Observations And Getting Ready

[grampy]

Didn't get to the upper blind at the lake property yesterday. Gonna meet up with Jdubs in the morning, to finish it off. Will be all set after that. Plenty of time to let things soak before hunting.

Plots at the farm are doing great now too! Especially after the one was nearly under water, shortly after planting.

Looking forward to a hopefully healthier season for me this year! Everything else seems to be falling in place nicely. 

[Robhuntandfish]

3 hours ago, grampy said:

Deer certainly love those thickets Rob! Also, anywhere you cut the high grass, like in the top photo, will be a draw with the fresh growth.

Looking good over there!

Thanks Grampy, Was just talking with my hunting buddy and we are going to get a tow behind mower for his 4 wheeler next spring.  Am gonna try to find a good used one for around $1000 we are hoping.  I was thinking even a trail or finishing mower should be able to get thru the grass we want to cut.  Cause doing this by hand with this push weedeater is just too much.  The weedeater works great but not made for stuff like this.  And there is a lot more we would like to do.

Edited September 2, 2018 by Robhuntandfish

[grampy]

A tow behind will be so much better and easier for you! Any way you can make improvements, will benefit the hunting on most any properties! 

[Hock3y24]

Clothes washed, need to treat with sawyers, bow shooting bullets, stands checked and straps replaced, cams up have a boat load of does and a few bucks all daytime( no predators which is crazy). I’m ready to say the least. Nothing hard horned yet but it will be any day, scrapes are reopening around here.

[Steve D]

6 hours ago, Robhuntandfish said:

we are going to get a tow behind mower for his 4 wheeler next spring.  Am gonna try to find a good used one for around $1000

Here ya go:

https://rochester.craigslist.org/grd/d/trail-mower/6683987600.html

https://rochester.craigslist.org/grd/d/swisher-rotary-mower/6675730739.html

https://rochester.craigslist.org/grd/d/swisher-finishing-mower-obo/6659646937.html

[Robhuntandfish]

Def what I will be looking for in the spring.   Thanks

9 hours ago, Steve D said:

Here ya go:

https://rochester.craigslist.org/grd/d/trail-mower/6683987600.html

https://rochester.craigslist.org/grd/d/swisher-rotary-mower/6675730739.html

https://rochester.craigslist.org/grd/d/swisher-finishing-mower-obo/6659646937.html

 

[grampy]

Had one more blind to freshen up at the lake property. So I met up with Jdubs this mourning and we rode up together. What a great guy, really enjoyed spending the morning in the woods with him! I showed him the lay of the land, and a couple lower blinds first. Then we went up the ridge to the upper blind. We fixed it up a little and it's all set to go! Saw plenty of deer sign!

I think John liked this spot?

Jdubs recently became an Adirondack 46r, so I took him over to Thatcher Park next, to show him some hiking trails. We even found a map of the area, showing the trails. Walked back to the pond, and pointed out some likely deer hunting areas too. 

Thanks for the help John, look forward to doing a hunt with ya this fall!

[Jdubs]

Great time Dave!  The time and effort you've invested in that area over the years was quite evident.  I really appreciate you sharing many of your hunting experiences with me; those insights are priceless for a relatively new hunter like me.  Yes, there was plenty of deer sign, including the little one that ran by to check out our blind work!  

Thank you for going out of your way to also show me the hiking trails.  I'll be back up there for sure.  

[grampy]

That's right!  Forgot about our little visitor!..........Must have been curious about what we were talking about??  Will tell the guys at work tomorrow it was a monster 12 point.......lol

[DirtTime]

I got a couple hours in the woods this afternoon. Nothing much new since I was in this area last. I did have to wait out a button buck for 20 minutes while he just did circles 60 yards or so from me.

I will not mention where I was due to I want this little guy to make it though, and I don't want our resident BBK knowing where he is. Joking.....Kind Of....

 

Then while out getting some groceries, we saw 5 more fawns, 3 were def does, one was a spike, and one was hard to tell driving, but looked like another button buck. This I wall say where we were as there's no hunting, heading back from Shop Rite West on 85. Back into Delmar.

Am I the only noticing I am seeing more fawns then mommies with fawns?

Any ways.......

 

Back up North tomorrow, clean up the debris around the camp site, set up a cam, have some lunch and head back home.

Edited September 8, 2018 by Rob...

[Robhuntandfish]

Pulled cam cards at my spot in 6S and a lot of does and one high rack 6 point.  No big uns on cam at either of my two main hunting spots. Other one in 7F.  That's rare, usually have a good one on cam there in late summer , usually an 8+.  

I am ok with taking a smaller buck but always like to know a big one is around.  Gets the juices going!    Won't go back in near cams now til hunting season.  But does are always a good thing.  

[Robhuntandfish]

Had to clear out one last stand today.  There is a cornfield behind me and an apple tree to the left.  But this is a cross section of trails.   But shooting lanes are cleared and ready to go.   Can you find the treestand.....lol.   it's def tucked in there.  

When I left owner was heading out to brush hog trails.  Which should be perfect come opening day.  

[grampy]

Pulled some cards today too. Got some three different 8s. Nothing big though.

[DirtTime]

Few hours today, got the camp site almost done, it's a PITA because it's a top layer of pine needles maybe 4", and then 8"+ of roots and old pine needles, not really dirt.

Took time to use some of the timber left laying around to make a few new natural blinds around the camp site area, a couple hundred yards from the camp, and tried to set them up for different wind conditions.  I usually won't hunt near it, but the amount of deer sign in that area was heavy. A few nice rubs, found a scrape back there that was never there before ( little shocked by that one ), plenty of fresh tracks, and scat. So, I will hunt the area this season.

 

Buddies father has a couple of in-line muzzle loaders he doesn't use anymore, so he told us we can borrow them anytime we want, and we can go up there and he will help get us going and we can practice up there as much as we want. We plan to take him up on that offer. I never really got into muzzle loaders, I always like the bow for the early and late seasons, but as I get older, I seem to be changing.

 

Then we went and helped give the goats the second round of shots.

After that we sat on the porch talking about everything from hunting, to cell phone scams and butt dialing, to camping. Can't think of a better way to have spent a non-hunting day.

I have some pics of the white peacocks in the owners flock I will get uploaded later. Pretty cool to me as I had never seen a white one except in pictures.

Edited September 9, 2018 by Rob...

[grampy]

20 hours ago, Robhuntandfish said:

Pulled cam cards at my spot in 6S and a lot of does and one high rack 6 point.  No big uns on cam at either of my two main hunting spots. Other one in 7F.  That's rare, usually have a good one on cam there in late summer , usually an 8+.  

I am ok with taking a smaller buck but always like to know a big one is around.  Gets the juices going!    Won't go back in near cams now til hunting season.  But does are always a good thing.  

Pulled some cards today too. Got some deer from each spot, and three different 8s. Nothing big though.

7 minutes ago, Rob... said:

Few hours today, got the camp site almost done, it's a PITA because it's a top layer of pine needles maybe 4", and then 8"+ of roots and old pine needles, not really and dirt.

Took time to use some of the timber left laying around to make a few new natural blinds around the camp site area, a couple hundred yards from the camp, and tried to set them up for different wind conditions.  I usually won't hunt near it, but the amount of deer sign in that area was heavy. A few nice rubs, found a scrape back there that was never there before ( little shocked by that one ), plenty of fresh tracks, and scat. So, I will hunt the area this season.

 

Buddies father has a couple of in-line muzzle loaders he doesn't use anymore, so he told us we can borrow them anytime we want, and we can go up there and he will help get us going and we can practice up there as much as we want. We plan to take him up on that offer. I never really got into muzzle loaders, I always like the bow for the early and late seasons, but as I get older, I seem to be changing.

 

Then we went and helped give the goats the second round of shots.

After that we sat on the porch talking about everything from hunting, to cell phone scams and butt dialing, to camping. Can't think of a better way to have spent a non-hunting day.

I have some pics of the withe peacocks in the owners flock I will get uploaded later. Pretty cool to me as I had never seen a white one except in pictures.

Sounds like a great day! 

The inlines are fun to shoot and accurate! 

Be crazy not to set up on plenty of obvious sign.

Best of luck!