Post by: EastWaViking on September 01, 2009, 08:23:53 PM
Post by: bow4elk on September 01, 2009, 08:27:37 PM
Post by: EastWaViking on September 01, 2009, 08:38:00 PM
I got in my tree stand at 5:30 pm, could hear distant thunder but figured I'd get in and see what happens. By 6 pm I was being tossed around by the wind so much and the lightening and rain was on top of me... I felt like Gilligan trying to control the USS Minnow on the opening of Gilligan's Island. I scampered down the tree and waited for the lightening to pass. I was back in the tree by 6:30, a couple minutes later two trucks pull up on the county road 600 yards across the field. The guys get out and start glassing me! They are also talking loud, and I'm starting to get mad. After 20 minutes I grab the phone and dial 911...not sure what they can do, but I call them anyways. I tell them the guys are glassing me and talking loud, not sure what they are up to but if their plan is to harass me or the deer, it's illegal. I mentioned maybe it was a drug deal, in hopes of getting a sheriff to drive by. They finally leave at 7pm. At least I have the last hour to really hunt. Finally deer start coming out of the woods at 7:15... at 7:20 two sheriffs cars show up and sit on the road with their lights flashing! The deer look at them and act a bit concerned but keep enjoying the soon to be third cutting alfalfa. The cops finally leave at 7:30. Here comes a nice 4x4 buck. He's tall but not real wide, maybe 16". He walks over to the aspen tree about 10 yards from me and starts eating the leaves that fell when the wind kicked up... who knew they liked aspen leaves? He stood broadside in front of me for at least 10 min, fun to watch. He then started sniffing where I walked in.
He wasn't spooked, he just smelled something different. He followed the scent right to the base of the tree. Here came a glorified spike, he did the same thing. Farther out in the field I counted roughly 30 deer. One was the 6x6 I am after. He was about 200 yards away when it got dark. I waited until the two small bucks wondered back into the field, slipped out of the tree and walked home. Fun, but very odd evening. I wonder what tomorrow will bring!?
Post by: EastWaViking on September 01, 2009, 08:40:16 PM
what's on the agenda for the fall so we can check in?
Local White Tail until Sept. 10
Wyoming Mule Deer and Antelope Sept 11-18
Maybe a couple more early WT days... Take the kids with me a couple times. (4 & 7)
Ducks and Geese with my new lab pup
A little grouse, dove, pheasant sprinkled in for good measure.
Late buck if I need it
Waterfowl until it closes.
Post by: PacificNWhunter on September 01, 2009, 08:45:54 PM
Post by: oneezreiter on September 01, 2009, 08:57:09 PM
Post by: bowsandhose on September 01, 2009, 09:29:21 PM
Post by: EastWaViking on September 01, 2009, 09:34:17 PM
good end to a rough start but i hope your treestand is still up in the morning
I thought the same thing. I took a picture of the trucks...just in case.
Post by: EastWaViking on September 02, 2009, 08:31:00 PM
Deer didn't start to move until 7:30 Most of them came out where I didn't expect them too, 300 yards to the south. I was on the ground sitting along a fence line between two alfalfa fields, not much cover. I did have one small buck come in behind me and directly down wind. Less than 30 yards broadside and he had no idea I was there. If done right, scent control works...even on 90 degree days. Tomorrow... I'm going to sit where the deer came out tonight, and they will probably walk right past where I was sitting this evening. Just one of the joys of trying to outwit whitetail deer!
Post by: EastWaViking on September 03, 2009, 09:37:26 PM
Like I said yesterday, I decided to go south to the corner of the big field where I saw most of the deer cross last night. I walked down there and located the main two crossings and found a great place to sit with a couple old aspen trees and tall grass along the fence line to hide by. Soon I saw deer coming, just a few does and fawns and a small 3 pt. Around quarter to 7 they decided to cross into the field I am hunting. The small buck and a doe with two fawns go North up the fence line and cross about 80 yards away. Another doe and fawn cross right where I expect them to, at 32 yards. I watch them for a while and see that about 8 more deer are crossing the field that leads to the fence line and field I am hunting.
Suddenly the fawn out in front of me starts one of those spastic playful runs, bucking and swinging it's head, just enjoying being a fawn... well that ,for some reason, startles the doe a bit and she jumps back across the fence, which startles the deer that were coming, soon they were all running back towards the woods! All except a couple small bucks who where trying to figure out what the problem was. I sat there for a while and saw a few deer coming out of the woods and crossing up North where I was sitting last night. One was the decent 4x4 I passed on opening day. Finally at 7:45 I see more deer heading towards me, one is a real nice 4 or 5 point in the 135 to 140 P&Y range. I thought to myself. He's not the big 6x6 but if he pops out in range he is still a trophy. I start to get ready as he gets closer. I think to myself, "he's heading right to the crossing, this is it!"
Just as he gets to the 32 yard crossing... he turns north and goes a few yards then hops the fence where there is no trail!? I range him... 44 yards. Side note: (A few years back I took my 50 yard pin off after wounding the first and only big game animal of my life, a real nice WT buck at 48 yards. It was a good looking shot, and to this day I don't know why I didn't kill him. I followed him for 2 days in the snow and finally lost his tracks when it started to rain. I went home and took off the 50 yard pin that same day.) Anyways back to this evening.... 44 yards, sure I can shoot a good group at that range, but what the deer does while the arrow is in flight is what I can't control. He walks out to 48 yards and I think "oh well" I'll just watch him maybe he'll feed this way. A few minutes later he is directly down wind from me and unlike the small buck last night, he smells that something isn't right. He isn't real spooked just on alert. He walks fairly quickly to the fence and jumps back across it and starts feeding again. Now it is 10 minutes until 8. I see more deer heading towards my field up North so I grab my fanny pack and crouch down and start sneaking up the fence line. I get about 60 yards from the deer and I can see one is a real nice buck... maybe the 6x6?? I sneak a few yards closer hoping to get in range for when they cross. Suddenly one of the does starts down the other side of the fence line right towards me. I crouch down and clip on my release. Here she comes, I am hoping she will cross right in front of me at about 15 yards and the rest of the deer will follow. She keeps coming and right behind her I see antlers....BIG ANTLERS.... the 6x6 is right behind her less than 10 yards from me! I stay real crouched down and draw, in hopes they will pop out right in front of me....no, they keep coming on the other side of the fence! Before I know it the 6x6 is broadside at 8 feet... yes really, 8 feet!!! I am on one side of the fence he is right on the other side directly across from me... broadside! I put all of my pins right behind his shoulder, there are three or four blades of dry grass between him and I but at that range they will not effect anything. I look at his antlers, perfect 6x6... tall and beautiful perfectly silhouetted in front of the orange sunset, velvet intact.
I want to shoot, my heart is pounding, it is an amazing moment.... BUT.... I have not asked that land owner permission to hunt his side of the fence! I know the folks and have hunted ducks there before, but I have not talked to them yet this year. About that time a smaller buck jumped the fence right in front of me about 20 feet away, he sees me and snorts. The 6x6 twitches but still stands there a few more seconds before bounding away. He stops about 70 yards away and just stands there. I let down my bow, smile a bit, kind of chuckle, knowing most people would have shot.
I stand up but stay low and sneak down the fence line towards home. My heart is still pounding and I think to myself, I will not see that buck again this early season. He will be nocturnal from now on, and a road hunter will probably get him in late rifle... but, even if I don't get a deer this year, I have a mental image of a great buck and a story of a hunt most people will never experience. And that is why I hunt.
Here is the buck from a trail cam pic I got in Aug. And a side note... I just called the land owner and he said "no problem, shoot him next time". I figured that's what he'd say.
Post by: Elkric on September 03, 2009, 10:45:50 PM
Post by: Machias on September 03, 2009, 11:02:11 PM
Post by: Caseyd on September 03, 2009, 11:18:59 PM
Post by: BLKBEARKLR on September 04, 2009, 08:02:47 AM
But on another note, good luck to you, that is a nice deer...
Post by: BLUEBULLS on September 04, 2009, 11:38:22 AM
Post by: Austrian Hunter on September 04, 2009, 11:57:22 AM
Awesome buck! I hope you get another chance at him. 30 plus deer per day, man I just love your area. :chuckle:
Post by: EastWaViking on September 04, 2009, 08:33:54 PM
Tonight I went back to the same spot I was last night, hoping... actually more like wishing that the big bucks would have a bad case of amnesia. No such luck. I had 15 does fawns and small bucks all around me, and even had one doe come in feeding right behind me... even closer than the buck was last night, maybe 6 feet away and down wind! Go figure, one night they can't smell me at 6 feet, another they do at 50 yards. Anyways I left the deer pretty much undisturbed at 8:03 and on my way out saw three or four more deer coming out of the woods, they all looked like nice bucks. They are now waiting an extra 20 minutes before coming out, just after shooting hours. I even think I saw one of them wearing a wrist watch. :chuckle:
Tomorrow I will probably take one of my kids out and sit behind our place and "hunt"
I did kill a few minutes while I was waiting snapping a couple pictures.
Post by: EastWaViking on September 06, 2009, 10:41:41 PM
I didn't go out last night, so I was anxious to get out there tonight. I ended up playing with the kids a bit longer than I had planned so I got a late start. There were a few deer already in the field at 6:15, I spooked a small buck and two does, but was able to crawl about 150 yards down the fence line and not spook another small 3 point and a spike. They ended up bedding down. I was in a slightly different place than the prior 4 nights... between where I sat night two and night three. I was standing at the base of an aspen tree right beside the barbed wire. About 6:45 the deer really started moving, the cooler weather had them active earlier than the previous nights. I saw several does and fawns and a couple more smaller bucks working their way across the field. One spike with eye guards fed to within 25 yards of me. I looked to the north and saw more deer coming they were all branched antlered bucks and a couple decent ones including the one I passed on opening day. They saw the spike right near me and came running in! One 4 point about 16 inches wide (a pretty darn nice buck) came walking right towards me. I thought, he's not going to.... yep, he did the same thing the 6x6 did...but even closer!
He came to within 4 or 5 feet of me! I could have taken an arrow out of my quiver and reached out and tapped him on the nose. I thought for a second or two about trying to draw (now that I have permission to shoot on that side of the fence) and I probably would take him later in the month. But he came is so fast I probably really couldn't have drawn, even if I wanted too. I just watched him through squinted eyes (that is an important tip, squint your eyes when you are in close contact with a deer, that way they won't spook if you blink) He ate a bit of the tall grass on the edge of the field, then nibbled the little aspen that looked as if it had been trying to grow for years but keeps getting eaten back. Then he wondered off. There were at least 10 to 12 bucks in the field, none of the real big ones. Then...at 7:45 the big ones started coming out. I saw three big bucks heading my way but it looked like they would cross about 100 yards south of me, so I carefully crawled down the fence line, trying not to spook the 20 some deer in the field less than 100 yards away from me. I managed to get down to where I thought the bucks would cross and light and time ran out on me before they got close. I stood up crouched and walked away not spooking them even though they were only about 60 yards away. The cool weather really has them active, maybe I will still see the 6x6 again after all! One more night, tomorrow, before I hang it up until I get back from Wyoming.
Post by: Caseyd on September 06, 2009, 11:15:03 PM
Post by: pinetree on September 07, 2009, 04:52:37 AM
Thanks for your stories, they are great.
Post by: EastWaViking on September 07, 2009, 09:16:17 PM
An evening about like last night, without the super close encounters...other than this porcupine. A few does in range 9 or 10 bucks, one 4 point fed to withing 50 yards. The most interesting thing was I heard what sounded like a "come here deer" call. Instantly the biggest buck, a nice 4 point lifted his head and ran towards the sound, looking like he was ready for a fight. It was a fawn bleating, the buck looked around to see if something was after it. When everything looked ok, he went back to feeding. Maybe a deer call in the early season would be good to have!
Now it's time to switch gears and start getting ready for Wyoming! I leave Friday, I'll post more stories when I get back.
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on September 19, 2009, 05:18:25 PM
Post by: EastWaViking on September 19, 2009, 07:27:01 PM
Jeff and I traveled from Spokane to Billings MT. We stopped in Livingston and ate at "Mark's In & Out" a little drive inn from the 50's -- good cheap food. The highlight of the day (besides seeing the first antelope of the trip somewhere near Deer Lodge) was shaking the hand of one of only 5 remaining survivors of the USS Arizona who was also checking into the motel in Billings. They don't make them like that any more.
Post by: EastWaViking on September 19, 2009, 07:37:13 PM
We left Billings and stopped in Sheridan Wyo for our archery licenses and ORV permits. We then headed to Gillette and stocked up on supplies. Soon we were pulling into our favorite camping spot, "the windmill" We had a visitor we called Betsy, Bertha, or Bessy depending on the wind direction and how bad she stank that day (dead cow). We quickly swapped out our street clothes for our camo and had a couple hours to knock the spot and stalk rust off of ourselves. I saw several groups of antelope but nothing close enough or big enough, but it was great to be back in Wyoming!
Post by: Austrian Hunter on September 19, 2009, 08:15:18 PM
Post by: EastWaViking on September 19, 2009, 08:54:27 PM
Post by: EastWaViking on September 19, 2009, 08:58:55 PM
Our first full day of hunting. Jeff headed East towards the breaks for Mule deer, I headed West to the dry creek bottoms for Antelope. I got to the first drainage and dropped in. I worked my way towards the first group of antelope I saw, there was nothing in it that I was looking for, but you never know who will come along and try to steal the does away from the smaller bucks. I was able to get within bow range of a small buck about 13" tall he had 4 or 5 does with him. I played around with him for a half hour or so, then moved on to try to find a group with a bigger buck in it. There were a couple small mule deer bucks also in that first drainage. I walked to my favorite part of the drainage, the area where I killed both my doe and my buck last year, and I got a doe there a few years back. There were no antelope anywhere! The wind had really picked up and it was getting real hot, I think most of them were getting out of the wind. I decided to move to another area where we saw a big group the day before while driving in. I snuck down to the drainage and saw them, there were around 50 antelope, small bucks, decent bucks, does and fawns. I looked closer and saw one buck that I thought looked "pretty good". I worked my way closer and soon was within 100 yards from them. As I snuck down the drainage I turned a corner and there right in front of me was a sleeping doe mule deer. She was only 15 yards away, she opened her eyes and I froze... she looked towards me and then fell back to sleep. I backed out of sight and settled in... I can't go forward because I'll spook the doe and she'll spook the antelope. I waited and watched. The antelope looked like they might start working their way down wind from me, I quickly went back down the drainage to stay upwind. They then went back and some of them bedded down. This is going to be a long wait.
A couple hours later the main group was still mostly bedded down, a small buck and a few does stared feeding back towards me. I once again worked my way back down the drainage to keep the wind in my favor. It was now about 90 degrees and I had been crawling back and forth, up and down the drainage for almost 3 hours, I thought of the hunting commercial that says "patience should be rewarded, not tested" Well, I was plenty patient on this stalk, maybe this will work out. The main group of antelope were back on their feet and I decided I should try to get in range before they fed off and the whole stalk was wasted. I worked my way back to the corner where the mule deer doe was... she was still sleeping. I backed up and came up with a plan. I got about 30 yards away from the doe, out of sight of her. I picked up a couple dirt clods and threw them on the bank above her. She stood up and looked up the hill away from where I was. After a few minutes she walked off and a couple other does nervously went with her. I then quickly worked my way around the bend where the deer had been and closed the distance on the antelope. I then had to crawl through the shallowest part of the drainage between the two groups. There was no room for error, I had to stay real close to the ground and hurry because the small group was now down wind from me but about 100 yards away. I didn't want to chance them smelling me in this heat. I got through the tough section and rounded a small bend... that was as far as I could go. There was no more cover to get any closer to the main group containing the biggest buck. They were 80 yards away and I set up behind the best cover I could find, two sage brush plants on the edge of the drainage. I would wait here and see what I needed to do next. I then glassed the biggest buck, he was better than I thought he was, he was big enough that there was no doubt I would take him if given the chance. It wasn't long, maybe 10 minutes, and he decided the splinter group was getting too far away...time for him to go retrieve his does. He started walking right towards me! I thought, "this might just work out". He kept coming, I ranged him between the sage brush at 48 yards, he was coming fast! He was now within 30 yards and it was time to draw. I got as low to the ground as I could and pulled the bow back, he was right behind the sage plant. I figured he would stop at the rim of the drainage and I would have a shot at him within 20 yards. He didn't stop, he trotted down into the drainage to my right, I spun and shot as he started up the other side... he was down a couple steps later!
He was 14 yards from me when I shot. I stood up and grabbed my camera and took a picture of part of the main group that was still standing there trying to figure out what had happened. I walked over to the buck and knew I had just taken what I had came here for. A real nice Pope and Young buck. I have not scored him yet, but he is 15 inches tall and pretty heavy. He will push the 80 point mark, I believe. I was excited to say the least, but I then thought... 3pm day one and I am done antelope hunting... I kind of felt sad, because that is my favorite hunting of all. Time to get him gutted and to the meat processors fast, it's dang hot out here!
Post by: BLKBEARKLR on September 19, 2009, 09:01:39 PM
But I am loving that 3 Wheeler that brings back a lot of memories...
Post by: markts on September 19, 2009, 09:28:03 PM
Post by: EastWaViking on September 19, 2009, 09:32:24 PM
Post by: EastWaViking on September 19, 2009, 10:32:56 PM
With my antelope buck in town at the butchers, it was time to switch to mule deer mode. Jeff had seen a pretty nice 24" 4 point the day before, so we headed out to the breaks and started working the bigger draws. We spotted a few deer feeding down towards the dry creek so we hurried down to intercept them. We got there just a bit late and a doe spotted us. We worked though the creek bottom and I came around a corner and there was a 4x4 and a doe hiding in the bottom in front of us. They spotted me as I ducked back around the corner. They trotted off, but not too far. Soon we found the doe up just above the bottom watching for us. Jeff then said "there's the buck" seeing the tips of his antlers through the brush. He stayed down in the little narrow dry creek bed, hiding just out of sight and range, watching the doe for clues to where we were. They finally had enough of us and got out of there. We hiked quite a few miles and didn't really see much else for deer that hike. Jeff then went after antelope and I continued looking for deer. I worked two different drainage's and discovered that looking for mule deer bucks in the hot weather is a lot like fishing for big trout in a creek. They were hiding in the littlest shady cut banks along the dry creek beds sometime in places you'd never think a deer could fit. I came around the corner of one dry creek bed and saw a deers tail and hind quarters 20 yards ahead of me. The creek bed was only 3 feet deep and probably 3 or 4 feet wide. I could see the tips of an antler and it looked like a decent buck. I was going after any branched antlered mule deer, so this looked good. I stood there not able to move any closer, hoping that he would stand up some time in the next few hours and give me a shot. After about 15 minutes I felt the wind change directions... He will smell me any second now, maybe I'll get a shot before he runs.... NOPE. As soon as he smelled me he was gone, he ran out about 200 yards and stopped broadside, a decent 3x4 about 20" wide. Oh well.
I found another deer in a big dry bed tucked way back in a cut bank, I made a stalk, but it jumped up and left the area when I was 18 yards away and still couldn't see his head to know he was a buck, a small 2 point. A long hard day of hunting ended with a few close encounters, a lot of miles walked, sore feet and darn near heat exhaustion. A perfect day of hunting if you ask me!
Post by: bowhunterforever on September 19, 2009, 11:22:38 PM
Post by: SSG Brower on September 20, 2009, 01:02:00 AM
Post by: robb92 on September 20, 2009, 03:44:25 AM
Post by: EastWaViking on September 20, 2009, 06:47:04 AM
Awsome read,pics, and whopper lope with a bow,Congrats. :IBCOOL: Are you gonna go after whities around your place again or waiting until late season?
I may go out tonight and try one more evening this week.
Post by: EastWaViking on September 20, 2009, 07:43:30 AM
I walked the lower part of the drainage Jeff and I had seen the 4x4 in the day before. I saw a lot of cows and antelope, but no deer. I went for a little drive on the three wheeler and jumped a small three point just behind the bike in this picture. I hunted the area he was in until dark and only saw a few does and fawns. Jeff went after antelope this day first because he had two tags burning a hole in his pocket.... He filled them both! He got a nice doe and a smaller buck. Now he can concentrate on what he was after, a big mule deer buck.
Post by: Austrian Hunter on September 20, 2009, 11:52:51 AM
That's some amazing country there, unbelievable that deer and antilope can live there.
Post by: EastWaViking on September 20, 2009, 10:25:09 PM
Jeff and I decided to go back to the drainage we had seen the decent four point in two days earlier, but this time we would split up and work the little finger draws and side canyons. I headed up the first draw and it soon ran out, so I hopped over to the next and then to one more. This one was a bigger drainage with a cotton wood tree every half mile or so in it. I dropped into the dry creek bed and started up. After about a quarter mile I rounded a bend and could look into the next bend... there was the back half of a deer! The wind was perfect and the body looked bigger than a doe. I started to crouch down and the buck looked up. It was a small 4 point. I froze and he soon gave the "all's clear" signal with his tail and went back to feeding. I crouched lower and waited. He was about 50 yards from me, and slowly fed up and out of the bottom. I waited until he disappeared over a little hill, then started my stalk. I got up to where I last saw him and could see a big cut bank in the creek bottom, I then saw he was headed there to bed down for the day. I backed up and circled around so I could come in from above him. It was already hot and only 7:30 in the morning, there was no wind (a rarity) and the grass was super crunchy and noisy. I figured I had all day if I needed it, because he was not going anywhere. I took a step then would wait for the slightest breeze to half conceal the noise of the next step. I moved about 15 feet in the half hour between 7:30 and 8:00. I noticed that the sun was still low in the sky and soon my shadow would be breaking over the lip of the bank, possibly spooking him. I can't go much further until the sun gets higher in the sky and my shadow becomes shorter...oh well, I have all day, I thought to myself. A slight wind picks up and I manage one more step, then I look and can see the tips of his antlers. He has not bedded down yet and is getting a few more bites of grass from the creek bottom floor right in the middle of the bend. In front of me there is a small V shaped cut eroded into the lip of the bank, he will walk right in line with that in just a couple more steps, giving me a possible shot. I range the clump of sage that I saw through the V, at 40 yards, my maximum range. I realize I won't have to wait all day long after all, I just need to take one more step to get in position to shoot. I look at the ground ahead of me and think, "just one more step...how many times have I heard someone say that, and then end the story with, "but a twig cracked, and the big one got away"? I knew this step had to be perfect, and silent. I picked a spot where the grass looked the least noisy and put my toe down first then slowly put the weight down on the rest of my foot. Perfect, silent and he still had no idea I existed. I looked up, he was now broadside in the V. I crouched down as low as I could without moving my feet, and drew the bow back, then slowly raised back up, put the 40 yard pin on him...my longest pin, the pin I have only shot at targets in my back yard with. He turned his head towards me and I release the trigger. I saw the arrow slip right through the middle of the little V in the bank and disappear right behind his shoulder. He jumped and trotted up a little hill. I grabbed my binoculars and looked, bright foamy blood pouring out from behind the shoulder on the opposite side! I knew I had him. He disappeared over the hill then popped out about 180 yards further up the creek bottom, he wobbled a bit and then collapsed. My Wyoming hunt was over. I couldn't be happier with the stalk, and placement of the shot. He's just a small 4x2 (or 5x3 depending on how you count) but he is a trophy to me.
Post by: pinetree on September 21, 2009, 05:39:54 AM
Post by: Gobble on September 21, 2009, 06:35:50 AM
Nice buck! Any deer with a bow is a trophy
Post by: EastWaViking on September 21, 2009, 07:25:46 AM
Jeff and I worked an entire drainage taking up the majority of the day. We made a stalk on a small 3 point but a herd of cows kept messing us up. Jeff passed on a small buck at 43 yards and a close doe later in the day. We worked a couple more small areas before dark. No luck. Jeff got up early the next morning a put in a quick hunt before it was time to pack up and head home, seeing a few more deer. We filled 4 of our 5 tags and had a great time in Wyoming, as usual. We stopped in Kaycee and bought a couple souvenirs at Chris LeDoux's father-in-law's store, "the Rusty Spur", it was fun talking to him about his son-in-law. They are putting in a nice memorial park and a big bronze statue of Chris on a bronc, right in the center of town, a fitting tribute to Kaycee's favorite son.
I'm already looking forward to the next time we head back to Wyoming!
Post by: Clipboard guy on September 21, 2009, 09:31:19 PM
It would be nice if a guy could have a set of eyes in his feet once in a while.
Post by: EastWaViking on September 22, 2009, 06:38:02 AM
Post by: boneaddict on September 22, 2009, 06:46:06 AM
Post by: EastWaViking on September 22, 2009, 07:57:05 PM
Finally got to go back out and look for the 6x6 this evening after work. I saw lots of deer, had a little 4 point broadside at 34 yards, saw several of the bigger bucks, but not the 6x6. I will likely get out one more evening before the early season is over. If I don't see him, I will probably hold out until the rut... probably.
Post by: EastWaViking on September 24, 2009, 07:42:44 PM
My wife had night class so I had the kids, we watched for deer to come out into our field from the house. Sure enough a small buck comes out and heads towards our garden. I run and grab my bow, I stalk him in my socks and get to 35 yards all I need to do is get a clear shot through or around the corn stalks. I go just a bit further and suddenly Meggie my lab sees me and doesn't recognize me because I am crouched down and sneaking... she barks. The kids had fun watching me though. The end.
Post by: EastWaViking on September 24, 2009, 07:44:59 PM
Back out to the field, I saw over 40 deer and at least 10 bucks. I crawled the fence line for over 150 yards trying to get to where I thought one of the bigger bucks was going to cross. I got to 50 yards of him and it got dark. I have sore knees and knuckles on one hand and one more night to hunt!
Post by: EastWaViking on September 25, 2009, 07:40:45 PM
Last night of early season, me and the kids when hunting. We saw a few deer and actually were able to get to just over 40 yards on a stalk of a doe and fawn the last few minutes of daylight. The main thing is the kids said "that was fun".
Time to put the bow down for a while and get the pup ready for goose season!!!
Post by: bowhunterforever on September 26, 2009, 05:21:44 PM
Post by: scoyoc5 on September 26, 2009, 05:39:42 PM
Post by: EastWaViking on September 26, 2009, 08:03:00 PM
thanks for the posts EWV..I bet that last evenings hunt was the best! :)
Absolutely!
Post by: EastWaViking on October 19, 2009, 08:13:32 PM
I forgot and added the pictures and note about taking my pup for her first hunt under hunting dogs. I'll post the link here just so I can keep track of all '09 hunting days in one thread.
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,36326.msg426523.html#msg426523
Post by: EastWaViking on October 25, 2009, 05:56:22 PM
We finally got some ducks coming into the pond! Clipboard guy and I got 4 and Meggie my pup did a great job retrieving her first ducks! She retrieved one from the middle of the icy pond and found another one in some tall grass and brought it straight to me. I think the hunting light switch really came on for her today... a good day all around.
Post by: EastWaViking on November 08, 2009, 11:11:17 AM
real good day on saturday 5 ducks.
Sunday slow one duck and one goose
the next saturday slow but we both got a duck and a goose, Jeff turned the geese around about a half mile away and got them to pass right in front of us. Two geese one shot apiece.
Post by: EastWaViking on November 08, 2009, 11:14:30 AM
Took the kids for a walk down along the creek hoping to find a stray duck. Took the old 20 gauge single shot and some steel loads. No ducks but got a quail. Would not have found it without my dog Meggie along, it flew over 100 yards before going down. My daughter carried the bird most of the way back and said, "I love hunting"
Post by: Austrian Hunter on November 08, 2009, 12:28:09 PM
Post by: EastWaViking on November 15, 2009, 09:57:27 AM
Day 25 fun morning!
The geese are starting to fly pretty good again. Jeff and I set up literally 100 yards behind my house and had lots of geese fly over, they are headed to a neighbors field, but we managed to turn a few towards our spread. We should have had a couple more on the ground had a great time regardless.
Post by: yelp on November 15, 2009, 08:59:06 PM
Post by: Wacenturion on November 15, 2009, 10:02:12 PM
"My wife had night class so I had the kids, we watched for deer to come out into our field from the house. Sure enough a small buck comes out and heads towards our garden. I run and grab my bow, I stalk him in my socks and get to 35 yards all I need to do is get a clear shot through or around the corn stalks. I go just a bit further and suddenly Meggie my lab sees me and doesn't recognize me because I am crouched down and sneaking... she barks. The kids had fun watching me though. The end."
Classic! :chuckle:
Post by: EastWaViking on November 25, 2009, 10:27:08 PM
Finally late buck season...5 days late. Hit the woods before daylight still hunted all day. At 10:00 I saw a real nice buck trailing a doe at about 70 yards, not sure how big, a very tall mature buck, I hit my grunt call and he stopped and looked my direction then continued on his way. A half hour later a smaller 4 point followed the same trail. After he dissapeared I tried rattling for a while, nothing was interested. I climbed in my tree stand at 2 to watch and wait till dark. At 3:45 a doe and fawn came down the trail followed by two spikes. I climbed down at dark, ran home and threw some clothes in a bag and headed to Leavenworth for Thanksgiving made it here an hour ago. I'll be back out there again Saturday, but the rut is definitely past it's peak.
Post by: Austrian Hunter on November 26, 2009, 01:50:50 PM
Post by: EastWaViking on November 26, 2009, 05:36:45 PM
Post by: Ridgerunner on November 27, 2009, 09:32:43 AM
Post by: EastWaViking on November 27, 2009, 07:33:52 PM
seen the 6x6 lately? That was a dandy buck. Hope you get another crack at him.
I can't say for sure the biggest buck I saw on the 25th wasn't him. It was big and had lots of points. I hope to be able to tell you for sure in a day or two!
Post by: EastWaViking on November 28, 2009, 05:28:14 PM
I got up early and left the in-laws. Got home and washed my camo. Jeff called and said he got his buck today! He said now you got to get yours so we can go find an elk. I headed into the woods at 1pm and still hunted until almost 3 without seeing anything. I climbed into my tree stand which is in between three different trails that make a triangle around it. I barely sat down and I heard a little twig break. I looked and here came a small buck. I could see him through the trees and drew my bow back and waited for him to come out into the clear at about 25 yards, when he did he was hard quartering away from me... no shot. I held the draw as long as I could hoping he would stop and turn broadside but he didn't. Finally I had to let the bow down. He spooked a little when I did and jumped behind some small trees. He waited for a few seconds then decided to cut around in front of me through the brush. There was one small opening ahead of him, I drew again just before he stepped out into the clear, when he did I made a little grunt sound to stop him. He stopped and looked at me, I put my 20 yard pin behind his shoulder and released the arrow. I saw it disappear right behind his shoulder, he spun and ran. I watched him until he went out of sight about 50 yards away, then a couple seconds later I heard him crash....deer season 09 is done.
A small buck after passing up many big bucks in early season, but I lost access to my best late hunting grounds this year and was hunting a 30 acre wood lot, I'm happy with the clean kill and the tenderloin we will be having for dinner tonight. Now I'll spend a couple days looking for an elk! :IBCOOL:
Post by: huntnphool on November 28, 2009, 05:46:33 PM
Post by: NWBREW on November 28, 2009, 05:49:45 PM
Post by: EastWaViking on December 01, 2009, 12:58:52 PM
Spent the day Monday scouting for elk, saw some old tracks and moose tracks.
Post by: EastWaViking on December 01, 2009, 01:00:10 PM
There are two types of land owners, the ones who love turkeys and think they are their pets, and the ones who are so tired of them eating everything they want them all gone. I asked around and found a turkey hater.
They had about 40 turkeys in their field so I cut into the woods and snuck down towards them, By the time I got down to where they were, they were further out in the field. I went back up and clear around to the other side of the property and came at them from that direction. I was able to get close to the birds, but now I was contending with the land owners horses who thought I was in their field to play with them. I was just about ready to shoot when a horse decided to take off and run through the birds... off they went to the woods. I hurried up the field to get above the birds and cut into the woods to circle around towards them. After a few minutes I found the birds, I could see a few heads and necks sticking above a log near the top of a ridge. I ranged them at 26 yards. I stood there hoping they would go back to feeding or start to move so I could make a stalk, finally most of them did...except one tom who kept watching me. Finally he put his head down so I crouched down and took one more step then pulled the bow back and slowly stood back up. He was again watching me with his neck stretched out, all I could see was his head and neck so I thought "pretend he is a quail" I put my 20 yard pin on his head and my thirty yard pin at the base of his neck, right where it went behind the log, and fired. Shave and a haircut... but no bird. He jumped a few feet and stood there. The rest of the birds started to move out and he did too, he was not injured just missing a couple feathers. When they went out of site I hurried up to the top of the ridge in time to see them go behind a slash pile so I ran to it and looked around the corner. There they were at about thirty yards, I drew and picked a bird that was closest with no birds behind it put my thirty yards pin on the center of it's body and shot...I saw the yellow fletching disappear right where I was aiming. Got him! Very fun morning hunt...actually more satisfying than my buck this year. I'm going to clean him and then take my pup down through the creek to see if we can find a pheasant!
Post by: Pathfinder101 on December 01, 2009, 02:05:37 PM
Post by: shoot-em-dead on December 01, 2009, 03:00:59 PM
Post by: EastWaViking on December 02, 2009, 03:50:06 PM
Jeff and I went out looking for elk today. We parked at the road closure and started hiking. We hiked about 9 miles, which isn't bad, but most of it was up hill and in a foot of snow. We saw some elk sign, lots of moose sign, four moose, twelve turkeys, and no elk. We had a great time, saw some new country, and are tired!
Post by: bearpaw on December 02, 2009, 04:32:47 PM
Post by: EastWaViking on December 02, 2009, 05:20:03 PM
Post by: Clipboard guy on December 03, 2009, 03:10:51 PM
Post by: EastWaViking on December 03, 2009, 03:18:14 PM
Nice Day, great scenery, sore feet, good company... living the dream!
I forgot to ad the funniest part of yesterdays hunt. We came to a steep bluff and Jeff said, "I'll just hold on to this small tree and climb down." A few seconds and a "controlled fall" later and there was Jeff at the bottom of the hill still holding the top couple feet of the tree that broke off in his hand. :chuckle: I took a different route.
Post by: Clipboard guy on December 03, 2009, 03:25:27 PM
Post by: EastWaViking on December 05, 2009, 03:56:23 PM
I took my pup down through our creek bottom and we finally got her first rooster! I missed one a couple weeks ago, and missed another one today, then finally got this one on our way back home. She did a great job retrieving it, especially since it was mostly alive when she picked it up. It took her a couple of tries and a few minutes re-catching it, but she brought it right to me and dropped it into my hand still alive. I think I know what we are having for dinner!
(btw I took my orange off before the picture)
Post by: EastWaViking on December 09, 2009, 12:51:11 PM
Jeff and I went out because I saw a bunch of geese in the neighbors field yesterday. We got set up early and stood around and froze until 8:30 when we got a flock to come in and got two. We then stood around and froze until 10 or so when the rest started flying. We should have had our limits, but I missed a few and Jeff's gun wouldn't eject so he only had one shot per group.
We ended up with four. Fun and cold morning! Here's a couple photos, I was setting up the shot so I could get into the picture too, I accidental took this picture then I ran and got in for the next photo and the camera batteries died. Pretend I'm holding the other geese and smiling. ;)
Post by: Clipboard guy on December 09, 2009, 01:46:37 PM
My face is finally thawing out. Good times though!
Post by: EastWaViking on December 09, 2009, 02:12:12 PM
Post by: Austrian Hunter on December 09, 2009, 03:49:58 PM
Post by: EastWaViking on December 09, 2009, 04:05:47 PM
Post by: alecvg on December 09, 2009, 04:25:17 PM
Post by: EastWaViking on December 09, 2009, 04:49:40 PM
Your having a good season so far! I like the idea of a hunting diary, maybe I will do this next year...
You should! What I am planning on doing once the season is over is copying and pasting all of my posts and photos into a word processing document then printing them out and I'll have a little journal of the years hunts I can pull out and flip through from time to time. I'll do the same next year also.
Post by: Austrian Hunter on December 09, 2009, 05:03:59 PM
Post by: EastWaViking on December 13, 2009, 11:46:19 AM
Day 34 Very serious goose hunt this morning!
Post by: Turkeyman on December 13, 2009, 08:50:33 PM
Post by: EastWaViking on December 20, 2009, 02:10:30 PM
We set up in our neighbors field where there were at least 250 geese yesterday. 7:30 here they came...but today they decided they wanted to go to another neighbors field about a mile away. We were able to get a couple groups to drop down a bit to check us out, and were able to get a few shots and three birds. We walked up to the neighbors field where they all were and tried to get to them but there was no cover except a couple fence posts that really didn't hide us. A fun day anyways.
We should'a been there the day before, we would'a had our limits...if we could'a hit them. :chuckle:
Post by: EastWaViking on December 26, 2009, 09:18:06 AM
Finally the geese (several hundred) landed in my field yesterday, but being Christmas day I had to just watch them from the comfort of the house. This morning I was out there before daylight, the wind was really blowing. The field is just pasture so there really in no cover for a blind, and I stink at calling, so my dog and I just "gorilla hunted" the geese...hide in the little grass there is, and be ready to run along the lip of the creek bottom to try to get under passing birds. Lots of birds today, maybe 400... I got one. Meggie did a great job retrieving it, she's finally figured out how to pick them up, and her neck is strong enough to carry them. I am going to keep watching to see if they come back this afternoon, and maybe sneak up and jump shoot one. I'm giving Jeff a call as soon as I get off the computer, and making plans for tomorrow!