2nd season with compound (3N)
New York
Contributors to this thread:
BOBCAT!
BOBCAT!
Haven't been on the forum since end of last season, but i'm back. Most likely only hunting 3N this year. I kept a journal on here last year so this will be my 2018 version thread. I am planning to check my cams on Saturday (8/11) and shoot my Mathews for the first time. Attached are some pics from my first check on July 13th. They seem to be hitting the throw & grow as usual, but this fall I will try winter rye and hope it lasts till October 1st.
Thought this was pretty cool. Nice 7pt (for my area). July 2017 vs. July 2018 nearly the same exact spot.
Bobcat
Bobcat
Went yesterday (8/12) to check cams. Tons of does/fawns/small bucks. No pics of the big 7, but got pics of the 8pt. I have been after since he was a small 8pt. in 2016. He's always had a smaller left side G3 but overall he keeps getting bigger. I assume he's now 4.5 years old. For my area (3N), I would have loved to get him last year so this year would now be even better. Also got another pic of a bobcat.
2016 vs. 2017 vs. 2018
2016 vs. 2017 vs. 2018
Also shot my Mathews for first time since October, so 10 months. No issue drawing and felt great. Took 14 shots total from 18-33 yards. Several from my ground blind to get that tight enclosed feel.
Looks you are developing some nice history with a few bucks. Looking forward to following your journal again. Thanks for doing it again and good luck this season!
Thanks man! Yea my Dad bought the property in 2016. We have not killed any 1.5 year old's, nor does the 1 neighbor so each year we have seen better and better bucks. 3N isn't known for booners, but it's close to home and fun to hunt regardless.
zoomed in.
zoomed in.
Looking back through pics and I just noticed a 6-8pt. behind this 4pt. Possibly another decent buck.
Checking cams this weekend (hopefully)- stay tuned.
8/31/18:
Pouring rain but checked cams, dragged a studded tire to knock down the brush which was 5ft high, put in a new ground blind. Pics include:
Two different 4pt One 6pt Two different spikes (one very high) One Bobcat Fawn climbing on doe Didn’t both posting all of the other doe/fawn/small buck pics.
And of course my arch nemesis since 2016, a bunch of pics on both cams of The big 8pt with small G3 on left side.
Pouring rain so Only took 3 shots with bow right before dark. 19, 22, 22. All three were good. Will be back 9/15 or 9/16 for final cam check and plant winter rye with hopes it lasts till 10/1. They keep hammering the throw & grow for now.
Bobcat
Bobcat
Heat wave is over and looks like rain coming sunday night, so planning to get the winter rye down on sunday morning (9/9).
9/9 -- Went to land and planted winter rye, and checked cams since I was there even though it’s only been 1 week. Took 2 shots with bow too. Won’t be back till 10/1 opening day
You can see my new blind behind the 6pt in one photo.
Blind upper right in photo
Blind upper right in photo
Great thread...keep it going. Where exactly is 3N? I hunt 3A
3N = Putnam County (first county north of Westchester). Not a lot of giants here, but good bucks (for me)
I'm going to hunt the Monday 10/1 opener. Do I risk going in on saturday 9/29 to check cams to have a better idea of which spot to sit?
I live in Westchester...know it well
Nice, I live in Westchester too.
Decided to stay out of the woods, so I will not have been there since 9/9. Planning to hunt the opener 10/1 in the morning and we'll see if any winter rye grew. I'll check the cams midday and hope i didn't sit in the wrong spot. Then decide where to sit in the afternoon after checking cams.
I'm nearby over in 3P. I'm looking for a good deer processor nearby. Any suggestions?
Blue Devil - I use Amato's in Somers/Katonah.
10/1- hunted morning till 1030am and 3pm - dark and no deer seen. Missed by target 8pt buck since 2016 by about 5 hours today. He came with a 4pt. Usually don’t get many night pics of him so this was odd. Below is also a different 8 or maybe just a 7. But I’d gladly take him too. Few more pics of small bucks fighting and yote.
Target 8pt with the 4 behind it.
New 7 or 8pt. Also a shooter for me.
another small buck fight.
1 of 3 seperate 4pt.'s I have been getting on camera.
10/2: I hunted the morning till 1030am. Rainy and foggy all morning. At 6:35am I caught movement and was hoping it was the 8pt but instead it was his buddy the 4pt. There are three different 4pts I have pics of, but this was 100% the one that was with the 8pt on cam yesterday morning. Watched this 4pt. From 635-7am. Got as close as 25yds. Very foggy so pic isn’t great. Could have shot him several times (after legal sunrise). He never spooked but kept looking back where he came from. Unfortunately, I never saw another deer. Not sure when I’ll be able to hunt again, but it was nice to see a buck.
Good pics, nice thread ,good luck..heading upstate to open my bow season on Friday. First opening day I missed in 40+ years . Cameras have been soaking since mid July...hopefully I will post some pics. ...Tom
Thanks for the tip XBow. Great looking deer you've got on cam!
Thanks guys. Been after that 8pt since 2016. Big reason why I bought a compound bow.
10/6/18: Hunted the morning till 9am. No deer seen.
Good luck. I hope you get him.
10/12: Rushed home from work and hunted about an hour from 5:15pm till dark. No deer seen.
10/13: hunted 4pm - dark. No deer seen. Frustrating year so far. I can’t hunt next weekend so I’m done till at least the 27th. Seems like last year where the bucks are on cam often in august/september, then disappear in october, but hopefully come back again in early Nov. (like last year)
10/19: rushed home from Work and hunted last hour 5pm - dark. No deer seen. But checked the 1 Cam I hunted next to and the target 8pt is back in the area. Also pics of spike/does.
10/21: hunted 4pm - dark. Brutal wind. Didn’t expect to see much and didn’t. But got to check my other cams and was happy to my top target 8pt appear again this week. Also pics of smaller bucks including the same 4pt I passed up on 10/2. The 8pt's neck looks a little swollen
I always see more during morning hunts...... the beauty of being retired. Hang in there.
Same, Pogo. Hopefully next weekend i'll get out in the AM.
Nor'Easter coming this weekend, doesn't look good for hunting. May work from home tomorrow so I can get out in the AM for an hour or so.
10/26: I worked from so only got for 2 hours of legal hunting time today. The morning till 830am and saw nothing. Checked cam on the way out and saw a yote smelling a scrape I pissed in. Also two small bucks fighting- a spike and the 4pt I passed up on 10/2.
10/26: In the afternoon, I got into a different blind at 455pm (sunset 557pm). As soon I zipped up, I heard a deer blowing To my left but I couldnt see a deer. So I did 2 soft grunts and a doe came right in. She was between 9-30yds for 30 full min. She had super long nose and saggy back, so she must be old. She never spooked, but no buck ever came in. Oh well. At least I got some cool videos.
10/28: hunted the morning for 2 hours and the afternoon for 2 hours. No deer seen, but the target 8pt came thru late Friday night to a scrape I pissed in.
That appears to be the end of Mathews season for me. Onto Xbow Saturday with my Dad.
11/3: opening day of xbow. I hunted morning till 10am and then 3pm - dark. No deer seen. Dad hunted for first time of year and went dark - dark per usual. He saw nothing as well. Brutal weather- rain in AM and crazy winds in PM. Cam had a few bucks this week, but at night.
I'd shoot the 10/31 buck if he’s 6pt or better and I think he is.
11/4: dad hunted dark to dark and saw 1 Doe in the morning.
I hunted the morning till 10am and saw 2 does and then 2pm - dark and saw nothing.
The night before when I left I reopened a scrape and this new buck (goofy 3pt) came right to it. Usually don’t get new bucks showing until November so hopefully things are about to turn on. Also noticed a bunch more buck rubs. Tally has to be over 25 that weren’t there last weekend.
I was supposed to be off from work Monday (11/5) to hunt but with the crappy rain again II decided to cancel my day off and just go to work. I’ll pick another weekday this or next week.
Weather has made it tough this year!
Agree. It rains every day!
11/7: I hunted morning till 10am and then 2pm - dark. Dad went dark to dark and neither of us saw a deer. A whole bunch of new bucks rubs though i found that weren't there on sunday. the bucks seem to be missing the cams and missing us when we are hunting. the rubs are nowhere near the spots of the past 2 years. tons of standing water on the property so i wonder if that has changed things. I've seen 4 deer so far this year (last 21 at this of the season). The neighbor hasn't seen much either and said it's been super slow too.
11/8: while i was at work, Dad hunted dark-dark. He saw 1 doe at 11:50am at 25yds bedded in some thick stuff where all the new buck rubs are.
11/10: dad and I hunted only the morning till 9am because of brutal winds. No deer seen.
11/11: I hunted the morning and saw nothing. I’m done till gun season. Frustrating bow/xbow season for me. Way less deer seen than last year.
My dad hunted dark to dark and saw 3 deer midday around 1pm. 2 does and 1 unidentifiable.
11/12: while I was at work, Dad hunted dark to dark. He saw 7 deer (6 doe/fawn and 1 3pt buck). All 7 deer passed by between 7-10am and in shooting range under 25yds. 3 of them at 10 FEET.
11/13: Pouring rain, so Dad isn't hunting.
11/14: while I was at work, Dad hunted dark to dark. He saw a spike at 730am sniffing a brand new buck rub and scrape.
11/15: while I was at work, dad hunted morning till 11am. No deer seen but he saw 2 big red fox at 730am but couldn’t get shot. 45yds a little too far for his comfort level.
He’s not hunting tomorrow, so it’s onto gun season.
11/29: Dad shot an 8pt (not one we had on cam) today at 12:45pm w/ shotgun. He hunts dark-dark every single day. Dedication pays off once again for him.
Congratulations to your dad!
Congrats to your Dad, his willingness to stay all day paid off. I have taken several nice bucks mid day during bow season especially during the chase phase. I haven't gun hunted in 45 yrs but I can see that it can work during gun season...Tom
Thx guys- yea he's pumped.
How are you. If you dont mind me asking, what town in 3N do you hunt?
Mahopac / Carmel / Putnam Valley. You?
Im over in Brewster and Patterson