2012 Fletch "Whitetail Wanderings"

[Fletch]

The time is coming quick to start the season once again!

I am not sure I am really thrilled about the early start. I do not want to hunt some spots that early for fear of hoggin them up before the bucks start chasing.

I have been getting ready though. I built a big tower blind so the kids could sit with me and have more cover and cover up their figiting. The old man is trying to talk us into building a staicase to it for him!!

My son and I put up a new ladder stand down farther in the hole a month or so ago.

Got some new arrows and broadheads and been shooting. Also am looking to try lighted nocks this year.

I am fearing the possibility of a big aquisition at work may hog up my fall hunting. If it kicks in soon I may be on the road a lot. You guys that know me will realize how much that will bum me out due to how much time I spend in the woods. I may have to live through your guys journels so keep on them!!

Well off to fillet some bass and cook up my sons squirrel for his supper.

16 days yikes!!

[oneidacountyhunter]

Good luck, I tried the lighted nocks a couple of times and never had any luck. Got sick of throwing money away. Looking foward to folling the journal.

[Fletch]

Thanks!! Wow I should of spell checked that lol!!

[Fletch]

Wow down to 7 days!! The cold nights have been getting me more excited!

I have got to get my clothes all washed up and my packback organized this week.

My buddy in GA got a doe yesterday and called me for tracking advice and got me more excited!

Two loins marinated in the fridge headed for the grill.

[Fletch]

Getting real close now! Got my hunting clothes all fresh washed. Packed up the backback. Put a fresh edge on the broadheads. Now it is just deciding where to sit.

I will be out bass fishin tomorrow and think it over.

[Fletch]

10/1/12 53d cloudy, damp 5 to 8 mph wind from the west

Well was a bit rusty getting stuff together at 5-0am whatever!!! Snuck in and hunted the closest stand the new tower. Was out for 2 hours saw 0. It felt good being out, it will take me a day or two to get into the groove. I do not get up this early any other time of the year so it takes a bit!! And the Eagles-Giants game was good so had to watch it all! Go Eagles!! Hope things are slow this afternoon at work, I am ready to get out again.

[Zem18]

Hey Fletch - Nice to see the new journal for this year. My mind was wandering all day today while at work, wishing I was out in the woods. And then I started thinking, man, I haven't checked in on HuntingNY. I'll get a thread started soon. Looking forward to another exciting year. Good Luck.

Zem

[burmjohn]

Yeah I second that, love reading your posts!

[Fletch]

Hi guys!! You did not miss much today!! Flippin mosquitos about carried me away!!

Good luck to you guys as well!!!

Edited October 2, 2012 by Fletch

[Fletch]

10/1/12 67 degrees 2 mph wind out of the west

Wow I should have just skipped the afternoon. It was hotter than it was supposed to get. I went down in to my new ladder stand my son and I put up a couple months ago. It is down past the hole stand.

Sat for 2.5 hours and saw 2000 mosquitos, 6 squirells and one big tom turkey right before I got down roosting in a tree behind me. It felt so nice to get out this morning I could not help going out again. The way the weather looks this week I may skip a few days if it is in the 70's like they say. It is supposed to be a cool weekend but I will be up in the Dacks for a long weekend getaway with friends and family then off to Charlotte through Thursday. I guess then the serious hunting will start!

[Fletch]

Well back from the mini vacation up in Old Forge. The der up there just kill me. I had a 130+ 10 point I would guess 4.5 year old, big body and thick bases, pretty much walk right up to me and the kids. Stopped about 6 feet from us looking for food handouts! Bases were full of tree shed from rubbing. The next day had two more big buck in the back lawn. Another big 10 and the other I did not see myself. Does laying in the yard.....No fear of humans.

Man I wish I could of gone out this afternoon it was cold and clear. With my flight at 8am tomorrow I could not risk it. Mowed the lawn instead. ick. Off to NC for work till Thursday night then the wife flies out Friday morning for work until the following Wednesday. The hunting will be scarse until after that with getting the kids off in the am and all the sports in the pm.

I am taking the kids to the Seneca Army Depot Sunday to do the white deer tour. That should be cool.

[Fletch]

Well back in town can not get out tonight but looks like I will be out in the am. Can not wait!! Frosty is the forcast.

[First-light]

Good luck Fletch, it will be cold tomorrow!!

[Fletch]

11/13 am 28 degrees 0 wind

Man it was a nice morning. Sat in my #1 stand behind the house. Cold and clear was in the stand 30 minutes before light and sat for another 3.5 hours and after hour three my excitement was seeing my first squirell! My brother saw zip as well.

Edited October 15, 2012 by Fletch

[Fletch]

11/13 pm 52 degrees light swirling wind.

Went down to the deep hole stand for 2 hours saw zip. My brother saw one fawn.

[Fletch]

11/14 am rain

The alarm went off at 5 somethin and I could here the pouring rain so rolled over and went back to sleep. My bro went out for a couple hours behind the house and saw nothin but rain.

Went out to the White Deer Tour with my Father and my son and daughter. It was pretty interesting and we saw about 50 deer but only one white one and that one was way in the brush and we could not get a good look.

Pretty wild the stuff they stored there during the Cold War era.

[Fletch]

11/14 pm 67 degrees 5mph variable wind

Out back in my #1 stand again. Sat for 2 hours. Man it was warm and I figured if anything was gonna move it would be late. Aound 6pm I had a nice little 6 point come in and give me a couple different shot ops. One at 29 yards and another at 32 yards. He gets a pass only being 1.5y yo.Very fat and healthy looking. He was a bit spooky and the wind was swirling and he must of got my sent behind me then proceeded to walk all the way around me about 35 yards out then half way back around and back the way he came. It was good to break the ice and get my first sighting.

My brother saw what we think was the same buck go by him and he also had a nice buck he said 4 inches outside each ear sneak up on him and he could not get a shot. He said it was the biggest buck he has seen back there so that is good. He thinks it walked right by my new shooting house.

Probably will not get out for a couple days.

[Kot2B]

Fletch you are writing our bow season away, you're a month a head in your time stamps!

[Fletch]

Thanx for the catch! Tired.

[Fletch]

10/16 pm 48 light wind out of the ne

Got out back for an hour in the new box stand with my 10 year old son. No sightings.

The wife is getting back from Florida this afternoon so I should be seeing more of the woods soon.

[Fletch]

10/18 am 50 degrees 5mph east south wind

Got out behind the house for 1.5 hours zero sightings. Typical early season.

Of course when my kids get up there are 4 flat heads in the back yard. I am back in the woods and see zilch!! I think it was momma and her three fawns and she is off limits that fertile girl!!

Edited October 18, 2012 by Fletch

[Fletch]

10/18 pm 64 degrees light wind

Went out behind the inlaws for the first time this season. Hit two big scrapes on the way in. Both were pretty fresh and in annual spots. Sat for 1.5 hours in the climber no sightings. Did get to enjoy the marching band practicing at the school, you can hear them a long way off!!

Edited October 19, 2012 by Fletch

[Fletch]

10/19 am 50 degrees

Well the weather said 100% rain and 10 to 20 mph wind? Love weather predictions! It was calm and the rain was over so off I went out behind the house. At 7:30 had what looked like a spike come by at about 40 yards. It was nice and calm out just spit a sprikle or two so decided to stay till 9. Well 8:45 the sky dumped on me to give me a solid soaking before I got to the house.

[Fletch]

10/19 pm 64 degrees

Hunted in my new stand in the hole. Jumped one going in right near the stand, jujst saw the white salute. Sat for 2 hours no other action, I did trim a couple branches out of a lane we missed.

[Fletch]

10/20 am 54 degrees no wind

Got out in 3 Rivers with my brother and brother in law. Once at the parking lot another guy was there and he was going where I was planning to so I went to a different area so I was about 20 minutes later in tree than I wanted. Just kind of went to area I had been before and picked a lucky tree in the dark. About 15 minutes after I get set up another guy goes past me. Then it starts getting full light and the shooting begins!! Oh hey it is opening day of pheasant season!! Dogs barking, bells and whistles and shooting like a small war. I have intentionally hunted here opening morning before just because all the action kicks up deer.

About 7:40 I hear one coming after some close shooting and a little 3 or 4 point goes by at about 50 yards. About a half hour later a coyote comes by about the same spot and I am reaching for a call and he busts me bad and flips gone.

My brother in law had a bachelor group of three go by him and he clean missed the last one. Said they were all 1.5 year olds.

Be back at em in a while.