Official Team Elowapi Thread (15)
10-28-2008, 07:43 PM
#611
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: PA
Posts: 9,085
RE: Official Team Elowapi Thread (15)
haha sorry Matt
weather here turned nastier...rain turned to sleet then snow....winds picked up and became pretty consistant 20mph breezes with probably upto 30mph gusts...i cant sit on stand in cold wind very long...i didnt bother venturing out...ive predator hunted in colder temps and i can deal with negative numbers....but im sitting a half hour tops...last evening the wind was just cutting directly through me and i was layered best i coulda been...rough weather....but i love the temps and snow in october!!!
***buddy and atleast 1 of his other friends searched for hours today for that buck...no sign of it or his arrow...they even raked the leaves in the area trying to find the arrow....i dont see it blowing into the forest ground completely buried anyway...but never know if the angle was deflected or something coulda happened i guess....i wish he found it...or the arrow...just a very wierd set of circumstances....and under the conditions, i still say i wouldnt have shot if i were in his tree...but he says everything was different compared to what i seen lol...but its all possible..he used the binocs and range finder..i didnt...we may never know what really happen....we all know anything can happen when you release an arrow...
weather here turned nastier...rain turned to sleet then snow....winds picked up and became pretty consistant 20mph breezes with probably upto 30mph gusts...i cant sit on stand in cold wind very long...i didnt bother venturing out...ive predator hunted in colder temps and i can deal with negative numbers....but im sitting a half hour tops...last evening the wind was just cutting directly through me and i was layered best i coulda been...rough weather....but i love the temps and snow in october!!!
***buddy and atleast 1 of his other friends searched for hours today for that buck...no sign of it or his arrow...they even raked the leaves in the area trying to find the arrow....i dont see it blowing into the forest ground completely buried anyway...but never know if the angle was deflected or something coulda happened i guess....i wish he found it...or the arrow...just a very wierd set of circumstances....and under the conditions, i still say i wouldnt have shot if i were in his tree...but he says everything was different compared to what i seen lol...but its all possible..he used the binocs and range finder..i didnt...we may never know what really happen....we all know anything can happen when you release an arrow...
10-29-2008, 10:31 AM
#612
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 7,208
RE: Official Team Elowapi Thread (15)
I bailed last night. Was tired and figuredI have time coming up, I didn't need to brave the crappy elements.
I'll be back at it thursday and then I'm off for 6 straight days. I believe I may have mentioned that already
Good luck team, things are going to be happening fast over the next couple weeks.
I'll be back at it thursday and then I'm off for 6 straight days. I believe I may have mentioned that already
Good luck team, things are going to be happening fast over the next couple weeks.
10-29-2008, 02:30 PM
#614
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: PA
Posts: 9,085
RE: Official Team Elowapi Thread (15)
im pretty pumped for tomorrow...i might even be more pumped than Rob after he shot his doe
weather moves out tonight...low of 27...high of 47...mostly sunny and calm winds...bucks are starting to move and respond to scents and calling....ive seen them cruising in the past in the SGLs i hunt from this week on....just seems big woods deer seem to start moving a little more, a little earlier...and its really not early to be seeing it...id say chances of catching them moving tomorrow are pretty good between the time of the year and the weather...im going to try to last all day...even if that means climbing down and taking a walk to warm up and get the blood flowing...
a buddy just had a nice one come in at like 3pm yesterday....he said he was seeing movement ALL day...its that time of year...anything can happen at ANY time...right spot, right time, right buck and it will come together....hopefully, the nice ones dad and i used to see in the area got bigger since ARs and they are still doing the same as they used too...if thats the case, i got chances of seeing some bone...and possibly some big bone...noone would ever guessed we seen so many 90-130" bucks as we did on SGLs...im confident i'll hopefully see some deer...being a shooter and being in range...well, we'll see what unfolds...but im pumped up...i honestly might not beable to sleep well tonight...
and i know the deer went undisturbed since atleast saturday...probably last week was about the last time they were hunted at all....i hope im not just pumping myself up for a major let down....everything seems "right" to atleast see deer
weather moves out tonight...low of 27...high of 47...mostly sunny and calm winds...bucks are starting to move and respond to scents and calling....ive seen them cruising in the past in the SGLs i hunt from this week on....just seems big woods deer seem to start moving a little more, a little earlier...and its really not early to be seeing it...id say chances of catching them moving tomorrow are pretty good between the time of the year and the weather...im going to try to last all day...even if that means climbing down and taking a walk to warm up and get the blood flowing...
a buddy just had a nice one come in at like 3pm yesterday....he said he was seeing movement ALL day...its that time of year...anything can happen at ANY time...right spot, right time, right buck and it will come together....hopefully, the nice ones dad and i used to see in the area got bigger since ARs and they are still doing the same as they used too...if thats the case, i got chances of seeing some bone...and possibly some big bone...noone would ever guessed we seen so many 90-130" bucks as we did on SGLs...im confident i'll hopefully see some deer...being a shooter and being in range...well, we'll see what unfolds...but im pumped up...i honestly might not beable to sleep well tonight...
and i know the deer went undisturbed since atleast saturday...probably last week was about the last time they were hunted at all....i hope im not just pumping myself up for a major let down....everything seems "right" to atleast see deer
10-29-2008, 03:49 PM
#615
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location:
Posts: 1,118
RE: Official Team Elowapi Thread (15)
Hey team!! Ive been spending every free minute i have in the woods lately. Had a lot of action but just havent had a shot opportunity at a buck I want (120+).There really starting to chase hear and respond to calls. I have to work the next 2 nights and them im off for a week. If I dont put one down during that somethings wrong.
Rob, Im headed out to buy a buck decoy tomorrrow. Never used one before but Ive had 2 occasions this week where i believe I could have got my buck if i had one. One way or another im gonna find out if i was right.
good luck to everyone!
Rob, Im headed out to buy a buck decoy tomorrrow. Never used one before but Ive had 2 occasions this week where i believe I could have got my buck if i had one. One way or another im gonna find out if i was right.
good luck to everyone!
10-29-2008, 07:49 PM
#616
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Cogan Station, PA
Posts: 2,298
RE: Official Team Elowapi Thread (15)
Well, I went out again tonight. Climbed two trees, almost fell out of the one (thank god I had my safety harness on), and decided this wasn't ideal for tonight. Climbed down and took the climber down to our farm road, dropped it off, and headed to my ladder stand on the food plot. The heavy NNW wind we were having made this stand a little less than ideal, but I was hoping most of the deer would enter from the west, but nope. Saw 5 tonight, and they all entered downwind (never busted, which is good). I kept HOPING a buck was in tow, and they often looked back, but nothing came. The yearlings were still with them as well, so it's not quite time yet. Not sure where I'm going tomorrow.
I also saw my turkeys again. Same 14 as last night. Hope they keep at this until Saturday.
I also saw my turkeys again. Same 14 as last night. Hope they keep at this until Saturday.
10-29-2008, 08:18 PM
#617
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Cogan Station, PA
Posts: 2,298
RE: Official Team Elowapi Thread (15)
Also, the discussion Schultzy brought up in the main forum in regards to less buck sign on his property being attributed to an increasing buck:doe ratio got me thinking. According to my log, I have had 88 sightings from the stand this season (over 100 when including walks out). Two, count them, two have been bucks. Granted many of the sightings are the same groups, but still, I feel we have WAY too many doe on our property. I see very little in terms of sign year after year, and it never used to be that way. I've noticed a major decline in rub lines and scrapes, and I really don't even see many 1.5 yr olds like I used to. I KNOW I'm in spots where the does are feeding and bedding (my sightings are proof of that), but yet I've only seen two small bucks the whole season. Is my only option more doe kills? I'm only one guy with one doe tag, so I'm thinking next year of hosting a few HNI members to hunt. I would rather see some guys on here take something off my property than me anyways, so we'll see. I'm not sure what to expect as teh rut begins here soon, because if I truly have an abundance of doe, the bucks certainly aren't going to be chasing nearly as much.
10-30-2008, 06:48 PM
#618
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: PA
Posts: 9,085
RE: Official Team Elowapi Thread (15)
matt, the whole state used to be in your same situation....way too many doe..hardly any buck.
im willing to bet that you have a fair chunk of pretttttty unhunted land (except a few guys) and the guys that do hunt it, dont take many does. only option IS to take more does. i know it can be hard in PA in certain WMUs where tags are limited...but family, friends, HNI guys...whatever it takes...take a a few each year....first couple years you may need to take a few extras out...once you get it where you like it, you still gotta take couple each year....
ive officially sat on stand for a full day.....i cant believe it. longest i remember sitting was till 1pm rifle season one year....
got in LATE...shower and food run took more time than expected...but i walked in as daylight was breaking...settled in right at legal shooting time id guess....was surprised there was 1-4 inches of snow up there(depending on the terrain and foliage) and boy was it cold! cut a few sets of pretty dang fresh tracks that all looked to be buck tracks..all going in and out of my "block" and 1 set walked at my 20yd line....
i sat there till 10 or so...for some reason i thought i was in the wrong spot and thought i needed to be 150yds or so left...i was FROZE so i decided to sneak down, pack it up and see what else i could find in the snow....100yds left i found a heck of a trail...i couldnt count the different number of deer..probably about 10 used that trail sometime between 2 or so am and 7am..(it snowed up there last night i believe...think it was said to stop by 2am) all the tracks came and went a different direction....but ALL of them joined right at the top of the thicket...many looked like buck tracks...large and many had good dew claws showing...definently looks like they were cruising the thickets...
so i setup there for the rest of the day....noon or so i catch movement...grab the binocs...ERRRRR!! 11 thousand acres, thursday morning, and someone is FOLLOWING my tracks in the snow!!!!!! i really expected the game warden...i honestly did not believe there would be a hunter following my tracks...but it was. he got within 15yds of me...finally looked up, said sorry and walked off....he looked at me numerous times...i always take my orange vest and hat and display it just for that reason...but he acted like he had no idea....i watched him looking at my tracks in the snow as he followed them...what did he expect? bigfoot???
[:'(] [:@] [&:]
soooo i decided id sit it out...tracks where there...spot looked good...weather was right...time of the year is getting there....
5pm or so i turn to my left slowly scanning...practically all the snow melted to my left and it was a old logging cut thats 15-20ft saplings now...sure enough, i got 3 snorts outta something....wind was swirling bad....i dont know if it caught wind or if it caught movement...i never seen it...but it would been tough to see....
that was it................................
im frustrated with this "big woods" stuff...i LOVE hunting up there...its beautiful woods and you can litterally get lost up there...and its not far away...i love it. but man, the deer are whooping me up there big time....been this way since i came to college 4 years ago
from 12-16 i hunted it with dad...that was PRE herd reduction, and all the logging cuts were 5 years younger....trees grow at an amazing rate when they are young....the woods have completely changed...and theres far less deer...its just killin me.
i should have taken the afternoon and just WALKED. i should have taken advantage of the snow. though, my spot looked GREAT in the snow....thats what made me stay in the tree...
i did impress myself...only dozed off twice briefly...and wasnt hungry or overly cold...better gloves and fask mask are needed for these cold days i know that...
back home to the honey hole saturday.......my fingers toes and eyes are crossed....that 4pt half rack better stay hidden...i just might kill me a Rob buck
im willing to bet that you have a fair chunk of pretttttty unhunted land (except a few guys) and the guys that do hunt it, dont take many does. only option IS to take more does. i know it can be hard in PA in certain WMUs where tags are limited...but family, friends, HNI guys...whatever it takes...take a a few each year....first couple years you may need to take a few extras out...once you get it where you like it, you still gotta take couple each year....
ive officially sat on stand for a full day.....i cant believe it. longest i remember sitting was till 1pm rifle season one year....
got in LATE...shower and food run took more time than expected...but i walked in as daylight was breaking...settled in right at legal shooting time id guess....was surprised there was 1-4 inches of snow up there(depending on the terrain and foliage) and boy was it cold! cut a few sets of pretty dang fresh tracks that all looked to be buck tracks..all going in and out of my "block" and 1 set walked at my 20yd line....
i sat there till 10 or so...for some reason i thought i was in the wrong spot and thought i needed to be 150yds or so left...i was FROZE so i decided to sneak down, pack it up and see what else i could find in the snow....100yds left i found a heck of a trail...i couldnt count the different number of deer..probably about 10 used that trail sometime between 2 or so am and 7am..(it snowed up there last night i believe...think it was said to stop by 2am) all the tracks came and went a different direction....but ALL of them joined right at the top of the thicket...many looked like buck tracks...large and many had good dew claws showing...definently looks like they were cruising the thickets...
so i setup there for the rest of the day....noon or so i catch movement...grab the binocs...ERRRRR!! 11 thousand acres, thursday morning, and someone is FOLLOWING my tracks in the snow!!!!!! i really expected the game warden...i honestly did not believe there would be a hunter following my tracks...but it was. he got within 15yds of me...finally looked up, said sorry and walked off....he looked at me numerous times...i always take my orange vest and hat and display it just for that reason...but he acted like he had no idea....i watched him looking at my tracks in the snow as he followed them...what did he expect? bigfoot???
[:'(] [:@] [&:] soooo i decided id sit it out...tracks where there...spot looked good...weather was right...time of the year is getting there....
5pm or so i turn to my left slowly scanning...practically all the snow melted to my left and it was a old logging cut thats 15-20ft saplings now...sure enough, i got 3 snorts outta something....wind was swirling bad....i dont know if it caught wind or if it caught movement...i never seen it...but it would been tough to see....
that was it................................
im frustrated with this "big woods" stuff...i LOVE hunting up there...its beautiful woods and you can litterally get lost up there...and its not far away...i love it. but man, the deer are whooping me up there big time....been this way since i came to college 4 years ago
from 12-16 i hunted it with dad...that was PRE herd reduction, and all the logging cuts were 5 years younger....trees grow at an amazing rate when they are young....the woods have completely changed...and theres far less deer...its just killin me. i should have taken the afternoon and just WALKED. i should have taken advantage of the snow. though, my spot looked GREAT in the snow....thats what made me stay in the tree...
i did impress myself...only dozed off twice briefly...and wasnt hungry or overly cold...better gloves and fask mask are needed for these cold days i know that...
back home to the honey hole saturday.......my fingers toes and eyes are crossed....that 4pt half rack better stay hidden...i just might kill me a Rob buck
10-30-2008, 07:05 PM
#619
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Cogan Station, PA
Posts: 2,298
RE: Official Team Elowapi Thread (15)
ORIGINAL: mauser06
matt, the whole state used to be in your same situation....way too many doe..hardly any buck.
im willing to bet that you have a fair chunk of pretttttty unhunted land (except a few guys) and the guys that do hunt it, dont take many does. only option IS to take more does. i know it can be hard in PA in certain WMUs where tags are limited...but family, friends, HNI guys...whatever it takes...take a a few each year....first couple years you may need to take a few extras out...once you get it where you like it, you still gotta take couple each year....
ive officially sat on stand for a full day.....i cant believe it. longest i remember sitting was till 1pm rifle season one year....
got in LATE...shower and food run took more time than expected...but i walked in as daylight was breaking...settled in right at legal shooting time id guess....was surprised there was 1-4 inches of snow up there(depending on the terrain and foliage) and boy was it cold! cut a few sets of pretty dang fresh tracks that all looked to be buck tracks..all going in and out of my "block" and 1 set walked at my 20yd line....
i sat there till 10 or so...for some reason i thought i was in the wrong spot and thought i needed to be 150yds or so left...i was FROZE so i decided to sneak down, pack it up and see what else i could find in the snow....100yds left i found a heck of a trail...i couldnt count the different number of deer..probably about 10 used that trail sometime between 2 or so am and 7am..(it snowed up there last night i believe...think it was said to stop by 2am) all the tracks came and went a different direction....but ALL of them joined right at the top of the thicket...many looked like buck tracks...large and many had good dew claws showing...definently looks like they were cruising the thickets...
so i setup there for the rest of the day....noon or so i catch movement...grab the binocs...ERRRRR!! 11 thousand acres, thursday morning, and someone is FOLLOWING my tracks in the snow!!!!!! i really expected the game warden...i honestly did not believe there would be a hunter following my tracks...but it was. he got within 15yds of me...finally looked up, said sorry and walked off....he looked at me numerous times...i always take my orange vest and hat and display it just for that reason...but he acted like he had no idea....i watched him looking at my tracks in the snow as he followed them...what did he expect? bigfoot??? [:'(] [:@] [&:]
soooo i decided id sit it out...tracks where there...spot looked good...weather was right...time of the year is getting there....
5pm or so i turn to my left slowly scanning...practically all the snow melted to my left and it was a old logging cut thats 15-20ft saplings now...sure enough, i got 3 snorts outta something....wind was swirling bad....i dont know if it caught wind or if it caught movement...i never seen it...but it would been tough to see....
that was it................................
im frustrated with this "big woods" stuff...i LOVE hunting up there...its beautiful woods and you can litterally get lost up there...and its not far away...i love it. but man, the deer are whooping me up there big time....been this way since i came to college 4 years ago from 12-16 i hunted it with dad...that was PRE herd reduction, and all the logging cuts were 5 years younger....trees grow at an amazing rate when they are young....the woods have completely changed...and theres far less deer...its just killin me.
i should have taken the afternoon and just WALKED. i should have taken advantage of the snow. though, my spot looked GREAT in the snow....thats what made me stay in the tree...
i did impress myself...only dozed off twice briefly...and wasnt hungry or overly cold...better gloves and fask mask are needed for these cold days i know that...
back home to the honey hole saturday.......my fingers toes and eyes are crossed....that 4pt half rack better stay hidden...i just might kill me a Rob buck
matt, the whole state used to be in your same situation....way too many doe..hardly any buck.
im willing to bet that you have a fair chunk of pretttttty unhunted land (except a few guys) and the guys that do hunt it, dont take many does. only option IS to take more does. i know it can be hard in PA in certain WMUs where tags are limited...but family, friends, HNI guys...whatever it takes...take a a few each year....first couple years you may need to take a few extras out...once you get it where you like it, you still gotta take couple each year....
ive officially sat on stand for a full day.....i cant believe it. longest i remember sitting was till 1pm rifle season one year....
got in LATE...shower and food run took more time than expected...but i walked in as daylight was breaking...settled in right at legal shooting time id guess....was surprised there was 1-4 inches of snow up there(depending on the terrain and foliage) and boy was it cold! cut a few sets of pretty dang fresh tracks that all looked to be buck tracks..all going in and out of my "block" and 1 set walked at my 20yd line....
i sat there till 10 or so...for some reason i thought i was in the wrong spot and thought i needed to be 150yds or so left...i was FROZE so i decided to sneak down, pack it up and see what else i could find in the snow....100yds left i found a heck of a trail...i couldnt count the different number of deer..probably about 10 used that trail sometime between 2 or so am and 7am..(it snowed up there last night i believe...think it was said to stop by 2am) all the tracks came and went a different direction....but ALL of them joined right at the top of the thicket...many looked like buck tracks...large and many had good dew claws showing...definently looks like they were cruising the thickets...
so i setup there for the rest of the day....noon or so i catch movement...grab the binocs...ERRRRR!! 11 thousand acres, thursday morning, and someone is FOLLOWING my tracks in the snow!!!!!! i really expected the game warden...i honestly did not believe there would be a hunter following my tracks...but it was. he got within 15yds of me...finally looked up, said sorry and walked off....he looked at me numerous times...i always take my orange vest and hat and display it just for that reason...but he acted like he had no idea....i watched him looking at my tracks in the snow as he followed them...what did he expect? bigfoot???
[:'(] [:@] [&:] soooo i decided id sit it out...tracks where there...spot looked good...weather was right...time of the year is getting there....
5pm or so i turn to my left slowly scanning...practically all the snow melted to my left and it was a old logging cut thats 15-20ft saplings now...sure enough, i got 3 snorts outta something....wind was swirling bad....i dont know if it caught wind or if it caught movement...i never seen it...but it would been tough to see....
that was it................................
im frustrated with this "big woods" stuff...i LOVE hunting up there...its beautiful woods and you can litterally get lost up there...and its not far away...i love it. but man, the deer are whooping me up there big time....been this way since i came to college 4 years ago
from 12-16 i hunted it with dad...that was PRE herd reduction, and all the logging cuts were 5 years younger....trees grow at an amazing rate when they are young....the woods have completely changed...and theres far less deer...its just killin me. i should have taken the afternoon and just WALKED. i should have taken advantage of the snow. though, my spot looked GREAT in the snow....thats what made me stay in the tree...
i did impress myself...only dozed off twice briefly...and wasnt hungry or overly cold...better gloves and fask mask are needed for these cold days i know that...
back home to the honey hole saturday.......my fingers toes and eyes are crossed....that 4pt half rack better stay hidden...i just might kill me a Rob buck
On a ironic note...that hunter I bumped into ended up taking a doe tonight...probably in the same spot I was headed[&:] Oh well, we need the doe thinned out.
10-30-2008, 08:22 PM
#620
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: PA
Posts: 9,085
RE: Official Team Elowapi Thread (15)
lol....you know your thick in deer when you can setup in places youve never stepped foot on and have shot ops. lol!!!
ive never gotten to bowhunt in the snow(only my 3rd season...and for PA i dont think its happend in a long while for most of the state...) it was awesome. you dont know how bad i wanted red snow.....i love a blood trail through the snow...very nice day to be in the woods...i dont know where the deer were...definently looked like a bunch of them used that spot prior to 7am though...so i wont give up on it...its about all i got at this point....(here at school atleast)
heading home tomorrow after class....honey hole both sits ,or all day..saturday....atleast thats what im thinking. havent been there in forever it seems!!! buddies still want me to small game and turkey hunt saturday afternoon...they are gunna be without me unless i get a buck down in the morning. hopefully i get my first shot at a turkey with my bow....couple times this year in the honey hole ive had 7 or 8 or so come through...i cant get them patterned 100%..they always seem to come through...but sometimes i can only hear them, not see them..others they are in spitting distance....lets hope saturday morning they are in spitting distance! id love to have a buck and a turkey down by the time my buddies wanna meet up!!
ive never gotten to bowhunt in the snow(only my 3rd season...and for PA i dont think its happend in a long while for most of the state...) it was awesome. you dont know how bad i wanted red snow.....i love a blood trail through the snow...very nice day to be in the woods...i dont know where the deer were...definently looked like a bunch of them used that spot prior to 7am though...so i wont give up on it...its about all i got at this point....(here at school atleast)
heading home tomorrow after class....honey hole both sits ,or all day..saturday....atleast thats what im thinking. havent been there in forever it seems!!! buddies still want me to small game and turkey hunt saturday afternoon...they are gunna be without me unless i get a buck down in the morning. hopefully i get my first shot at a turkey with my bow....couple times this year in the honey hole ive had 7 or 8 or so come through...i cant get them patterned 100%..they always seem to come through...but sometimes i can only hear them, not see them..others they are in spitting distance....lets hope saturday morning they are in spitting distance! id love to have a buck and a turkey down by the time my buddies wanna meet up!!