Zem is back for 2013

[Zem18]

Yo!!!! I can't believe it is here already. I'm sittin at work this morning and thought, man I have to start my journal so I wrote myself a note so I wouldn't forget. It sucks getting old.

 

So let's see, I am totally unprepared for the start of the season, but I have shot the bow, so that is the most important piece of this complicated puzzle. Rain is forecasted for this weekend so we will see what happens. I think I am cancelling soccer practice Thursday so I might sneak out for the first time after work.

 

Good luck to all you guys out there and I look forward as always to reading the updates and stories.

 

Zem

[First-light]

Blowing the dust off yourself????

[Zem18]

Haha something like that

[Zem18]

10.3.13

 

I got out of work at 4:25 today and made the half hour drive west to my in laws. I was changed and in my stand for the first time this season by 5:05. It was 77 degrees out but the clouds were moving in and the temp was dropping.

 

I settled in and just took in the beautiful scenery and the smell of fall in the air. The chipmunks were especially loud, chirping away in the distance. About 15 minutes into the hunt I heard some leaves rustling behind me and then the distinct sound of a dog tag clinking against the metal loop of the dog collar. I stood up to see my inlaws neighbors dog hot on the tail of 3 does and chasing them into the woods behind my stand about 40 yards away. I whistled once and the dog stopped but the deer kept bolting.

 

The dog headed back to it's house and inside. No sooner did the dog disappear and 3 doe come trotting out of the woods into the yard where the dog just was. I watched them from across the field as they headed to the apple tree to gorge themselves. One decided to lay down. Then 2 more doe appeared to feed as well. They all left going away from me and noe got closer than 70 yards.

 

It was cooling down a little finally so again I settled in and just listened. Thats when I heard the four wheeler start up to my south. I heard head down the road at full speed and then up the small hill to the yard where the dog lives and then right into the woods and onto the trail only 40 yards behind my stand. This hunt is officially over. A nice looking blond in tight jeans and a yellow top was driving so all was not lost. I trimmed a few twigs I didn't see the last time I was up and then headed out for the night. It was 6:18

 

My buddy and I decided to go out spotlighting for an hour. Hit 5 or 6 backroads and counted 90+ deer. Saw a decent 6, a small 8, 7 or 8 spikes, and the rest were doe. Love going out and just seeing them. Gets you excited to be out on stand for sure.

 

Rain and more rain are in the forecast for this weekend with temps in the 70s so I am going to play it by ear. I'll have to put some fletch dry on my feathers if I do go out.

Edited October 4, 2013 by Zemmer18

[Fletch]

Gotta love hunting residential!!

 

Good luck out there bud!!

[Zem18]

Yeah residential is a crap shoot somedays. The house with the dog should be vacant, or I should say, was going to be by the end of August. The son is in jail so the Dad stays there with the dog I guess. I need to focus on the early morning hunts there but will wait til it is not 80 degrees outside. Should be more quiet in the morning.

 

Thanks and good luck to you

[Zem18]

Made it out this past Saturday for the afternoon hunt. My son and I checked the trail camera at mid day to see when the deer are coming and going. Got plenty of critters crawling around at night up here and I'll post the pics below.

 

I got in the stand around 4:00pm Saturday afternoon. It was an absolute beautiful afternoon. After sitting there for half an hour I noticed my camo pattern was moving. I was covered in these small jumping spiders that were all different colors. Then I saw them all over the trees surrounding my ladder stand. After another 15 minutes of scratching and flicking these things off me and my skin didn't feel like it was crawling anymore, I relaxed and waited for some deer to appear. It didn't take long. Had 4 doe come from the north but they were jumpy and did not come to within 30 yards.

 

Got down at last light and headed out across the empty field and looked back into a small scrub field to the south and had another 4 doe standing and watching me walk out. Can't complain though as I have seen deer each time I have been out thus far.

 

Here are some pics from my trail cam. First is the porcupine, then the gray fox, then I need some help identifying the last ones. The black long tailed critter is either a pine marten or a fisher but I do not know the difference. Can anyone confirm? And the last has my buddy and I second guessing. It could be the fox again but we both think it has catlike looks so think it could be a bobcat. I need a new camera as the pics are very grainy.

 

Porcupine

 

Gray Fox

 

 

Fisher or Pine Marten???

 

 

Bobcat??? Not sure

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Zem18]

Saturday 10-19-13

 

It was pretty overcast here in the Southern Tier and the forecast was for rain around 7 or 8pm. Well it started early, around 4pm early. Can't trust them weathermen, lol. I headed out to the stand anyways. I always seem to see more deer during crappy weather and I wasn't disappointed tonight.

 

I chose to sit the lower stand at my in laws place. Not sure how long I was there but I looked towards the upper stand and there is a deer under it. I began watching the deer and could see it was a small buck. He fed towards me and I wasn't sure which side of the tree it would go on so I had to wait until it commited. I was shocked it stayed straight and would walk right past me at 8 yards. I'm only 10ft off the ground in a ladder stand so it was up close and personal. He stopped perfect in the lane, 8yds away,  and I sighed. Too small and has potential for a four pointer.

 

I lost sight of him for about 20 minutes but he appeared only 40 yards away so he was feeding in the area for over 45 minutes. He walked off and 4 doe came running in to an apple tree to stuff themselves. They only stayed for 30 seconds and then bolted. Not sure what scared them ut then 2 more deer came in and fed close to me. One was a one horned spike and the other a spike. They hung around for awhile and then walked off to the south. Two more small doe ran past to the East and back into the woods. Was a good night with 9  deer spotted in 2 hours and 15 minutes on stand.

 

 

 

 

10-20-13

Got a late start but was in the stand by 6:45am. At 7am 2 deer were at the apple tree and left 3 to 5 minutes later. 15 minuted after that I see 2 deer in the field. They turn and head towards my set up. I see that they are both 4points and both are small bodied. One stops and rubs his antlers on a branch and makes a scrape. They proceed back across the woodline and the field and enter into the woods into another shooting lane. They feed their way back into the deeper woods and disappear. Two minuted later a deer comes bolting from where they went in straight towards the tree I am in followed by another deer hot on her trail. Yup, a 4 point is dogging a yearling fawn. He looked so funny chasing her. They vanished into the thick stuff to the South. 15 minutes go by and the yearling doe comes back, mouth wide open breathing heavy from being chased. She lost the 4point and decided to feed.

 

She walked right nder my stand and back into the deeper woods, only to return about 10 minutes later from a different direction. I think she just circles the area and pops out to eat apples. She started back past my stand again and then bedded down about 15 to 20 yards away. She only laayed there for 5 minutes  and then walked off. It was close to 10 when I got down.

 

My 7yr old son kept asking if I could take him deer hunting. I asked my buddy if I could borrow his pop up blind and he said yes so I took him out for the afternoon. After setting up the blind close to where I have been seeing the deer coming ut of the deeper woods, we settled in sitting on our buckets. I had my bow but have never shot sitting in a blind so I said if I did see one, I didn't think I would attempt the shot as I was not comfy. 5 minutes later I hear a sigh from my son. I knew what was coming next. " Hey Dad?"  "Yeah buddy?", "I'm bored". He was sitting there playing his Nintendo DS too. I hear another sigh. " Hey Dad?" "Yeah buddy?", "I'm bored and I'm hungry". We spotted some squirrels and a few chipmunks and then he asked if we could go. I checked my watch and it 4:40. We had lasted about an hour but we packed up and got out before the deer started to come out of the woods. He said to me when we got back to the car - "Sorry I didn't do so good out there". I told him he did great and I would take him again anytime he wanted to go.

 

[Fletch]

Sounds like you are having a lot of deer movement too!!

 

I had to smile on your son adventure!! I think the longest my son made it the first few times was 30- 45 minutes!! Last year he made it about 2 hours in the blind and ate about 10 pounds of food!! I just stay as long as he wants like you are doing. We have seen deer together but I have not had a shot with him yet.

[First-light]

Zemm that is great you took Zach out. Its a start, slow and steady and it will catch on. Good for you!

[Zem18]

It was a fun time and I look forward to more hunts with him. I will have to practice shooting out of a blind though because as I said, I was not comfy in there.

 

10.25.13

Got out of work and was rushing to get in the stand and wouldn't you know it the construction traffic was a joke. Stay away from rt17 and rt81 in Binghamton on a Friday between 4 and 6pm. I finally made it into the stand at around 5:15pm. The weather was crappy, just how I like it, and I wasn't disappointed. I sat for an hour, got rained on, saw the sun, and got rained on while the sun was shining and the wind was howling. I saw 13 doe and 1 buck, Buck unidentified as he was chasing the 13th doe I saw and it was pretty close to dark. They are getting frisky out there.

 

 

 

Edited October 28, 2013 by Zemmer18

[Zem18]

10.26.13

 

Very windy today. Froze my tail off at 2 soccer games this morning but I still decided to give the afternoon hunt a shot. I saw a bunch yesterday so hopefully I would see more tonight. I was in the stand by 4:15pm. Around 5:15 I had 4 doe come down out of the woods and begin to feed all around my shooting lanes.  One of the doe left so the 3 continued to mill around. The momma doe walked past the farthest edgeof a  shooting lane but it seemed a touch far so I didn't attempt to shoot. One of her littles ones walked directly below me, stopped and looked up at me, and then walked past to head to the apple trees. I thought they would continue to feed and move on like they have been doing but they decided to stay. I sat there until 6:45pm and it was good and dark. I got down and ended up scaring them off. I hate that part but they will come back eventually.

 

10.27.13

Was on stand by 6:45am, still plenty dark outside. Saw a lone deer about 45 yards away at 7:05am. Saw another lone deer at 8:15ish and it headed into the woods from the field straight towards me. Walked below me at about 2 yards and saw it was a small button buck. It was still pretty windy this morning and not much else was moving. Sat until 9:30 and headed home for breakfast with my family and parents.

[Zem18]

10.30.13

 Time to play catch up on my journal. Snuck out after work and was in the stand by 5pm. Sat til 615ish and I remember seeing at least 5 doe that night.

 

Couldn't hunt Halloween or Friday night (BIL's B day)

[Zem18]

11.2.13

 

Got up and was in the stand by 645am. Bumped one going in as I heard it bounding away in the leaves. I no ssoner got up the ladder and had a doe walking 15 yards past me. It is the same little one I have been seeing everytime I am out. Shortly after it was light out I heard a bleat/grunt. I look to my right and that little doe is about 40 yards away and headed right to me. With every step she takes, she is bleating/grunting. She fed for half an hour just making all these noises and acting like a live decoy for me but to no avail. She finally paired up with another doe and fed away into the timber.

 

I saw 3 doe total this morning.

 

Went to my BIL's and we took our kids with us for a trip down to our cabin to get ready for gun season. Man was I pissed when I got there. Someone had broken in. They pryed at the wndow but didn't break it so it is now fixed. Then they pryed the door lock from the jamb and made their way in and proceeded to trash the place. Ate anything and everything we had left there in the metal cabinets. Used all the plates, bowls, napkins and left them wherever all over the place. They cooked on the firepit outside and left all the pots and pans, utensils, oven mitt, and chairs outside. They put hot pans from the fire on the carpet and the ultimate sin, on our poker table. Now we have black char marks everywhere. They hooked the propane tanks up for lights and used all of that. Had 3- 5gallon cans of kerosene and that was all gone but funny thing is, they couldn't figure out how to use the kerosene lamps we have.

One of the guys left half a bottle of Southern Comfort and that obviously was gone as well.

 

We mowed the grass, cut some firewood and stacked it inside, and then picked everything up and fired up the generator to vaccuum. Finished up in about 2.5 hours. We talked on the way home and said even though it is only 1.25 hours away, we definately need to make more trips throughout the year to visit so this crap doesn't happen again. This is the 4th time in the past 10 years this has happened but never trashed this bad.

 

Got home in time to get out for the evening hunt. Sat from 415 until 610 and saw 7 doe. One was a tank but she never came closer than 60 yards. I was able to sneakdown and get out undetected.

[Zem18]

11.3.13

Hunted with my buddy this morning. We bumped one going in and that was all we saw. That wind this morning was bone chilling and we didn't last much past 830am. We decided to drive past another spot we have hunted in the past but the cams have shown zero daytime movement. Sure enough, within 1/4 mile we saw 12 deer, 10 up and 2 bedded feeding away. Looks like we picked the wrong spot this morning.

[Zem18]

11.4.13

If work wasn't so busy, I would've used a sick day this morning. Heavy frost and temps in the lower 20's and I am sure those deer would have been moving this morning. Life always seems to be interrupted by work doesn't it? Oh well. No more after work hunts as I don't get out early enough to make it to my spot. Looks like Saturday morning and hopefully Sunday morning will be my last bow hunts for this year. Have to work Saturday afternoon, yay overtime.

[Fletch]

That sucks about camp. Scum like that just need a serious ass woopin! I would put a good cam 15 foot up a tree covering the door with a solar charger. Well hidden.

Good luck on your last couple days! I am sad to see bow almost done so quick.

[First-light]

Sorry about the break in Zem. I just don't get it. Do what Fletch said and catch the guys! Good luck

[Zem18]

10.16.13 - Opening day Southern Zone - 4W

 

Well we had a pretty full camp this year which was nice. Tons of food and stories for everyone. Was getting my rifle and headed towards the door when I heard the first shot of the day. One of our members took a nice tall 8pt that went 178lbs dressed. His biggest buck ever and it was a beauty. I'll upload the pics later for sure.

 

Heard another shot shortly after 8am, really close across the valley. It was my Father in Law who shot a nice 5pt. He had just gotten back from Colorado Wednesday where him and his buddy hunted public land on a DIY hunt and his buddy tagged a cow elk and my FIL tagged a 5x5 bull elk. Congrats to both of them.

 

I finally saw the first deer of the day at 4:05pm. A small spike came down off the hill on a major trail with his nose to the ground. He walked past me at 30 yards and I just had to laugh as his nose was going crazy. Was hoping Sunday would be a better day.

 

[Zem18]

10.17.13 Sunday

 

Was crappy rainy, windy, and just plain noisy today. Was getting ready to call it quits for the day around 4:10pm as it was getting dark in the Hemlocks when I caught a flash close by. It was a doe, followed by a buck. They snuck in on me and he was dogging her. I watched where they would come out and then saw they had stopped and headed back the way they came. BUt then they decided to turn and head into my set up and I realized there were two doe and a buck. The doe were super close to me (I am hunting on the ground) and they stopped and busted me at 10 yards or closer. The buck was out a 40 yards and his vitals were behind a tree but I had front shoulder. I am scoping his rack through a fogged scope and determined he had at least 3 on one side. I took a step to the right and he saw me and we stared at each other. I settled the crosshairs and think I pulled the trigger and not squeezed. He took off and the doe followed.

 

After composing myself I went to where he was standing and could smell his musky scent he left behind. No blood, no hair. I checked the area towards the trail they went on and no sign of a hit. I got out my flashlight and continued to scour the ground for anything and came up empty. I then followed the trail for about 450 yards and no sign and no dead deer.

 

There was some brush between me and him I did not see in the scope. Also I rushed the shot as I was busted by all three and knew it had to happen quick. I am shooting a .243 so am thinking the brush was the main culprit and my pulling the trigger or jerking when I shot. I am thankful it was a clean miss.

 

I beat myself up thinking I had hit him and didn't look hard enough so at first light I headed to the end of the property (the way the deer ran) and back tracked to the shot. I zig zagged the flat and hillside and did not find any sign, but, I did jump a large deer, and two small does shortly after I started looking. I believe it was him and his girls but could not be certain. I know he is not dead if I did hit him as I would have found him for sure in this area. My BIL hunted the hill above me that morning and he checked the flats above me and went over the ridge as well and did not see the deer or any sign of a hit or wounded animal.

 

So I have processed this hunt and saved it in the memory bank as to not make the same mistake again and just let them walk instead of rushing and possibly taking another bad shot opportunity.  

[Zem18]

Only saw the 3 deer on Monday morning and the rest of the day was a bust. High winds dominated the day. My BIL saw 5 deer that afternoon. It was weird as I hunted the low ground thinking the deer would want to be out of the wind in sheltered pockets. My BIL did the exact opposite and headed high to the ridge top and saw all 5 up high, in the 20 to 25mph winds. Only 1 was bedded.

 

Headed home Monday evening to take a hot shower and see the family. Had Tuesday off so a morning hunt was in the picture with a cold front moving in.

 

Tuesday 11.19.13

 

Got up to get my daughter on the bus for school and then headed out for a morning hunt. Man was it chilly and damn windy again this morning. Big change from the upper 40s and 50s from the last 3 days. I went to my bow spot at my in laws place. Sat there for 20 minutes and decided to move before I became a popsicle. I still hunted the 28 acres next door for the next few hours, hitting all the prime spots and trails and did not even put up a flag.

[Zem18]

After work tomorrow I am picking up my Dad and we are headed back to camp. I have a doe tag for down there so I am trying to get that filled. Should be at least 4 of us down there maybe 7 if the other members come. Looking forward to hitting the woods again but the weather is still looking crappy. I know I will have my walking boots on and will be headed high to the ridge top. Going to set my Dad in an easy spot to get to and hopefully push some deer his way. He's 76 this year and still loves to get out. Had a knee operation years ago and a heart attack 3 years ago. He walks 5 to 8 miles a day to stay in shape so he may just put me to shame on those hills. Good luck to all you guys this weekend.

 

Sorry it took so long to catch up.

[First-light]

Good luck Zem! Love to see picks of the deer taken at camp.

[Zem18]

Well Saturday at camp with my Dad was another bust. Had 8 guys out hunting and no one saw a thing, not even a tail running away. I walked quite a bit hitting all my good spots and saw nothing.

 

Hunted with my buddy Sunday. We did drives and I only saw one deer before the first drive started. Guess it wasn't meant  to be this weekend.

 

Here are the pictures of the 8pt a member took on opening day. He had him weighed at the butcher and he was 178lbs.

 

 

Look at his neck

[Zem18]

I can't believe I forgot to post that my Father in law and his buddy went to Colorado again this year. His buddy shot a cow elk on Thursday November 7th and my FIL shot a 5x5 satellite bull elk on Friday. Here are some of the details:

 

Both guys are in their late 60's (67 for both I believe) and they were hunting by themselves (no guide) and it is all on public land. They hike in 3 miles each day to get to the spot they hunt. The first shot at the bull was at 450yds and it went over his back. The bull heard the echo behind him and ran towards my FIL where he took the second shot at 360yds and dropped him in his tracks. Here is his first Elk ever taken.