wolc123

Finally, on the last day I hunted, I had a chance at a deer this morning. I had to change plans a little, due to the wnw wind. I had planned on a long, around the ridge hike in the dark, to get to the back side of the shooting-range meadow, but that would have required a south wind. For 8 days the wind blew from the south, but it switched north on the 9th, foiling my plan. I tried a frontal assault instead, and I scared off a deer that was exactly where it was on Friday morning, when I crunched some leaves. I only heard one bolt off this time though, not the big herd like Friday, so I continued on to my spot between the mower and the forks. I got into position 1/2 hour before sunrise. Exactly at sunrise, I heard the unmistakeable crunching of a deer approaching through the leaves. It was a “just legal” spike, with about a 4” horn on the right and 3-1/2” on the left. He stood broadside at 30 yards, begging for a Federal 150 gr PowerShok. It was all I could do to hold off. Between the tiny rack, small body, and warm temperature, I just couldn’t do it. My father in law was a little disappointed that I didn’t christen his rifle, but I just couldn’t punch my tag with that little guy. It has been more than 10 years since I tagged an antlered buck with less than 3 points on a side. An Adirondack buck is worth at least double to me. That only brings the spike up to four points though, so he still fell short. I educated him a little, as I sat down the rifle and reached for the phone. He caught that motion, snorted, and high-tailed it into cover. If you zoom in, you can see his tail at the edge of the meadow, to the right of the tall tree.

More boat motor problems on Saturday. The little Mariner electric, that I bought an auction gif $ 5.00 last summer wouldn’t spin the prop. It worked well in April. Not sure what’s wrong with it, Donill throw it on th “winter project junk pile” with the Mercury K-5. I had to use my father in laws auxiliary motor from his party barge. That little MinKota electric worked ok in my Sears 12 footer. Just “ok” and not “good”, because “the quiet power that catches fish” struck out, when I tried trolling the small silver shad rap. Not even a hit, trolling twice up wind on the east shore of the lake. Apparently, those bass need to be woke up by the below water exhaust of the 5.5 Johnson 2-stroke, because plenty of them hit when I trolled that lure behind that. Fortunately, they still hit the 1/8 oz Bucktail jig, when I drifted back with the wind, and I landed 5 or 6 from 14”-17” on that. I caught more than a limit of bass mid/day on opening day of northern zone rifle deer season but didn’t see any deer in morning or evening hunts.

Close, but no cigar. I was looking for a solid fork horn, to try out the 30/30 on a deer. I just passed a legal spike that looked like he had about 4” of horn on one side and 3-1/2” on the other. He stood broadside at 30 yards for a few minutes. The wind was wrong to try sneaking around the back of the little meadow where I stumbled into a big herd of deer Friday morning, So I tried an hour before sunrise, slow, frontal approach. I could hear a deer moving in the dark, on my way in, in the same place where one busted me Friday. I got to within 50 yards of it, from downwind, but I had to cross about 10 yards of crunchy leaves to get where I wanted to go (between the mower and the forks) with my chair. The deer (sounded like a single), snorted and bolted over the ridge on my first crunchy step into the leaves. I put my chair down where I wanted it and waited for a straggler. Right at sunrise, I heard a deer approaching thru the thicket, between the meadow and the driveway. Spikey stepped out at 7:30, offering up a clear broadside shot. I set down my gun and reached for my phone, which caused him to turn tail and run. See ya next year buddy. That is his tail, in the edge of the cover, just to the right of the tree.

Thanks for the high hanging fast ball, right up the middle. Not only do I lack the skill set to kill a deer with an arrow, I lack what is needed to draw my next breath. As you so aptly alluded to, Jesus Christ alone has the final say, regarding the eternal destination of all living things. Hunting was a lot tougher for me before I realized that. There is a reason why God populated the earth with hooved animals that chew their cud. Sadly for you, it has nothing to do with what grows out of their head.

I though ammo availability would be good also, but it’s not too easy to find right now. They had plenty of 160 gr Hornady Lever revolution at Dicks in Lynchburg VA, when I was down there last week, but I wasn’t willing to spend $47 for (20) of those. My last (4) 150 gr Federal power shocks are in my rifle right now, then I have (19) 150 gr. Win Super X’s. At the rate I am going thru them, that ought to last me a few years anyhow.

I sighted in my father in law’s scoped Marlin right on at 50 yards. That’s where the backstop is at the range up here and that is about as far of a shot as I could get at most of the places I hunt up here. My open-sighted one is also on at 50 yards (within 1/2”), after a little adjustment a couple weeks ago. I only use that up here if it’s raining or below freezing out, so it won’t be used until after Thanksgiving this year (if I still have a tag).

That’s what it is where I am at also. The low is supposed to get down to 43 tonight, so it should be ok for hanging a deer overnight. Not that I expect to see one. I don’t have a deer fridge available to me up here in the NZ, but there is a processor with a walk in cooler who is open on Sunday’s, 20 minutes away.

The smallies were hitting ok after lunch. I landed 5 or 6 on the 1/8 oz bucktail jig, which was the only “deer” action I saw so far today. It just didn’t feel right being out there fishing on opening day of NZ rifle season. I am back out in the woods now, waiting on an elusive Adirondack fork horn, so I can see what this 30/30 hype is all about. One things for sure, I’ll hear them coming a mile away in these crunchy leaves.

How’s your basement heat going ?

I heard that, which is why I use it, but I never got to butcher one that was by killed with it. I have killed (3) with my 30/06 and butchered them, but I am still waiting (impatiently) for the first shot at one with a 30/30. Each buck with my 30/06 was DRT and the meat damage was reasonable (2 NY white tails and a CO mule deer). My scoped Ruger M77 30/06 is simply too big and heavy to lug around comfortably in the terrain that I hunt up here. The 30/30 scoped Marlin 336, and fiber-optic sighted 336BL, that I use now, carry much better up here.

True, which is why I quit with the bow while I was ahead (aneck anyhow).

They are amazing sometimes for sure. I have not bow hunted in almost 10 years, but the last deer that I killed with mine was struck in the neck. That’s not where I aimed, but the 4-pointer must have caught a glimpse of my draw. When I released the arrow, he reared down and back. The arrow, with o-ring style mechanical broadhead, struck him on the center of the neck, just below his head. It looked rather comical when he ran off, with the arrow centered and sticking equally out of both sides, I heard him crash in some thick stuff, and the thrashing went on for about 2 minutes. That’s part of the reason I no longer bow hunt. I don’t like depending on dumb luck to kill a deer. Too often, they are not in the same place, when the arrow arrives, as they were when it is was launched. My favorite thing about the crossbow, is that I am always shooting at relaxed deer, because they never catch a glimpse of my draw and go to “high alert”.

I’ll settle for a good Adirondack fork-horn today, just to see how the 30/30 performs on a deer: I am right in the very spot where the largest Adirondack buck that I ever saw caught me by surprise, 15 yards away, 2 years ago to the day. I am also 50 yards from where I killed my last buck up here on Thanksgiving weekend of 2016. There was snow then, which is almost like cheating up here. I killed a few bucks up here in the snow, but I blew my only snowless chance (2) years ago, in this very spot. I am 50 yards from an intersection where 2 main deer trails come together. I killed the 1.5 yr 6-point right at that intersection in 2016. The big boy, in 2020, took the less traveled side cut, up the ravine, that I am watching down now. I’ll give forky till 11:00 to show up here, then off for lunch and a little more smallmouth bass fishing, before I come back up here for the evening sit. Nothing but loads of red squirrels so far this morning.

I can sit comfortably for 8 hours in a stand when it’s 10 degrees outside in 30 mph wind as long as I have: 1) a 3 ft high wall/gun rest to block the wind, 2) a $40 pair of army surplus Mickey Mouse boots and wool socks, 3) a .29 cent hot hands in $ 9.99 muff., $ 20 thinsulate lined bibs, 4) cheap long underwear, 5) cheap face mask and wool hat 6) lined flannel shirt 7) cheap thinsulate lined jacket. Cold weather hunting is my favorite, especially the new Holiday ML season. I can’t wait for that, as I sit here in 55 degrees, on opening day of gun up in the Adirobdacks, with midges landing in my cider cup. I am using a borrowed gun today that my father in law wants me to shoot him a bear with.

Have you been to the grocery store lately ? That’s more like “a rich mans sport”. I can’t afford not to hunt. Hell, I’m still eating from a deer, that I killed last year with a 20 cent slug, using a “free” gun that my grandpa left me when he died. I killed that 9-point buck on my parents land, where they pay the taxes. I was wearing a pair of camo bibs, that I paid $ 20 for about 10 years ago, and a jacket that cost about the same at “an end of season sale at Walmart” about 5 years ago. The blind, that I was in, cost me $10 (for the two front legs- $5 each landscape timber’s at Home Depot), and the chair I was sitting in cost me $ 8 at a barn sale. When you include the cost of the hunting license, half a stick of EverCalm (I put it in the freezer at the end of the season and am using the other half this year) and add in the other (2) deer that I killed from the same stand & chair last season, the cost of the meat works out to well under $ 1.00 per pound. i don’t include anything for gas money, because I need to visit my parents regularly, to help them out with tasks, and I just “happen to” hunt a little between visits and back breaking manual labor. I perform those same services and reap similar benefits at my in-laws place, which is up in the northern zone. I am thankful that the season opening dates are staggered up here, and that the same license works in both spots. I’d say hunting is much more of a poor mans sport.

Mother in law made grilled barbecued lived and onions, with a side of mashed potatoes:

I saw more deer this morning than I ever did, while hunting in the Adirondacks, but it was about 10 minutes before legal shooting time. A herd of 10 or more was feeding in this little meadow, across the lane from the volleyball court. My father in law has been keeping it mowed all summer with the little 3-point mower I brought up for him. My dad gave it to me after he got a zero turn, and I had no use for it, so I brought it up here. When I stumbled into that herd in the dark, there was snorting from all directions and white flags everywhere. I was trying to get around, down wind of the volleyball court, and they caught me by surprise in the meadow. Over the last 10 years up here, I have seen a ratio of about 5 antlerless deer per every antlered one, so there was probably a buck or two in that group. I am going to give that spot a days rest, then try sneaking around the back, from behind the ridge, on Sunday morning. It will be “bucks only” then, with my rifle because today was the last day of early ML season, when does are legal. I finished up the last of the winter prep tasks today, getting the dock up, the party barge chained to a tree, the 14 ft rowboat up high on the shore, and the Johnson outboard stowed for winter. My old Mercury wouldn’t run right, so I’ll be running an electric motor, on the Sears 12 footer, for fishing tomorrow in between rifle buck/bear hunts.

Too close to the water and no tracks:

The local girls must have been hosting some out of town teams for the section championships last night or something. I have never seen as many deer at one time up here, as the herd that I stumbled into in the dark this morning. It could be because I took out the old boss doe last year, who was driving off all the rivals. I have seen a ratio of 5 does per antlered buck up here thru the last 10 years, so there ought to be a buck or two in the group. If the south west wind holds, I am going circle around the back side of the ridge Sunday morning and try and catch one of them on the way out with my 30/30. I’d probably settle for a good fork horn with that, because I am dying to see how that caliber performs on a deer. No more real need to see that with my ML, because I have killed (3) of my last (4) deer with it, including (2) already this year. I learned this morning that it’s not really the sand of the volleyball court that the deer are after. They are stuffing themselves in the tender grass in the meadow that my father in law has been keeping mowed all summer. I dropped off this little 3-point mower for him last year, and he’s been making good use of it:

The bass are cooperating more than the deer this morning. Just got a 20 incher on the shad rap:

I tried sneaking around downwind, of the deer on the volleyball court, but I stumbled right into a big herd in the dark. They were grouped in a little grass meadow, between the ridge and the sand volleyball court. They all ran off, snorting and tails up in every direction. There had to be at least 10. I am in position now, at the base of the ridge, hoping to catch a straggler. A cup of hot cider is in my drink holder. Maybe that will draw in the bear, that has been stalking that herd of deer: I have an opening stick of EverCalm on the other side. It’s 40 degrees this morning, up here in WMU 6C, and my last chance for a doe is today.

Same, here. I am going to try and catch the deer (and maybe a bear) that have been visiting the nearby beach volleyball court at night, on their way back to a bedding area.

It feels pretty deery here up in the adk’s, but I have only seen them from this particular spot, when there has been a little snow. It’s colder tonight, than it’s supposed to be for the rest of the week, so I figured I’d give it one last shot. I have seen loads of doe from here, when they are off-limits, on Thanksgiving weekend. They feed on the grassy browse, on the power line cut, in front of the red posted sign 50 yards out. The guy who posts the land beyond the sign lives in Florida but comes back to NY to hunt occasionally. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if I tracked one into his land, but I’ll still aim for the shoulder blade if I get a shot at one, so I don’t have to. There’s definitely been lots of nocturnal deer (and bear) activity in this area recently. There were fresh deer tracks in the beach volleyball court sand, 500 yards to my left, again this morning. Yesterday morning there were also a set of bear tracks. I stayed out until 1/2 hour past sunset last night, and I could still make out the crosshairs on the old Redfield 2-7 on my ML. The deer didn’t come from the East last night. I will see if they come from the West tonight. There is a steady light drizzle, so I have the umbrella up.

I took a slow still hunt, down and around the north end of the ridge. There is a beaver pond down there, and that’s the last place that my father in law seen any deer. He saw (3) in the water there about a week and a half ago. I kicked one out down there, just getting a glimpse of its white tail up thru the heavy cover, maybe 100 yards away when it bolted off. It ran to the south. There are more fresh deer tracks in the volleyball court by the in-laws house this morning, but no more bear tracks. I helped him get the tire chain back on his tractor, and bungied them all up good. The sky is clearing, so I’ll probably go out for a little fishing after lunch, then sit for deer and bear until 1/2 hour past dark, in my “rainy day” spot near the house. (3) more chances at a doe with the ML, tonight, and tomorrow morning and evening, then it’s all bucks and bears with the 30/30’s on Saturday and Sunday.

Getting a little bit of on and off rain, up here on the nw corner of the adk park. No deer, bear , or grouse have showed up yet. Umbrella and gutting-glove finger condom are deployed. I’ll probably hang out here on the ridge top until 11:00, then go help my father in law fix a tractor tire chain that fell off yesterday, in his barn. Maybe I will do some reading this early afternoon, then go back out for deer, at one of my hot spots close to their house. I brought up a book on Confederate general A.P. Hill. It’s getting pretty interesting, where I man at now in it, at day 2 of the Gettysburg battle.