The 2022 Season is about to kick off for me in coming days, have not hunted so far this year. I took off Halloween week to hunt everyday this time around the sun.
As in the past, I have had my cameras out none stop, have moved a couple of them, have had a couple other destroyed, one by flooding, one by woodpeckers and a squirrel that destroyed the lens cover. Here are monthly pictures showing how the place has changed month to month since Jan 1.
Flash flood that took out one of my cameras, we got a large rain in a very short time, highest water level rise and fall I have ever seen in my lifetime at this property.
Flash flood that took out one of my cameras, we got a large rain in a very short time, highest water level rise and fall I have ever seen in my lifetime at this property.
It continued to be wet thru June, weeds got high this summer
It continued to be wet thru June, weeds got high this summer
Not a lot of deer activity during July, but that is when I first saw one of the bucks I will be targeting this year.
Not a lot of deer activity during July, but that is when I first saw one of the bucks I will be targeting this year.
Weeds and skeeters were outrageous following the flooding
Weeds and skeeters were outrageous following the flooding
I have a few bucks that have caught my interest this summer, have been getting pictures of them, have seen the best two bedded on the place while scouting in person, have watched them while trying to pattern them to see if I need to move stands to have a better chance at getting a shot at them. Both of the best two do not follow a set pattern, come thru the property from multiple trails at different times of the day and night????? Has me scratching my head as to why they change their routines all the time. The best one is nocturnal, does not appear on the cameras until after 10pm most of the time.
For the second year in a row, this is the only fawn that frequented the property all summer, didn't show up with it's spots on my cameras until July?
For the second year in a row, this is the only fawn that frequented the property all summer, didn't show up with it's spots on my cameras until July?
Part of the bean crop has been cut already following a considerable hail storm in this area last month. There are some still to be cut along the Southside by the road, one swath was cut along the Northside, then there are a few acres waiting for the green to finish maturing. We had a couple days in a row where we had hard freezes, Monday and Tuesday of this last week, I figured he would come back to cut them this weekend as rain is predicted Sunday night.
Squirrel that chewed the lens cover off my other camera that died this summer
Squirrel that chewed the lens cover off my other camera that died this summer
This is one of the bucks I have my eye one for a shot, he is an older wide horned deer
This is one of the bucks I have my eye one for a shot, he is an older wide horned deer
This and the previous picture are from a new camera location where I always find rub and scrape activity. I am considering moving the South stand here, it gets busy during the chase phase
This and the previous picture are from a new camera location where I always find rub and scrape activity. I am considering moving the South stand here, it gets busy during the chase phase
I took down a couple of my hang on stands last weekend to rebuild them, they had been hanging in the same trees for far too long. The trees had grown over the chains, had even grown around the main upright support of the frames. It was a chore to get them down, took a consider amount of time to get them down. I replaced the chains that wrap around the tree, replaced the cables that support the platform with chain, replaced all the bolts that hold them together, as well as the rubber bushings to keep them quiet. I had intended to rehang them Saturday but didn't get done with another chore in time to do so. That chore took all my energy and urge to hang off a ladder or my steps to rehang them.
Originally, I had planned on hunting last evening and today, but with the wind forecasted to be 20-30mph, this Kansas man does not enjoy tree rodeos.
If you have not used this weather site, I highly recommend that you go to it, set it for your hunting area, and benefit from it's highly accurate weather predictions. You can just about set your watch by the wind predictions; I have found it to be spooky accurate at telling me what time the wind change will happen.
Enjoy the post, pictures and possibly videos, glad to have you follow along. I have done a hunt thread on here each year for many years now. I am not seeking advice nor am I asking for your input on how to hunt the places I will take you along to. I have four properties that I can hunt, have hunted all four for most of my adult life. I talked to a few landowners in the off season about hunting their land, but they already had theirs leased out, one did not allow hunting any longer due to bad experiences in recent years from folks abusing the right to hunt on him.
A couple frequent visitors on the cameras. They are young healthy-looking bucks that will be very nice in coming years if the bang stick boys will let them grow.
Thinking this afternoon, I should be in the woods after work. The wind is predicted to be 14-15mph out of the SE but will slow down to 5mph and switch to come out of the East, both perfect for either of my stands that are already up. I have not put up the other two stands until I see if they have changed their behaviors any. I had planned on backing into a cedar tree just to watch and see how they were behaving today. A neighbor to the property told me yesterday that a buck had gone thru their yard mid-morning yesterday with his nose down scent trailing, albeit a young buck, that news made me smile knowing that I had picked the right week to take off work next week.
5:30pm- Am set up in my South stand, is 63f with a slight East wind as was predicted. Let’s see what happens tonight before a predicted rain shower later in the evening.
7:05- Back at the truck, no deer movement at all this evening. Saw an owl fly across the field as I was getting down, first time in a very long time that I didn’t see a deer
Good luck trebarker.....between you, sito, and Thornton, I'm in the Kansas forum several times a day. Wish I was out there to see that country. And I really wish I was able to experience the good ol' days. Love the Kansas forum!!
The good ol' days of Kansas hunting is long gone, never to return in our lifetime thanks to commercialism and the $$$$ involved in that.
The farmer cut the rest of the beans last night, so I stayed out of his way. I had a job to do at 10am this morning so I did not go out last evening nor this morning. I plan on going out to hunt later this afternoon if I get far enough along on that job. The wind forecasted for today is good for the stand that I have back in the NW corner of the property just South of the main bedding area. It is supposed to blow 9-10mph out of the ENE, back in the timber it will be less windy but will likely swirl my scent around due to the wind swirling around in open areas of the timber. Tomorrow is the only North wind forecasted for all of next week, it will be out of the West Monday, out of the South the rest of the week. Looking like next weekend will be wet. Wednesday and Thursday are forecasted to have 25-30mph winds out of the South, not a good thing from any of my stands in the afternoons (or anytime as far as that goes)
Hunting in CT is very good I must say. We have long seasons, liberal bag limits. My kids have been successful. My 13 yr son got his first buck last year. 135 inch 8 point. My daughter is 18 now and she has 2 bucks and a doe under her belt. I can't complain, we love the meat. Good luck!
3:40pm, it’s 67f with the ENE wind as predicted. I’m going to take the long way in to use the timber for cover, change camera cards on the way in while looking for rubs and scrapes. My battery is low due to using the phone on the job this morning, it may not last to dark thirty.
4:11- 3 does just ran Northwest of me across the mostly dry pond. I had just got settled into the stand after making my noisy walk thru the timber to get here. Leaves and twigs are super dry and crunchy, I would have thought they would have busted out sooner if they had been bedded over that way, there was no way to be quiet.
Surprisingly, there is water in the creek, but it is pretty dark-stagnant and smelly. I can see movement North of me in the NW bedding area.
Here is what the pond is down too. Normally the water level goes 40-50 yards East of where I am sitting. The does ran NE thru the shorter grass above the water hole
6:00- No recent movement in the timber but the roads that surround the place have been busy in the last hour. There has been a very loud atv cruising up and down the road South of me, and the two corn feeders that wear orange while shooting their pet deer have each been by twice driving by real slow on their “scouting” missions.
7:14- Back at the truck, nothing entered my neck of the woods nor the field. Walking out, I found several places where the bucks had been sparring, will try to get better pictures in the daylight another day. Day one of my 9 days off was a wash, at least I saw some deer this time out
Last night I thought I was seeing where bucks had been sparring or fighting, well here's really what happened in the field, a lot of rooting by a dillo
7:20- Settled into the stand, should have been here a lot sooner, was pretty well lit up walking in. First morning hunt of the season, will know better tomorrow. Birds are waking up, crows are cawing, hope I get some action today from the stand that will be called #4 from here on out.
7:44- Three does in the field SE of me, they came from the SE. One saw my truck and ran towards the hedgerow, the other two are browsing the bean stubble
What I thought was buck fight evidence the other night on my walk out, think you would agree it looks like that rather than what an armor plated possum would do
8:40- This little guy sounded like a herd of elephants coming my way! Starting to look like the three does earlier are going to be the action for this morning
Back in my South stand, wind is playing games, trying to come out of the NE so I decided to come down here. It was 70f at the truck, they are saying it might get to 80f tomorrow on Nov 1st!
I have not been seeing any deer on my drives here lately, it has to open up soon
6:11- South winds 6-14 mph with temps ranging between 44f-78f is today's weather. I will be heading out here in a few minutes. Will be sitting in #4 again, any of the stands will be good this morning, this afternoon they all are bad choices because the deer bed North of them.
This was him a week or so ago, have video of him as well.
This was him a week or so ago, have video of him as well.
7:22- One horned 3pt showed up out in front of me, he browsed around under me less than 10 yds from the tree, then looked up right at me and got nervous. He left to the East but didn’t alarm, my clothes must be glowing. No way he smelled me
7:57- Sun is just clearing the Eastern skyline, wind is picking up, a county maintainer decided today was the day to grade the roads surrounding the field. Back up alarm and scratching gravel across a dry hard road is really loud. Something is moving around behind me, but I have not seen it yet
9:50- Two squirrels knocking down acorns in a oak tree Kyle, I could have easily had my tag filled with the dink, he gave me all kinds of shot opportunities.
Nothing else has moved, going to get down here shortly and go get some work done around the house.
I may go to another property tomorrow afternoon to give it a try, is obviously not happening here. I have not found a single rub, scrape or even a licking branch here to date which is very unusual.
3:45-‘Back in the same stand, it was 78f at the truck, and as predicted the wind is out of the SW with gusts 15+ mph. If the does or buck are in the NE bedding area, I’ve wasted my time, my scent already told them I am here. I’m hoping the buck I am after is West of me or in the NW bedding area. I have seen him on the West side of the creek, he will go by me to get a drink out of the pond over this way which has good water in it. My camera over that way has shown he does that. The scrapes I found this morning are SW of me about 70yds.
I am going to go back to work Thursday and Friday, then take those same days off next week due to the forecasted weather this week. I will be able to hunt over the weekend, miss 3 days, then hunt 4 more days in a row that way.
6:50- The larger of the two does ran out into the middle of the field and looked hard to the West. Then she ran North towards the pond.
6:55- My target buck appeared in the field just North of my South stand, he had crossed the creek from the West. He made his way across the field browsing bean stubble as he progressed. He too headed towards the pond causing me to stay put until he went out of sight. I just got to the truck 30min later.
Getting ready to head out here in a bit, going to be another very windy day. Wind right now is around 10mph, is supposed to be double that around 4pm.
The picture is of one of the better bucks in the area rubbing his horns on a lick as he and three other bucks were harassing what appeared to be the three does I have been seeing. Not seeing much action during the day, but it's going on there at night.
We need the temps to drop a bit so we can get some daytime activity. Sounds like some chasing has started in different areas, but mostly at night. Good luck Randy.
Beautiful morning in the woods, all except the part where the deer failed to show up while I was there.
Got within a half mile of the place and remembered I had left the phone on the charger at the house. No phone, no watch, didn't matter, not much happened anyway.
Sat in what will be referred to as #2 here on out, to get out of the wind a tad back in the timber. This is another stand I had taken down to rebuild but put it back in the same tree again because it is too good of a spot to abandon. It is in a natural funnel, there are two creek crossings near it, five well used trails dissect around it. I can see all directions, see places I cannot from the other three stands.
This morning I shared the woods with a flock of migrating robins (happens every year during the rut in case you haven't noticed), saw 4 or five turkeys down by my South stand, saw the road grader at sunup again, grading the same dry hard roads surrounding the place that he hit yesterday (convince me he is not a deer hunter scouting for the silly season), a couple loud screeching hawks that attracted crows and smaller birds that buzzed them, lots of squirrels that barked loud at the hawks, and lastly, a beautiful Bald Eagle flew by at tree top level looking down into the trees, he was looking for food with those bright eyes. (Saw him feeding on a roadkill 3 miles West on my way home) I got down around 10am, walked over to check out the new rubs and scrapes between two of my stands along the field edge. I could see the rubs from the stand. He had worked over the branch above the scrape, funny how I mentioned yesterday morning that I was not finding any, now we have both today.
Am headed back out this afternoon, thinking about taking some rattling horns along to try something besides sitting there for hours twiddling my thumbs
Back in stand #2 about 2:45, it was 77f with South winds 15-20mph. I’ve been through a couple of rattle/grunt sessions already and am going to sit quiet until later in the afternoon to do any more. With the sun in the West, I am seeing several more small tree rubs North of me. Look between the two center larger trees
7:15- Back at the truck. That was a long afternoon, have I mentioned I hate wind!!! I was swaying and having it whistle in my ears even down in the timber. It got rather crazy a few times, tree rocking back and forth. Those of you that have followed my hunts in the past; should remember why the does are bedding right behind a home, a place with roaming dogs, and wandering tenants that like to tour their 3 acre “farm”. The does that are not ready and those that have been bred already move up there to exclude themselves from the bucks’ attention. One of the does is this years’ only fawn, born in July. Her and momma are not ready to separate. The other doe is mature, am guessing she has already got a dose or ten.
Back to work tomorrow. If the wind isn’t being stupid again, I may stop out for a quickie hunt
In the video, you can tell he was winded, tongue hanging out. By the looks of his right side antler, he’s been tangled up with something a time or two. He may very well be the wide buck shown in one of my previous pictures, see the post on Oct 23rd
I can tell doe numbers are way down in my area, have had a wider variety of bucks showing up looking for action
Scientific studies say deer can see UV brighteners in clothing.
The hooded sweatshirt jacket I am wearing in this video is very dark in color, VERY dark, but in the UV light of the camera, it is glowing and doesn't show the camo at all. In the next video I am wearing a lighter colored camo cloth coat that has a polyester hood like sweat jacket, note the difference in the UV light.
Woke up this morning hearing it still raining with wind blowing, went back to bed! I love to deer hunt in the rut but crawling out of a warm bed to slog thru the mud, sit in the rain getting wet with the wind making it even colder than it already is, nope not happening. I have my limits, I call it age wisdom
This afternoon WU is predicting 60f with a 20mph SSW wind (oh joy) at it's peak. I was hoping the wind would calm down some from what it's been the last couple of days. I will be hunting #4 putting some timber between me and the wind to block some of it hopefully. I've shot several deer from this stand site, I've seen/shot the most deer from #2 during the chase phase.
2:20- Sitting in #4, had to park where I didn’t want to park due to it being too muddy where I usually park to get to this stand. I had to walk much further coming in from the South, took advantage of it by swapping memory cards on the cameras and resetting the clocks for tonight’s ridiculous time change. Found a couple more scrapes also. The creek is running 1/3rd full from the rain, I walked in water that was running off the field, the slough below me is flowing. It was 56f at the truck, the wind is more out of the South than what they had forecasted. I saw another bow hunter being dropped off 1 mile North of me on the way here, first time seeing him there, not sure who he is.
4:17- The young little doe browsed the bean stubble across the field to the two licking branches along the North edge due West of me. She kept alerting towards the cedar grove behind the neighboring house, then entered the timber walking by my NW stand (#3) out of my sight.
6:13- Four does came out of the timber East of me, they wanted to browse beans out in front of my video camera, but the 8pt or another buck decided to harass the does still in the timber. One doe came over under me, got nervous with all the commotion and went back the way she came.
6:35- Doe crossed back out into the main field, a large bodied deer came out of the timber down by the South creek crossing. They met up in the middle of the field to browse, dark enough even with the moon shining to not be able to ID what it was.
6;45- Larger deer ran SW, the doe headed SE browsing beans. I got down and started packing up, was too dark even though I still had five legal minutes.
7:29- Headed home from my parking spot. Fun afternoon, tomorrow should be the same
Looks like I missed some action mid-morning yesterday, the does had been being pursued most of the day. The 8pt doesn't look so young in his snapshot, looks like an older gentleman.
7:16- The young doe followed my scent trail where I walked in to within 20yds of me, then stood staring my way head bobbing, pretending to brave, acted like she was going to spin and run a couple times, the fun part was when she did spin and run, but only about 10ft. She stopped, then peaked around the tree with her ears perked up to see if I had moved. She eventually left headed South thru the timber, flagging the whole way.
9:03- Nothing else has moved. A lot of crows flying around, squirrels are active barking at each other, very still with little to no wind. Pretty disappointed considering how much activity was going on at sunset last night, expected chase action this morning.
3:00- Back in #2, was in the mid 60’s at the truck, wind is out of the ENE 10mph+ at times.
Went to town for fuel for the truck, myself and for the other half of the home who has been solo maintaining the status quo at home while I’ve been hunting the last week. Overheard several conversations at the cafe of deer being killed by friends and family of the other diners. “They started shooting a crossbow to be able to hunt during the rut” , “He’s put out at least 40 bags of corn already this year” “She used a crossbow because she could not pull back a bow and hates to go hunting when it’s cold” “ They should let them kill them all, not require licenses, put a bounty on them” were some of the things I heard. My steak and eggs were kind of bloody from biting my tongue.
5: 20- Target buck in sight, headed towards the scrape along the North side of the fence.
5:25- Text arrives and guess who forgot to silence phone before entering the quiet zone? I had already stood up hoping he’d come on over to me, but when I went to reach for the bow, he folded up and headed back the way he had came low and fast.
6:03- Got down early and am back at the truck. Hopefully he will forget what happened tonight by Thursday when I get to hunt again. Will find out if he made any more appearances when I check the cameras that day.
He came from the NW bedding area, had I been sitting in #3 stand it would have been a 20yd side shot where he was standing when he busted me. He spun dropping his head real low, ran at a sprint making no noise whatsoever. Got to admire that skill and uncanny awareness of everything around them.
That sounds like something I might do, and it’s always amazing how the timing is at the worst possible time. Hopefully a hot doe will overpower his senses and he’ll be back Thursday.
I had done everything else right, got in there undetected (doe was still bedded on West creek bank), wind was in my face, I was on the scrape line he was checking, he was headed my way. I stood up undetected, had resisted the urge to take video or pictures of him on the scrape, ding-ding goes the text notification, I slap my hand up to muffle the noise, his head comes up on full alert. When he starts to turn his head, I reach for my bow, he tucks and runs……..the little doe kept right on browsing, the little buck came right on out of the same area.
He didn’t get to his maturity and size by being dumb
All afternoon there had been man made noises, vehicles, horns honking, car security alarm going off, could hear people that were outside talking, heard a skillsaw and hammering on the opposite side of the timber I was on, loud atvs, utvs being ridden and driven in pastures to the NE, dogs barking on two sides of me, the place is not very country-like anymore as more people have moved in around it.
After thinking about it all evening, sleeping on it, had I not tried to cover/mute the sound, the quick arm swing to the chest, I think he would have carried on as if nothing had happened. That movement, more so than the noise, is what sent him running to hide.
I expected to see the meat pole thread and the hunting posts blow up with posts this week! I sure wish I could have went out yesterday, fog at the end of the day looked inviting
5:00- Getting around to head out this morning, been listening to wind howl for the last 30 minutes asking myself if I'm really up to sitting out in that. Last of the warmer days for a while, between 9am-11am the wind will switch from 20mph South winds to 15-18 mph NW winds. It is 67f now, the "cold front" is supposed to drop it to 50f by sunset. Sunrise is at 7:02, sunset tonight is 5:17, 10hrs and 15 minutes day of hunting.
I have been seeing does on my travels, but no wondering or pursuing bucks.
6:30- Set up in stand #4; the wind is strong out of the SW.
The hunter I saw North of me last weekend is back, hope he pushes deer my way. Very cloudy but can see the full moon in the Western sky. No deer were in the field when I walked in, at least what I could see anyhow. The sound is OFF on my phone today
6:56- Doe just came from the SE across the main field, entered the timber headed to the NE bedding area, I just about missed seeing her, was looking SW but caught movement in my peripheral vision. She was in a hurry to get to cover
7:16- Small doe just came from the North walking flipping her tail side to side fast. She went to the two scrapes West of me and licked on the licking branch, then went into the timber over by stand #2. She continued flipping her tail like her butt was on fire.
At 9:17, the front arrived, had a sudden gush of wind out of the East that peeled my hat/face mask off sending it back behind me on the ground about 20yds
10:16- Change of plans, it did sprinkle on me. When I got over South of stand #2, there were 3 bucks chasing a doe around the cedar grove. The largest of the 3 ran towards the NE bedding area, the other deer returned to the cedar grove. On my walk back to #2, I decided to return to #4. As I skirted along the Northside of the property, I see someone has installed a ground blind on the neighboring property, smack dab in the middle of the trail the deer use to go to the NW bedding area. I can see it from this stand.
12:09- I'm out for a while, in fact I'm at home already. The deer didn't come back out of the cedar grove before I left. I changed the memory cards before leaving, doesn't appear that I missed much in the last three days according to what was captured on them.
I stopped by the landowner's house where the blind had been set up recently. The last time someone moved in on top of me like this on his land, it was a trespasser. He wasn't home, so will call him later. If the person has permission on his land, he obviously knows little about the place, where they set the blind up is not in a good place at all, will ruin it for both of us.
That blind popping up is a real crappy deal. Hopefully it’s a trespasser and the landowner will deal with it. Hope it works out without too much trouble either way.
Contacted the landowner by phone, the blind was set up by a known person that had permission to hunt his ground, a person that is known to bring 4-5 people in with him (from out of state) to “share the blessing” with him. Nothing I can say or do about it. Told the landowner that where they placed the blind made it obvious that they didn’t know the land, how sitting one smack in middle of a heavily used trail close to the doe bedding area guaranteed that neither of us would be seeing deer.
On my drive back here a bit ago, a doe ran across the road in front of me, standing next to some cedars was the target buck. I am in stand #4 again, 1/4 mile South of where I saw them. Hopefully they will come back this way instead of heading North. That was at 2:30, it’s almost 3 now. It was 50f at the truck, there is a slight NW wind nipping at my ears
Gearing up to head out here in a bit. Had some domestic duties to attend to here at home this morning, I just finished the last one making a repair on a water leak that was something that could not wait any longer. Anyone that has an outdoor water hydrant that always seems to spring a leak every fall knows what I was dealing with.
It's 39f with a NNW wind at 17mph, I will be hunting either #3 or #4, I may just duck into some cedars along the hedgerow on the way in depending on what I see when I get there.
2:30- Settled in stand #4. Drove the back roads looking for deer activity on the way here, saw nothing but one large very dark colored male coyote that was well fed and dressed well with thick fur for winter. I decided against the stand back in the timber because you cannot see the places I can see from this stand. There weren’t a lot of tracks along the hedgerow after last evenings rain so here I am again.
4:13- Just had a giant pileated woodpecker land in a tree close to me, thing was huge! Tried to get a picture of him but he flew off before I could. Beautiful bird, very brightly colored, black ring around the eyes made him look like he was wearing a mask
4:30- Four does just came running from the SW, crossed the slough. The lead doe walked into my scent drift and locked up sniffing the air currents trying to locate it again. The other three does flagged and ran NW into the timber under #3 stand. The lead doe stood guard sniffing the air, then went South to????, she is gone out of sight
4:55- Little doe turned out to be the unicorn buck. He came the same way the does did, rather than having him smell me too; a couple deep throaty grunts sent him back to the NW, he wanted nothing to do with the buck that made that noise. I am guessing he is what chased the does out of their beds, nothing else followed them.
5:53- Am at the truck, ran into the little doe on my way out, she was on the Northside of the hedgerow about 1/3rd of the way back out. All the deer seen this evening were the young ones. The main push of the chase phase is done here, the older bucks have cut their ladies out and have driven them to their safe zones. Some people looking for an excuse for not seeing big deer call this the lockdown phase. No, you just aren’t where they are at, quit lying to yourselves. I bet they are no further than 1/4-1/2 a mile from you, where you don’t walk or hunt. I saw one of my target bucks yesterday, he was a few hundred yards from 3 houses, where you would not expect to find them in the middle of the afternoon. Tomorrow is opening day for upland birds, am expecting company in the woods even though there are no quail around this year. I also predict hearing chainsaws nearby. Happens every year
Just wasn’t feeling it today, set the alarm, got up and showered, stepped outside to get the dog out and feed/water him, I went back in the warm house and took my boots back off. I do not enjoy being cold. I’ve hunted deer on this place enough to recognize a change in their behaviors recently, what I’ve seen the last two days means the next 5-6 days will produce very few deer events. Once the orphaned fawns and little bucks are all you see, that is all you are going to see for up to a week. It is a very tough place to hunt, but one that often produces some very nice bucks. 11 yrs ago today, my daughter killed this buck in the picture when the chase phase had just began here. I am at the field this evening, but sitting watching from the truck. As I typed this, three young does ran out of the cedar grove towards the pond on the other side of the hedgerow. They were only about 40yds from me, stopped to look at me. I will sit in the stand tomorrow afternoon, very likely the last time during the rut this year. I work 7:30-5:00 on week days, with the time change that rules out week day hunts, weekends only here on out.
2:00- It's 43f with 15 mph SE wind, that leaves me with just 2 options; 1. Sit in stand #4 and hope my scent doesn't get back in the NW bedding area, 2. Sit in the hedgerow near the corner post where three properties meet and the deer often cross.
Getting geared up to leave the house now, last of the planned days off for this season other than the weekends. I hope one of the target bucks comes back looking for another doe to cut out for himself.
3:00- Just got settled into stand #3 when a young 6pt came from the South. I hadn’t even pulled up my bow yet. He briefly browsed out in front of me, started into the timber but quickly veered NW when he saw the deer blind stupidly placed on that trail. He went back towards the NW bedding area. I chose to come down into this stand as the wind was blowing too hard out along the field edge. It is blowing back here too, but not as bad and will take my scent across the creek instead of back into the bedding areas. I didn’t see any deer on my way here. The hunter next door parked about a half mile North of here, he’s hunting your old hilltop area Chief.
6:06- Back at the truck, I did not see any other deer movement. The wind made the sit rather cool. The way it started out, I thought perhaps there was going to be some action. Switched out the memory cards, we will see what was missed in the mornings over the weekend.
Looks like you still have some bucks in the neighborhood, but maybe mostly nocturnal. Blind on the neighbors place I’m sure didn’t help. Hopefully a hot doe will override that target bucks senses and bring him by you in the daylight.
Hope some folks were out deer hunting in my area the last couple of days. Two mornings ago, had deer in my back yard taunting my dog. Yesterday morning, I saw 3 bucks on the prowl seeking does on my way to work. Last evening on my way home from work, I saw a total of 20 does out feeding in the fields along my route. I believe the alpha does are bred, that the bucks are out seeking does again, will be back to chasing the other younger does that have not cycled yet. Looks like it's going to be windy again this weekend, oh joy.
Not in your area but I hunt mornings mostly and it’s been to damn cold for me. I did make it Monday morning, saw 1 young 8pt, 1 doe with 1fawn, and 1 fawn I’ve seen multiple trips alone. I guessing orphaned?
2:30- It was 38f at the truck with a NNW wind of 10-15mph. I am settled in #4 stand with the wind at my back.
Saw a nice 8pt on my drive here, ran down thru the field headed this way, he had been in the road as I approached from the North just 1/3 of a mile away from where I am now.
5:35- I’m out. It got real still and quiet the last hour. I glassed back in the bedding areas, did not see a thing. There was a lot of human activity in the area, knew it wasn’t to be this evening. Neighbor kid saw me walking out, rode his atv down to my truck to see what I had seen, asked why I was out so early?? Explained why, asked what he had been seeing near their place. He and his dad are aware of the buck I have been watching and waiting for.
Saw multiple deer at the feed trough next door to the West when I left. Then this happened on the way home. Wish his rack had shown up on the video as clear as I saw it in person.
Mid 40's, SSW wind at 17mph, looks like another trip to stand #4 this afternoon. None of my other stands will work with the blasted wind! Has been a terrible year for wind, sure seems like we have more of it than we used to. May be my last shot before boom stick season, I won't be able to hunt here at home next weekend. I may go out the morning of Thanksgiving, will be warmer then than it is now at sunup.
Settled in #4, is just before 3pm. Took the long walk in to check my cameras and scrape activity on the South end of the property. Sure wish I would have remembered to bring some batteries with me, will have to walk it again at quitting time as the busiest camera is about dead.
The ground blind has been moved, closer to the bedding area but still on the main trail back in there. Stupid opportunistic people never learn. He is the type of person that have to sit right beside you if you are catching fish. The best part of the property he is on is on the other side of the creek, too far to walk his lazy arse to obviously.
4:00- Crows started raising a ruckus NE of me, more crows arrived to help their buddies. I paid close attention that way because a very wise man I know and respect once told me when deer hunting to do so.
The crows took off after the hawk that was over that way, they chased it South dive bombing it as it tried to get away from them.
One of the corn feeding gun hunters went to restock his feeder while “road scouting”. He stopped 3x on the road to glass this field on his way back home just now.
4:33- Nice young buck came out of the timber West of me between scrapes on that edge. He browsed his way across the field entering the timber headed North towards the NW bedding area.
6:11- No more action after the last post. Went to the truck to retrieve batteries, cameras are good for awhile again. Not a bad evening deerwise, 7 does, 3 bucks, just not what I was there for.
Dave, there are a ton of trash bandits out here, shooting one of them wouldn’t make a dent in their numbers
46F with little to no wind in November? Heck yea I'm going out for a hunt this morning.
Headed to stand #1, only one good for the NNE wind that is supposed to arrive around 9am. The target buck was herding does by there as late as 9am last weekend. Let's see if he does it again.
6:56- Have been in stand #1 for some time. The birds are waking up, have several cardinals, a couple of hoot owls, and some crows calling out. It was 46f at the truck, is overcast, very slight wind out of the SSW. I did not see any deer cross the road on the way here, can see one deer up by stand #4 as I type this. Am going to stay out to at the latest 9:30, my kids are home that I have not seen in a couple of months, and other family is coming after 10 so need to be there to help the other half.
Happy Thanksgiving to all that are still reading this thread.
8:15- Have not seen nor heard any more of the deer chase SW of me since the last post. I had heard some commotion that way earlier before I caught a glimpse of the doe running thru the timber. Nothing followed her route that I saw, it has been silent since. She was about 50yds from the cheater feeder behind the neighboring house. I’ve not seen any deer cross the main field this morning which tells me the does are elsewhere today
3:41- It was 47f at the truck with 10mph NW wind. Last chance for me before firearms season starts. I woke up in Syracuse Kansas this morning, drove across the State only seeing one deer out moving around, but my goal was to be here where I am now, in stand #3 back in the NW corner of our property.
One of the neighbors texted me last night asking me to share the pictures and videos I have of my target buck, “to show his boys” what they should be waiting for in the next couple of weeks. Then he sent me a picture of him standing out in our main field that he had taken this last week. I wasn’t naive enough to think I was the only one that had seen him, but I told him I wasn’t willing to share my pictures of him just yet.
4:20- Doe and fawn just got up out of their beds NW of me, walking between me and the ill placed blind, they are going to come out right in front of me, 3 more coming behind them
4:34- The lead doe and fawn walked into my scent which put her on high alert. All five does retreated to cover NE of me stomping and sniffing the air. One doe blew, not knowing where the scent had come from, but telling the world she didn’t like it. The walked single file towards the NE away from me
5:00- The buck I’m after is with 2 does on the West side of the creek headed South away from me. Wish I would have had my digital camera with me, the setting sun was behind them would have been a great picture.
5:55- Back at the truck. The does never found me but were very nervous. They ended up going back to the North into the timber, they wanted to cross the creek or go South but kept running into my scent drift in the little field.
I changed the memory cards on my way to the truck. We must have gotten a decent amount of rain here yesterday, water was running down the slough under #4 and it was a very muddy walk in and out this evening.
Cameras showed him chasing does around there at night all week, he walked under Stand#4 at 10:32 this morning nose to the ground following a scent trail. I was on Hwy 156 between Garden City and Jetmore about that time.
I chose not to hunt this morning due to low temps and the wind, bad choice
I chose not to hunt this morning due to low temps and the wind, bad choice
Heard six shots this morning at 6:50 am while getting ready to leave to go check out our property, see how many road warriors I could report to the NROs. Sunrise was at 7:25 this morning, they were pushing the rules huh? Surprisingly, I did not see a single truck loaded with bloated pumpkins road scouting today! Typically the first weekend day of season, there is a parade of them Saturday morning at sunup.
Talked to two hunters in the area, seems the deer that I was after was killed Thursday morning. I saw the guy's picture with him on FB, it is him. I can now show you all the one I have been obsessed with all summer. I have multiple pictures and videos of him from first horn growth to this.
That's the way it goes, glad the road hunters, poachers and the guy who set up the blind close to me trying to get him didn't get him!
Am surprised nobody said anything about my earlier picture of him above on the 28th, last picture of 4 on the post. I didn't intend to share that one at the time, once it loaded I regretted doing so and considered deleting the entire post but let it go.
It's just amazing that any of the big bucks make it past the huge corn piles and also rifle season here in Kansas with the pressure the deer get. But there always seems a few make it , so keep after them !
He was posted here one other time that nobody seemed to notice either. I wanted to see who was paying attention. Scroll back to November 20th, when a “nice young buck” strolled thru. Had I taken that picture with my digital camera that I didn’t carry this year, I would not have shared it.
This guy survived because he was passed on in previous seasons, pretty sure he was a very wide 8 last year. The closest corn pile operation told me they didn’t have pictures of him, he didn’t visit their welfare distribution station, but they had seen him passing thru their property. Bucks of this size rarely visit feeders. Last year, had the fewest gun hunters in my area that I remember.
I saw this buck bedded down on our property a few times this summer, deer typically never do this there. His typical late appearances on the cameras, 9-10pm and the majority of the time, appearing from the North, told me his safe zone after the bachelor group broke up was in that direction. The hunter that got him hunts about a mile North of me, I am betting the bucks bedding area was not there either.
No baiting allowed where I live in CT. I have hunted a farm for the last 27 yrs in my town. About 5 yrs ago, a feeder was put in on someones lawn about 3/4 of a mile away, not for hunting, just for wildlife viewing I suppose. That thing completely changed the patterns of the deer and turkeys that I came to learn from all the years hunting there. Traditional roosting areas for turkeys are now silent. Deer sightings way down and the lawn is covered with turks and deer. No good will come from this from what I can see.
Season 2022 is over at my primary spot following firearms season. There are a handful of dink bucks passing thru, and only five does being seen in person and on my cameras.
One of the does is the small lone fawn seen since July. There has only been one decent buck seen on the place since the last bow hunt there, shown in this picture. I saw him in person pushing does last week.
I will be using the tag in the late season at my brother's place who regularly has 15-20 deer on his field every morning and evening. He wants to have the herd size reduced some to keep it in check, so I plan on helping him with that.
Great thread and awesome target buck. Kind of sad that you didn't get a chance at him before someone else got him, but I understand your sentiments completely that at least the poachers and road hunters didn't get him.
Now come on Randy...you got 3.5 days of 2022 season left. Always fun following along. Keep us updated on how the January doe season goes. Have a happy New Year, Sir!
JW, when you go to work in the dark and come home after the sun has set, there are no shooters gracing the two closest spots near the house, it’ obviously not going to happen.
Outfitter operations and private leases surround my brother’s place, there are plenty of deer in his area. He has been after me to hunt there all season because the bucks tore up his yard trees, but understood when shown pictures of what I was after here. I will drive down there for a mature doe, getting low on venison.
Just got caught up on this thread. That right there makes a man sick. It would be hard to pass on a buck like that, but man he looks like he’d be a MEGA giant next year. Already huge.
I know I probably sound like a broken record, but that’s exactly what I was going through Randy… except they were showing up on an outfitters page. Reduced to an advertisement.
Part of the game Ray, he wasn’t my deer until I put a tag on him. I had one close encounter with him, did everything right except remembering to silence my phone. He was working a scrape, would have came my way to a second scrape, then walked thru my shot corridor heading to the third scrape. The wind was perfect, he would not have smelled me. As soon as he heard my phone ding and vibrate when the text came in, he stared right at me thru the trees, spun around and ran the way he had come from with his chin nearly dragging the ground keeping his rack low trying to hide from me and/or to keep his tall headgear from dragging limbs. Awesome thing to watch, heart breaking but I couldn’t help but laugh at myself and smile at his luck. The text was from my wife, answering my text sent before leaving to hunt. She also asked if I was seeing anything? Funny you should ask I replied. The young man who shot him likely didn’t know he existed, he lives in Nebraska now but is from here originally. He shot him in a pasture that has little to no cover. The big bucks always push does up into this pasture during the rut, I know it, am sure Chief saw it back in his days hunting the area, to be able to hunt it with any success requires using a longer distance weapon which I won’t use for horns.
I have no hard feelings towards the kid at all, he was in the right place at the right time. I am pleased he went down to a hunter, not a cheater.
3:30- Set up waiting on the does start moving on land where my grandfather farmed and hunted to feed his family, where my father was born and raised, where he first hunted and fished. I spent a lot of time here as a kid, every fall we dove and quail hunted here. My brother owns it now and lives here. Many fond memories of family and hunting on the place. If my grandmother was still alive, she would be sitting on the back porch worrying about me being down here alone. Broke out the Winchester for this hunt, no stands or blinds set up here to hunt from. If I don’t shoot one today, May bring the bow and blind next weekend.
Brother has been seeing between 10-20 deer a day in his bean field, I’m laid out on the SE corner of it with an East wind in my face. It was 57f at the truck on Jan 1st!
Don’t recall ever seeing one of these guys here, he came from the East thru the trees to see what I was doing. He sat in this fork above me scolding for awhile before he continued West
4:45- Just got busted by a doe, her and five others just went back to the SE away from me. Tell me again they cannot see orange? They didn’t smell nor see me move.
Sure makes you wonder about the orange sometimes. Sometimes I’ve been busted the same way, and others I’ve had groups like that walk a trail through the woods where I was sitting up against a tree and could reach out and touch them as they walked past single file. Never know for sure what they’re going to do.
Looking East down the lane where the deer were expected to cross over headed to the bean field
Looking East down the lane where the deer were expected to cross over headed to the bean field
Rub in the timber where the does approached me from the SE
Rub in the timber where the does approached me from the SE
Back home now. The does continued blowing at me from about 50 yds away right up to sunset, honestly I did not care that my season continues and I didn’t pull the trigger.
All of his pictures sent to me thru the fall season when he was trying to talk me into hunting there showed the deer herd in the SE corner of the field. I glassed the timbered cover areas to the South before walking in down a tree lined lane along the Southside of the bean field. With the wind out of the East, I stopped about 30yds before reaching the corner of the field, laid down in tall grass under a large walnut tree. To the South of me on a neighboring property (where they were bedded down) was some heavy brush and a grove of trees. The does walked thru that, headed right towards me, and spotted me there on the ground. Had I chose to stay back a little further to the West, most likely that would have been the route they would have taken, deer seem to have that knack about them. I had considered sitting North of the corner initially, but opted not to to avoid being out in the open longer to get there.
I spent my time waiting on the does remembering my family history there, past hunts with my Dad, brothers, Uncle and cousins following family meals, dove hunts when you couldn’t load your gun fast enough because there were so many doves flying in. There were quail hunts when multiple coveys were easy to find there. I often limited out on rabbits there in the winter months, could do it every weekend we went there to see the grandparents which was every other weekend. I remembered the time I shot a rattlesnake I spotted at my little brother’s feet ready to strike his leg while we sat in the fence row waiting for the prairie chicken to fly by. My Dad scolded me for ruining our chances on the chickens during that hunt until I tossed the remains of the snake down to him. We still shot several chickens that evening. Every summer while haying the pasture there, we had to watch out for the snakes, was not uncommon to find them sticking out of the hay bales or under them when we loaded the hay.
When I left, I saw no less than 40 deer in the first 3 miles North of the place, all out in harvested grain fields, just about every field had deer in them!
Same unit, but night and day difference in herd numbers from the opposite ends of it. I haven’t seen that many deer all last year in my home area.
Saturday afternoon- Returned to hunt at my brother's place around 3:00. I did not bring the bow and blind, the wind was out of the North at 15mph, it was in the 30's but with the wind felt much colder than that. Getting such a late start (all my fault, couldn't get motivated nor excited about sitting out in the wind), chose to take the 30-30 again.
I again laid along the South side of the field in tall grass, about 30yds further West than I did last weekend. I initially intended to sit further West, but the field crowns up, then drops off in elevation along the East side, I could not see the edge of the field when laid out on the ground at my first spot. After finding where I could see the SE corner of the field, I cleared me out a spot and laid down. It was two hours of laying on cold ground with a raw wind numbing my face and hands. I was beginning to think the deer had chosen to stay in cover due to the wind, sunset was quickly approaching.
Spotted a doe fawn on the pasture side of the field about 4:20. The only reason I saw her was she flagged, her tail reached above the tall grass where I saw it. She eventually came thru the grass enough for me to see she was too small. Later she was joined by two other does, they too stayed down below border of the field where I wasn't given a good shooting lane. The three does entered the field and started off browsing their way NW away from me. After seeing so many deer last weekend, I chose not to shoot any of those three (2 were yearling fawns, 3rd was mature but small), I let them go on their way.
At 5:00pm, two more does appeared along the field edge, I took a 60yd shot at a very mature well-fed doe that was standing broadside to me. Both does remained upright in the position they had been before the shot, staring back my way tails up. The first 3 does returned to look for what had made that noise. The two I had shot towards headed East but were not in a hurry. I waited a minute or two before going to where they had stood to look for blood. Once I stood up, the 3 does to the North of me took off NE. When I got to the field edge that slopes down to the East into a hay meadow very quickly there, everywhere I looked were deer flags waving, there were up to 30 deer running away from me, deer were everywhere! I did not find a single drop of blood, no hair, I had evidently shot low and missed the doe I had aimed at. I searched the cut short prairie grass pasture thru a slough and walked along the East fence line looking for blood, none was found.
The deer were again smarter than I was. There was virtually no wind down in the tree lined grass bowl they had all been gathered in. I had chosen not to hunt down in there because you cannot see out, cannot see what is coming at you. My mind told me deer would not like that anymore than I would not being ready for what was headed my way.
I will be heading back down there this afternoon. There is supposed to be 7mph SW wind with temps in the 50's, will be a much nicer afternoon. I will be sitting in the border grass between the field and the pasture/timber where I can see both areas. Last chance for me.
Last night's snafu must have driven them over into the next section or county, ZERO deer came back this evening. Was much nicer weather, but an uneventful hunt. Once again I saw at least 40 deer out in fields in the first 3 miles from the driveway after leaving my brother's place. I had to stop to allow a dozen cross the street inside the city limits of Emporia on a very busy street. No deer in the freezer this year.
Checked my cameras today before going hunting. There is some hope for next year.
Thread is not done just yet. When I checked the season dates for the extended season back in December, I saw Jan 1-9th. I looked again at the KDWP site today and now it shows it goes to the 15th, Sunday. I should have known they would not end the season on a Monday. I suppose I saw the dates before the page was updated? I will be back out there this weekend.
Went back to my brothers place this afternoon, carrying my father’s old scoped rifle for good luck. Stood under the same tree I hid behind last Sunday because the wind was out of the South between 15-20 mph. The thermostat on my truck said it was 50f when I parked, but with the wind it felt much colder.
Shortly after I got settled in, had a visitor walk by me, thought it was a skunk at first, it was a black haired possum. About 4 o’clock I caught motion to the SW out of my peripheral vision, turned and saw two dogs headed my way. They came across the bean field to the grass, then ran right by me about 10yds from where I stood. They never saw nor smelled me, ran off to the NE out of sight. I didn’t expect to see any deer after they had hunted thru the area. My brother texted me that he had never seen the dogs before, he had seen them crossing his field too. They were crossbred mutts, someone had probably dumped them.
At 4:55, I saw antlers in the corner of the field the dogs had ran thru. It was a young small rack 6pt buck. Shortly later 3 does joined him, they began browsing the grass and field edge headed my way into the wind. I knew they would smell me eventually. I waited until the largest doe walked into a lane where I didn’t have branches to shoot thru, took aim and squeezed the trigger. The doe shot straight in the air at the sound of the shot, I saw dirt and grass fly up behind and underneath her, once again I had missed it appeared.
The deer stayed in the field, I stayed put and did not shoot again. They all stared my direction. I watched the doe thru the scope, did not see any blood anywhere on her body or legs. As they headed East I walked out into the open. They flagged and ran North, the direction they had come from. I went to where the doe had stood, walked the path they had taken, again no hair, no blood, I had cleanly missed again. I do not take risky, long range, deer in motion/running shots. I normally never miss what I aim at with rifles, to do it twice in one week, very unusual.
I did not go out for the final day of the late antlerless season. My daughter was in town visiting for the weekend, the wind was blowing up to 25 mph out of the South, the way I had been shooting I just wasn't motivated to go out and sit in the wind leaving her at home before she left the next day to go back home.
I went and checked my cameras recently. The day I went, there were 20 deer out browsing in the field, they all ran towards the bedding areas as I approached. I was not surprised to see so many, it happens every year when they yard up there at the coldest point of the winter. I had many pictures and videos of them, two wounded deer, coyotes, bobcats, rabbits, squirrels, possums, coons, even a wandering barn cat. I had pictures of a couple of bucks that had shed, but most of them are still carrying their horns.
I got my money's worth out of the price of the tag and license this last season, I always do. I took far fewer pictures this time around leaving the camera at home, my phone takes good close-up pics, but the distance shots lacked appeal.
This will be the final entry concerning my 2022 season. I enjoy doing these threads, my time in the woods is exactly what the title of the thread said it is, therapeutic time for me away from the normal grind and routine.
I have killed many deer, tagging a deer is not my reason for hunting deer. I thoroughly enjoy my time afield watching wildlife in their environment. Don't kid yourself, they watch us and know we are there the majority of the time, those that routinely tag out year after year are either very good at the game or are extremely lucky. There will come a day when the bow or rifle stays at home, and I will only take cameras along (not anytime soon as long as my physical ability is there).
I have already started scouting and planning for changes to be made for the 2023 season. I hope to be acquiring some new property to hunt on, moving stands and clearing shooting lanes based on winter sign and movements.
I hope all of you reading this still will be at the KBA convention, I look forward to seeing you all there.
Got some good looking young deer there Randy. I bet that young skyscraper 8 is going to look kind of cool in a couple years. His beams are about touching already in the middle.