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My Field Journal (VA & NC)
Just wanted somewhere to start logging some of my field journal notes, pics, etc. The regional threads never seem to scroll off as fast so it should be easy to keep up with, wish I had started beginning of bow season in NC (Sept. 8).
Links from some Sept. outings: Rough Start Hair Raising!! (little long) Corn or Beans?? Help (PIC FIXED) Oct. 6, 2007 Opening Saturday of Va Bow Season. Wind from the S to SSW most of the day. Dry and warm with highs in the 80's. Moon was about 35% full and directly overhead at Morning Stand off of creek between recently cut corn and bedding (downeys). 0 sightings, I think they cleared the field early and I may have just missed them in the dark.  Steve hunted between cut corn and road saw 2 bucks 5 does arrowed his first deer ever at 1000.  Evening Stand: Hunted off edge of cut corn (new piece) and saw 12 does and two bucks(one nice). Never closer than 55 yards, good wind, never spooked.  Jimmy hunted around the corner in the next field pocket and saw 9 does and two bucks. This being one of them.  Starting to see more and more perimeter scrapes (field edges, paths, etc.) but still seeing bucks together. Light acorn drop this year but still huntable. At this point not using many calls, scents, or rattling. Needed = rain and cold temps. |
RE: My Field Notes
Saturday Oct. 13
Temps in the 70's,two days after the new moon. Saw two does in the morning (longs), got winded by the second doe(wind from the west). Wind shifted to the SSW after lunch and I hunted near the cut corn I saw all the deer in onopening day. Around 1730 4 does came into the field and presented no shot. At 1745 this buck cam in to 8 yards and the ice was broken.  Still not seeing much real rut activity probably due to the dry weather and high temps. Still hunting quiet no calling to mention, just hunting near summer food sources still. Dates to watch next season Oct. 14th - Oct 31. (pre rut/chasing?) Also took two does with my rifle in Chesapeake(DMAP). Just hunting beans and water, temps still in the 70's & low 80's occasionally. **Disclaimer** This thread is really going to be used to have data for next season as far as weather, deer activity, food sources, rutting info, locations,etc. So if it seems like random babbling or like someone talking to themself that's because it is.;) |
RE: My Field Notes
Oct. 20 2007
Hunted Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest. Weather was cooling off a little but still unseasonably warm (upper 60's low 70's). Hunted this area blind using only aerial photos and map from VDGIF. Saw 4 does, two came in at less than 20 yards and busted me as I was hunting from the ground and got caught snoozing. It was a fun hunt and nice area, plan on hunting it again next season, Remember to bring climber.;) Oct. 23 2007 Hunted a military base near the house. I have hunted one other installment close by and have had good success . This area was crowded 8-10 hunters showed up that day andeveryone kind of hunted the same side. I got skunked but did see one doe while driving out. I'll probably stick to the other base the rest of the season. Weather still warm, you have got to be kidding me. More scrape activity, and second full moon coming up in 3 days (Oct. 26). |
RE: My Field Notes
Oct. 26-27 2007
Weather still sucking. Rain & wind hit hard the end of this week. We needed the rain and the wind is supposed to be bringing cooler fall temps by Sunday Oct. 28, finally. This week the bucks really picked up the pace. Heavy scraping and some bucks starting to bird dog groups of does in the fields, they also seem to be reponding well to short mildrattling sequences. Srape line hunting, Code Blue Doe Estrous, Buck Bomb-Dominant Buck, short rattling and some calling (grunting & rattling together). Link to above and belowweekend hunt details: Raindrops Were Fallin' On My Head...... Oct. 27 2007 (taken at 0730) Morning after 2nd full moon. Rain, Wind WSW 10-15 mph, Scrape line rattling. Mathews Q2, Goldtip 5575's, Grim Reaper 100gr Razor Cut.  |
RE: My Field Notes
Oct. 30 2007
Shotgun hunt in Chesapeake. Cool temps.(upper 50's), high moon(about 70% full, waning)near the afternoon, WNW light. Scrape line hunt off of powerline and property border(W side). No precipitation, 0 sightings. Deer are moving later and later it seems. Try again Thursday after work if I have time. Need to hunt in a.m[:@]. |
RE: My Field Notes
Nov. 2 2007
Leaving tonight for a blackpowder hunt with my dad tomorrow, Va bp opener. Hurricane Noel is blowing some serious winds right now 20-30 mph but that is supposed to die off by 0800-1000 Saturday Nov. 3. So hopefully with the lows getting down near freezing and the wind blowing out the deer should be moving by tomorrow late morning. That's my theory anyway, post pics and update hunt (wind, moon, deer activity, etc.)Sunday, Nov. 4. Winds supposed to be from NNE starting upwards of 20 mphdieing down to around 10mph by afternnon and clearing skies early. |
RE: My Field Notes
Enjoyed the read New. Hope you get one with your smokepole!
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RE: My Field Notes
Nov. 3 2007
Opening day Va bp season. Temps in the low 40's overnight to upper 50's low 60's mid day. Strong winds most of the day NNE to NE 18-20 mph in the morning to 10-12 mph afternoon/evening. The moon looked like this,  and was overhead at midday. Today was my first hunt this season at our farm and with my dad. He has been bowhunting every weekend since Oct 6 wit minimal sightings and no kills yet. I Hunted my lounger stand that overlooks a bottom that crosses a powerline right of way and our back field. At 0745 I had a nice buck come between me and our back field wind break (125 yards). Although that is about my max range he never gave me a good shot and was gone as quickly as he showed up. Hunted til lunch, did a tiny bit of "speed scouting" and found two different scrape/rub lines and some good sign. My dad getting a little practice:  Posted my dad up on the field I was bordering in the a.m. and I hunted near the windbreak I saw the buck on. No luck with the buck but pops had 4 does come out on him at about 60 yards and he missed one clean (doe fever):D. She let him reload while they stood there looking aroundbut just when he was about to aim for his second shot she decided she had seen enough and blew out of there, taking her friends with her. Side note: Re-post property lines and talk to bordering hunt club president, someone has taken the stabilizer bars to two of our ladder stands and one stand has broke ladder at bottom(don't forget to repair). I will catch them if they show up much more and they will get to meet Mr. Warden, no warnings. |
RE: My Field Notes
Keep the posts coming, I'm in Northern VA and just Sat. did I see a huge 8 and monster 10 on our farm up here.
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RE: My Field Notes
The buck I saw at our farm was a big wide 8, I am off Monday, Nov. 5 and Tuesday, Nov. 6 but I will be hunting on the Eastern Shore with my 6 year old from a ground blind. Where our farm is you have to be elevated in a 10 foot stand to bp hunt and right now we only have 1 two person stand up.. I will hunt the farm again this Saturday (Nov. 10) but for now and for convenience we will be heading over to the shore for a little "Ground Blind Big Buck Bonanza".
Leaving today after lunch, the weather on the shore is supposed to be decent with winds from the S to SSW so that will work out and the temps are staying pretty low at night so I am hoping the bucks are still doing their thing. One thing I just thought of while I was packing. I like my digital camera as far as the ease of taking and loading pictures but I am going to have to invest in a nice 35mm camera with some good lenses. I always take my camera on stand but the digital (mine anyway)isn't very good for that. There was a moment on Saturday when that buck crossed the corner of the field and the powerline. He was standing within 10 yards ofone of our otherladder stands. That would have been one sweet pic if I could have gotten them both in a pic with the buck standing broadside to an empty stand. Classic. Realistically, I still would have missed the pic regardless of the camera because I was so busy watching him through the scope and whispering to him, you knowwhat I'm talking about: "Come on...just a little closer...keep coming...one more step.....turn a little.....no.....dont' turn like that.....no.....come on.....don't walk that way.....(andright about nowyou get desperate with the last second grunt attempts).....No!!.....come on .....what are you doing?.....Damn it!" He's gone. And nowit's time to getback to sittin' in the woods looking at trees, between nodding sessions of course, but I've heard that your sense of hearing increases like 10 fold during sleep.;);) |
RE: My Field Journal
Nov. 5 2007
Afternoon hunt on The Eastern Shore. Winds SSW 8-10mph Hunt cut cornfield near road(mistake). About 45 min befordark a6 pointer and a doe comeinto the field, around 15 minutes later (primetime) a truck drivesby , stops, backs up and shoots atone of thedeer then procedes to just drive off (I guess they "missed"). Needless to say I was pissedbecause they spooked all the deer but more importantly that is just dangerous, Itried toget across to that side in case they drove back by so we could"discuss" the issue but they never came back. Nov. 6 2007 Hunted themorning on an old cut through between an oak flat and pine block. Very windy and off and on showers, saw one doe but we left early because the little man already has a cold and the rain was getting worse.  We love this little blind, we just pop it up and hunt, keeps us out of the wind and rain for the most part and he can sleep or fidget or eat snacks or rattle the antlers or grunt or......the list goes on and on. I always think the deer will notice us but even at 30 or 40 yards the most we've ever got is a couple of suspicious looks and head bobs, and usually by the time they are even doing that it is too late. It's funny because each season you have ups and downs and I was pumped for this week and then after finding my stands messed up at the farm and then having an encounter with the road hunters at the other pieceit was just kind of a "buzz-kill week", even though the deer still seemed to be moving,my buddy Jack killed a nice 6(no brow tines) yesterday morning from a stand in the front of the propertyand then he killed a doe in the evening from the same stand I shot my bow contest buck from last month, and Idid get to see a couple of deer anywaysoit wasn't a complete bust. Cold front forecast for the end of the week Nov. 8-10. Season is a little pastthe half way point (Sept. 8, 2007-Jan. 5, 2008), time flies this time of year. |
RE: My Field Notes
Nov. 8 2007
Afternoon bowhunt in Chesapeake (base). In stand about 1430, 46 degrees, NE wind blowing about 7 mph. New moon week so I was thinking morning movement is probably good but I could not get out until evening. Sit...sit...sit.......nothing. Last minute of light I have one deer move by me at about 40 yards, and on the way out I see0 deer. Lots of sign, active scrapes, etc. but no dice on the deer. There were 16 hunters at the base today and there werequite a few last time I was there maybe the deer are getting wise to us, or maybe I am just way off with stand selection lately. Frustrating couple of weeks, stands broke & parts stolen, slob (road) hunters, and just not being in the right place at the right time. Prime conditions right now, should be primetime I'm justin a little slump,but there is always next time. :D ***EDIT*** After reading lots of other threads it seems that many people are seeing less deer than anticipated right now.But on the otherside of that agood friend of mine has been hunting this week and has seen a few and one other club member killed a monster 150+" over the weekend so who knows,(Next year dates to watch: Oct. 13 - Oct.31=hot and Nov. 1 - Nov. 9=seemed to cool off a little). This is the second year in a row when October has been good to me, 06' bow buck killed Oct. 21, 07' bow bucks Oct. 13 & Oct. 27. |
RE: My Field Notes
Chesapeake weather at this point Still a little warm:
Today Nov 9 [/align]PM Showers 56°[/b]/38° 30%  [/b]Sat Nov 10 [/align]Partly Cloudy 60°[/b]/37° 20% [/b]Sun Nov 11 [/align]Sunny 61°[/b]/39° 10% [/b]Mon Nov 12 [/align]Mostly Sunny 65°[/b]/46° 20% [/b]Tue Nov 13 [/align]Partly Cloudy 70°[/b]/51° 10% [/b]Wed Nov 14 [/align]Few Showers 70°[/b]/48° 30% [/b]Thu Nov 15 [/align]Few Showers 68°[/b]/44° 30% [/b]Fri Nov 16 [/align]Partly Cloudy 67°[/b]/45° 10% [/b]Sat Nov 17 [/align]Showers 66°[/b]/44° 60% [/b]Sun Nov 18 [/align]Scattered Showers 66°[/b]/46° |
RE: My Field Notes
[align=center]Moon Phases Calendar November 2007[/align]
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RE: My Field Notes
Nov. 10 2007
Evening hunt in w/rifle. Temp=46 degees wind NE at 7 mph. I only hunted the last 2 hours of light but I saw 5 deer right before dark. All werewell within range butI saw no horns and I didn't feel like dragging and processing a doe(DMAP paperwork & jawbone, not to mentionbutchering) at the time. I am hunting there again on Nov. 12th so hopefully some bucks will be cruising, I'm just glad to see them moving again. Temps are forecast to be up in the 70's again by Wednesday[:@]. |
RE: My Field Notes
Temps. are supposed to be dropping Thur. Nov. 15 and staying down for good hopefully. Calling for a low of 28 degrees on Friday the last day of blackpowder and lows in the 30's for the gun opener on Nov. 17th. Game on!!
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RE: My Field Notes
This is from the other day:
(click link) Bucks in Rut Nov. 17 2007 Opening day in VA for general firearms. I wanted to hunt the Eastern Shore but I couldn't make the trip this weekend. I made plans to hunt with my dad at the farm and the weather was great(overnight low of 27 and a NW wind). We hunted hard all morning with no luck and then a decent buck crossed our back field at about 1130. Well how can I put this.....I missed. It's ok, we had a good time, split some firewood, and hunted til dark.I saw a doe right before dark and theywere in today in the county I was hunting but I have a feeling the end of the month will provide enough does, The county I hunt in Eastern Shore is a rifle county and does arein all season plus DMAPs andin Chesapeake and Va Beach the last 6 days Nov 24-30 are doe days plus the areas I hunt there have DMAPsas well. With the general firearm ending in those two counties on Nov 30 that means it's almost time for bow season again, Dec. 2 - Jan. 5 (Ches. / VA Beach). My buddy Jack killed his second buck today on the Shore a nice 8 with some junk on the back of the bases,the 8and another buck were chasing a doe at 0930 this morning. I will add pic later. **Here is one for now. I have some from in the field I will get soon.**  Notice the bucks right eye is swollen from fighting, he also had gashes on his neck and hams. **Dates for next season** Oct. 13-31 (Heavy scrapes & rubs lots of deer movement, saw several bucks, mostly young, pre-rut) Nov. 1-10 (Sightings seemed to slow but still saw signs of pre-rutting activity) Nov. 11-? (Bucks with does, fighting over does, hung up on fences, etc. rutting hardIMO) Another weather roller coaster forecast forthis week(Nov. 18-24), temps. back up in the 70's by mid week then dropping again by the weekend, they did the same thing earlier in the month and the daytime activity seemed to slow. Nov. 19-30 the moon wil go from about half (Nov. 19)to full (Nov. 24) to about half again on (Nov 30). Also, watch Moon rise/set times i.e the moon is up a lot during the day recently and over the next week which could make for dark nights and improved daylight activity, who knows. |
RE: My Field Notes
Love this site:
Calculate Sunrise, Sunset, Moonrise, Moonset - The Old Farmer's ... Great for moon phases, rise/set times, and lots of other stuff. For example: Nov. 19 2007 RISESETS Moon 1:41 PM 12:50 AM That means the moon is up roughly 11 hours (in my zip) with it being almost directly overhead around 1910 (7:10 p.m.)and directly underfoot around 0715 the next morning (Nov. 20). So I am going hunting tomorrow morning and I will probably nap on stand from around 0545 until 0700, then I will wake up and shoot a buck about 0705 and call it a day;). I need to get that timex hunting watch I think it figures all that out for you. |
RE: My Field Notes
Here are 3 bucks my buddy, his dad, and granddad killed. They were not in VA. They went to Ohio on some kind of "hunt". Lets just say they could have bought a nice usedtruck for what these three bucks cost and the place wasn't free range. Not my thing but to each their own and at least he got to see his dad and granddad take 2 nice bucks. As you look at it his is on the left, his dads in the middle, and his granddads on the right.
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RE: My Field Notes
ORIGINAL: NEW61375 That means the moon is up roughly 11 hours (in my zip) with it being almost directly overhead around 1910 (7:10 p.m.)and directly underfoot around 0715 the next morning (Nov. 20). So I am going hunting tomorrow morning and I will probably nap on stand from around 0545 until 0700, then I will wake up and shoot a buck about 0705 and call it a day;). I need to get that timex hunting watch I think it figures all that out for you. I apoligize for the pics I forgot my camera and all we had was my buddys' cell phone. I didn't think I was getting any pics so I had not cleaned the deer up, sorry. The .25-06 is nothng buttrouble for Mr. Johnson and his cohert.  The 6 was RUTTING, he stunk so bad and his tarsals were soaked somuch thatthe whole back of his legs were black and sticky all the waydown to his hooves, the other bucks tarsal were a little black and took up an area about the size of a quarter, nowhere near as ripe as the 6 but he still smelled a bit. Cold front this weekend I'll be back at it, maybe in NC or on the farm. Weather Today/Eastern Shore---Temp. H 62-L 44-----Winds out of S & SW from 2-8 mph. Moonrose around2:00 p.m. and was directlyover head around6 or 7and was forecast to set around 1:55 a.m., didn't see much deer movement til after 2:00......interesting:eek:. |
RE: My Field Notes
Those are some incredible racks from Ohio. I'm with you though, doesn't really sound like my cup of tea either. If it is legal, more power to them and it is very cool for 3 generations of family to go hunting and be successful together.
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RE: My Field Notes
Temp drop from 11-22 to 11-23 was 32 degrees with highs predicted in the low 40's for the nextcouple of days. A warm front had come through for most of the week but then last night the winds shifted and the warm front was blown out by a cold front from the NNW. Unfortunately I had to work today so I could not really take advantage of it but I hope somebody got out there and had some luck. I will be getting after them tomorrow, 11-24. The weather is forecast to still be cold and overcast so I got my fingers crossed. The moon rise was 3:45 p.m on the 23 and will set at 5:45 a.m and is full. Then it will rise again at 4:34 p.m on the 24th and set at 7:03 a.m. So that means it will be directly underfoot around 10:45 a.m.on the 24th and this weekend while it is full it will be over head a lot at nightafter shooting light(not ideal I think but we will see). Now if youfast forward aweek toNov. 30 the moon rises at 11:19 p.m and setsat 12:10 p.m the next day that puts it directly overheadalmost at sunrise (good morning hunt predicted). Now fast forward another weekto the new moon(Dec. 9)the moon will rise at 0715 a.m. and set at 4:25 p.m, that means it will be out all day anddark at night (no moon light because of the new moon and the time the moon is setting). My prediction is increased daylight activity especially middayand I will hunt from dawn to dusk as much as I can around that time.
**Disclaimer** just my thoughts and predictions and I will use them a lot next season as far as date and data comparison. |
RE: My Field Notes
Skunked!! Windy and cold, only hunted til noon but no luck.
Still better than being at work!!  |
RE: My Field Journal (VA & NC)
This seems pretty cool but, how do you plan on using this information for the next year? With the information you have on the first month or so of this years season how is that going to affect how you hunt the same times next season? mi just curious as to how this is working but, it seems pretty cool
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RE: My Field Journal (VA & NC)
I'm really just gonna compare dates with activity seen (like whe I started to see scrapes/rubs, bucks chasing does, etc. I keep track of the weather and the activity seen so if similiar weather patterns happen or differnt ones for that matter I can compare the activity. I am saving the moon dataagain just to compare thedates i.e when is the second full moon this season and when will it fall next season, things like that.
Trust me there is no real method to my madness. Ithink it would likely take several seasons of doing this and then maybe I could graph it or chart it out to see any obvious patterns (as far as month/moon info goes). There is also a lot of locationspecific info and more stuff written down that I don'tpost but there is no real science behind it. It will also help me when scheduling time off next season, I can look back and say "oh yeh I really should take a couple days off this week or that week." |
RE: My Field Journal (VA & NC)
Well I didn't see anything Saturday but a couple of buddies saw some does and killed a couple and another friend shot a 7 pointer chasing 2 does, all before 10:00 soI guess I was just in the wrong place.[&:]
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RE: My Field Journal (VA & NC)
Work is killing me![:@] Between that and getting ready for Christmas and sick kids I haven't been out since Nov. 24 and even then I only got out a half day. I'm completly jonesing right now. Maybe tis week will be better.
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RE: My Field Journal (VA & NC)
Dec. 4, 2007
Finally got out this evening for a late bowhunt. It was nice and cool today with lows around 30 and highs around 52. The wind was pretty steady(12-15mph) out of the west all day and died down to about 8-10mph this evening. Pretty slow until around 4:15 when I noticed two does in the field I was hunting beside, my stand wasn't set up to shoot in the field but was high enough to see into it. It's a cut bean field with winter wheat just beginning to come up. Just before dark I had another deer feed by me at about 34 yards headed towards the field but it was too dark to see well enough for a shot. It just felt good to get out. |
RE: My Field Journal (VA & NC)
Nothing to report. Temps back up in the upper 70's, ridiculous[:@]. The stand i hunted on the 4th has some company now as another hunter placed a 20 ft ladder stand right on the edge of the field like 80 yards from mine in the woods. There is no way he could have seen mine and several other guys can hunt this piece so he didn't do anything wrong I just normally don't see anyone in this area.
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RE: My Field Journal (VA & NC)
Well I have been out a total of 3 times in the past month.[:@] Kind of sucks but I got lots of stuff taking priority right now.
Come to find out the new stand in the area I hunt is somebody I know, he's a good guy but it sure taught me to keep my mouth shut about killing deer. This guy tells this guy tells this guy.....equals spot ruined. Still got 3 weeks left so we'll see how it goes. Better planning next season will get me back in the woods, I didn't miss a Saturay last season, this season I can't seem to make one. Such is life. |
RE: My Field Journal (VA & NC)
Well it is over. The end was pretty slow for me even though I did manage 2 uneventful evening sits the last week. The area I usually like hunting at the end of the season has been seeing a lot of action, unfortunately it is all hunters and 4-wheelers. My spot has been blown up. I was going to hunt the field I noticed the new stand inlast monthhoping noone would be there so I still hunted to a spot where I could see it but Iwouldn't be disturbing the guy if he was hunting. I could hear him before I saw him in the binocs. He was rattling and grunting and putting on a real show soI just went the other way and hunted some old fire lanes. I never heard any shots and I'm hoping they didn't have much luck so they will move to a different area next season we will see. I'm hoping for rain as well because normally it is too wet for 4 wheelers in this area but with the drought thisyear it got a little more attention.
I don't really mind but I have been hunting this area for about 15 years and it is very tricky.The deer are very skittish in the late season. These guys don't watch the wind and are hunting stands when their wind is blowing straight across bedding areas. Not to mention all of the foot and 4 wheeler traffic andawkward techniques. I guess I wouldn't mind if they were a little more stealthy but if I know you are there you better believe the deer know too and I just feel like they are educating them. Ohwell rant and season over, all in all it was very fun. 2 Bucks with my bow and 4 deer with my rifle, not bad for only getting out like 10-12 times(give or take a sit), I am looking forward to next season already, I have some new areas to hunt and some old ones I have been saying for years I was going to try different things on and it seems like next year will be a good time to start, hopefully I will be able to use the new pressure to my advantage if next season is similiar to this one. :DTHE END :D |
RE: My Field Journal (VA & NC)
Just needed to save the link.
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