Sounds like Ruby's getting a workout. Wonder if I can get our Dapple to pick up tracking.....

Congrats on the Sika Whacker! Can't wait to see some pics.

Congrats on the Sitka, its on my to-do list as well! I wonder if they count for this contest??

FSH - nice getting ruby out for some tracking, how's her training going?

I hunted friday morning then went out of town till today for my sister in-laws wedding. I saw a nice buck friday, but it was out of bow range and came straight downwind. I've never hunted the spot in the morning and I learned the hard way that the deer travel slightly different on their way back from feeding. I really hope I didn't educate him, he got to about 50 yrds then walked cross my wind and stopped dead and turn around... I'm gonna stay out of the area for a week or so and hope the encounter didn't spook him...

Sika pics
 

Here you are guys. They are def interesting critters. Look at the hooves and the head where the antlers attach.

I'll finally get to go back out in the woods tomorrow, looking forward to getting out with the recent drop in temps.

Getting tired of shooting spots!

I've been seeing deer almost every trip, but tonight it got interesting. I had an 11 ptr (4x4 w/stickers) come into an oak flat right at sunset. Unfortunately, when he was just 16 yds out, he heard me brush against the tree I was in, and that was the ball game. Maybe 17" inside, nice tine length but short on mass, perhaps ~mid 120's...

-fsh

Aww Andy! Sounds like a close encounter, which are always exciting! Too bad it didnt work out for you. Was this at the house place or at the base?

I sat in rain monday evening and only saw 1 doe... I'll be out again this sat mostly all day.

Ed
I was on part of the base where I could have taken the buck - I am not too upset at losing him, there are two bigger bucks in the neighborhood... I hunted my farm tonight, saw 21 deer. My only opp on a nice doe was blown when the wind shifted.

-fsh

Sounds like a couple good days - not so much on my end. Yesterday am I sat in some really thick stuff on a trail that a big buck was using last year, was there all morning w/o seeing anything.

Then last night I set up on a small plot in the bottoms and set out my decoy. Bumped something while setting it up, then around 5:30 something over to my right bolted when it got close. Couldn't see what it was thru the big cedar I was next to, but I heard it jump 3 times up the hill and that was it.

Passed up a six pointer wednesday evening. Saw 13 deer total that night. I'm actually headed up to my parents farm in PA after work today and will be hunting the farm tomorrow morning. They are calling for 39 in the morning :party0005:

Good luck to all tomorrow! Winds should be prime for a morning hunt at my acorn hole... fingers crossed I get to connect. Don't think i'll be hunting tomorrow afternoon, gotta do the family time since I'm going away all next weekend for hunting.