Fletch In The Field 22

[Fletch]

Starting early this year. Just got drawn for a Georgia Gator Tag!! Pumped. Last time I drew one was 2017. I hope we have success again. Time to start planning as the season starts at Midnight 8/19/22. I can taste gator bites already!!

 

Now just need to get real lucky and draw a PA Elk Tag!!

[SportsmanNH]

As long as you are the one doing the biting and not the gator all is good ! LOL Good luck on the hunt! 

Edited July 20, 2022 by SportsmanNH

[Fletch]

Cam pull showed a couple that are looking good. Dates are off but pull was from 8/7/22








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[Fletch]

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[Fletch]

Gator update. So I headed down to Charlotte last week for a work stop through Thursday. Friday morning I left with my Southern buddy and headed to pick up my son at the ATL airport. We continued on to Valdosta and went straight to the WMA to scout at around 1-2pm. Saw a couple of small ones then headed to the Airbnb to unpack and relax a bit. We were back at the site about 45 minutes before sunset, which is the legal start of the season. We went down to check the first hole and saw a big gator so we backed out as we had no gear and it was still to early. We went back to the truck and got the gear ready and waited for sunset. When that came we snuck down on it and managed to have Conner get a throw on it with the snatch hook. We wanted Conner to get into one. He did not connect on the throw and the gator went under and out of range. After a while he came closer and the gator ducked the throw. We continued to miss this guy a few times and then Conner got the hook into him and a big splash and roll, my buddy was right there and they both had the rope and the gator just rolled the wrong way and slipped the hook. We figured this one to be about 8 foot. We passed a bunch of 4-6 footers and stayed until 3-4 am with not other luck. My buddy moved from Georgia to Charlotte years ago so no one had scouted this place in 4 years. There was a big change in the amount of open water as some lilly variety had taken hold. It really decreased our spots and the overall gator population. There was no one else hunting the area which showed the locals knew the spot was not as good too.

 

We went back the second night and spotted the 8 footer again but back in the wood and no ethical shot. After a couple hours he moved out to the edge, and we should have tried the bows on him but we thought he would come out farther. We guessed that wrong and he never came back out enough. With time running out we would have taken a 5-6 footer at that point but did not connect on the couple opportunities we got.

 

We did get stopped both nights by GA DNR officers. They were all super nice.

 

We had a great time hanging out with our southern friend, enjoyed the lakeside Airbnb and cooked up a bunch of good food.

 

Also stopped at the Buckarama Outdoor show in GA on the way Sunday to drop Conner back at the airport.

 

Next time we are going to go big time and save up more points to go to one of the big gator lakes and go with a boat.

[Fletch]

The 8 footer


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[Fletch]

5 years ago

This past weekend


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[Fletch]

Cleared out trails the weekend before last and checked some stands to make sure all good to go. Lost the lower "Hole" this summer and had to pull all my stands out of there. I do still have a small spot in the upper "hole" and put up a stand there this past weekend. Been shooting a bunch with the bow. Down to the 2 week countdown now.......

[REDNECK4LIFE32]

On 8/24/2022 at 8:26 PM, Fletch said:

Gator update. So I headed down to Charlotte last week for a work stop through Thursday. Friday morning I left with my Southern buddy and headed to pick up my son at the ATL airport. We continued on to Valdosta and went straight to the WMA to scout at around 1-2pm. Saw a couple of small ones then headed to the Airbnb to unpack and relax a bit. We were back at the site about 45 minutes before sunset, which is the legal start of the season. We went down to check the first hole and saw a big gator so we backed out as we had no gear and it was still to early. We went back to the truck and got the gear ready and waited for sunset. When that came we snuck down on it and managed to have Conner get a throw on it with the snatch hook. We wanted Conner to get into one. He did not connect on the throw and the gator went under and out of range. After a while he came closer and the gator ducked the throw. We continued to miss this guy a few times and then Conner got the hook into him and a big splash and roll, my buddy was right there and they both had the rope and the gator just rolled the wrong way and slipped the hook. We figured this one to be about 8 foot. We passed a bunch of 4-6 footers and stayed until 3-4 am with not other luck. My buddy moved from Georgia to Charlotte years ago so no one had scouted this place in 4 years. There was a big change in the amount of open water as some lilly variety had taken hold. It really decreased our spots and the overall gator population. There was no one else hunting the area which showed the locals knew the spot was not as good too.

 

We went back the second night and spotted the 8 footer again but back in the wood and no ethical shot. After a couple hours he moved out to the edge, and we should have tried the bows on him but we thought he would come out farther. We guessed that wrong and he never came back out enough. With time running out we would have taken a 5-6 footer at that point but did not connect on the couple opportunities we got.

 

We did get stopped both nights by GA DNR officers. They were all super nice.

 

We had a great time hanging out with our southern friend, enjoyed the lakeside Airbnb and cooked up a bunch of good food.

 

Also stopped at the Buckarama Outdoor show in GA on the way Sunday to drop Conner back at the airport.

 

Next time we are going to go big time and save up more points to go to one of the big gator lakes and go with a boat.

Man we see a lot of gators on st Simons and Jekyll island Georgia. There protected there. I bet it was a ball down there. How does gator hunting work down there in Georgia? I've been seeing the gators taken from lake Marion and Santee Cooper lakes in South Carolina. That's probably where I will try to book a outfitter for a hunt.

[Fletch]

Georgia is a points by zone draw. They area(4)we went the last 2 times takes like 4 years worth of points. We hunted a public land swamp. Due to the changes in vegetation the past 5 years the spot has regressed and not worth another trip. So next trip we are going to go to Lake Seminole with a boat. There are some monsters in there. That zone takes like 7 years of points. My son has 4 or 5 saved up so maybe in two years we go again. In Georgia you can't shoot a gator until you have it hooked and to the boat or the shore. We passed up a bunch of 4-6 footers looking for something bigger than the 9-4 we got last time. We should have had the 8 footer but a bent hook and bad twist and gone...

 

Great time though!

[Fletch]

Put the Sawyers on the hunting clothes over the weekend and started getting my pack ready. Just need to sharpen the broadheads and get used to getting up before 8am again!!

[Fletch]

Made a quick mid day card pull and rather poor. All my bucks have not shown in weeks. There is boatloads of crops a mile down the road that I am sure they are focused on. First couple weeks don't look good on the home spots. 

[LET EM GROW]

17 minutes ago, Fletch said:

Made a quick mid day card pull and rather poor. All my bucks have not shown in weeks. There is boatloads of crops a mile down the road that I am sure they are focused on. First couple weeks don't look good on the home spots. 

Typical september shift.. I hate it! 

[Fletch]

Yup, I just need to be patient. 

[Fletch]

10/1/22 42

 

Out for 2 hours behind the house in a new stand on the ridge close to the houses. Sat 2.5 hours and saw nada.

 

PM 66 sat 2 hours in the new stand above the old Hole. Again a big zero.

 

Killer first day!

[fasteddie]

Git 'r done Fletch ! 

[Fletch]

10/2 am 46

 

Sat in the Stone stand out back for 2.5 hours. Around 8 am had a doe and two fawns pass by 100 yards out. A bit after that caught a body off to my left front. Just saw it for a second no idea buck or doe. Still very thick. Broke the ice!

 

Did not get out afternoon. Watched my mighty Eagles then the zero turn broke so fixed that and mowed the lawn till dark.

[Fletch]

10/3 pm 56

Hit the Stone stand for 2 hours. The wind died right down and it was dead quiet. Did not even see a squirrel, which is rare. Hardly and bird noise either. Relaxing for sure not a dang thing disturbed me but work calls.....to blow even the relaxing lol.


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[Fletch]

10/4 pm 61

 

Hit the stone stand again out back. Sat for 2.5 hours. I bumped one on the way in. Pretty sure he was a button I saw earlier in the back yard today. Another extremely quiet night. No wind no noise. Did see one squirrel tonight. About 10 minutes before last legal I hear something and see one 50 yards out. It is on the side in the pines and too dark. My other side is open and still light enough to see. I am moving around a bit trying to get the binos on it and see a doe then a fawn. Then the doe gets hinky. Musta saw me move. She busts me and blows and takes off with triplets. She is not one I would shoot as this is the 3rd time she has had triplets but I hate getting blown in a stand. Especially my best one. I'll let that stand sit for a week or so. Bumped another off the back lawn coming in after light.

Edited October 5, 2022 by Fletch

[Fletch]

10/5 am 40

Hit the new stand out back that is a quick quiet in and out....supposedly. Just about to put my foot on the first rung of the ladder stand and a deer blows up 20 yards from me in the pitch dark. Blows all over. Runs towards the houses and 15 minutes later starts blowing 300 yards over there. Needless to say it got light, I sat 2 hours and nada....

[Fletch]

Had some days off for our annual Adirondack family and friends trip. Did converse with a few deer!

This buck was licking my arm lol.

 

[Fletch]

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[Fletch]

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[Fletch]

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[Fletch]

10/11 pm 59

 

Hit the Stone stand for 2.5 hours. Peaceful with no interruptions.