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1 month and counting!
Until the DE Archery Deer Season! Feel the excitement in the air!
I was out bright and early this morning. Saw no deer at the public ground, but I did see a nice a doe at the leased place. The deer have hit both corn piles I put out and the scat around the pile by my stand indicates a big deer, if you believe that kinda stuff. ;) I had some issues with the Trial Cam which I posted in the deer hunting forum. Hopefully I can get it straightened out and see whats movin around by the stand. :D Bring on 9/1 man! Im ready! |
RE: 1 month and counting!
i am with u..i am seeing deer on the sides of highways and such:) they look like goats at times when i spot them on a sloped hill:) i havent been scouting, but i will sunday a bit. i am hoping to tag early, i say that every year, and get a quality tag.
have u guys been seeing more in the morning or evening?? |
RE: 1 month and counting!
definatly evenings, i try to scout at least 3 times a week, even if it means sitting in my truck watching a bean field, most of the deer movements are between 19:30 and 20:25, saw a bachelor party of 3 bucks wed, man was i pumped!! bring on sept 15th!!
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RE: 1 month and counting!
that's what i am talking about.....i guy puts up a post and gives us the exact time. now we have something to go on. thanks for the info. i will post my findings this afternoon. mayb some pics
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RE: 1 month and counting!
i made it out 2day. there was some ok sign..nothing over the top. i saw 1 doe feeding along the edges in one field at 730pm. she looked at me a few times, but could make me out. i was standing in the middle of this field:) i snapped a few pics. this field was tilled
early in the summer and is now cover with a type of long grass. 3 foot high??? what did they put in it(public land). i looked at a few acorn trees and could not make out an acorn. persimmons looked good. my 2 beechnut trees have some huge nutz on them...sorry:) hoof prints were everywhere, but it wasnt what i expected. there is so much to eat for these animals that they do not have to move far. berries are everywhere. the deer droppings were every color that u could imagine. the first month is always tough for me. this year i am going to bunker down in one location and hunt it until they come to it. i may start in the field where i saw the doe this evening. i have included the pic, but u cant see the doe. she is below the st stand to the right. i had to size the pic and u cant see her.  |
RE: 1 month and counting!
pic of side to side corn. there were some nice prints through here. have u ever peeled back an ear of corn from these fields. my god, it like armor
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this is beechnut...let me tell u something. u find this mass and u have found meat for the fridge...persimmons have the same effect. it tunrs darkk and then falls to the ground...very tasty
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RE: 1 month and counting!
this where i used to live...my god i miss that place:) killed my biggest buck in that area...nearly killed a MONSTER my second year hunting, but i blew the setup. the deer was an absolute brute....and i aint ever lying.
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RE: 1 month and counting!
Very nice quality pics. I only have one problem....those aren't Beech nuts, these are:
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RE: 1 month and counting!
Those look like Hickory nuts to me....I could be wrong though. We have a ton on Hickory around here. People say that deer won't/can't crack a Hickory nut....I disagree, but everyone's always right.;)
   Bark when young  Bark when older |
RE: 1 month and counting!
I dont have a dog in this fight but I think lemond is right about the beech nuts. That is what they look like to me.... You might be showing us chestnuts, and horse chestnuts at that...
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RE: 1 month and counting!
I won't say for certain that they are Hickory nuts, but I defend that those are not Beech nuts. I don't claim to be all knowing or anything of the sort, but of the thousands of Beech trees I hunt in and around there isn't a one that drops a nut or shell that looks like lemond33's picture. Do a search for American Beech or Beech nut or beech....you won't find anything that discribes the original picture. I really don't want to argue about this, but I hate to see bad info being used and then others using the same info.
Web Links: http://www.google.com/search?q=ameri...-8&sa=N&tab=iw Image Links: http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...ican+beech+nut -- American beechnut (Fagus grandifolia -- Family Fagaceae) is one of about ten kinds of beech found in the northern temperate zones, thriving especially in the Allegheny mountains and as far south as Florida and Texas, but doing best at higher elevations. The American beech produces the same small triangular seeds, which generally resemble large buckwheat seeds; but, in character, they resemble the chestnut. Because the meat clings to the shell, making it difficult to remove, they are not largely harvested; and the nuts soon spoil after falling unless collected and dried. The seeds of these beech species are sometimes gathered from native trees, or from trees planted for other purposes, and used as food. The seeds are formed in prickly burrs, about 0.75 to 1 inch in diameter, which remain closed until ripe, then partially open. The angular seeds or nuts are up to 0.75 inch long. The seed coat must be removed from the kernel before eating. In general, beech nuts are similar to small chestnuts. The trees are not cultivated for the purpose of nut production. Identifying Characteristics Size/Form: American beech is a medium sized, deciduous tree, that reaches heights of 60' to 80'. This stately tree has a short trunk and a broad, spreading, rounded crown when growing in the open, but a long, branch-free trunk when in the forest. Leaves: The leaves are simple, alternately arranged, and elliptical to ovate, with distinct, parallel side veins and a sharply toothed margin. The stiff, leathery leaves are glossy and light green above, with a paler, yellow-green color below. The leaf tip is tapered. Leaves have a very short petiole and may be found clustered at the ends of small branches. Fruit: The fruits are shiny, triangular, brown nuts that are encased in a prickly bur and often found in pairs, on short stalks. The nuts are small but are sweet and edible. Bark: The bark is distinctively smooth, tight and steel gray, with occasional dark patches. The twigs are yellowish-gray and hairy with very long, thin, reddish-brown buds. Habitat: American beech grows best in rich, moist soils and is found in bottomlands and upland forests. |
RE: 1 month and counting!
hey, i really am not sure now. i looked it up a year ago and that is what they gave me...mayb there is a beech tree and then there is the NUT. who knows, anyway the deer like it:) if u guys like the pics i will get more pics of my scouting and deer. here is a nice hoof print...check it out
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I went to dof virginia trees and saw the displays abnd now I am not sure. It says they resemble a chestnut, so many choices, so little time
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RE: 1 month and counting!
thanks for searching...more pics to come this week. i am going to get a pic of a monster buck...promise....it would figure that i can shoot them with my cam, but not with the bow
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RE: 1 month and counting!
Keep the pics coming....great pics! Honest guys, I just wanted to educate....not irritate.:D If I wasn't so sure I wouldn't have pushed it, but I hunt in 513,000 acreas of northern harwoods that is primarily oak, hickory, black cherry, maple and beech.;)
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RE: 1 month and counting!
jason...i am not taking it to heart...man, the more i learn the better. i have not been hunting long at all. 6 yrs?? if that. i will continue to post pics as i can. scouting wed...mayb last scouting until the season starts. i do not want to scout the week b4 the season...that is not good. i have learned alot this off season and i am going out it to use. i am hoping for a great hunting season...not matter what.
blk max muzzy 95gr easton acc's ultra nok tru fire hurricane peep and kisser 68lb |
RE: 1 month and counting!
the deer are keying on these right now. i think that it is called "wild grape". if u look closely, u will see where they have nibbled. if u find this....with honeysuckle, berries, and some graze.....that might be a good opening day stand. hey, it wouldnt hurt to have a swamp surronding it:)
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RE: 1 month and counting!
Looks like you're doing/have done your homework. Deer love grapes....so do turkeys and bears!;) One of my favorite stands has a ton of grapevines around it....there's always something going on in the stuff....turkeys, grouse, pheasant, deer....occaisional bear.....definetly a wildlife freindly food.
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be here wednesday night...i will have more pics of my scouting...going to scout2-3 tracts near my mother's home in dutch neck farms. i guess there are a decent amount of deer there. i know that there are alot of does. i see nice bucks here and there:) i do not understand how some of the bucks around that area do not put on nice racks. i guess with all of the food that we think that they have they are missing protein in there diet at the key times of the year when antlers need that component to grow. next year i am putting down 30/06 + protein at 5-6 locations where i hunt. this may help a bit. i will let u know. lick sights can be a charm in some areas.
LeMond |
RE: 1 month and counting!
come on guys, take to us. say something...did ya see a road kill?? anything. i need to read stuff. anyone ever use a mock scrape??
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I went scouting last night and found a scrape line from last year....urinated in it and now I'll see if there's renewed activity. Scrapes are sometimes used all year long, but this one isn't....at least not until last night!:D I've had plenty of guys tell me they pee in a scrape only to find it torn up the next day....it's usually rut though when that happens. We'll see how it works out in August!
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u better b careful, u might get some deer meat:)
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RE: 1 month and counting!
Went out today and put up the ladder stand. What a beautiful day. I hope the weather is like this on 9/1. I also set up the Trail Cam again. This time it should work. Hopefully there will be some nice Pics on it next week. Saw one doe hanging out in the woods around 9:30am. Plenty of sign around and the 100 lbs of corn I put out 2 weeks ago is gone!
Practiced a little today as well. Im getting softball sized groups at 35yds. Tighter at 25 and 15. Tried 3 shots at 40yds for the hell of it. 1st shot, right in the targets vitals, 2nd shot, barely in the vitals, low and left, 3rd shot was in aluminum siding of my shed[:o]! I think i'll stick with the 25yd max. ;) 25 days away people! |
RE: 1 month and counting!
i failed to make it out last week, but will give it a go sunday and few days next week. i am going to start shooting next week to. thanks for the info about the sign and such.
has anyone caught deer eating honey suckle in your area?? |
RE: 1 month and counting!
when are they going to cut the grass growth on the st augistine and other tracts??? i was oout wednesday...the deer will win if that stuff is up. it is nasty:) for the first time in 4-5yrs i had a tick on me. once the grass is cut...i will have a better time scouting. i didnt jump one deer wed, but saw plenty of sign and the usual edge browsing. they are hitting the wild berries pretty well. i am thinking that i am going to hunt over those types of areas the first week. i am not going to hunt the bean or corn fields to start. there is just to much "blue" POOOP out there to resist catching someone with their fingers in the cookie jar:)
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what do u think made that track?? big?? medium sized deer/?
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found these on a remote beach on the back end of one of the places that i hunt?? yote?? fox?? i have never seen a dog here. bobcat??
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RE: 1 month and counting!
Got out to do some scouting on sunday and will be out every chance i get till the season starts. Hit the C&D canal area on sunday where i found alot of late season sign at the end of last season, guess what, its all been bulldozed, completly gone, all the way down to just dirt. Stopped the dozer operator and spoke with him, and not sure if he was pulling my leg or not, he was saying that if Carper has his way that entire area will be a camp ground. Those Residents that have been complaining about deer damage better get ready, i think their problem is going to get worse( just my oppion). Took a huge amount of cover away. Will be out scouting the augustine area this weekend, maybe more in other areas of the canal
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thruthevitals did u see any sign despite the dozing |
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o ok i remember u now. u posted the pic of yourself shooting an oneida?? good form by the way:) yo, did u ever get that lone wolf system??? i have it if u have any questions??
lemond |
RE: 1 month and counting!
I saw your posts, may have even talked to you at augustine. Do you go to the lotteries there during the firearm seasons. Once in awhile you might see other bow hunters, the area i posted about above was tore up with sign, but it was a long walk to get to, and now theirs hardly any of that particular area left, the deer are most likely still in the area, but have to start all over now with finding where they went. Yes i did see some sign but not heavy like it was. Found a shed at the begining of last bow season on the canal with 8pts, probably 3" base, wish i would have got to see him while out. What do you do for the skeeters in the early season.
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RE: 1 month and counting!
Believe it or not im still thinking about the lone wolf hang on system. I purchased a tree saddle early last year and figured i would just use it. Most of the time i end up hunting on the ground, but prefer to use a stand. I have only seen two other at any one time hunting at augustine during bow, i like augustine better that the canal, canal is just closer to me.
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RE: 1 month and counting!
Went out and did some scouting this morning. Saw a bachelor group of young bucks this morning. 1st time I ever saw that. Had a small deer come within 5 yds of the stand at 1st light as well. Pretty cool.
Then I went over and checked out my trail cam. Only a couple of Pics on it so I moved it over to my stand. Dumped some more corn and sured up another stand I put out last week. Wont be able to get out for a couple weeks since Im heading to the shore next weekend for a week. When I get back, deer season will be upon us! I cant freakin wait. With these new seasons, the pressures on to get it done in Sept. Here's hoping for the best! ;) |
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im back...i have been so busy...geessss. i never see anyone when i hunt augistine. last year was a bad year for small gamers...the most that i have seen in 5-6yrs. i use peromone(spelling) for the bugs and unscented repellant. i hunt from a T2 sometimes...double bull archery makes that blind...it's awesome. there have to be some big deer in augustine bcause i never hear of anything huge being killed. do u?? i only archery hunt, so u would not have seen me at the check in for stands. i have the lone wolf system too. it is awesome. get it if u can. i was thinking of selling the one that i have...if u r interested, i will keep u in mind. have u seen anything big in the area in times past. i cannot find an acorn this year either...uggggg.
i am going to scout the canal//.which side has more animals...rt 9 bridge area or the DC canal bridge area....north or south side??? hey, nice talking to someone:) |
RE: 1 month and counting!
Went out to augustine to scout today, spent about 3hrs, sweat my but off. You were right about the high grass and the dang snakes love it. Saw seven snakes, mostly black snakes, more than i have ever seen while scouting and i do not like snakes. I was using the permanone before i got the bug tamer, you should definetly get yourself one, well worth the money, and the new design is awesome. Last year, while walking along one of the thickets down augustine, during bow season, about 1130am, i would walk a little and hit the can call ( doe in heat) and follow it up with a couple of young buck grunts (softly). Well to make a long story short, i was rounding a corner at the same time a big rack 8pt was and i dont know which of us was more surprized, i was shocked at the size, from now on ill be ready. I belive this was before muzzle loader season. Jumped three bucks in velvet before the season started on the south side of the canal, they were laying right under some acorn trees near the side of the road, i never made it back to hunt there, and i should have. Supposedly that area gets hit hard during firearm season. The lottery station has quite a few pictures of big bucks up that have been harvested during the firearms, they are there , its just so darn thick. There are two tracts at augustine that have alot of acorn tree, although i dont know if the trees will produce this year or not, havent been there two scout yet.We should get together sometime and i can show you some of the places i know. I work shift work so im off alot during the week and every other weekend.
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RE: 1 month and counting!
nice post..i looked at the maps of the c&d canal area ..looks pretty good. i might have to scout it during the next week or so. i love rattling in the augistine area....during the rut it is a blast. i know that there are some monsters out there. all of the tall grass allows some animals the chance to reach a nice age. i have let numerous animals walk in that area. i know i know:) i just cannot bring myself to shoot a spike or anything less than 8 pts. i figure that someone has to practice conservation(in a sense). i have seen a few really good animals along a persimmon row that i have hunted over the years. i also need to put more time in the few pine forest that exist in augustine ...they are small, but see alot of traveling by the deer. my lone wolf is ideal for hunting those trees.
this week should see them cut the tracts in that area. i scouted the other day for 6 hrs:) i had one tick on me that i know of. i walked all the way back to the beach on the island. there was some nice sign back there. it is a hell of a drag out. if u are looking to catch a big buck off guard hunt it. if u are looking for a fat doe....dont. it is to long of a drag out. i have nearly taken does right at the parking area where the island is:) they bed to the left and cross the trail that leads to the shed that u can see from the parking area. that area is bean this year. last year is was corn, of course. bucks cruise that area during the rut. i have found that hunting the edges of the swamps can be productive. the animals cruise the inside of the swamp, but along the edges. the dove fields can be productive too. there were deer in the one when i was out. it has one stand on the backside and pines on both side. i saw a huge buck there 2 seasons ago at last light chase a doe clear across it. i could go on and on about that area. :) we will have to scout it one day. i have a friend that lives in NJ..he is hunting there this year. it should be a good year...there have to be a ton of deer. i do not think that the gunners have put a serious dent in the deer pop and i know the archers havent:) a good thing for us. keep me posted on what u see and i will hit the canal and aug again this week. they should mow it this week...i love when they do that. it makes scouting much easier and gives away the deer travel routes. lemond |
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after a morning bike ride i am scouting a few areas...i will post my findings. i am going to start a new post...look for me and we can chat it up. first...who is set on putting the time on stand this year...no BS. we say that about now, but as soon as u go 2-3 days without a deer sighting...time to go:) be safe
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RE: 1 month and counting!
Last year I spent 5 of my many hunting days sunrise to sunset in the stand. 3 shotgun and 2 with bow. Long long days with little deer seen. Looking forward to doing that again this year. Hoping to see more deer though.
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RE: 1 month and counting!
did they cut the grasses yet???
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