Live From The Woods 2022 - 2023 Edition!

[First-light]

This spot your looking at has given me so much memories from this season. It seems its just a magnet for so much rutting activity. This is in the middle of the woods kind of a secret place for the deer. Golden Rod, Pine trees green grass it has it all. Surrounding it is hardwoods and brush. I'm very lucky to own this land and take care of it. We created it for them, they love it!! 

[suburbanfarmer]

I sat out for the evening and got a fawn come by and circled all around for the last hr.

I was tempted to break in the ML but opted to let her walk till Sept of this yr.

 

[suburbanfarmer]

I was thinking on my walk out.. what if some one makes a marginal shot and decides to leave it over night to recover tomorrow morning. 

What date do you put on the tag? The day it was shot or recovered?

[wolc123]

I had a little bit of deer action on my last Holliday hunt tonight.  My seat cushion fell down to the ground right around sunset.   Right after that happened, I heard twigs snapping behind me.  
 

Two antlerless deer were moving along the edge of the swamp, about 75 yards away and headed my direction.  They turned into the swamp about 50 yards out.  
 

I could not have gotten a clear shot at them, even if I had my scoped ML, because there was thick cover in between us.  No chance at all with my crossbow.  
 

I am not sure if they heard my cushion fall, picked up my scent, or were just not going to pass me close by for another reason.  I stayed up in the stand until about 20 minutes past sunset, when it got too dark to see in the woods.  No other deer showed up.  

That’s a wrap for the 22/23 season.  We have slightly more than (3) average-sized deer in the freezer right now, which should be just enough to last us until next September, when I hope they do the early antlerless season again. I definitely don’t have enough meat to make it until next early NZ ML season, in mid-October.  
 

I would have liked to have added one more, because I always like to have at least one in reserve.  Vacuum-sealed pure venison lasts at least (4) years in the freezer, with no loss of flavor.  
 

The only bright spot of not getting one the last few days, is that the outside temps are supposed to get into the 60’s.  That would have forced me to fire up my deer fridge.  It would have sucked to have to do that in January, to avoid spoilage.  
 

That also leaves plenty of room for fish in our big freezer this summer.   I should have a lot more time for fishing this year than I did last, since my barn dismantling project is just about done.  

 

Edited January 2 by wolc123

[Four Seasons]

On 12/31/2022 at 4:53 PM, New York Hillbilly said:

I would love to go there someday, after reading so much about it on this site over the years. 

One of the greatest places in the state. We are lucky to have this jewel to be able to run around on. 

[wolc123]

43 minutes ago, Four Seasons said:

One of the greatest places in the state. We are lucky to have this jewel to be able to run around on. 

My sister and brother in law’s farm is 10 minutes off the nw corner and (3) of my best friends have camps that are located within 15 minutes of the se corner of that park.   The deer (body size and antlers) seem significantly bigger on average, on the nw corner. That’s got to be because there is way more ag (mostly corn) up that way.  

[New York Hillbilly]

3 hours ago, Four Seasons said:

One of the greatest places in the state. We are lucky to have this jewel to be able to run around on. 

I think on a day trip with my daughter and grandson once, when we were back visiting from Alaska, we drove though a part of the park. I remember there was a pull off or rest stop that had a great big wooden chair, and we took some pictures of them sitting in  it.

[suburbanfarmer]

19 minutes ago, New York Hillbilly said:

I think on a day trip with my daughter and grandson once, when we were back visiting from Alaska, we drove though a part of the park. I remember there was a pull off or rest stop that had a great big wooden chair, and we took some pictures of them sitting in  it.

Yes, a giant chair over looking the canyon. :) 

[Four Seasons]

20 hours ago, New York Hillbilly said:

I think on a day trip with my daughter and grandson once, when we were back visiting from Alaska, we drove though a part of the park. I remember there was a pull off or rest stop that had a great big wooden chair, and we took some pictures of them sitting in  it.

That is at the Dam overlook. You have 17 more miles of some of the best the state has to offer. Views that can’t be beat and some of the best free hunting offered in the state. It’s a special place for sure. 

[suburbanfarmer]

1 hour ago, Four Seasons said:

That is at the Dam overlook. You have 17 more miles of some of the best the state has to offer. Views that can’t be beat and some of the best free hunting offered in the state. It’s a special place for sure. 

Which area do you prefer  between 1-6?

[Four Seasons]

1 hour ago, suburbanfarmer said:

Which area do you prefer  between 1-6?

Mid Park bottom mostly. Wolf Creek area top has always produced. Perry entrance all the way up to St Helena are always good areas. Like every area the further ya go the better. I live on the bottom myself but that’s the way of the whitetail. For Bow areas the front of the park at the Mt Morris entrance to the Dam overlook is loaded with nothing but alfalfa and corn that borders the park. Few pic’s from bottom area there.   Daytime movement in those out of the way areas. 

[ANTLERS]

When your set up looking in a direction they usually come from and then they sneak up behind you like ninja’s. Damn these deer can be frustrating.

[Five Seasons]

On 12/31/2022 at 3:29 PM, New York Hillbilly said:

Several things going on with this, from my experience anyway. First it is to show they know something is up and let you know, they know! Second to sound the alarm to other deer in the area there is reason to be on high alert.  And lastly I think, they seem to be clearing their noses to keep testing  the scent in the wind.  
 

What I have seen over the years is they do it most if they are not quite sure, and are trying to get you to move, sort of like when they foot stomp,  so the can confirm either by eyesight or hearing that there is trouble near by.  If they just bolted off every time they smelled something potentially dangerous to them, they would be running non stop. 
 

They will try to circle downwind while watching and listening, and if If they put a couple of their senses together they beat feet out of there.  But, if they can’t quite be sure, I frequently hear them keep blowing as they drift off.

Also, I have noticed it being mostly a doe thing. I’ve watched and seen bucks snort or blow, but typically only once or twice when first startled, and then they are out of there.  

don't forget that doe will blow their asses off at bucks as well. I witness a bunch during the chase phase of archery. When you're downwind and nowhere near them and you hear blowing, it's almost a great sign that a buck is on a doe. She's basically saying to him that she either A. Isn't ready or B. Doesn't want him lol.

Then there's that foot stomping blowing when you're upwind. That. That sucks. 

[Five Seasons]

I ended up hunting last Sunday night out of boredom and having nursed away most of my hangover/tiredness from NYE I decided to watch some football on the phone in the ground blind. It's a super easy hunt and why not. 

Nothing till 5:05 with 10 minutes of legal light left and a nice shooter doe showed up in my clover plot at around 60-70 yards. It was drizzling and even with a nice shot I just didn't have it in me. I didn't absolutely need the meat even though I wanted it and I didn't want to risk ending the season on a low note.

All in all a good season for my wall and freezer. Already spent a good 6 hours before Christmas and yesterday in the woods prepping for next year. In my experience Jan-March is the best time to scout and  prep. And at this point I enjoy it far more than sitting in a stand.

[chrisw]

Have a couple of bucks on cam missing a side so I went for a look today. Saw a pile of deer, several bucks with both sides, including the biggest buck I've ever seen in the woods at 30 yds. Found one freshie.

Sent from my moto g fast using Tapatalk

[ANTLERS]

No deer movement this morning but I had a fox trotting thru the woods yelping his head off, read on line mating season is January/February. 

[bruno1]

7 hours ago, ANTLERS said:

No deer movement this morning but I had a fox trotting thru the woods yelping his head off, read on line mating season is January/February. 

I think I’m gonna get out this weekend and shwack one. I’ve got deer hitting our fields literally everyday and one field they seem to be in all day. Still have a few bucks holding head gear

[blackbeltbill]

3/4/23 at 6.45am. My 11 Turkeys are looking good! 3 big Jakes, 2 brood hens, and 6 Jennies.

 No Hunting down here. Giving back for 12 years now.

 

[Four Seasons]

Little guy still hanging tight to that headgear out in one of the Bean fields.