Zem's Trials and Tribulations

[Zem18]

Thx Burt - I guess I let my frustration show in all my posts but like you said, it happens to all of us. Thats why it's called hunting and not killing. Gun season WILL be better and I look forward to muzzleloader as well. Good Luck to you as well at your camp.

[Zem18]

Well we went shopping for camp goodies tonight. Nothing like waiting until the last minute. Spent $85 between 4 of us so not that bad. Gotta get a few beers on the way though. The Exploder is packed except for my cooler, pillows and toothbrush so I am ready to go. My daughter has a soccer game at 7pm tomorrow night so I am going to head to that before heading to camp. Should only take about 45 minutes from her game to make it there. The boys should have the place warmed up and the cards will be dealt by then. Looking forward to getting away for 4 days so the hunting will be a bonus, good or bad. Just dreading work tomorrow as I have a feeling it is going to drag. Hopefully I can stay busy enough to not think about it but we all know that isn't going to happen.

Good luck to all of you guys going out this weekend. Be safe and enjoy. I'll report Tuesday night when I am back home and showered.

[Fletch]

Good luck Zem!

[First-light]

Thanks Zem!

[Zem18]

I made it back in one piece so it was a success. Sort of.

Made it down to camp at 9:30pm Friday night. I called my wife just before I left cell coverage and my daughter puked in the car after her soccer game. Thank god I was in another vehicle an hour away. I can't handle puke.

Saturday morning started out good. I crossed the creek and headed up the mountain to my spot. 60 yds from my spot I stand I see a deer moving on a run 30 yds from me. I freeze and get the scope on it. No horns. The deer stops right in front of me in a huge opening and starts to rub its head on a tree, and then licks the licking branch above it. I held that scope on its head for the next minute trying to put horns on it but couldn't. It moved a few steps and was behind a tree. I stood there for 20 minutes and did not see it leave from behind the tree. I figured it turned and walked straight away so I only moved my head to the left about 6 inches to peek. Thats when I saw the tail go up and the gig was up. It bounded away quietly.

Had a huge doe sneak up behind me at 12:15 as I was eating lunch. I stood up as she was super close, less than 15 yards, and she spooked to about 25 yards and stopped. The shot was perfect but I had to watch her walk away. No tag for that area. Saw a doe and 2 fawns just before dark running the middle of a steep ridge above my spot. Was a good day.

Sunday morning I found it tough to get out of bed. Only 4 hours of sleep the night before screwed up my system. I was running late but made it out of the cabin at 7:30am. I was sneaking to my spot and saw a Doe and 2 fawns 35 yards from my tree. I scoped them all and then proceeded to my tree as they trotted off. It was 7:45. At 8:10 I heard the leaves rustling aso I picked up my rifle and looked left. Busted by a fawn. And another and momma. 6 deer sighted in the first 40 minutes of hunting today so I was staying put. I was tired so decided to sit around 10:20am. There is a big rock to my left and a tree blocks my view to the right. I sat for 5 minutes and then stood up. A small twig was under foot that I didn't clear from around the tree and SNAP!! Well the leaves rustle to the right and I look around the tree and there goes a buck. I was sick. He wasn;t huge but was on a run that would've brought him 15 yards from me. Mt brother in law had spooked him about 30 minutes prior when he went to shoot and forgot to take the safety off. Fast forward to Monday at 12:10pm - 2 shots fired and said buck is dead, taken by my Father in Law. He was only a 3 point but his tines were 11 to 12 inches long and tall. When he was running through the beech trees he looked to be larger. He was a little dissappointed he was small but the freezer is back to capacity.

Monday was a bust in the morning. I decided to walk a so I ended  up about 1/2 mile from the cabin. Thats when my Father in Law had shot so I went to help him drag his deer. Went back to my spot at 3:00pm and jumped a doe and 2 fawns 70 yards from my tree.

15 deer sighted in 3 days isn't too bad. Beats my whole bow season on sightings. I was beat Monday night so decided to sleep in Tuesday. Got up around 8:30am and was sick as a dog. Hung around and cleaned up the cabin and then went out at 11:30 until 2pm. It was raining and got real foggy. Thought I saw a flag as I was coming down but could not confirm it. Packed the rest of my gear and made the drive home. A hot shower is so nice and my wife and kids appreciate it too.

My neighbor called and asked me to go out in the morning. Have no clue where we are going but the hunt is on. Taking Thursday off from hunting and head back to cabin with my Dad on Friday morning until Saturday night.

[First-light]

Had some excitement! Good luck later in the week, it will be getting cold they should be on the move!

[Zem18]

Sorry I've been slacking on keeping up with my posts. Taking that week off from work really sucks when you get back. 

Hunted with my buddy at his 317 acre camp on Wed. before Turkey day. There were 4 of us and it was really windy. We hunted the bad wind side of the mountain first. Then my buddy called me and said another member was on the no wind side and had shot at a nice buck. He was getting ready to track it so the 4 of us went and stood watch on a ridge in case the deer bolted. AS I was getting into position I jumped 3 deer. The last one stood up and all I could see were vitals, no head. I waited and waited and then she bolted. You ca get fined on that property for shooting a button or less than a six point so I waited to be sure. 3 small doe was the confirmation. The buck never did come at us and he lost the blood trail well below where we were standing. All of the drives they performed from Thursday to Sunday and they never did find the buck. They will keep looking though.

Took my Dad to the cabin Friday morning. We were across the creek and hunting by 11:30am. I set him in my spot and dropped back down to the valley and walked the 1/2 mile to the road. I then snuck up the hill to the same flat he was hunting and decided to still hunt my way to him. I did jump 3 doe but they stopped 70 yds away. I watched and waited and they came right back to me, less than 40 yards. As I was scoping them, momma doe busted me again and took a little skipper with her. I decided I would just go straight at them to try and push them to my Dad. I walked down the hill and ended up getting 10 ft from the last little skipper. It was too funny. I felt like a good bird dog chasing this little sucker around. She would go left so I went left. Then she circled in front of me and ended up to my right. I would go right and she would turn and come back left. I was laughing my ass off the whole time which lasted almost 10 minutes. The whole time she was 20 to 25 yards away from me. Finally I pushed to my Dad and then said , lets go back and get that little one for you. We still hunted back to where she was last seen but she was gone. We had fun and then went back to play cards and eat.

Saturday found my Dad, Father in Law, Brother in Law and myself getting up to hunt. I didn't want to get up though. Felt like crap but did get out around 7:30. It was spitting snow so I had high hopes. I sat for an hour and was freezing so I decided to walk. I walked, then walked some more and never saw a thing. I pushed to my Dad and nothing. We met for lunch and went back out for one last single man push to Dad. By 1pm I was feeling sick and wanted to head home. Dad said let's go and we did. Got some medicine and a hot shower and I felt great.

My buddy called Sunday morning so we went out. We did 4 drives. I saw 3 deer on 3 drives but no shots. Im hoping this weekend will be the one but we will have to wait and see. I'm skipping the cabin for this weekend. All that rain we got has to have that stream just a roaring and it was high this past weekend just from the snow meltoff and little rain we did get.

[Fletch]

Keep at it bud, at least your seeing some.

[Zem18]

Im trying Fletch. I had to get my SUV inspected today so I was going to hunt late morning. There was a nice blanket of snow when I got up. I got it inspected and then called my buddy. I was going to meet him at his property but he was up sick most of the night. UGHH!!! So I headed to my in laws where I bow hunt. I decided to walk the side hill that I have permission to hunt if noone was up there. I saw no vehicles or tracks so I took a walk. Not 50 yards up the logging road I hear something behind me. I turn to see two little skippers running in behind me and stop at 20 yards. I contemplated it for 2 seconds and then just watched them skip off. Too small and could not see if they were buttons or not. I walked the ridge and saw some dandy fresh rubs but no tracks. Dropped down behind my bow stands and saw a flock of turkeys in the scrub. Man were they vocal. I sat and watched for a few minutes and then walked to the truck. Was a quick hunt but actually quite fun.

My buddy is feeling better so we are headed out in about 20 minutes for the afternoon to do some still hunting and maybe a little sitting. Time to get it done, big or small, it's going to fall.

[First-light]

Meat-meat-meat, get'er done!

[Zem18]

Well the afternoon started out perfect. My buddy dropped me off so I could push a small section to him. 2 steps in and 6 deer are up and running, 5 the wrong way, 1 towards my buddy. I get to him and he says he saw it doing Mach 7 so he passed. The I got set up and he pushed to me. We then walked seperate flats in the same direction to try and push to each other. Didn't see anything. We came up with a new plan and set it up. He called me as he was walking to get into position and said start walking in 2 minutes. I waited and then started my push. Not 10 steps from where I started I hear a shot ring out. Then another. I get a call and he says come help me. So I start moving and then from out of nowhere a deer is running right at me from my left, then another and another and another. They stop but behind some trees. I move to my right and they bolt. Scope is full of brown and I squeeze. Clean miss. I had to start laughing cuz that was fun but it happened way too fast for me.

So I get up to my buddy and he says the first shot hit and the deer went down and was flopping around. He was watching the other deer scatter and looks back and his deer gets up and takes off. Enter second shot i heard from him, and  a clean miss. Found some white hair and a dime spot of blood so we followed the tracks in the snow. No more blood for the next 300 yards uphill. Jumped 2 more deer and followed them for 100 yds but no blood. So hes pissed that this is the 2nd deer he has missed low so we go to resight in at another section of the property. Hes happy after 4 shots so we are headed home. We are driving out and go by the original spot where I started the afternoon. He stops and says there is a huge deer standing right there in the woodline. He gets out, opens the hatch, gets the gun, loads it, and walks backwards 10 ft and then aims and fires. I get my gun out now and head towards the logging road just in case the deer crosses. He fires 2 more rounds and realizes there are more deer in there than the 1st one he shot at. He yells to me that they are coming so I get ready. I see one, then another and I fire at the last one. Another clean miss. Now I am usually a wait til they stop and make sure you have a clean shot but man driving these deer and trying these running shots is tough. I am not used to hunting this style, especially with my shotgun. But it is fun and I am thankful I missed. I am rethinking my choices I made that day and plan not to take those "pop shots" again. They may run a little but I have to be patient and let them stop. The first shot I took looked true but the second was desperation taking over.

My buddy did connect on his first shot - a nice mature doe, right in the center of the body. She was a nice deer. We dropped her off at the processor and there were 6 other deer in there, 2 big bodied bucks and his doe was the third largest. I saw between 13 and 15 deer today, all doe, but man it was a blast.

8 of us hunted in more snow Sunday morning. Kicked a few deer around but no clean shots. 2 shots fired at a coyote that came through one of the drives. It was hit and they followed blood for over 1000 yds before losing the trail and tracks to more snow.

This weekend one of my tags WILL be filled. I can feel it.

[First-light]

"Well the afternoon started out perfect!" you could of stopped right there. Sounds like a fun day,

yea I remember taking quick pop shots at deer, very hard to connect. I hope you do connect this weekend, good luck!

[Zem18]

Yeah I could've stopped there but then you guys couldn't laugh at my stories. Im still up in the air about heading to the cabin this weekend. It's only an hour drive but I know I will not be staying overnight. Too damn cold. I'll talk it over with the wife and see if my Dad and his neighbor can go.

[Zem18]

My Dad was itching to get back out one last time so I made plans to take him and his neighbor down to my camp Saturday morning. We left at 730am and were down to the camp at 8:40am. As we unlocked the gate and started the drive in, there were 3 does in the road less than 100 yards away. I told my Dad to get out and shoot but he didn't want to. Not sure why but we watched them run up the hill. I had a feeling I would see them again today. Got to the cabin and started a fire as it was in the low 20's. Wasn't sure if anyone wanted to come back to warm up so I started it anyways. I was up to my usual spot by 9:10 or so. The snow made the walk a little longer as it was quite slippery on the hilside. I wasn't there 10 minutes and I heard rustling so I got ready. Momma and 2 little skippers came right in from below. I had Momma dead to rights at 35 yards broadside with a legal doe tag signed over to me by my Dad's neighbor but I didn't shoot. Instead I shot in front of her to scare her in the direction of my Dad. He is 73 and doesn't have much time left in the woods due to his mobility. Unfortunately the plan didnt work as they ran straight up the steepest part of the mountain to my left instead of away from me towards my Dad. I saw the tracks later in the day that they were the deer that went up the other side of the valley on the way in. I knew I'd see them again.

I stood on stand til 11 and had to walk. My Dad was appox 600 yds away so I decided to drop low to the valley and get more land between us for my push to him. I hit the run in the creek bottom and followed it another 800 yds to a nice stand of Hemlocks I have stood in before. I snuck up in there and got to a good vantage point.

After 10 minutes I spotted movement 100 yards away and part way up the next steep hill. It was a large deer so I got the scope on it. It was a doe and she turned right at me and started running. She stopped 20 yds away and was looking behind her. I look over there and here comes another deer. A skipper. The mature doe turns around and goes to my left, followed by the skipper and then I see another deer following. Its a buck and he is dogging these 2 does. I only caught a glimpse of an antler and then he disappeared. He did a complete 180 and headed back the way he came to get back after the does but was in a little draw so I only saw his rump bobbing up and down as he was in pursuit. I scanned in front of him and found an opening and held my scope on it. As he hit it 80 yds away, I squeezed and put one through the front left shoulder. I saw him kick and then start running, dragging the front left leg. He turned downhill and stopped. I fired again offhand and missed but he didn't move. I looked in front of me and there was a log with a branch still on it low so I knelt down, cradled the rifle in the crotch of the log and branch and held the crosshairs on the middle of the body. I squeezed slowly and the deer disappeared from my scope. I looked downhill and there was no deer running so I knew my third shot was true.

I headed over to find his tracks in the draw and I followed slowly. I found where my first shot hit, his tracks turned to bounds and there was a slight splatter of red in the snow. I still could not see him below me so I proceeded with caution, following his tracks. I could see the drags in the snow from the front leg and I look up and there he is laying in a little depression between a rock and a log. Looking at the body of this deer, he was bigger than the doe from this morning and the mature one he was chasing. Unfortunately I made a mistake in my own book. I had shot a young spike. I was happy and disappointed at the same time. I had the doe tag in my pocket but got greedy seeing a flash of antler and hornography took over. My Dad radioed me and asked what it was as he heard the shooting. I said I got a buck but it was a small one. He radioed back and said "That's great". At that moment, my disappointment went away because I knew my Dad was proud of me no matter what size the deer was. He has taught me well over the years and sometimes personal goals get overruled for selfish reasons and everything turns out good in the end. I smiled at got to the dirty work and actually looked forward to the drag back to camp. My Dad's neighbor saw me dragging by the creek bottom and came to help. He offered congrats as I was still pondering it's size there by the creek but he said to me, sometimes you have to take the shot when its there and you have meat for you and your family. Again, my disappointment turned to happiness and we laughed and smiled the whole drag back to camp. We stopped in a little town on the way back for dinner. We were still partially dressed for hunting and it is a hunting town so most of the people were asking, "you get anything?" I kept shut but my Dad and his neighbor did the bragging for me. I learned alot on this hunt and to me it was a hunt of a lifetime.

[fasteddie]

Way to go Zem . You got meat for the freezer ..........

[Zem18]

Thanks Fastone!! I'm happy and looking forward to Frontstuffer season next Saturday. Three of us are heading down to the cabin again for the day so it should be a fun time.

[First-light]

Good for you zem, it means alot to your Dad and and he'll be talking about it for a long time!

[Fletch]

Way to go Zem!! That will be one good eating deer! You know how antlers taste anyway right?

Get up a pic!

[Zem18]

I was in such a rush to get him cleaned up that I never even snapped a pic of him. The wife was ridng me about being gone so long - She gets that way towards the end of the season as most of you guys are probably aware yourselves. Sorry!! Three of us are headed back down there this Saturday for ML so I will take my camera just in case. And you are right Burt, he was happy.

[Zem18]

My brother in law and I made the drive down to camp this morning. Left around 7:20am and was there by 8:30. Good gracious it was cold and crunchy. I was shocked when I got to within 50 yards of a doe this morning on the way to my stand. She started bounding away at the sound of my feet in the snow. I had her in the scope when she stopped but it was over 100 and she was in some thick beech trees so I just watched. To my surprise there were 3 more with her as I saw the flags fly and they were off to the races. I bumped a group of 2 does at 12:45pm and then another group of 3 at 2:30pm today. Every deer I saw was doing Mach 3 today. Not a bad day seeing 9 deer but no shots. Did I mention it was freezing out there? We headed back home around 3pm.

My buddy called and we are heading out at 8 to his place tomorrow morning. Going to just walk but I have a feeling it will be like today was, C-C-C-Ccccold and C C C cccrunchy. Going to give it one last try. I want to take a nice doe tomorrow as I usually donate at least one deer a year to the Hunters for the Hungry program or the Venison Coalition. I did what I could to try and take one today and had fun trying but it didn't work out.

On a sidenote - Saw a beautiful Bald Eagle on the way down this morning. He was perched on top of a tree overlooking the East branch of the Delaware River. What a majestic sight.

[Zem18]

I got out of bed this morning and was about to brush my teeth and my cell rang. I knew what was coming next. It was 11 degrees out and a heavy heavy frost covered what snow we had left here. We discussed it over and over and decided sitting on the couch watching hunting shows was how we would end our season. I froze enough on Saturday to last me until rabbit season so I wasn't too disappointed. Now the fun part begins. I have to unload the muzzle and clean it then I still have to clean my rifle from last weekend. It was such a busy week I forgot about it. It is soaking with some foaming cleaner now and I will swab it before bed and give it a thorough cleaning tomorrow after work.