RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Hey Tony, I guess you only save the one word posts for the Bowhunting posts. Are you that desperate to push up your post count?

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Walked thru the property I just got permission to hunt this morning. Jumped 4 deer out of it, not sure what they were, too thick in there. I will kill some deer here this year, awesome looking spot. Some really thick stuff with a few open areas and some pin oaks. It is a nice travel area along a small creek too. Can't wait till Sept. 15. This area has some great setups for a ground blind too. I have one ordered from buckeye.

This could be where mobo kills his first buck too. He is gonna come up and hunt with me some this year.

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

We are back!!!

Almost died in the storm. We were driving past Howell MI when it hit us. First time ever I had to pull over and stop. We almost ditch the car and headed for lower ground. It was that bad.

Seen 1 damn deer, but the train and hiking was great. Will post picture later

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Glad you made it back safe...

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Info I just got

Top Bow Kills for MI 2006, looks like I would have been No 3 for the year. 3rd sucks:D

Jim Powell of Cedar Springs

8 point- 171 7/8 gross, 168 7/8 net; typical
Kent County
Harvest Date October 14th


Jeannetta Flanery of Fenton

16 point- 188 3/8 gross, 185 5/8 net; non typical
Genesee County
Harvest Date, October 7th


Kelly Hatch of Chelsea

16 point- 172 gross, 164 1/8 net; non typical
Washtenaw County
Harvest Date, October 7th


Greg Lambert of Ida

10 point- 171 3/8 gross, 168 4/8 net; typical
Lenawee County
Harvest Date, October 24th


Joe Tone of Marcellus

15 point- 175 4/8 gross, 167 4/8 net; non typical
Cass County
Harvest Date, October 29th


Brad McClure of Custer

10 point- 161 5/8 net; typical
Mason County
Harvest Date, October 14th

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Welcome back El Capitan. Those are some impressivenumbers for the land of no big bucks. Glad you weathered the storm.

Noticed one theme with those bucks. All were harvested early in the season, before the rut. Any thoughts on this?

Fraley missed you!:)

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Yes I do.

The bucks were moving early last year to fields do to a not so good acorn crop.

I almost shot my buck 10-14-2006, I was close.

This year looks like another bad year for acorns, so deer will have to move more. Why the Harvest was 12% up in 2006. Not because more deer, but becausedeer had to move to eat.

Now 2005 wasgreat year for acorns, and the year everyone claimed there were no deer in MI. I shot all my deer in the woods in 2005 byoak trees;)

The acorn crop willhelp tell you where to hunt. In 2006 I shot all my deerof trails to the corn field:D

I missed my little buttercup also[8D]

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

lol, I was driving all the scent questions to the top and maybe be done with it finally.

Welcome back pumpkin

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Ok we need some more big buck pics. in this thread. For you new guys don't sell yourselves short. My first year bowhunting I didn't kill anything. Kinda went at it like gun hunting. That does not work, a whole different ballgame. My second year I got a big old doe, 147 lbs field dressed. My third year 1996 I got a Stud of a buck as he was chasing does in circles around me. It was on Nov. 9, 1996, my wifes birthday. I got the present that year.:)He field dressed 240 pounds, heaviest buck I have everseen personnaly. He grossed scored 160 and change and nets 140.

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

John is an old one for you




In the BW picture the guy to the left and front is my Grandpa

Back right is my Great Grandpa, it is his car. He broke the springs on all four wheels I am told. But it was a greatpicture.;)

Two color picturesis Gramps, with Cuz in the one.

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Here is picture of 3.5 deer in Northen MI




Here is another, this guy is a monsters for this area, we found him dead. I am thinking 4.5+

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

In side the cabin

Another 3.5 shot in 88

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Your grandpa needed a pickup or a dump truck! AHHH the good old days, those are neat pics Gary.

Now that is what I'm talkin about. Deer pics, enough with the BS.

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Not a deer but I sure had a blast huntin these critters in '05. Got this bad boy in New Mexico. I gotta do that again sometime. Like huntin 1000 pound turkeys with them bugleing all around you.

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Here is my doe from my backyard last year. Usually kill a few of these in my subdivision every year. The neighbors want meto kill all of them. Can't raise a garden or flowers for the deer.

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Awesome pics guys...

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Hey guys, just checking in...been real busy these last couple days. I got stands and ground blinds set and built, I'm ready to rock come this Thursday.;) Gonna be hunting three different spots... (counties) the first month of the season. I dont think I have ever went into a season feeling so good about what's to come. Theevenings are finallyicooling off and its beginning to feel like opening day should! My brother will be up to bowhunt whitetails/elk with me for 4 days starting Thursday. Had a bear in my apple tree last night at dusk.

Gary, glad you guys made it back in one peace..sounds pretty wild. Nice pix John! Elk hunting is great isnt it! I sure am fortunate to live where I do ..elk and deer on the same mountains..The bulls are starting to squak here a bit.

I start back to work Tuesday. So, I will be on heremore during the dayand much less at night. I made a short 7 hour jaunt friday down to watch my nephew play football. He's the starting QB for Weiser Idaho..he had a great game, scored two on the ground and threw for 2 more..theywon 46-19..He's a Jr (stud athlete) better yet a great kidand a mule deer killing machine to boot!

Hiawatha is coming Sept 15th for a week of archery elk.. I'd really like to have a buck down before he gets here. Calm before the storm right now...I cant stop thinking bout opening day. the lopers are already a distant memory. Whitetails have the effect on me.. :DI am 99% sure I will be hunting the stretch buck opening morning and the big 4x5 opening evening... Then over the Labor day weekend I am gonna spend sometime in on the long browtined bucks mountain. I will buy a second tag if there are any left over come August 30th. should be..

I am really looking forward to this season...

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Man I wish my season opened this week. I got the fever, BAAAAD.

Sure hope you can get us on the board early, in a big way Troy. It would be nice to be on a first place team. Sounds like you got a good game plan. Hope your weather cooperates for the hunts you have planned. Good Luck!

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Great pics guys. I can't wait til this weekend. Suppose to start Saturday but my dad needs help with some trenching. It's a small yard so I hope to get home in time to get out that evening. Then I'm off work to hunt until the 10th !

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Nice pics guys! I've got nothing to show to fire up the team. [&:] Gonna be putting up some
game cams (finally) this weekend. Our season won't start for a month after that.

Just found out that we are clear cutting 40 acres of unproductive (for deer habitat) old hardwoods
in the next couple weeks. It is bordered on the West by a canal and a mix of woods and pasture,
on the south by 100 acres of woods, on the East by a 40 acre strip of woods, and on the north
bya clover plot and some
young mitigation land. Do you guys have any ideas on how to take advantage of this. Also,
when cutting, we are going to mark and leave most of the good oaks, but should we leave a strip of
woods in the middle? I'm going to try to post a pic of the tract later.

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Allright,

Here is a rough copy of the area that I was talking about clear cutting in my post above.
Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated.

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

LeBeau:

Where are they bedding? Without knowing that.....I sure can't help (though I'd defer to some of these "expert" teammates if I were you.

I can tell you I love an inside corner.....and it appears you have some good evening stand sites that you can use for these sites.

Without knowing their bedding areas....I can't give advice as to how to approach.

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

GMMAT,

I hear you on the difficulty w/o bedding. But what I'm more getting at are strategies to use for
the cutting that will be done in September. Should we leave a 100' wide swath of trees, etc.

Anyway, most of the bedding is done across that canal to the east which we cannot hunt and
is not hunted (the area labeled CRP area is chock full), and we have pinpointed some good
canal crossings. The area labeled pasture is a lot thicker than it shows on this older map.

Some bedding is also going on to the South (again, not ours), b/c we found some heavy trails
through that ditch to the South (they make their way through the woods to hit the crops and clover and other plots).

There is also some bedding going on in the central and eastern part of the area labeled "Mitigation Land."
That is a sanctuary area that we don't disturb.

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

If it was me, I would leave a 50 yard or more strip of woods along the canal. This could be a good ambush spot as the deer travel along the canal. The rest maybe clear a section and plant food plots and let some of it grow up with blackberries and brush or young pines and create a bedding area where the deer feel safe. The thicker the better.

I would also check with the local DNR or Conservation Dept., they might come out and make some suggestions. And for some habitat improvements you can get financial assistance from the government.

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Thanks John,

I hpoe to have the good fortune you had in your third year of bowhunting in my second. :D

We were considering leaving a corridor along the canal. So that backs up what I was thinking.
We are going to plant plots in it next year and some hybrid white oaks in the spring.

What about leaving a strip of timber going through the middle of it? Do you think that might be a good ambush spot?

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Germ,

That old family pic is really cool.
That there is framing and pass down to your grandkids material. [8D]

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Will,

If that is an option yes the deer would probably use it to get from one woods to another and stay in the cover.

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

John,

Thanks, that's why I'm asking, whatever we mark won't get cut.

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

3 weeks til opening day in southern indiana!!!!!!! :)

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Damn, I think I got a bad case of chiggers from my scouting this weekend. Starting to get little red itchy bumps around my sock line and pant line. I hate those little buggers.[:@][:@][:@]

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Sitka Gear

I got my Jacket and hat today.

This is some nice camo. The inside is fleece is perfect,and outside material is real close to wolfskin.

Suit is wind proof, water res.

It fits like a glove, no loose ends and 0 noise. I love how it fits and the hat is just what i was looking for!!!.

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Yall have way WAY to much time on your hands[&:]

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Now when we get the other half you'll be set :D

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

I almost forgot

Thx again Buckeye!!!

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

You'd look real good hiding in a brush pile in that stuff. Or up in a tree stand after leaf fall.

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Hey guys, checking in tonight.

Gary you oughta get into the Hunting modeling business ! :D

Jeff you gonna join the rest of the team and get a new avatar? [8D]

Will, good luck with that new piece of ground, I like what John and Jeff said...inside corners have always produced for me..as long as its the right one... ;)

Well guys, I moved a stand about 30 yards today...and then set up a new one...over the "stretch" bucks travel route out of his mountainside bedding thicket. I set it 20 yards from where I 've seen him and/or trail camera pix him consistently over the past 2 years, and where I found his 05 sheds 50 yards away... The set up is located where 4 old logging skid trails intersect coming down a draw.. I put the stand real high as the winds in there are tricky. I also got out this evening and glassed a bachelor group of bucks feeding and walking right under another stand I have had set for 3 years now, its one of those stands that up real high..long hike straight up on a steep clearcut but it produces bucks feeding this time of the year every season. I was jacked to see a HAWG in the group of three..a very big hvy, wide racked 5x5 or 4x4 ..It may have been the stretch buck since he beds just over the other side of the mountain...I was a good mile away so I couldnt make out his g-4s...that well but he sure looked big immediately..and that usually means they are...

I'm off to work in the AM, back to schooland then hunting whitetails in two days..I have just a little bit of prep left to do.. and I'll be ready to rock, I hope I can put a good one on the ground this weekend and get my brother anice whitetail to arrow ..as well..

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

Ok Troy, you get to start first, so you show us how it's done. Sounds like you got them figured out, now just go close the deal. Are your deer still in velvet? I haven't seen any that have shed around here yet, but I think they are as big as they will get. Won't be long now till they are hard horned and start filling out their necks. I hate those skinny neck summer bucks.

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

John, yeah the bucks tonight were all in full velvet and most are done growing by early to mid August. Most of the bucks will stay in velvet over Labor day weekend except for a few of the big dawgs.. By Monday or Tuesday of next week, very few will be in velvet..by Sept 10th they will all be out for the most part.

I forgot to mention I watched five small bull elk tonight out on an oat field, 10 cows and calves combined and about 6 whitetail does... it was a good evening glassing.

Yup its time to get er' done, John.

I sure like this new range finder I picked up... NOW after the fact, I can not believe I didnt buy one sooner.. hard headed I guess and figured I might become to dependant on one.... live and learn..

Here is a short list ofthe bucks I am hunting and the areas....


1. 4x5 tall browetined, long mains.... just a dandy 150+ buck.. easy.. hes got another big buck that I hope is still alive in there..an old buck I called old GREY...last year..huge massive wide racked main frame 4x4... gonna push 160 last year.. havent seen him since..or heard of his demise.. Next county over...

2. Double main beamed, drop tined pickle forked browtineside ...with a straight 4 or5on the other... not sure what he'll go but hes hvy...could go over 150..hard to tell from my low light video of him.. hes also runs with a tall tall tined 5x5... home county

3. Long mains..tall tined bruiser.. "Stretch" buck.. gonna push 150's as a 4x4..he has small g-4's I'm not sure if they will be scoreable or not.. he may be a 5x5..based on those short g-4s..close to home ...stud buck..

4... The firewood buck..big shed ...76 inches..huge browtined..buck..gonna scout and hunt his area hard during th week after work since its only 3-4 miles from my home..I got a lot to learn about that area..hope that bucks still breathing.. if he is..hes a booner..or close.. 5x5 175+ gross..or who knows if hes walking..

5. Big tall tined 5x5 ...not real hvy but tall and long.. 150 somethinggrosser..somewhere in there... home county buck

6. big wide racked 4x4 140 class buck.. very wide.. 22-23 inside.. home county

of course any surprises.. once the rut rolls around... or who knows maybe one I haven't noticed around..those big ones are often ghostly even in the summer.. I'd sure love to see the old yeller buck I hunted when I first moved here 3 years ago. I am set up in his area too...

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

WOW, decisions, decisions, which one to hunt today? Sounds like you have a good group to pick from.

RE: 43- Official Team Chaos Thread
 

So is this the official avatar? I'll conform when you guys settle on one.