Venison Collection Endeavor 2010 by Fletch

[Fletch]

For the past four years I posted a running journal of my deer hunting seasons on another site. It was quite fun and a few others enjoyed them as I did reading their exploits. Well any how that site is dead now and I will continue on here.

I live and generally hunt in the central part of the state near Syracuse. I do at times get up north as well. I work full time but am lucky enough to be in a position where I work from home and can move my hours around pretty good. I also have a 10 year old daughter, an eight year old son and a very cool wife who knew my addiction before she agreed to marry me.

I hunt a lot and will get out over 50 maybe 60 days for at least one sit. I do have a small bit of land right out the back door and the permission of a neighbor as well so being able to have a quick sit out back is perfect. I shot a great 9 point last season back there in bow. Bow hunting is my passion and my favorite season. I also hunt with rifle, shotgun and muzzleloader. I hunt a lot alone but my brother and brother in law hunt with me a lot as well. They get out a lot less during the week. My dad will also get out with us a bit in shotgun season. We only have one private spot and one semi private, the rest is all public land hunting.

Good luck to all of you this year and here goes another adventure, season 2010.

[Fletch]

Well it is the day before opening of the 2010 southern bow season. I have a few broadheads to touch up and need to go shopping for some snacks and lunch stuff but otherwise I am ready. The weather looks like a blast with rain and 20 mph wind so we will see how it goes. ???

I will be out with a brother or two in the am. Now I got to figure out what time it gets light out again. I very rarely see the sun come up when it is not deer season!!

Peace

[burmjohn]

Looking forward to hearing your stories.

[Fletch]

10/16/10 PM 54 degrees 15mph

Well I convinced myself to not go out for am watch. I got up and the rain had long stopped but the wind was a steady 20 with gusts 25 to 30. I did not want to get in a tree stand and being the first day I did not want to mess up any spots.

My brother and I got out this afternoon in a spot we call the hole. We walked up 2 fawns going in and jumped 3 deer coming out. He saw 2 fawns and a doe on watch. I saw one small coyote too far out for a shot around 5:15pm. I felt good to get out. It will take me a few sits to get the rust nocked off. Stuff in wrong pockets and all of that.

We will be back at them in the morning. Should be less windy and nice and cool.

[Fletch]

10/17 am 41 light breeze

My brother and I were out on a piece of state land by the river this morning. Sat for 2.5 hours and neither of us saw a deer. When I got home standing in my front yard and driveway are three fawns. Had to shoo them outa the way to pull into the garage. One of the does out back had triplets this year. I have seen them a few times a week all summer. Just not in the driveway. I have not seen Mom with them in a couple of weeks.

[Fletch]

10/17 pm 59 17 mph wind

I was back in the hole tonight. We bumped one big bodied deer going in. Around 5:20pm I saw something that is a first for me!! It is winy so the hearing is limited. I hear crashing off to my left and turn to look at what is coming. I see two critters running towards me. The first I can see is a fawn and behind the fawn is yep you guessed it a squirrel!!! It was too funny, I am not sure if the squirrel was bum rushing the deer for getting too close to his winter food supply and spooked the fawn or what!! The fawn cut right under me and the squirrel stayed straight and the deer stopped, looked back and saw the carnivorous squirrel was off the track and bounded away. About 30 minutes later I had another small flat top fedding out behind me about 60 yards out. And I had a grey fox working around me for over a half hour. I have never seen a fox, much less a grey one, in this spot it is a bit overpopulated with yotes.

Well at least saw something so looking up. My brother saw three flats no shot at momma.

The wife is outa town working for the first half of the week so I will not be out for a few days.

[burmjohn]

The wind was just crazy! I was going nuts.

[NYBowhunter]

On opening day I was tucked away surrounded on three sides by pine trees, I heard the wind but did not feel a thing...lol

[Fletch]

10/21 pm 44  NW 0 - 10 mph

Well that was a rough few days!! I am not used to not getting out when I am home. Feel like a taxi!! ??? Any how I got up before dawn after three beautiful hunting days I could not hunt and it is just pouring! I do not mind rain but it was coming down. Depressed I rolled over and went back to sleep.

After work and after running kids here and there I got into my ladder stand behind the house at 4:15. Man it felt good to be out! Did not have much going on until 5:45pm I had 4 flat heads go across about 60 yards in front of me. I think it was the triplets and their mom. 15 mintues later I had 2 come in from in front and work around my left and behind me. It was a very small doe and her fawn. I had a fair shot at the doe but she was pretty small. I got a lot of room in the freezer and that would not have done much.

It is back raining again. I am off tomorrow so if it is not too bad I will be out in the morning. Then I am packing the truck and heading up north to a budies camp for opening weekend of rifle. If I do not get back on till Sunday night good luck this weekend.

[First-light]

Hey Fletch its Burt from the other site.

Good luck out there bag a big one for us!

[Fletch]

Howdy Burt! A few of us wandered over from the other site. I am glad a few of us are keeping the logs. It is fun to see what you other guys go through.

[Fletch]

10/22 am

I did get out for 2.5 hours and it was a real nice morning but did not have any action. I did have a small buck, by the look of the track, make a scrape 8 yards from the stand after I left it last night and before I got in this am.

Noth bound.

[Fletch]

10/22 Muzzleloader north zone pm 40's

Got up north at a friends camp and got out for the last 2 hours. Saw one flathead but he does not want does taken off his property right now.

About 6 guys out and over a dozen does and fawns spotted and one spike.

[Fletch]

10/23 rifle opener north. 28 flippin degrees.

Sat 2.5 hours in the morning and saw zip. We did do one drive on another property mid day without luck.

[Fletch]

10/23 pm 42

Saw three does tonight all by themselves. Sat for 2.5 hours. The camp owner hit a small buck but stopped tracking after they jumped it.

[Fletch]

10/24 39 north rifle

Sat for 2 hours this am and saw one more lone doe. Then we went to find the buck hit last night. We found that buck which turned out to be a 3 point.

One of the young kids missed a 4 point.

It started to rain real good so we broke camp and headed for home.

[Fletch]

10/24 pm southern bow 56

Made it home in time to get out for 1.5 hours. Man it is like 15 degrees warmer here! I had my three triplets go by me at 6pm.

[Fletch]

10/25 am 57

Only went out behind the house for 1.5 this am. I went to a new ladder stand I put up on my left border this summer. Nothing going on.

With the big moon for the last few days and the next couple days being 70 it will not move the deer along. It is supposed to get cooler Thursday and we will be well past that full moon so things should really show a burst late this week and next week. I am getting pumped for that.

[Fletch]

10/26 am 58

Got out for 2 hours out back this am. It was a bit warm but not too bad in the morning. It was also a bit foggy. At 7:30 I had a nice 1.5 year old 6 point come right out by me. He came within 15 yards broadside and gave me plenty of shot opportunities but I am waiting on something bigger. It was good to see a buck though. The bucks do not seem to be getting to active yet I have seen one full scrape and 2 half hearted attempts and not much else. This guy I saw was just chowin on fresh fallen leaves.

I took some pics and will put him up later.

[Fletch]

10/27 54

There was a lot of deer movement this morning. I bumped a group of 2 or 3 on the way in. Got into my stand out back and in less than 10 minutes had a buck come through. It was still dark so I could just make out his outline. He was soflty grunting the whole time and stood 25 yards in front of me for at least a minute. I could not make out the rack at all. A little bit after light I had one flat top around me for 15 minutes real jumpy. Then about 8am I see a deer in the pines about 90 yards out. Then for the next 15 minutes I hear two bucks sparring in there. I saw the 2 deer with there heads down at each other but could not see the racks. They disappeared after that. And then about 8:45 I had another deer out left of me that I could just see parts of going through the trees. Had to get out of stand to get to work and bumped a couple more coming out.

[burmjohn]

Sounds like an active morning!

[fasteddie]

Glad some one is seeing some activity . The deer I have been seeing are just at it gets dark in the afternoon .  >

[Fletch]

Had so much fun this morning I am thinking of getting back out tonight but man it is warm out! 68 degrees.

[Fletch]

10/27 pm 68

Well had to do it. Went out for 1.5 hours. Saw one doe and fawn. Leaves dried up a lot today making it rather noisy. I will be out in the morning. Got a good feeling.

[Fletch]

11/28 56

Well I got up and was not as impressed as I thought I was gonna be. The temp was about 6 to 8 degrees higher than I thought it was gonna be. Oh well. Bumped deer again going in. Got into my stand and about 7:30 I hear steps and see one coming in from front left. Nice little buck comes right to me and walks by 5 yards in front of me. Never knew I was there. Had 3 points and a brow on one side and 4 points and no brow on the other so 8 points and a healthy looking buck. Just a 1.5 year old so he got a pass.

On a funny note. I get in last night and get outa my hunting close and the dog is at the window huffing at something. So I go look and a lone deer is out back. They are in the yard all the time. Actually after I went in last night the kids were in the back yard and a doe and fawn came out 10 minutes after I went in. Anyhows on my way out this morning I notice that that deer last night was making a rub on a small dogwood tree my kids planted on the grave of our dog that passed a year and a half ago. Broke a couple branches and took the bark off one side. My kids are gonna be on me to take him down for doin that!