Talondale

I'd whack him MN. Took a half day friday and hunted a friends farm 2 hours away. It is surrounded by housing projects and has a creek that connects it to a golf course and then 1,000s of acres of farm land beyond. A honey hole to be sure. It poured buckets Friday evening, thank heavens for warm when wet synthetics and tree umbrella. I saw three deer chasing in the thicket behind me but couldn't ID them. Saturday morning was cooler (55) and overcast, but dry. Had two deer snort and run in the dark on the way in. Come 7:15 I saw a mostly white skunk, only the legs and underside were black. 7:30 I saw a small 6 come out of the thicket behind me and go into the corner of the field. 5 minutes later a doe comes from the opposite direction and goes into the thicket where the buck came out. For the next hour I saw several bucks moving in the field and some unidentified bodies moving behind me. At 8:30 a small 3 point walked around behind me, downwind, and finally circled right in front of me, 8 yards. He eventually walked off and I think I saw him in the field a short time later.

Here's my view looking towards the field to the east.

Talondale

Here's a view to the South.


and to the West, there's a creek down there.

Talondale

I moved closer to the field, near where I saw the first buck. It looked good.


There's an old stable there that the woods have grown around.

Talondale

I had a good feeling about this area. The wind wasn't perfect. Mostly it blew into the field, which is ok since I expected them to come from behind heading towards the field. Occasionally there would be high gusts from the West blowing just to the left of the stable. Not the best. I took a shot at a feeding squirrel with a hex head blunt flu flu at 4:30. I must have taken off tail hairs because it looked like I was right on him but he jumped to a nearby sapling and inspected the feathered "creature" that just attacked him. By 6:00PM the wind had died to a gentle, almost thermal movement coming out of the creek bottom thicket behind me. Perfect. I was standing with my bow in my hand. I always stand the first and last hour that way I'm ready for a shot and I offer a smaller profile for turning. At 6:15 a sound breaks out that sends a chill down my spine. Beagle. Two beagles. Someone's house dogs are running through the woods. I listen to them run through the woods and enter the thicket behind me. I can see three shadows go by in the thicket, barking. My buddy told me later that they had jumped two four pointers out of the cutover behind him. One four pointer gave them the slip and they stayed on the other. I then heard the female owner calling for them. It sounds like she had come down the farm driveway and was yelling for them. My heart sank. I came down 15 minutes early. My buddy told me he saw another buck after the dogs had gone through, a shooter, so I may have made a mistake but it seemed impossible that a deer could be left in the area. We plan on going back this weekend for bowhunting on Friday and Opening day of BP Saturday.

Talondale

I forgot to mention that on the way out in the morning I heard a four wheeler. As I stood on the road in the field a man came driving up out of the woods I was just in on a 4wheeler followed by his dog. He saw me and came to a stop next to a thicket in the field. I walked up to him and asked him if he was supposed to be there. He said he didn't know, he was just on the way to the store. I told him that this was private property and we were hunting and would appreciate it if he stayed off the property. Then his dog barked and a small doe jumped out of the thicket next to us, about 15 yards away. He left, in a meandering way, and I went to eat lunch at the farmhouse. My buddy and I are sitting on the porch eating and we hear the 4 wheeler come back and then turn off. We go look and he is sitting in the woods looking at the house (he has a white hooded sweater on so he's easy to spot). We follow the trails around and behind him and walk up to him as he's watching the house. About 10 yards from him I let out a loud: "I thought we told you to get off this land!" He jumped a mile. We got into a lengthy discussion with him admitting to several instances of criminal trespass and a lame excuse of chasing a mountain lion. We eventually got him to leave after discussions of calling police. He said he had jumped several deer on his way in this morning. [:@] Like we'd be happy to hear about that bit of info. This is an absentee farm so it has a lot of people tresspassing. We are trying to convince my friend's father to allow us to cable off the roads and trails and post the property. But even with all this activity we still see a bunch of deer and it has plenty of funnel areas.

txjourneyman

The place sounds good with the exception of trespassers. good luck with it.
I haven't yet picked my deer up. It won't be ready for another day or two. I'll get the score posted ASAP. I saw a huge buck,(for my lease) Saturday AM. Its a typical 8 that goes about 130. I watched him rake a cedar for a few minutes. He was at 15 yards. Never had a shot opportunity, he stayed behind cover but its sure nice to know hes there. I'll be watching for him the rest of this season.
I also got a new toy this weekend. An Artic Cat 250 4 wheeler. Christmas came early

txjourneyman

Where the heck is everyone?

Talondale

Traveling for work. Got out for an hour last night and saw nothing.

TN Deer Hunter

I am still here just been busy got back to work this week from my surgery. I have been hunting for the last 3 weeks and seen some good ucks missed a big 10 pointer the other morning at 8 yards shot right over his back as he was walking he was being chased by some wild dogs all morning and I was looking to my right and caught some movement to my right and looked and there he was broadside at 30 yards grab the bow and stand up and he starts walking right at me could not get him to stop for nothing I even hollered at him. Well he walked 8 yards from me and I was 22 feet up. So the shot was straight up and down. And moving at that. but he will not get away next time. Bow closed for the weekend as it was the juvi hunt. My 7 yr old took a good doe for her second deer Saturday morning so it was a good day. Bow opened back up monday but been at work since then. And haven't had a chance to go but will head out tommorrow morning. Then it closes again Saturday for a week of Muzzleloader hunting. So maybe I will get one before then.


Here is the Picture of Audrie and her Doe.

ccm352

Ive been out.. I havent seen any thing worth shooting. I friggin missed a doe on Saturday night.. I dont know how I did.. FIrst time i missed in years.. Who knows.. Hopefully this weekend will have the bucks on their feet.