This last season was one of my worst ever. For me there was no one to blame but myself because I put hunting on the back burner for a major ongoing work project. I just didn’t get to hunt much at all. The times I did hunt it was for an hour or 2 tops. The day I was successful - I had about 45 minutes before it got dark so I made the best of it.
Hoping the work project will help me in future years to have some more time to hunt!
The one thing I took away from the times I did get to hunt were the deer are becoming more skittish coming into my food plots. Which is surprising because there is not a ton of hunting pressure here. I was fortunate and saw deer every time - a good many being bucks. They came in later and much more alert than in previous years. I even moved my stands around - even hunted out of the saddle this year in different locations - thinking the deer were patterning me.
I am Still going to work with food plots but I think I am going to put forth more energy into planting more nut and fruit trees. Actually started clearing some areas today - think I am going to plant a few more chestnut, sawtooth oak and persimmon trees.
Walked over the property a few times with snow cover and actually saw where deer are actually circling and using the wind to approach the plots now.
They are simply amazing creatures! It’s no wonder we all are so passionate about hunting!
It was really a bad year for me too. Weather was warmer then need be the first part of the season. I didn’t shoot anything the three times I got in a tree before going a full week the third week in November. Just didn’t want to fool with anything in the heat and humidity.
The one deer I did kill in Monroe county in October, got eat by a bear over night after hanging it in a tree beside my cabin. It Got everything but about half a back strap and one front shoulder. I was po’ed. That bear did it 40 feet from my bed while I slept!!!!
It was a bummer of a trip late November too. In 9 days of hunting I saw two deer. Two.
Anyways, I’m pumped up about this year. I’m going back to my longbow. My shoulder is finally well enough to pull my trad bows without too much pain. I’m pretty fired up about it. And have vowed to be extra careful and try not to hurt it again.
Planning on an archery elk hunt, some serious tree stand time, and a renewed commitment to hunting hard to get to public lands. There are some great state hunting areas that no one is touching. That’s my niche. I love hunting places it takes boot tread to get to. No atv’s. It’s just my thing. Lord willing I’ll put sone arrows through sone animals this year.
Congrats on retirement Jack!
Having another 17 acres clear cut right now . That will be 47 acres in early successional, about 10% of my woods .
I’m actually looking forward to bow hunting this fall. I had 9 bucks between 120-125 on camera last fall. At end of Year 8 of the 9 we’re still there so they should be pretty good this year. Trying to get them to 4.5-5.5 and should be there after not killing any bucks last 3 years . Have finally gotten doe numbers down . 50 killed in last 5 years.
Got about 16 acres in food plots rest is pasture. Going to start working on pastures by discing and burning to get rid of grass and increase forbs .
I’m getting to the point where creating habitat is as much fun as killing a deer. It certainly is a lot more work
