2013 Fletch in the Field

[Fletch]

9/23/13

 

Well the season is coming quick!!

 

I am pretty much ready to go. Need to pick up some hand warmers and some snacks but otherwise all set.

 

Ramped up the shooting the last 5 - 6 weeks and the bow is shooting well with the new Americas Best Bowstring on it.

 

Checked all the ladder stands and moved one, cleared my trails and lanes. As well as putting down a rubber floor in the tower stand and built some shelves. Got all that done a few weeks ago.

 

Been seeing a ton of deer on the cams behind the house but only one that should of turned into a shooter, have not seen him hard horned. Lots of fox and yote pictures as well.

 

Have one cam down in the hole I put in 3 weeks ago I have not looked at yet.

 

Got both my doe permits this year and will grab some for 8F when the extras come out. I hope to hunt Howland Island more in bow season this year but we will see. It is always easier to hunt any of my spots 5 minutes from home so I just need to get my a$$ outa bed earlier! 

 

Might still throw out the blind if my 11 yr old thinks he wants to go some. He can also sit in the tower blind with me as well.

 

I will be hoping for a good doe early and will be letting all 1.5 year olds walk for the bucks and see how it goes.

 

I can not wait to get going even though the first couple weeks are not my favorite.

 

Looking forward to reading everyone's journals as well as keeping you updated on how I am doing.

 

8 days to go!!

 

 

 

 

[burmjohn]

You have some time yet before you need handwarmers

[Fletch]

ha thought I was ready until I went to grab my Badlands packs I had stored them and my hot seats in a crate I got from something that got shipped to work. Wozers did they pick up a smell! Everything is outside in the fresh air!! And getting sprayed with field spray.

 

stupid stupid stupid

 

Not sure if I am getting out in the morning or not. I fly out to Chicago for work Wednesday through Friday. We'll see.

[Fletch]

You have some time yet before you need handwarmers

We have had two mornings here already in the low 30's. I will have some handy. I like my hands bare in bow so throw one warmer in a muff, works nice.

[burmjohn]

I picked up a box of them late last year from BJ's wholesale... I'm ready for the cold!

[Fletch]

10/1/13 57 degrees

 

1.5 hours in the outer hole stand. Pretty leafy still and a bit warm. It was absolutely raining butternuts. All I saw was squirrels. I did sneak in and pull the card from cam in front of the deep stand and it had like 750 pics on it since 9/8. Mostly does and a couple small bucks and I think 5 different 8 pointers that look 2.5 yr old. Nothing real big. Attached one below.  It felt good being out. Out of town for a couple hope to be back out Sat.

 

[Fletch]

10/5 am 64

 

Down in the outer hole stand for a three hour sit. Real quiet no deer spotted. I lot of hickory nuts falling and squirrels all over the place!

[Fletch]

10/5 pm 69

 

Down in the deep hole stand for 2.5 hours. Man it is warm.

 

Had a doe and fawn come right out to me. I did not see her soon enough and she was coming right at me. She turned broadside at 18 yards but the fawn was facing me and could not move. They turned and walk out and away no shot.

[Fletch]

10/6 pm 66

 

Woke up for morning hunt and it was pouring so I went back to bed. Got out for 2.5 hours tonight. I went to wrong stand with the wind hinky. No sightings. Cmon cooler weather.

[Fletch]

10/7 pm 60

Just snuck out for an hour in the climber behind the inlaws to see how it was. Still a bit leafy in that spot.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

[Fletch]

10/8 am 42

Out behind the house in my 1 stand. It feels nice with the temp finally lower!

Had to shoo deer outa the back yard to get to the woods.

About 7:15 had a spike or 4 cut behind me rubbing saplings the whole time.

Pretty quiet after that.

Did jump one just leaving stand coming in. Rrrrr had to go to work.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

[Fletch]

10/9 am 37

 

Hit the outer hole stand this morn. Got my butt outa bed and made it on time. Had deer on both side of me before legal time. Both got spooked and took off and one blew. Had wind in my favor so I had no idea until 30 seconds later a yote comes following their trail. He was just a small one too. I took at shot at him but it was dim and I hit some stick ups I could not see. Ruined a broad head but what ya gonna do.

 

Sat for 2 hours and nothing but a big fat raccoon paid me a visit. I loved the 37 degrees and yup burmjohn I used a hand warmer!!

 

I also got some good/bad news today. Bad news is I will be out of town most of the last week of October so no hunting. Good news is work is sending me to Germany!

 

I am also up in the Dacks starting Friday for 5 days on a family vacation, not hunting. I am losing hunting days fast!

Edited October 9, 2013 by Fletch

[Fletch]

10/10 am 41

 

Out behind the house for 2 hours this morning. Bumped one going in. What a beautiful morning. Guess the deer did not think so it was a zero.

Might try to sneak out for a last watch tonight. Tomorrow morning I am taking the boat out to do some fishing with the old man before I leave for the Dacks.

[Fletch]

10/10 pm 65

Got out for another hour sit outback. Nothing going on today,

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

[fasteddie]

You are lucky . It has to be a sweet deal to be able to get up and walk out to a stand . Whack a couple of those deer that are teasing you .

[Fletch]

10/16 61 degrees

Got out back in the tower stand for 2 hours this morning. Felt good to be back out. Did not have any luck.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

[Fletch]

Eddie I must admit it is very sweet. I have 3 more spots within 10 minutes. But nothin beats walking out the back lawn and get to hunt.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

[pawle76]

I envy you my friend !!!

[Fletch]

10/17 am 52

 

Out behind the house in my favorite ladder stand. Little cooler this morn, beautiful stars on the way in. It was real quiet with the rain overnight and did not see a thing until about 8am and saw one quite a ways out going right to left. It looked to be a flat head. I was looking so hard at that one I was late seeing more come angling across and out from my left. A bit out of my range and the first I did not see any headgear but not sure. The second was a decent young buck, not quite a shooter yet. About 2 minutes later I see another flathead crossing right to left in front about 80 yards out. For a few minutes deer where going every which way!

 

I had to bug out at 8:30 to be on a conference call at 9am so that stunk. But a good morning seeing 4 in 1.5 hours on stand.

Edited October 17, 2013 by Fletch

[Fletch]

10/18 am 51

 

Out in the fave stand behind the house again. Bumped two from near it on way in the dark. Just before 7 had one come by me at 20 yards in the dim light, could not see too well to see any antlers. Sat two hours after legal light and saw zilch. Lot of leaves falling today with the wind. Also a big moon was low in the sky on my way in. Maybe why they were moving real early.

Edited October 18, 2013 by Fletch

[Fletch]

10/18 pm 58

 

Man oh man what a night! Got out late so hit my favorite stand behind the house. Got in stand about 4:30pm and the leaves were like potato chips after getting wind dried all day. Saw my first deer at about 5:40 or so just a fawn about 100yds out flash between the trees. Must have been chasing mom.

 

Then things got interesting at about 6:05 I have two small ones cut across behind me at about 60 yards. either a small doe and a fawn or two fawns/buttons. And 80 yards behind them comes another. He looks like the 4 I passed a week plus ago. They get nervous about him and work away. A few minutes later across behind me from the other direction come 2 more that look like flat heads then another and I see some antler then another can't tell what. The third in that line walks up to the 4 point and they smack antlers and then just stand there. I hear one wheeze like a snort wheeze but just the ffsssssssss I end up hearing that 3 times as well as a couple grunts during the whole deal. Anyhows the second buck then turns back towards the 4th deer and they smack antlers a few times I can not see just hear then one is chasing around one of the smaller deer. So now I know 3 are bucks, I can not see any good in the dimming light. They end up hanging around and then actually two more after dark come in as I am stuck in tree, I can not even see them just hear them. It finally is quiet about an hour after legal and I start to get down and I hear another but this one sounds funny. It ends up being a raccoon coming right to my tree! I finally get out and head out doing the tiptoe and stop start grunt and go game and still bump at least 7 deer coming out! One blew up about 10 feet from me as I stopped and kicked the leaves around. I about had a heart attack!  I was trying everything to not sound human! Guess I was doing ok.

 

I have never heard a wheeze this time of year and I am not sure if they were harassing a doe or maybe some buttons? The one and two bucks walked off after a bit and if a doe was hot I do not see that happening. Neither got a butt whipping there was only a few antler smacks. None of the bucks looked real big body wise.

 

It was a fun night for never even pulling back the bow!!

Edited October 19, 2013 by Fletch

[Fletch]

10/19 am 51

 

 

Out behind the house in the same stand as last night. My bro was out as well. Both sat for 3 hunting hours and saw nadda!

Edited October 20, 2013 by Fletch

[Fletch]

10/19 pm 64

 

Went down to the deep hole stand for 3 hours. At 4pm had a doe fawn come in from behind me left. She hung around for a while and I though/hoped momma would show. She disappeared out left. I was very windy/gusty and leaves falling like rain. About 5:30 I see the little doe fawn come hustling out where she disappeared and behind her a bigger deer. Yea momma, nope a three pointer must of spooked the little one. He goes through my shooting lane at 30 and gets almost to my other lane when the wind changes direction and he does not like that and wanders back. Just a little guy he gets a pass. About 15 minutes later I have a doe and a fawn come out on my right side from behind me and the doe is about two steps from my shooting lane when she gets all hinky and turns around she was directly downwind so that did not turn out well.

 

Well at least I am seeing them.

 

My bro was up on the ridge and saw zero just got dizzy blowing back and forth.

 

Pouring now I will get up at 5:30 and check the weather.

 

 

[Fletch]

10/20 am  46

 

Down in the outer hole stand this morn. It was still windy out but stopped raining during the night. Around 8 I had a fawn appear in front of me outa nowhere? She must have been bedded close by. Then around 9:20 I see some movement in the thick stuff off one huge shooting lane. The doe starts working her way towards my lane then turns and walks right away to about 80 yards and then crosses. I am think well there goes that! She stops out there and the second, the fawn, is still munching away off the right side. After about 3 or 4 minutes she starts coming back off the left side of my lane and at 35 yards cuts broadside right into it and stops. I wait for her to look away and touch one off. It looks like a good hit and she takes off and I hear a gurgling. I lose her after about 35 yards and can not hear a crash due to the wind.

 

I sit about 20 minutes and then get down to take a look and am not thrilled to find my arrow broke off and only about 6 inches of penetration! I follow the trail into the most miserable crap and green briar. That is why I call this spot the hole! I am getting decent blood but after 75 yards I have not found her. I am getting concerned so I back out and meet my brother and we go back to the trucks to lose gear and clothes.

 

We get back on it at about 11am and 25 yards past last spot I was we find her. She died flat out. I hit a bit right and broke the leg bone right in half then info the rib cage into a lung and some liver.

 

Got her to the truck a bit after 1pm home and cleaned up she dressed out 107 pounds. Woohoo meat in the freezer!!

 

 

 

[Fletch]

10/20 pm 57

 

Out back for 3 hours in my fave stand. Did not see anything. Did jump 2 on way on and 1 on way out. I am sleeping in tomorrow!!

 

Pulled the cam last night out of the hole got some real interesting bucks. I am hoping to see one!