wolc123

Usually, I take a nice leisurely still hunt through the local hot-spots on my last hunt on a trip up north. The leaves are dry, frozen, and crunchy this morning, and the wind is light. Even an expert still hunter (which I am far from) would have a tough time of it under these conditions. The conditions are however, almost perfect for an ambush of a target buck. I met one yesterday morning on the NE corner of his range. There is a steady wind blowing from that direction this morning. I know where a couple of his scrapes are on the SW corner of his range. When the sun comes up, I will be waiting for him, a little downwind of those. I will be camped out there on my tree hammock chair, with my 30/30 until 11:00, until I run out of hot cider, or until he shows up, whichever comes first.

At least you did not get skunked on your last day out with that boat. That happened to me in WNY with my 17 footer, trolling for salmon out of Olcott a few weeks ago, giving me more incentive to winterize it. I probably should have spent more time on the water and less in the big woods up north on Friday. The smallmouth were still biting ok and the weather was great. I picked up a 14 and a 16 incher, trolling once around the lake, dragging a shad rap. Then I hauled my father in law's wide comfortable 14 footer up to its winter storage area. Then, I launched my tippy little 12 footer, to check its seaworthiness, for our annual Thanksgiving weekend trip up here. On four of the last 8 years the lake froze over that weekend. I also wanted to see if my antique mercury KF-5 would run ok, and it did. I tried a troll around the lake with that coming up empty but one last 16 inch smally hooked itself on a ned rig, on a short drift. Depending on when the lake freezes over, they might be my last open water fish of the year.

That 3-9x scope came with the gun. My father in law paid $ 499 for the package with a sling from Gander Mountain. The scope is nice and clear in the dark woods. Unfortunately, no deer showed up tonight before sunset for me to try it out on. It must be an early Remlin, from back when they had real Marlin parts. It is just as smooth as my old 336 , that I bought from Brand Names in the early eighties. I regret selling that one. My newer 336 BL is not bad, but not quite as tight as my father in law's, or my old one. I am glad to hear that Ruger picked up Marlin in the Remington liquidation sale. Now, most of my fleet of rifles, and rifled shotgun fall under one roof. The only two things I dont like about my father on law's 336 is that the sling does not have quick disconnects (I only like a sling when I am dragging a deer), and there is no thumb extension on the hammer. I will fix that last issue on Thanksgiving weekend if i can find one. They are nice with a scope and make for some quicker shooting. Maybe I will bring along a couple of quick attach sling swivels also.

Thanks, I am giving it all that I got. I am very comfortable, with my heavy insulated bibs, down vest, and muff/handwarmer. I did not hear any shots at all this morning, but I have already heard 3 in the distance, since 3:00 pm. Maybe they are starting to move. I will be ready, if they stroll thru here. Last Saturday, opening day of Early ML, I heard 4 single shots before noon. The leaves are dry and crunchy now, so nothing is going to sneak in and surprise me, like happened this morning.

I am warmed up now, retooled, and in place for what will hopefully be some late afternoon action. Supposedly, there is no chance of rain, so I brought out my father in law's scoped 336 30/30. That ought to increase my odds of getting 150 grains of lead thru the young growth hardwoods that I am in now. This is an area where I have never seen a buck, but have had many encounters with does thru the years, including a couple earlier this week. They like to feed on the abundant acorns and hickory nuts. Based on what I saw this morning, the rut is full on, so if the does come out to feed early, a buck may follow. That's the plan anyhow.

Just had a little more action at this location. A pair of deer ran by, down hill from me, I could not tell exactly what they were, but the first one had its tail up. I am going to try and stick it out until 12:15 or so. Then its time to head back to the house for a bowl of hot chile. The chase phase seems to be on today, with both the deer and the red squirrels. I will get back out, after warming up a bit. No more rain in the forecast, so I will leave the tree umbrella at the house, but bring along my muff and handwarmer. The temperature had been dropping steadily, and that ought to keep the deer moving.

Had a big old woods monarch damn neat shove his high right beam in my face at around 9:00. It happened so fast, I could not get off a shot with my 30/30. He was only about 15 yards away, when I saw him. 10 minutes ago, two unidentified deer bolted past, about 50 yards down hill and upwind of my location, the first one with a tail up. It definitely seems like the chase phase is on up in the big woods.

Well I am 2 for 2 at blowing my chances in the big woods this week, counting the big doe I passed on Sunday with my ML. I bee lined it to my spot, 15 minutes before sunrise, during a light steady rain. When I got to the tree, at first legal light, I deployed the umbrella up high, loaded up and stood below it. It stopped raining right on schedule, around 8, and I set up the tree hammock chair. Minutes ago. I heard a branch snap over the edge of the gully. Gun was in my lap, pointed the right direction, and I gripped it tight. 15 yards away, a high light colored rack, head and neck popped up. I raised my gun quick, but not quick enough to get off a shot as the sure shooter buck turned tail and disappeared down into the gully. So close yet so far. That's why they call it hunting.

The big day is now open us. I hear the rain blowing against my windows but it looks like it is supposed to stop right around sunrise at 7:30. I think I will drive the truck up to the end of the trail, leading to my spot, and stay in the cab until the rain stops, then still hunt my way in. I will leave my bulky camp chair in the truck, and just take my tree hammock chair and tree umbrella in with me (in case they blow the forecast and the rain starts again). The tree hammock chair allows easy 360 degree shooting but the camp chair does not. I will have to take it down and stand in the event of rain however, because it catches the runoff from the tree. Good luck to everyone out there in the big woods with guns this morning.

I took a slow still hunt back to the house from my morning hunt, checking out some of the recent sign as I went. One of two scrapes has an ok sized print on it, that looks to be from a 2.5 year old buck. Hopefully, he comes out to play, or gets pushed by my opening day of rifle season location, between 7:30 am and 1:30 pm. I was back at the house for a little more fishing, lunch, and completion of the last of the in-laws fair weather winter-prep tasks. Now, I am settled in for my last 2 hour sit of the early northern ML season. I am back at the power line cut, which is the location up here where I have seen the most afternoon deer sightings, but not a one, when there was no snow. Fat chance of that today, when it is sunny and 75. You never know, and the odds are better here, than back in the house.

This is my current view. There is a couple buck a scrapes about 100 yards, upwind and off to my left, and a bedding area about 300 yards off to my right. I have now made it thru the first 1.5 hours of daylight, with the only wildlife sighting a single red squirrel. I have no clue what the loud noises I heard in the dark were earlier. Weather conditions are as comfortable as I have seen all week, wearing just boxers and a t shirt under my insulated Sawyers-treated bibs, and a light-weight "scent-factor" camo jacket. No layering needed today. Only trouble is gnats getting into my cider cup. I thought the elevated position would work, but they are still wanting to try swimming. At least they are east to pick out with a finger but that is making my cell phone screen get a little sticky. Only a cup or two left, so soon it will be back to the house for brunch and out on the lake for a bit more trolling. That ought to work good with this warm steady breeze. I always have more luck trolling with a little surface chop. One more evening ML sit, and then a rainy opening day of rifle tomorrow. I am looking forward to that. The does will most likely be safe from me up here for this year, unless I decide to give it one more try during the late ML week.

That sounds similar to my ML week so far CC. 7 deer sightings in 7 days, 1 grade A chance on a big doe that I would have taken, had I been able to clearly see the head. I had my hammer back on it for about 10 seconds as it stood broadside, 70 yards away and I moved my crosshairs back and forth between the shoulder blade and center lung. All but one little one were seen while I was still hunting or walking to my spots, and all were within 10 minutes of legal sunrise (6 before and just that one big cow after). Afternoons were completely dead in the deer woods. I did see a couple recently freshened scrapes here in wmu 6C, which I am downwind of right now. No bear sightings in the daylight, but I may have heard one in the pitch black darkness this morning. Something large was breaking branches behind me. Good luck for the rest of the season.

Father in law was rearing to go and we jumped the gun a bit this morning. I altered my plan slightly, due to the steady 8 mph wind this morning. He dropped me off well ahead of schedule. Now I am seated comfortably in my tree hammock chair, strapped to a tree a bit further into the Bush than I had planned, and well down wind of the scrapes and fresh doe scat that I located a few days ago. There is more than an hour to go of pitch black darkness. In this "troublesome bear" release area, I have the same "hair stand up on back of neck" feeling right now, that I had after blowing a few fawn bleats the other day. Just what is making those noises I hear in the distance ? I am not going to pour a cup of cider until I can see a little bit and cap my ML. I dont need a bear sneaking in for a sweet snack yet. Hopefully, my own scent will keep them away until it gets light. The wind is blowing right towards the trap and transfer release area.

It sounds like we have a few forum members up in the big woods for opening weekend this year. I was able to get my opening day morning spot prepped a little bit yesterday afternoon, trimming some shooting lanes and getting a tree ready for my camp chair and tree umbrella. The spot I have picked out is directly across the road from a big chunk of state land, and adjacent to a hunting camp. I am hoping that pressure from aborigins (my word for hunters I dont know) will push a buck way. It is also a prime trail intersection, and the location where I killed my last big woods buck on Thankshiving weekend in 2016. I aim to stretch out my morning sit to 2:00 that day, to try and catch their lunch time exit push. I will have to bring snacks and ration my quart of hot cider a little, to last that long. I am actually looking forward to the rain Saturday, since hearing that Tacs and TF have been able to kill deer from under a tree umbrella while it was raining. Most of all, I have been waiting 3 years, for the right conditions, to use my fiber optic sighted Marlin 336BL 30/30. After a full week, of sometimes needing to wipe the fog off my ML scope every 10 minutes, as the rain came down, this sure will be nice:

I am up early this morning, in anticipation at my last couple shots at thinning the local deer herd today with the thunder stick. I helped my "driver", get a heavy dock section up out of the lake, into it's winter position yesterday. Hopefully, he will be up early and ready to complete his mission for me this morning. I cut yesterday evenings hunt a little short because I was worried about a carcass spoiling over a very warm night, if I were to kill one then. Even though the temp is supposed to get into the 70's today, that should not be a problem. My mother in law has a friend, in the nearest town, who processed and bear and has a cooler. I did not know about the cooler until she told me at dinner last night. I got a spot ready, during my afternoon deer sit, for opening morning of rifle season, tomorrow. I trimmed some branches for shooting lanes and prepared a spot for my camp chair and tree umbrella.

Helicopter or airstrip if there is room for a runway.

Reindeer are caribou, and the females of that species do have smaller horns. Santa's sled ain't pulled by whitetails. They don't live that far north.

Sounds good. I am a little worried about shooting one tonight myself, due to the warmth. I am not set up for butchering at my in-laws Adirondack house, but I always do them myself at home. The temp is supposed to be in the upper 50s to low 60's throughout the night. That is on the high side for sure. I have heard that the ticks are not so bad this year. I am actually sitting in the exact spot, where i killed the buck that had all the ticks on it a few years ago, right now. Last year, I sat here once and had one crawling on me, but no signs of any around now. Of course, my bibs ate well treated with Sawyers, so that may be holding them at bay. I just cleared a few branches to make this spot better for opening day of gun on Saturday. I am almost ready to make a nice slow still hunt back to the truck. It sounds like my mother in law has a heck of a dinner planned tonight, and my stomach is growling now. Congrats again on your big woods trophy. A doe or spike buck up here are worth at least 10 times to me what they are at home on the flatlands. That looks like a fine-eating 1.5 year old doe that you got. The last one I got like that up here, was every bit as tasty as the corn fed ones from back in WNY.

Congrats. How far are you from Lowville ? Nolts will cut them up and freezer wrap for around $ 50. They have a big cooler and it usually takes about 10 days to get it back. For that price, I won't deal with another tick riddled carcass from this area, especially when it is warm out. I think it will be cool enough to leave it hang overnight. They are open every day but Sundays.

You ain't kidding there. That's the age when they start causing more trouble. My wife called me last night asking if the neighbor, across the road , could borrow my tractor. It seems a bunch of teens, including our two, were having a bonfire back in the woods. One of the boys got his pickup stuck in the mud. I know that particular kid has a bit of a drinking issue, so there is no way I was going to let her give him the keys. Only after she told me that another boy would drive the tractor, did I agree to let her give them the keys. I thought this other kid could do the job, because his family has a big farm between our place and my folks, and he is a very experienced operator. They got the truck pulled out and everything power washed. My wife said that the operator was limping pretty bad when he brought the keys back. Apparently, a chain broke and whipped back. Hopefully, no bones got broke.

The only two little tweaks I would like to see is a third buck tag for those who buy archery, gun, and ML licences, and two full weeks early for the crossbow up north like it is in the south. Other than those two tweaks, things are almost perfect right now in NY, for a "meat first" guy like myself.

After a couple of run ins with the local deer herd this morning, I came up with a new plan. That picture I took of the shoreline, while out on the lake yesterday, indicates it is in pretty good shape and could use some thinning. Note the clear 6 ft browse line on the hemlocks around the entire perimeter. That marks as high as they can reach, while standing on the ice in the winter. My father in law has a few more tasks for me, including taking out a dock section and stowing it on the shore. We have been waiting for a day with light wind and no rain and this looks to be it. I thought of a task for him. He always gets up real early anyhow. Every morning, a year round resident or two drive by before daylight for thier jobs in town. The deer are used to that traffic. They are not used to people stopping and slamming vehicle doors, or walking down the road at night. I am going to ask my father in law to drive me past my intended destination with the plow truck. I will be sitting in the back on the sand bags. He will slow down and I will jump quietly out when we get past the deer crossing. This plan should work with a prevailing sw wind. Tonight is shower night. I will use scent free soap and antiperspirant. I should be able to get into position, with my back to the swamp, without tipping off the deer that I am there. When they come back from thier morning feed, i will be there waiting with my back to the swamp and with a 240 gr surprise for them.

Could be. As fate would have it, I left mine back at the house this morning. No sooner did I take the electric tape off my muzzle, and it started raining. Fortunately, it seems to be just a brief, passing sprinkle. It has stopped now. My tree hammock chair dont do well, and becomes a tree wet azz funnel when it rains hard. If it picks up again, I will have to keep my muzzle down, unlatch the seat, and still hunt my way back down the mountain.

Good luck under that. I wonder if anyone was ever able to kill a deer from under one while it was raining. Mine sure is loud. No rain in the forecast for way up north where I am until Saturday. I just pulled the electric tape off my muzzle. I dont imagine I will see any deer now, because all that I have seen this week have been within 10 minutes of sunrise and we are well past that.