Rebel Darling

Expensive miss. Broadhead found a rock. I'm all thumbs when using Tapatalk

I missed a doe this evening at 26 yards. Man... Should have been cutting up a deer right now. Before I headed out, I let a few arrows fly to make sure I was comfortable to 30 yards. I was good, but my nerves got the best of me, and I pulled the shot low. Clean miss. No wounds, nothing. That is the biggest relief of missing the mark: missing clean. The hunt went well, though. I noticed the two doe and a fawn coming out from the pines the border a creek at about 3:30. They took their time making their way across the wood lot, but never presented me with a shot, and were behind my tree. The doe, and her fawn headed up and away, but the solo doe kept walking parallel, but at 45 yards, or so. Once she crossed to the other side of my tree, I let out a couple of bleats to stir some curiosity. She took note, but didn't appear interested. I lost sight of her in a group of hemlocks, and figured she'd keep walking that line across the woods and away with my chances. I was wrong. At about 4:05, I noticed that her curiosity got the best of her, and she was at my left at 30 yards scanning for the source of the bleat. I wasn't ready for a shot, so I got ready in case. After a bit, she circled in front, and presented me with a 26 yard quartering away. It was in the climber, and had an awkward time trying to position myself so that my draw arm wasn't knocking into the tree behind me. I situated myself, let out a "meh", and released. I could feel myself trying to watch the arrow even before I released it, pulling the bow down and away. Bad mistake, and it cost me some good meat in the freezer. Luckily the doe never made me, and she just bounded off a bit before checking her surroundings. She never blew out. After a few second surveillance, she bounded off deeper into the woods, and I waited until dark to get down. I learned a lot this evening, but clearly, I need to learn a lot more.

26 yards. Pulled the shot low. Man, I’m jumpy. That should be meat in the freezer. I'm all thumbs when using Tapatalk

Swing and a miss on a doe. Clean miss. Ugh. It’s been 15 mins, and I’m still pissed. I'm all thumbs when using Tapatalk

Taking a break from walking around up on the mtn in 4L. Missed the morning hunt; wife’s got a cold, so I’m helping her get the boy up and ready. The boy was a ton of fun this morning, so that time flew. Woods still not showing any sign of opening up. No scrapes, No fresh rubs. The leaves on the doe travel routes are laying flat, nothing’s kicked up, and no hoof depressions. This oak flat on top of this ridge is dead. No beds, no sign of browsing. The freshest sign seems to be in the pines, along the creek, but this west wind makes it tough to hunt that. Got to think of a place to set up soon, but it’s real fine sitting here... I'm all thumbs when using Tapatalk

Live from day 2 of vacation cancelled. Quitting this job would certainly give me more time to hunt, and a more reliable schedule. Good luck today to those that get out. Living through you. I'm all thumbs when using Tapatalk

Brought my buddy down to a sweet transition spot I scouted last year in the Partridge Run WMA. I'm showing him where to set up, and then I see... @Canis Latrans in his climber filming us. My immediate reaction was to say, somewhat loudly, "Oh, sh*t." Haahahaha... You got that on video? My buddy and I, we turned around, and walked 200 yards to leave Canis alone at that pinch point, and we come up on a doe and her two fawns. We saw them first. I had already had my buddy hidden up in a fall-down natural blind, but I was totally exposed. I was able to crouch down, climber and gear still on the back, but my weight was on my bad ankle. Momma doe made me at 30-40 yards, trying to sneak my hand to support my rolling ankle, bounded off and took her fawns with her. My buddy had a hard time sitting still after that, and the rest of the evening was a bust for us. 5 minutes of pure adrenaline as those three made their way right to us. Great, refreshing day in the woods.

Spooked one coming out of the stand. White tail flagging running down towards the pines and marsh. Makes me think it was a doe. Hope the spot isn’t toast. I'm all thumbs when using Tapatalk

1 doe moved through about 7:00. Too far to tell if anything was with her. 80 yards, maybe. She was trotting on her way somewhere else. At 7:30, a doe browsed through at 50 yards, and never got closer. She had a fawn in tow. I'm all thumbs when using Tapatalk

Up and almost ready here in 4L. Haven’t seen much at all lately, but the weather dictates: get your butt in a stand this morning. This afternoon, heading to Partridge Run w/ a buddy to sit a spot I scouted last year, and hopefully get him his first bow deer. Looking forward to more harvest pics today... good luck, all! I'm all thumbs when using Tapatalk

On my way home from work, I saw a big, wide 8, stocky fella on his feet getting ready to cross a road. Neck was thick, and he was a proud fella. 4K, 5:35 p.m., 60 degrees. Field edge. Does were in field.

Double post.

Zero deer seen last night. Zero deer this morning. Walked my woods a bit, and I saw zero sign. Scat, trails, zero. They’ve moved somewhere else for food, and I’m having a hard time figuring out where that is. Out of the woods here for a few days... I'm all thumbs when using Tapatalk

You’re having an action packed year! I'm all thumbs when using Tapatalk

4L checking in. Hoping to learn just what in the world the does up here in the big woods are doing. Limitations of the climber have left me a bit exposed to my left. Be still, Grasshopper, and put away your phone... I'm all thumbs when using Tapatalk

Was only able to hunt a couple of times this past week, but I learned some. On Wednesday morning, I had hunted a spot I normally reserve for afternoons. I got in pretty early, because I had wanted to see or hear something cutting through this pinch point, figuring it'd be before shooting light. Well, I did hear something coming through, but it was right around my entry trail, behind me, and to my left. Footsteps, and then... Nothing. When I got down, I walked the same trail out, and there was a real fresh and large pile of scat on my trail. It was still greenish and shiny. I'll take that as a message from either the buck I've hunted these past couple of years, or another: "find another entry, friend. I'm onto you." So there's that... Ha. That afternoon, I scouted / still hunted a new spot in a community forest, and found some old (maybe last year), monster rubs. Like... 2.5 feet tall and a few inches wide. There were a series of them leading in and out of a marsh area with tall cattails and thicker brush. There was one scrape that looked fresh-ish - only one or two leaves in it, but that was a bit of a ways away, and I had my doubts as to whether it was natural, or man-made. I didn't find any other scrapes, nor fresh rubs, and it didn't look like there were any hoof prints in it, so I'm thinking that there's another hunter in there. By the looks of it, he hasn't gone as far into the area as I did, which may mean that I've really pissed that hunter off, potentially blowing out his target. I hope not. I also hope to have time to scout that area and approach from a more intelligent path next time. The onX maps have been a huge help in locating potential spots, and marking them up while I'm in them. My memory is pretty damn good, but that'll change, and this saved data won't. That topo map, aligned with the property lines gives me a somewhat difficult, but accessible path with a Northwest wind. I'll have to send up milkweed along my planned route to make sure that the hills ain't playing with my scent. Yesterday, I went turkey/small game hunting with a buddy on state land for a couple-few hours. We lost a squirrel who fell into a hole in a tree after my buddy shot him. We probably spent 20-30 mins trying everything we could think of to get this dead maple on the ground, or get one of us up it. Unfortunately, the tree was too strong to topple, and too rotted to climb. We had to give up on the squirrel, and that dampened the mood a bit. We perked up a bit when I came across a large, fresh buck bed. Each leaf was matted down, and it was all by itself at the intersection of thick maple and beech saplings, an oak ridge, and a patch of hemlocks. It lay on the opposite side of the ridge to which the wind ran over. Classic positioning. We found his rub line, with a few fresh ones, and I mean fresh. Like he had just run his tines over the saplings for the first time kind of fresh. We both had to hike it out not long after that, and I wasn't able to get the time to hunt it that afternoon. I'm looking for a southeast wind to hunt that ridge bed. Man... I wish we had been deer hunting instead. We could have set up over it. It wasn't to be, though, so I'll have to call on that if I can and when the conditions are right... I think I can get out for an afternoon hunt tomorrow. I wish I could hunt the morning. I didn't see any deer out on my way home this evening, so I'm betting they'll be in and out of feeding late tomorrow, after/around sunrise. It'd be nice to be out there waiting for them. Maybe they'll get on their feet tomorrow evening too... Gotta find those does with regularity, but it's tough up here these days. They're definitely traveling longer distances than I've seen them in years past. Damn acorn crop... Ha. Gotta find them soon...

Just drove the length of the Taconic State Parkway from Columbia County to I-84. Saw zero deer along the road, not in fields. They gotta be in the woods. Some slammers taken yesterday... hoping for some more pics today. I’m on the job today. I'm all thumbs when using Tapatalk

4L. 38 degrees. Still, but slight winds expected from the Southeast. Awake, and milling about. Meeting a buddy at 7:15, and we’re headed to some state land for a fall turkey hunt. This will be a new experience for me. He’s an avid turkey hunter, and knocked one down in MA yesterday. Hoping to mark down some deer sign along the way. I'm all thumbs when using Tapatalk

5th cancelled hunt last evening, 6th cancelled hunt this morning. Wife’s not feeling well. It’s a beauty of a morning out there. Enjoy it. Took the boy outside at first light to show him the sun opposite the moon. He’s 15 months. He stared at the first light horizon, then pointed at the moon, and said, “Ooooooooh.” It’s been a good morning. Good luck out there, all. Looking forward to Biz’s hero pic. I'm all thumbs when using Tapatalk

Win, win, win... Win?

For those of you that use milkweed for wind direction, how do you store while afield? Currently, I've been storing it in a plastic bag, but am getting tired of the crinkling.

Just when you think you’ve gotten far enough off the trail... Gonna be on the lookout for someone’s grow field. I'm all thumbs when using Tapatalk

Pumped to be headed back into the woods. Hunting a community forest. Still hunting in 4L... Gotta love it. I'm all thumbs when using Tapatalk

Time to get down and do a few things around the house. Planning to hunt a new spot this afternoon. Wind making me rethink the set up. 4L heading down and out. No deer seen. I'm all thumbs when using Tapatalk

No doubt. Last year the 8 I was hunting would use a route close to where I’m sitting. I was hoping to hear/see him, even if before light. Just to know/learn. I'm all thumbs when using Tapatalk