Zem18

Thanks for the good luck wishes. Had a great morning. Saw 10 doe, a 4pt and a high, but narrow 8pt. Also had a coyote come in behind me on a drive. I was sitting in a ladder stand waiting for the drive to start and when I stood up to see what was behind me, he bolted. I took a shot at a doe and missed early this morning. She was moving in a hurry and her two little ones ran right to me and I saw her coming so I tried as she crossed the trail I was on. Glad I didn't hit with a marginal shot. One miss with the rifle, and one with the shotgun. More trigger time this off season for sure. Looking forward to muzzleloader. I should be able to get out both days next weekend and I took the last day off to get out and put some more miles on the boots. Good luck to you guys next weekend with the front stuffers. Make the first shot count. Hopefully Zach will connect, unlike us old guys.

Left Friday at 6pm and headed to the camp. Got within 5 minutes of camp and it was sleeting. The roads were a sheet of ice. Made the last part of the trip interesting but going slow got us there. Went to the turkey party at the fire station. Small crowd due to the weather this year. I won a 16lb turkey, but lost $20 playing poker for the capons. Got to camp at 930 and we played poker til 1115. Was rain/sleeting the whole night and it was a nice icy mess in the morning. It rained all day long. I walked , and walked , and walked some more and only put 1 deer up that I never even saw, only heard. My BIL and FIL didn't see or hear anything. Had to change my clothes twice as I was soaked to the bone. Not a good day that's for sure. And so ends another year at camp. Was a good time and can't wait to get back down there again. Headed out with my buddy and his crew in the morning for our usual Sunday ritual. Hope to put one down no matter the size tomorrow after the frustrating day I had today. Time for a hot shower and a warm comfy bed.

Good luck "when" you go.

Get your "hard" cider here

I was thinking bulldozer but Dang he has all the characteristics of a tank. Hope you get an opportunity at him.

Happy Birthday! Hope you enjoy the day.

http://www.spiedie.com/ I've posted this before. You will not be disappointed, I promise. This is how you get your kids to eat venison. I use the state fair sauce and slice the backstraps in thin boneless chop cuts and marinate in a Ziploc for at least 24hrs but the longer the better. Throw on the grill and it melts in your mouth. I like the coke, ketchup, and garlic idea. If you want to make it sweeter, try Dr pepper or root beer.

Sean I sent you a PM.

11-30-14 Woke up and got ready to go do some drives with my buddy and his club members. Got there about 8:45am and as soon as we parked we heard a shot. The landowner and club member shot a doe before we all got out there. My buddy and I drove out on the four wheeler to help him out before the drives. Drive one - Had 5 baby doe come running in below me. They stayed low for about 3 minutes and then turned and ran right to me and then past me at 15 yards. They all got a pass as they were tiny little skippers and I know there are much larger deer out there. Drive two - One driver appeared in my shooting zone unexpectedly just as 4 baby doe popped out and ran between us so I never shouldered the gun. My phone buzzed and stupid me looked at it and when I looked back up a large doe and a baby were running past me, again in the direction I saw the driver so no shot available. Oh and driving the trails to set up the second drive, we came up on two doe that ran into the area we were going to push. Then as the drive ended, one last little one came out of the pines at mach 20. Saw 14 today but no shots at any larger more mature deer. As a guest there, my buddy has always said, take a larger deer and they also enforce a 3pt on one side rule even though the area is not forced by the state to do so. If I just wanted to shoot one and didn't care, I could have but I appreciate the opportunity to hunt with them so try to be respectful. I also don't want to fork over any fines for shooting a button ($25) or a buck with less than 3 on one side ($50). Work all week this week and then down to the cabin Friday night to hunt Saturday. Then back out with my buddy Sunday. Good luck to anyone that can get out this week.

Same to you Sean. I'll fill my doe tag next weekend in your honor!!

Good Saturday in Lordville. Saw 11 doe today and missed on my one shot opportunity. Will be down for last weekend. Friday night, the 5th is the date of the Equinunk Firemans Turkey party. Believe it starts at 5 or 6.

That's one vote for Wooly. Thanks for being honest man. Pygmy should second the motion soon.

Made it to camp Friday by 2:15 (BIL picked me up early) Got dressed and headed to my spot. Stood until 4:15pm and headed back to cabin with no deer sighted. Man did it get cold down there last night. Was single digits, and the fire went out and the kerosene heater ran out of kerosene so when we got up this morning, you could see your breath in the cabin. Not pleasant. Finally got up and headed out a little after 8am. By 8:30am, I saw 3 does coming in behind me and I scoped all 3 as they passed me. They weren't stopping and I had one opening at 70 yards and the angle I had was an off hand shot with no tree to brace against. I squeezed and off they ran. A second shot was flung in their direction as a knee jerk reaction, but I had no business taking that second shot. It was into a hill so I wasn't worried about where it would stop. It was well over 125 yards so I guess I was desperate. I went and followed the tracks just before the first shot and then out to the second shot. Tracks only, no blood. I continued to follow the tracks as they headed down hill towards the cabin. They crossed the creek and headed up the hill on the other side of the valley. After the miss I headed out to the back of the property and ran into a single doe,2 running doe, and a group of 5 doe. I almost had a shot at the largest in the group of 5, but got busted by the 5th deer coming up the draw. Saw 11 deer by 1pm and also ran into 2 guys that shot a deer up on top and then tracked it down onto our property. They were surprised to see me and I was respectful and they were as well. Apologetic actually as they had a long drag up hill. Lot of hiking through 10+ inches of snow all day so I am whooped. Got home, ate, then went up and quartered my buddies doe and got the backstraps, and inner loins out. Took a hot shower, drinking a cold one and ready for bed. Meeting my buddy at 8:30am to go do drives in the morning.

11.28.14 Finished the gas tank last weekend on that POS explorer so I took it to get it inspected this morning. Passed no problem. While I was getting ready to leave, my buddy drives by and stops to rub it in he is heading out to hunt. Told him to text me if he got anything. He wasn't there 5 minutes and a mature doe came in with a 3pt following and he filled his second doe tag. I drove up to where he was hunting after the inspection and he was just leaving so we drove to my in laws to hang and skin it. I just ate, got my gear together, and my BIL will pick me up at 1:30pm today. We should be at camp by 2:45pm the latest, just in time for the afternoon hunt. Let's fill them freezers boys!!!

11.27.14 Happy Thanksgiving all!! The wife works retail and at night to boot so no hunting for me today unfortunately. Man it would be sweet out there with the fresh 8 to 10 inches of snow that fell yesterday and it is still falling. A few of us will be headed down to camp tomorrow afternoon and most likely coming back Saturday night. I still have my doe tag for down there and hope to fill it. Good luck to everyone out there this weekend.

Good luck this weekend. Be careful driving up. Lots of snow fell yesterday and it's still coming down today. Happy Thanksgiving.

Happy birthday.Hope you have a great day.

Just saw a few videos on YouTube and you should be able to see where the cables connect.

The innards stay "in" the woods to feed predators, just not this predator! Just my 2¢.

I've only seen 5 bear in the wild ever and all during deer season since I started hunting 25 years ago. 3 were on opening day this year and mom and her cub appeared on the second day as well. The landowner told us he does not want any of the bear shot and we have complied. Although it would be cool to have a rug and a memory of the hunt, I really have no inkling to shoot a bear. Believe me, if I felt threatened, I wouldn't hesitate, but I have been sure to let them know I am there. I shot a few videos with my phone and they are in my journal in the hunting journal threads.

So the pressure washer is the way to go then? I built one using the hot water heater element this year. Very simple, inexpensive build. I skinned mine and the lower jaw came off after the first boil. The hard part for me is all the little nooks on the back of the skull and some nasties hangin on in the brain cavity. I tried scraping, picking, wire brushing by hand and using a drill and they stuff doesn't want to come off. Please share your degreasing method if you don't mind. I'm using Mean Green heavy duty cleaner and degreaser. I also put dish soap in the water while heating. Thanks for sharing the rest of your process.

Thanks Fletch. I really wasn't thrilled about them that close. You are so right Burt, so I was somewhat nervous as this was only the third time I have seen bear in the wild and never a sow with a cub. Every time they got close, I stopped videoing just in case. Can't wait to get back down there though and fill a doe tag.

Keep after em, your bound to time it right sooner or later. Good luck.

Nice! More meat for the freezer. Congrats

My buddy sent me a text saying he took a doe on Saturday. They went out about 7:45am after breakfast as it was pretty darn cold. The guys told me it was a phenomenal day as most of them saw 30+ deer between sitting and driving. The tale of two seperate days - Sunday 11-23-14 My buddy and I met another guy at 630 this morning at my buddies hunting property. We decided to sit for the first few hours and then meet everyone at 930 to do some drives. I walked to the stand and bumped 3 on the way. Got settled in and had 3 small doe come over the hill to me. All came within 25 yards but all very small so they got the pass. Started the drives, we did 4 sections today. Drive one I had 8 to 10 turkey come in and skirt the ridge above me. Drive two was fun. I was on the ground and not in a stand. Saw a deer headed my way. It stopped at 30yds and I saw it was a spike. He saw me too but he kept coming and closed to 15yds. I was kneeling and heard deer below me. Next thing I know I get a cramp in my leg so I stand up. The doe took off and the spike jumped out of his skin and bolted. A minute letter I hear more leaves rustling and here come another deer. He runs the same path as the spike and I finally see it is a larger spike. He stopped out at 30 and then continued on. Was hoping for a nice doe but no such luck on this drive. Drive 3 and Drive 4 were a big Zippo for me. One of the drivers saw a herd on drive 3 and another saw at least 10 on drive 4. It was pretty warm and drizzling so they weren't as active as yesterday for sure. Was a fun morning but man am I whooped from all that walking. Came home and took a power nap watching tv for about 45 minutes and then worked on my buck skull. Man it sounded like a great idea but crap the meat and cartilage sticks to the skull like glue, even after its boiled. I did one before on the stove once but didn't remember what a PITA it was. I scraped and cut and pulled and scratched but had to put clean water and more soap in and heated it some more. Don't have time tonight to finish it so hopefully get it cleaned better tomorrow and then maybe in the peroxide. I took two picks while it was stewing. Ill post up later if I'm not asleep.