ready, so I'm always ready.
I'm more excited about getting cement poured, and ultimately getting the garage and shop functional, etc. but hopefully I'll have that largely done before October so I dont have to spend all of my vacation working. 96 hours at work this week. I'm ready for a little r&r.
Holy cow, thats funny Dennis. if I laid my stuff out like that it would almost look the same. even have a lot of the same stands!
Set up a couple of spots in Jersey yesterday.
Bill V
I have 10 ladder stands and 3 hang ons up. My shed contains 3 more hang ons and 2 climbers just waiting. Back when I worked at Dicks, I used to buy a couple of left over display models at the end of the year. As I get older I find them easier to climb safely. Can't figure out how to use 2 climbers at once tho.
Holy crap that is a lot of gear, Dennis, best of luck with it all. :) I don't get giddy these days for deer season; there's just too much else going on with archery throughout the year.
Good luck with the back, Stick... the ground hunting too. I hope you do well.
Roger, I hear ya. I haven't gotten excited about 'bow/deer season' since I began looking outside those few weeks for bowhunting opportunities.
Sp-I think you will love the sticks. I used rope on a long time ago but made the change and never went back.
Rodger- I love to hunt lots of stuff but I always had a passion for wt. I can't help get excited the closer the season gets. Good luck to all!
Stick, best of luck with your recovery. I never use to hunt on the ground until a new property forced me to. I shot a couple really nice bucks out of blinds since. There is something about having game at 10 yard on the ground that gets the blood flowing.
Stick and String- hope you get the green light on the 26th! And have fun hunting the ground. I took my first deer from the ground 2 years ago- had a blast hunting that way. Enjoy! :)
I generally don't hang stands until right before the season because so much can change.However,this year my 9 year old will be doing the shooting and it takes a lot more work to get a kid's stand ready to hunt out of and safe.We finished putting up our fourth stand this past weekend in proven funnels but it's still a crap shoot.I probably won't carry my bow much this year but I'm more excited this year than I have been in a long time.I plan on putting a couple more up because some of those spots will most likely dry up before the season starts and food sources start to change.
I've been selling off my stands and sticks. Since the Herd Elimination Program there haven't been enough deer around here to even make a trail. My stands have been hanging in the garage unused for the last 4 seasons. I figured I could use the $ for my annual SC hog hunt.
Still hunting, sitting in natural cover, and deer drives are my new favorite hunting methods. I might hang a stand in the back woodlot but still not sure if it's worth the effort. I'm pretty much a ground pounder now.
As far as getting ready, I'm always ready. I checked the tread on my boots yesterday and it looked good to go.
I'm still not sure which bow I'll use. The recurves are calling to me, but there is just something about a longbow.................................
Good luck!
I haven't hunted from a tree in years. Have a climber and Screaming Eagle chain on that just collect dust. I prefer to be mobile until I find some reasonable place to hunt out this way.
I shoot nearly every day all year but can't shoot past about 15 yards at home so my prep is to get out where I can let 'me fly longer distances to get my brain calibrated. Arrows, broadheads, quivers, everything is always ready.
My prep will be to air out the ghillie suit and camo, waterproof the leather boots and figure out which bow I'm using.
Yes! I'm Excited Dennis, Infact I'm excited with archery season pretty much all year long. I run my cameras every month of the year except April and may. I start scouting for next season as soon as our season passes by searching for sheds and setting up cameras to take inventory of what deer made it. As Spring comes I scout for new stand sites and set stands. When summer comes I hang cameras and clear walking paths and shooting lanes for the coming archery season.
Yeah, these days there is just to much else going on with archery to not be excited all year ; )
Mike
I agree with treerat! I'm pretty much doing something to get ready for the season year round. I always said when I stop getting excited for archery season, it's time to find something else to do! But I don't see that happening any time soon! Thank god for that!
I know I am. Tags are awarded, now it is time to clear some shooting lanes and hang some stands.
"I always said when I stop getting excited for archery season, it's time to find something else to do!"
AMEN! :)
Lol... now that's the truth!
Man, I'm showing my wife this pic!! She thinks I'm out of control with 4 hang one, a climber and a ground blind.
I still have one hang on to set up, and quite a bit of brush cutting to do.
Plots are looking good... Have a few good deer on camera to hunt... getting close!
Dang Dennis! How many deer you tryin' to feed???!!! ;-)
Looking forward to getting some does hung up at 5C, only four weeks away. I may even get some time to hunt the event this year.
Rut, Lol... I love to plant for the deer and turkey. I plant about 15-20 acres a year.
Bowjo, I always wanted to make it for the doe hunt. I need to make time for it next year. sounds like a good time!
I hunt mostly public ground. I've had some stands stolen if i hang them early or leave them hanging. So i rarely leave them.
I was keeping tabs on a very nice buck all summer,on a large SGL i don't use trail cams, i just scout, sit quietly and observe ect...
wouldn't you know it yesterday i found a pile of corn and a trail cam somebody recently put out right were i've been staking out all summer. And ATV tracks leading right up to it.
If there is one thing that jerks my chain....It's lazy people on ATV's on public land, putting out bait and trail cams this close to the season.
No matter i have a few aces in the hole to fall back on...Some of us actually still scout, hunt, and walk.
Shade- I agree with you. I would keep tabs on it and if it is still there less than 30 days before the season, I would report it. I found one last year and was going to report it, but I checked at 30 days and it was gone. Same thing- trail cam over home-made corn feeder.
Shade, I can relate... I've had more than my share of stands stolen off public as well as private grounds over the years. Hope your hard work and scouting pays off with a nice buck! best of luck!!
I did some "stand rehab" today. Had some flaking paint on my climber, so did a total makeover with 3 different colors and used fern leaves to put some custom camo on it. Turned out pretty good. And no flashes now from bare metal.
Need to air it out a little more though, as I detected a mildew smell coming from the seat. Guess the dehumidifier in the basement wasn't quite cutting it.
Dennis, would love to have you join us. Every year we get more and more guys coming in from Western Pa to be part of it. Hey, it's camping, eating and bowhunting for a good cause. What could be better!
Not to ruffle feathers Rut but re-read the regs closely. I had this discussion last year with a gent. It does not state 30 days prior to the season start date. It states 30 days prior to hunting an area.
it is unlawful to hunt in or around any area where artificial or natural bait, food, hay, grain, fruit, nuts, salt, chemicals or minerals, including their residues, are used, or have been used within the past 30 days, as an enticement to lure game or wildlife regardless of the type or quantity. Nowhere does it state "Season start date". I actually wish they would add this language.
Getting up at 4:30am tomorrow and driving 3 hrs to Ohio to finish hanging stands and checking cameras then driving back home! Only have tomorrow off, gotta be back at work Wednesday.
Yes Turkey Assassin that is correct. The kicker is "30 days prior"...goes for anyone hunting there. Whether they know it's there or not.
So in 3 days if its still there, no one can hunt near there come OCt 4th.
And for what it's worth. The excuse "i didn't know it was there"...requires a court hearing for innocent people to prove they really didn't know it was there. If they have any hope restoring hunting privilege, and not paying a fine.
anyway you look at it it's a bum deal..
Stealing stands, riding ATV's on public ground, baiting....
Come on guy's we can do better than that!
Hunt ethically and lawfully...And the excitement, the preparation, the tradition and the satisfaction lives.
Hunt unethically and unlawfully. And it dies for everyone.
i'm ready...even starting to smell. feel. and look like bowseason. some leaves getting a hint of color, sharpened my broadheads yesterday.
I'm heading to MD for the opener next weekend. Can't wait
Been staying calm all summer, in fact I've been concentrating on it. Well, stress has set in a few times in the last week. Couldn't sleep last night.Have 6 weeks left before I leave. I think its all the whitetail prep we've been doing. Start in Jersey in less then 2 weeks and Pa the week after.
Bill V.
Jeff- Yes, 30 days before you hunt. I am assuming that most people will be hunting opening day! ;-)
Wow- It's gonna be a looooooooooooooooong 6 weeks, Bill! ;-)
"...or their residues." can make the 30 day stipulation irrelevant. Deer will continue to visit salt, mineral, and bait sites for months after visible signs of the bait are gone. They'll continue to come back and eat the residue infused dirt.
Like I stated...the gray area needs to be black or white. Shade, where are you from?
Maybe they should ban baiting altogether except in the special regs ares, then there would be no grey area. ;-)
Turkey assassin.
I'm from Juniata county
60 acres of soybeans with corn growing in it everywhere.
Deer eat the tops. See how the stems are eaten off.
I brush hog a strip down the middle of this reclaimed strip mine in late spring and the red and white clover grows real nice. It's almost time to cut it once more so it gets fresh growth before the end of the growing season.
I found 3 scrapes today within 60 yards of each other that were less than 150 yards from one of my stands.
And a bear flipped this log over to get at the critters underneath it.
But Art, you use trail cameras, don't you know that means you don't scout ; )
Mike
I'm just too excited to sit still on a nice morning.
A couple cool pictures there Art. I like pictures folks take that capture their experiences or scenery while they're actually out there infinitely better than the other kind.
Mike, c'mon, trail cams definitely substitute for scouting time for some folks. Some have actually told me so. I know... unbelievable... the objectivity and honesty of some people :^)
Jeff, I only scout for places to put more cameras ; )
These corn plants are getting hammered. Some did get ears and the silk and other top parts have been eaten away. Beans are so high we see deer heads looking at us from the soybeans all the time.
Nice thing about scouting is you can tell from the tracks and rubs near this trail that deer are coming out and that at least one is a buck.
The thing that the camera does for me is show how many (different) bucks. I have one that has passed through here within a half hour 3 mornings in a row going out. Camera caught him going back in on one of the afternoons.
If you look close you can see the straps from my stick ladder down the trail on the left.
The buck rub above was to the right of this picture about 15 feet in the old sunken road bed.
Here are some more pictures just for Jeff. Must have walked into a dozen spider webs that day.
Let me know when you all get bored and I will quit. LOL.
Neat view up here at the end of the strip cut. Thank God they ran out of money and weren't finding enough coal 40 years ago so they stopped. DEP came in about 22 years ago and fixed it. If you can imagine during WWII my dad was a teenager and he plowed the hillside on the right with a 2 horse power plow he walked behind. (And I mean real horse power.) He said back then there were just a couple of big oak trees in the middle of the field. I can remember when you could hardly walk through the thickets after the brush took over.
It was one of my first experiences of small game and deer hunting. This creek bottom was full of old apple trees too. There is actually and old stone fence piled up about 150 yards long going up over the hill to the right in the picture.
There are huckleberry bushes along this opening and in the woods behind where I was standing for this picture. Those berry bushes were so thick you had trouble wading through them after they quit farming.
The soil is not very good but there are wild black berries growing and lots of little oaks. Back before antler restrictions I shot a nice 4 point up here.
This part of the farm was actually a separate farm 140 years ago. That sunken roadbed above leads from my neighbor's house in a straight line for about 2000 feet down into the hollow. I remember back in the 1960's there was the remains of a barn in there and there is still a foundation of an old house. The house was to the left of the blind behind the deer.
Yeah Dennis, I am getting excited.
Great photos, Art. Looks like you all have some nice country to hunt up there.
Very cool, Bud. I bet it's gorgeous up there when the leaves are in full color.
Great pics Art. Looks like the deer could hide in those soybeans!
Keep 'em coming, Art! Beats the heck out of the wall I'm currently stairing at! ;-)
Went to the top of the hill with binos at 7 this morning. Saw 3 big 8s and a 10 plus a little 6. The one big 8 came out of the woods at 7:30 past my new stand set up. Looks like he stood in front of my trail am for a couple minutes.
WOW, sounds like you have a great "crop" of bucks this year! ;-)
I finally got into my 'crop' of Sheepshead today. Actually, I do nothing to cultivate it, I just found it several years ago and most years they come back on their own, so no farming or crops involved, just gathering of wild edibles :^) Within 80 yards of these Sheepshead, I've also found oyster and califlower mushrooms, but not today. I have a couple more proven spots to check yet.
It looked like I should have been there a couple weeks ago because I could see where several had grown and then rotted around the same white oak. I'm going to have to start checking that spot earlier from now on... mid August at the latest. The fact that I did find some good ones though tells me I need to get out around the new area here and put some miles on. I could use 3 times that amount of Sheepshead alone, not to mention any other edible ones I might come across.
Beatiful, Want the one on the left. Nice!
Great find, Jeff! Not much better eating than that and healthy to boot. :)
I've seen those around in the past Jeff. What do you do to prepare them? Just wash off? Do you dry them out or cook them fresh when you find them?
Mike
Good point Roger. Mushrooms, and Sheepshead in particular are a very healthy food source. In addition to their vitamins and minerals, they are claimed to be good at fighting and deterring cancer and different mushrooms can be better for certain types of cancer.
Mike, you could cook them fresh, but when I bring them home, I just go through them, picking them apart and cleaning them of any of the stricks, leaves and such that they may have picked up as they grew. Also bugs use them to hide in, so I shake and pick any of them out too as I tear them apart. No rinsing, because they're really pretty clean as they are and they're like a sponge and I don't want them all waterlogged. I just break the 'leaflets' apart enough to ensure they're clean, put them in gallon size ziplock freezer bags and freeze them. You can use them out of the bag a little at a time and return them to the freezer. They keep for a year or more.
They're pretty unique looking so there's less likelyhood they'll be mistaken for anything that would make us sick, but still... do your homework :^)
Before I start on my mushroom hunting career, I need some kind of sampling before I take my uh..... First steps. 5 or so pounds would probably work as a good sample. :)
5 pounds would be quite a sampling.
My fall hunting/scouting/gathering began about a month ago. Talk about excitement, here's some food I found on a property that Jeff and myself know pretty well by now. ;^)........This also happens to be tasty and healthy on top of being some of the best hunting you'll ever do. I'm always, always, always hunting!
Thanks for the info Jeff, I did not know you could just freeze them like that but I never really looked into it before. I've been passing to many mushroom opportunities over the years. Time to do a little research on them, defiantly don't need to get sick or start seeing the trees dance Lol
Roger that's a nice cat. I assume maybe Moraine? I see people fishing there at night for them almost every time I go over the bridge on 422 I hear it's a great catfish lake.
Mike
Yep, it's an extraordinary lake for 'cats. Hadn't been targeting them for a while and needed to get back in to the swing of things. This one and subsequent others I pulled from the outflow below the dam - "muddy creek". In doing some research, biologists now believe after 40 years of stocking and habitat improvement, they may now be actually spawning in Lake Arthur to 'naturally' repopulate the lake. I really hope so too.
Don't be afraid of those 'shrooms folks, it would be very difficult to misidentify them and as Jeff alludes, they don't need to be sanitized prior to eating. It's hard to find better eating anything than wild mushrooms,.......'cept mebbe southern pan fried cats. :)
I've never fished for Cats but have had it cooked at a restaurant down in Tennessee while Turkey hunting one spring, it's was real good eating.
Made it out for walleye this past weekend one of my favorite fish to eat.
Nice catch, Mike.
When you go over the lake at night and see all those boats out there with the place lit up like Christmas lights, those guys are almost surely fishing for Stripers. They are my favorite to fish for there... powerful, and theyre tasty too.
Now that's a good day's hunting!
I didn't know those guys were striped fishing, sounds like fun.
Roger Walleye Fishing on Lake Erie kind of is not fair. It's a meat grab. My buddies I was with called it " fun fishing" two of them are Charter captains, let's say they knew where the fish were. That cat you caught probably took a lot more effort than that whole box of walleye.
Mike
Yeah, I hear ya', but I'm sure it's still a boatload of fun, no pun intended. :) And, your right about the effort on that fish of mine; it almost drowned me. No net and I had to slip in to a creek(at night) that I found to be an immediate bottomless pit. Told my wife to take a pic when she asked why I was soaking wet, I responded "this one could have killed me"......Will cut the line next time. ;^)
Lol, that's a good story! You will remember that cat forever, prolly taste even better going down knowing it was a life or death situation ; )
Silence old man!!
Btw, now that I have your attention, please set up the blind tomorrow.......boy and I will be down next Saturday. :)
The chestnuts are hitting the ground in the front yard. No wonder there are so many deer tracks down there. Anybody who wants to stop by and help themselves to a couple pocket fulls is welcome.
Very tasty. Can you imagine if your hunting spot was full of these things?
The chestnuts are hitting the ground in the front yard. No wonder there are so many deer tracks down there. Anybody who wants to stop by and help themselves to a couple pocket fulls is welcome.
Very tasty. Can you imagine if your hunting spot was full of these things?
Well, it looks like the Turkeys LOVE them! ;-)
Yeah, there used to be chestnuts all over this countryside. That would have been a lot of reliable mast for the critters.
Black walnuts started falling in my backyard yesterday.
White oak akerns have been falling for weeks.
