Pro-Line

Doug...Found a couple SMALL scrapes and rubs, but nothing that I'd hang a stand over. I am heading in tomorrow, and expect them to be starting this weekend or next...I hope!

I haven't seen the big bucks this year that I've seen the past couple, but I'm sure they are still there. My dad saw a big one squirrel hunting. He's 75 and said it's one of the bigger deer that he's seen in WV, and he was born there. Hopefully his eyes aren't failing him!!! LOL

Good luck, and keep in touch!
Al

DougMD

OK. Good luck to you too! I have quite a bit of vacation and plan to make quite a few trips between now and the end of the last gun season.

WVHunter129

Been quite here...anyone seeing anything or gotten anything. This Saturday looks like it is going to be nasty. Will you still hunt?

nohillbilly

I'm gonna go out and set up a newtree stand tomorrow. I found some nice signs last weekend whilewalking around the woods. (forgot my bow)
I figureif I hang it now it should be fine to hunt in a couple of weeks. I might take my new .17 HMR out with me incase I stumble on some turkeys.Tomorrow is our last day up here to turkey hunt.

DougMD

I am hearing of some buck activity in Maryland, which is EARLY. A buddy has seen bucks dogging does some, hearing running in the leaves, etc. and quite a few bucks hit by cars already. I am worried that the show will be winding down or no intensity in early November.

Now WV is usually behind Maryland by a few weeks. I have no idea if this activity in Maryland is indicative of early activity for WV too.

hillbillyhunter1

Had a messed up morning this morning

I hunted this morning in a prime area, although one of the guys I went with caused us to be late [:@]. He's a novice and a virgin bowhunterand is totally unorganized but a nice guy so me and my other buddy are patient (as possible). As I reached the top of my stand (still just barely dark), I missed the clipwhile attaching my backpack and got to watch it fall and go "thud!!" on the ground. Nice. Made the round trip back down then up again. Everything was fine after that. I sat there watching squirrels and chipmunks everywhere all morning (until 9:30). Not one deer. Seemed likeit should have been good, right before this storm front came thru and all. Our host only saw 2. He has already killed a nice 8 point btw. Deer just weren'tmoving like you would have thought, for us anyway.

gettin out of my stand, I start lowering my bow down and "snap" the bow free falls from about 14 ft after the little P.O.S. twine ropethat came with that stand, breaks about 8 inches above the clip. It was agut wrenching ordeal as I watched the bow tumble then SMACK one of the metal supports (ladder stand) and saw it laying there with arrows strung all over. I can't really afford a new bow right now.

I climbed down and discovered that the "hood" of the quiver was smashed, but that seemed to be all.

Then me and our host made a very gentle little "push" towards the novice and, what do ya know, he shot a spike that was walking out of a thicket and stopped within 10 yards of him. When we saw the arrow, we knew it was going to be good. Deer went about 100 yards (double lung). The guy was so excited that it made everything OK (as long as my bow was going to be relatively OK, which I thought at that point was likely).

Took my bow in to Spark's sporting goods here in Martinsburg (those guys are good). They looked it over and said everything was working fine, replaced my slide and the quiver (WOW!, I didn't know quivers were so expensive--$80--it was apremium modelthough). Then I shot it thru the paper tuner they have there and center punched it. I'm not going in the morning (looks like it's to pour rain anyway), but am going to the range and shoot sometime tomorrow and may go out tomorrow evening if the weather clears a little.

Sorry so long, just wanted to relay the adventure. Meanwhile, at the bow shop, they had a bow in there with both limbs broken--some guy had FALLEN out of his tree after shooting a deer and then trying to climb down. He stepped (according to the story) on a tree limb that gave way, then fell on his bow and broke three vertebrae (sp) in his back--tragic. Made me feel lucky and my thoughts and prayers go out to that guy,whoever he is tonight.

Sorry on last thing--There was another guy in there,who had an OLD compound that was trying to have them set it up so that he could go hunting TOMORROW!!!! Crazy. Sucker should have his license revoked. Worse yet,it was right handed and when they asked him to pull it back--he pulled it back LEFT-HANDED!! Those guys finally talked him instead, on putting a new bow on lay-away. They convinced him that trying to use that thing was worthless. Thank God. Maybe they can actually talk him into shooting a few arrows before he goes out. Anyway, again sorry for the long, LONG story now, but it's been an interesting day. Good luck all

mkiesslinggop

Been looking forward to hunting all week, but it was pretty obvious that this morning wasn't going to fly. I'll hunt in some pretty bad weather, but 30mph winds plus driving rain ain't my cup of tea. It's clear now, but very overcast and windyand I'm debating trying to get out this afternoon.

According to the weather channel sight, there is a wind advisory in effect from 4pm until midnight (35mph-50mph winds). Rifle hunting no sweat, but 20 feet off the ground makes me a little nervous. This is bumming me out big time.

Hillybillyhunter's story about the guy falling out of the tree certainly didn't make me feel anymore comfortable about venturing out this afternoon. I'll let you know if I go and if I shoot/see anything, especially with regard to pre-rut activity.

hillbillyhunter1

follow-up on adventure yesterday:

I went to the indoor range this morning, just to play it safe and make sure my sights had not been knocked out yesterday, and dang if they hadn't. They were locked in tight and everything looked good but I guess you never can tell--I'm glad I checked. Didn't make it out today but am going tomorrow evening (in one of the few counties--Jefferson--that you can still hunt on Sundays in)

Pro-Line

Hillbilly...good story! Glad to hear your buddy stuck one.

mkiesslinggop...Sometimes the worst weather is the best time to hunt. I saw tons of deer Sat morn.

hillbillyhunter1

Was out again this evening and my other buddy (the host from the story above) shot a nice little 7 point right at dark. I myself saw a bunch of does, but did not want to shoot one of them just yet, although I do have two tags. Might go again tomorrow evening, if not, one evening very soon. Things are starting to heat up. Pro line, you are the man for braving that Sat. weather. I was not going up a tree in that. good luck all