RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Congrat's to everyone who has put one on the ground. It's almost time for me to get out and see what I can do...I'm definetly ready to go.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Congrats Bg on the doe.

Sat in the stand behind the house this am and didn't see anything. I got down and took a walk to check the scrape line behind the house (there are 9 of them within 100 yards) and I walked up on a button buck feeding about 50 yards away. He spotted me and couldn't figure out what I was. Played games for about 10 mintues, head bobbing, foot stomping, and then finally decided I was ok. Feed to within 20 yards of me (I was standing in a wide open field) before the wind switched and he got a wiff of me. Sorta jumped sideways and then just walked off. Moments like those are what reminds me why I'm out there.

Taking the climber down the road tomorrow into my hotspot.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Saw a doe and a fawn this am that was it. Cold but calm this am.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Well tomorrow is the big day...finally I get to go out.....we had a cold front come in like everyone else the other day and it's frosted the past two mornings. About 50 out today, supposed to be 30 overnight, so that will be a frosty morning with tomorrow's high around 52 much like today. I got all my stuff hanging out on the porch freshly sprayed down with earth scent. Tonight I'll take a shower in scent killer and I'll be ready for the morning.....:D

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Oct 14, 2006 - First day of season report:


Got settled into the stand early this morning, around 35min before good seeing light. As it gets bright enough to start watching several grey squirrelsand a red squirrel search the area for food(as if they even have to search). The wind is blowing pretty good to at times....sometimes coming up the draw behind me, and sometimes coming right through me....but a twig snaps after beeing in stand for over a hour....a nice but small 5-7pt buck appears on the wrong side of the tree I'm in.......he actually appears on the only side of the tree that prevents me from standing up or getting ready. So I sit still and range him a few times for fun...he looked likea 5 or 6pt, but may have had 7. It was tough to tell. Finally he mills on around the interstate fence and out of sight. So I hit the primos rubberneck grunt call a few times and start sitting again. About a hour after the buck has left I hit the call a few more times....about 15min later I hear some noise coming from where the buck left....another hunter. [:@]

I sit still and the guy packing a treestand, his bow, and some small case(maybe a bow case or a arrow holder?) gets to within 15 yards of me and starts looking around. I raise my mask and whistle. He looks up and I give him a wave. He waves back and goes back in the direction he came quiter then when he came in. I figure that was my morning but I sit tight as I'm supposed to wait for my grandpa to show up around 11am. I get settled back in and another hour passes when I get cold and stand up to stretch some. As I'm leaning on the tree watching the apple tree's behind me I see some movement. A tall spike comes in and feeds on apples for awhile before turning and heading up the hill towards my four wheeler. He was feeding on apples for approx 15 minutes and never had a clue I was in the area. I get settled back in once again and it isn't 30min since the spike left that two does come in and feed on apples for 30 minutes or so....strange thing is while I was watching them they came to full alert fora moment and watched behind me. I turned in time to get a couple glances of a red fox trotting along the interstate fence. Really neat to watch their reaction to the fox and how alert they stayed for the next 5-10min after the fox disappeared. They finally go up the hill towards my four wheeler and I guess they ran into my grandpa as he said he watched them for a few minutes as they crossed a sag and went into some deep brush to bed.

It ended up being around 12:15pm before I got back to the truck. We came in and cleaned up the few squirrels he got while hunting. I messed around the house and on the internet for the afternoon and I went back out with my fiance to scout a few area's to possibly set a stand. We ended up seeing 5-6 does and a small 6pt and a small spike(possible 4pt) while looking around and riding the four wheeler from spot to spot. I probaly should have hunted my evening stand where I got the pictures of the big 9pt, but I'm saving that for Monday evening.

So I'll be back in the same stand in the morning once again, and maybe setting the other stand in a location I found today for tomorrow evening. Then I'll have to figure something out for Monday morning, and hit the evening stand Monday evening. I was really saving the evening stand till Monday because I put out a deer carcass where I saw a bob cat in squirrel season and put the trail camera over it. A buddy of mine was unlucky enough to hit a deer last Thursday and he kept it with the cooler weather. He got a little meat off of the small doe, but not much and I took the rest to this location. I ended up wiring the carcass to a tree so it couldn't be drug off and put my camera over it....can't wait to see what kind of pic's that turns up. We'll know monday for sure..........anyway, I'll post another update tomorrow afternoon or evening pending on how the morning hunt goes.


Good luck guys, and keep on keep'n on.....we'll get on the score board soon....I can feel it.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Nice report HighCountry, sounds like a good day. Best of luck to ya Monday on the big boy. I won't be back out until next Monday myself. My wife works my days (weekend)off so we don't have to have daycare for our children.

Speaking of children I took my son (3 years old) back to a stand behind my house today to hang one of those scent drippers. I've never been one for gizmo's such as this, but I got it real cheap at the end of last season so I thought I would give it a try. Anyway, while I was making my "mock scrape" my son is trying to knock down this little tree. Well he bends it all the way to the ground and lets go, WHACK full shot right to the face. He had 3 different cuts on his little face and got poked it the eye. So now all attempts of being quiet are out the window andI end up having to carry him about 1/4 mile back to the house. Everytime I take him to the woods he comes home with a new injury. I always tell him to tell mom he got in a fight with a buck, which she never finds humerous.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Wednesday afternoon was an eventful afternoon for me. I saw ten deer including 2 bucks, one 8 point 1 1/2 old and one 2 1/2 yr old. Passed on both of them. The 1 1/2 old bedded down about 40 yards behind me and then when the 2 1/2 yr old came in he locked horns with him. Below is a picture of the 2 1/2 yr 8 pointer when he was in velvet.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

I scored guys, Here is a pic of the deer, more pic's and a better pic on the score card. Read the full report on the bow hunting forum...I'm really sorry and the explaination is in the story.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Congrats man! We are on the board.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Man I could have done so much better, I didn't know it was a buck till after I shot the first shot. I'm really sorry I didn't put us up there with a bigger buck....but we are on the board.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Nothing to be sorry about, that is not what this contest is about. Be proud of that buck, you made a decision to take him, congratulations is all I have to say, great table fair, good buck. Your on the board.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

No reason to be sorry for anything, this contest is just for fun, remember. It's not about being first place, or last, it's about sharing our success in the field. It's about meeting new friends across the country. It's about sharing our outdoor storys and learning from each other! It's about so much more than big antlers, and we all need to remember that!!
Congrats on a fine deer!!

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Not really sorry about taking the deer, but I was going to wait on taking a decent buck....just so happened the "doe" I shot was a buck. I don't regret taking this deer, as the track/trailing job was by far the most extensive I have ever done. I am proud of the fact that I was able to stay on the trail and track this deer to get another shot to end the suffering and being persistent like that rather then just giving up. Plus all that work prevented another hit/wounded deer thread.

I'm not sorry about taking the deer, just sorry I didn't get us a better score....but we are on the board now and that's what matters. I just hope my next hunting report isn't one that includes a pic of the big 9pt I got on trail camera. ;)

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Congratulations Highcountry! Very fine deer, and one to be proud of. Like everyone has stated this is not about winning a contest but sharing your experiences with us and meeting new people around the country who share a common interest. Also, good work after the shot. Thanks for getting us on the board, hopefully we will follow suit.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

congrats on the buck. Nothing to be ashamed of. I did have 2 bucks out sparring Sunday am (No Sunday hunting in PA) that I'll post pictures of later.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

OK, here are a few pictures from yesterday morning.

The smaller buck is an 8. I'm pretty sure I will pass on him and let him grow. The second buck is much bigger bodied and looks like he broke off his right main beam about half way out losing a point. the left side has a non matching point between what I would score the G1 and G2. You an see it best in the last picture.

Keep in mind these are all screen captures off a video and were taken at first light so they are somewhat grainy.

Enjoy.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Great pic's....it seems like just a matter of time before you get to put one on the ground pops.


I hunted my stand where I got the pic's of the big 9pt for the first time and found there had been a lot of four wheelers around my stand. I was amazed my stand wasn't stolen...but nothing was bothered. I just took it all down and I plan to move it from the apple tree's to the woods and set it up again. I believe I was really lucky that I didn't have my stand stolen knowing some of the people around here....oh well, I guess I will just have to try again.

I did bring in my camera from over the deer carcass....I was amazed to see the first pic was of a doe standing over the deer meet, and then a second pic of the deer browsing around it. I also got a night pic of something(could only see the eyes), and I got a bunch of pic's of a stray dog eating the majority of the meat. It warmed up today and it's supposed to rain tomorrow....so it will be up in the air if I go out tomorrow or if I just try to reset my second stand. Cold weather is supposed to return around Friday and I can't wait for the weekend.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Congratulations HighCountry BruteForce on the fine deer and for finally getting us on the board. I know how it is to be in your shoes, three years ago I shot a "doe" and when I got up to it I found out that it was actually a small six pointer. Great job sticking with the tracking and finding your deer. Looks like you will have some great tasting steaks for the winter.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Here's a 7 point that spent about a half hour eating by my stand today. Sat in the office chair and watched while I was on the phone.



Here's a view out the back door. The blue you see is the chains on my kids swing set.


I also have video of the buck from last year (or at least I am pretty sure it is the same one. He had busted off an anter but the one looks awefully familiar.) Sorry for the odd looking picture. The morning I video taped him it was extremely foggy so I adjust the color to get a better look at him.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Nice pictures Pops. I'll bet it gets hard to concentrate while working at home this time of the year.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Yeah it does. Everytime I get up, i walk to the window and look around for a few minutes. Never know what I am going to see. A lot of my video has voice of me talking to customers or other people from work. If they only knew what I was doing. The bigger the buck, the fast I talk to get them off the phone.

I sat in the stand this morning and didn't see anything. But I only hunt about 35-40 minutes. That way I get back to see my daughter off to school so it's a good thing.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Well I have taken two days off with the warm weather. Been mostly lounging around the house and not enjoying the warmer weather. Played a lot of PS2 and watched a lot of tv. ;)


But....tomorrow I'm going to go out in the morning and see if anything is stirring around before the rain arrives tomorrow afternoon and brings that cold weather with it. Supposed to be a high of 70 tomorrow...but rain in the afternoon, evening, and overnight.....then Friday's forecast is a high of 52 degree's. Big drop, so maybe something out and about in the morning....expect a full report tomorrow afternoon.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Congrats on the buck HCBF!!!:)We are on the board, and the season is still young.

Sorry that I have not been participating in this thread much lately, but I have been pretty busy. After this weekend, I will be doing nothing but hunting until the last day of the last season.

Good luck to everybody, and lets show those other teams we mean business!:D

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Awefully quiet in here. I hope it's cause you guys are all out hitting it hard. I've got another 2.5 weeks before I get to go. I did get some good news though. One of my brothers that stopped by on thier way elk hunting, told me that a guy that was black powder hunting near our farm in KS., had stopped by and asked permission to hunt my land back there because he had seen a "good one" on it, but my brother turned him down, as I have asked him not to let anyone hunt it, except family. SO, there's at least a one good deer runnin' around with my name on it, I hope!!:)

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

been out a little not as much as i would like. I have 8 days of work then Im off till April. Ill hit it hard in Nov. i do not rifle hunt anymore so odds are I will score then.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

I'm finally starting to see some bucks. I hunted last Thurs and Friday and seen one 4 point and a decent 8 point that was around 110", I'm still holding out as I have a weeks vacation the beginning of Nov. I did shoot another big fat doe so I'm doing well in the meat dept. I'm using G5 Montecs this year and have been very impressed.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

I will be hitting it hard the next couple of weeks as the pre-rut is starting to kick in.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Seeing nothing but does in the stand the last few mornings. Going to try to blow out of work early today and see what happens.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

It got really cold here lately....hunted pretty hard the last few days. But haven't seen much. My buddy saw a nice buck out from his house on Friday last week. So we set up a stand yesterday and hunted it today.A lot of scrapes and rubs in the area and we put out his trail camera. We hunted this morning and only saw some squirrels. Hunted this evening and as it was getting pretty late he motioned he was getting down. So I started climbing down as well......we were pretty close to a dirt road. About half way down the tree we hear a vehicle coming and thinking nothing of it. The vehicle comes by below us(we can only hear it) then gets quiet like they stopped......we listen for a moment when a high powered rifle blasts!!! We both look at each other....the truck takes off as apparently the passenger jumps out and runs up the bank.

We sneak over and try to see down into the road but a lot of underbrush is still on and we can't see. The white truck comes back down the road and we can hear the guys talking but can't see them. We can plainly hear them throw a deer or something else large and heavy into the bed and slam the tailgate. The truck spins off and down the hill.....we wanted to yell something to try and spook them but with them having a gun and us our bow's he stayed quiet and just tried to id them...no luck....but when we took the camera home we had 3 pic's of the buck he saw working the scrapes.....no great pic's just the back of the buck as he's urinating on his legs and in the scrapes.....we hope it wasn' the buck they blasted tonight.


But oh well, back to old faithful stand in the morning, then hanging a stand in a new location tomorrow afternoon.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Hey guys got us a decent one yesterday. He came in at 8AM chasing two does and walked almost right under me. My shot actually went through the back and came out under his right leg in the white part of his stomach. Scored him at 156 1/8 and weighed in at 212 lbs!

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Great job! We are catching up to the leaders now.

Congrat's BGHunter on a great buck. I take it he'll be at the taxidermist this week?

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Congrats on the great buck...love the drop off his left base.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Awesome buck. I was just admiring the photo in the Contest page and didn't realize it was for our team. Woohooo.

Nice job.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Way to go BG. Love that drop tine!! Your hunting season just got more expensive, with a much needed trip to the taxidermist!;)

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Way to go BG. Guys I have been hitting it hard but nothing. Had a few young ones come crusing through this weekend. To small. Rifle opens next weekend, I still cary the bow but I have to deal with all the yahoos now.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Just got out Sunday afternoon. Had the big 2 1/2yr eight walk ten feet past my stand. Before he got to me I watched him make a couple of scrapes and a rub. Wish I would have gotten video of it. Hopefully he will make it until next year since he is already about 120+ as a 2 1/2yr. Plan on getting out every day this next week.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Thanks for the comments guys. Ya, I'm taking him to the taxidermist this week. My wife is not to happy about this however. I guess I'll be doing a lot of goose and duck hunting this year since my season has ended. I have a couple good firearm stands that have yet to be touched this year and we can only kill one buck per year here in IN. So, you should see all my friends trying to hint around about those "poor lonely stands". Keep at it and good luck.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

I'm still hunting guys....it warmed up today, but supposed to cool back off by Wenesday/Thursday. I been hunting almost everyday but it's really slowed down here......seeing more does now then anything. Most of the small bucks have cleared out it seems. I'll still be out though this week and will update anything that happens.

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Well, I talked to my buddy back in KS. last night. He finally got my trail cam put up for me. Says there is a bunch of deer sign on my property. My brother has cut the soybean, planted the winter wheat which is up and looking good already, and he is going to cut the milo between now and this weekend. SO, plenty of food source, and cover, to keep plenty of deer around. Also, my nephew did some road scouting last weekend, spotted a big buck on my place, so that is two different people who have reported seeing a big buck on my property. I'm leaving next Wednesday to drive back, then will be back for 10 days. I've got high hopes! Going to set up a double bull first thing off, going to try to video when I hunt it!
My buddy also told me that he saw a 150" last Sunday, on his property two miles from mine. No chasing that he saw, but lots of fresh scrapes and rubs! He is going to check my trail cam. this weekend for me. Can't wait to see those pics.!
Keep at it Highcountry. It's bound to happen if ya keep puttin' the time in!
Off topic. Hey BG, my family got 3 bulls and 2 cows during 2nd rifel season. Two guys didn't get thier cows. One bull is at the taxidermist! If you want to know more about unit 67, Email me!

RE: 5- Team "Tree Huggers" Official Thread
 

Headed out last night on a hunch. Not long after I was in the stand, I had a buck working his way in. When I first saw him, all I could see was a deer limping pretty good. My first thought was the big nontypical that I videoed last year. He is missing the bottom half of his back leg. Well it turned out, it was the 7 point I had been seeing. Looks like he got beat up or something. Watching him limp, I decided I was going to shoot him if given the opporutunity. He never made it closer than 45 yards and just didn't come in. I'll be back at it for the next week and a half.