WNYBuckHunter's Outdoor Journal

[LET EM GROW]

On 7/20/2016 at 8:38 AM, WNYBuckHunter said:

I took the kids down to the farm last night and finished up the mowing of the plots we will be putting in brassicas. Thursday they will get sprayed.

 

 

While I was mowing one of the plots I decided to let Haley hop in the drivers seat for a bit. Shes been doing a good job mowing the lawn this summer, so I figured she could handle the big tractor as long as I was right there to guide her and shut things down if need be. She was a little scared at first, but did great and loved it. What 12 year old wouldnt get a kick out of driving a 90 hp turbo diesel John Deere?

 

 

 

 

 

Is this a last year fall planting of Winter Rye you are mowing?

[WNYBuckHunter]

Yep. Im glad I let it go to seed because now its growing again in the plots along side the brassicas. The stalks that were chopped up also helped keep some moisture in the ground during the drought, so the plot did better than some of the others.

 

I think for next year Im actually going to look into a no till drill and start doing the plots that way rather than burn all kinds of time and diesel tilling them up.

[LET EM GROW]

Yep. Im glad I let it go to seed because now its growing again in the plots along side the brassicas. The stalks that were chopped up also helped keep some moisture in the ground during the drought, so the plot did better than some of the others.

 

I think for next year Im actually going to look into a no till drill and start doing the plots that way rather than burn all kinds of time and diesel tilling them up.

Awesome, I'll remember that. I've been looking at no till drills and definitely can not afford one. I did all my plots thus year (besides 1) nontill method. If i can keep the soil from being exposed to air and keep nutrients in, im all for it. I've also been watching videos on how to build at no till drill.. Pretty simple really.. and cool.

I work in a fab/machine shop so I can hopefully build the majority of the steel work there and then assemble it all at home. Plus it's fun building things and seeing them work as hoped for lol.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[WNYBuckHunter]

You can build them pretty easy if you use a regular drill to start with. Basically just need to change the discs from single to double to open the ground, and add a packer to the rear. Ive seen some converted ones and they work very well.

 

If you can find one that will do multiple size seeds at the same time, even better.

[LET EM GROW]

Yea, i was thinking of finding an old drill possiblly, or taking a set of disks preferably 3pt, and building onto it. I have a few links saved of setups guys have made from just a single row of disks. then a "groomer or blade" at the rear to cover seed. But i definitely have to some more research on gears for the seed sizes.

 

Let me find these links, see what you think lol

[WNYBuckHunter]

Opening weekend I was out in a new stand on our new plot before daylight. I had a small doe or fawn walk right by my tree while it was still dark, then heard a blow come from behind me somewhere but couldnt make out the deer. Once first light came, things slowed down. I ended up seeing a deer moving through the timber behind me, but couldnt make out what it was. It started to rain off and on, but nothing heavy. My trail camera on this plot has shown mostly mid day activity here, by both does and bucks. Mature bucks seem to make their appearances here during the middle of the day and late afternoon most of the time. I did not see anything until about 11:20am, when a couple of does stepped into the plot on the opposite side from me. They ate for a bit and then moved on. I had to head home shortly after that.

In the afternoon, Haley went with me and we headed up to our double set in the pasture. We almost always see deer from that stand. On the way in, we bumped 3 does that were in the lane way munching on fallen acorns. We headed up to the stand and got setup just in time for it to start pouring on us. We held out, as I figured the deer would be on their feet after the rain. By the time it started getting dark, we had gotten poured on 3 different times and hadnt seen a deer. We packed it in and headed home.

Sunday I had things to get done at home, so I didnt get out. Ill be back out for the afternoon hunt on Friday.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Had a pretty good weekend in the woods this past weekend. On Saturday I went out for the evening hunt and got into my stand at about 2:30ish. I bumped 6 deer out of one of the food plots on my way in. The wind was blowing pretty good and the gusts were just about making me feel like I should be holding on to my stand. By 5, with zero deer activity where I was, I was starting to consider packing it up when I glanced off to my right and saw may target buck, Waldo, walk out of the thicket thats in the next bottom over from where I was. A second, smaller buck stepped out right behind him, and the two made their way over toward a creek bed/hedgerow to my South West. I watched through the Binos as they both turned and started following the hedgerow right toward me. When they hit about 100 yards, I put my binos down and picked up my bow as they were behind a bunch of brush. I checked the binos again, and saw they were at about 80 yards and still steadily walking in my direction. If they kept going, it would bring them right into the plot at 50 yards or less. Anything less than 40 and I should be able to make the shot unless the tree was rocking too much. Right at around 60 yards, Waldo stopped and started feeding in the Brassicas, and the yearling 6 point with him walked right into my lane at around 45 yards and started feeding. I then lost sight of Waldo, and never ended up seeing him again that day. Soon after, does started pouring out of the woods to my left. Another 3 yearling bucks popped into the plot as well. More does started coming in, and then a nice 2 1/2 year old slowly fed by me at 20 yards, right through both of my lanes dead broadside. I hung out in the stand until it got dark and the deer had emptied the plot.

Sunday I got into the same stand at around 3:30. Not long after getting there, a button buck and a 6 point entered the plot. They fed around the plot and eventually bedded right in the middle of it. They got up after about 30 mins, fed around and walked off. Shortly after that, a nice doe popped into the plot and started walking toward my lane. Just before she did, two young bucks, a 4 point and a 6 point, busted into the plot and tried to put their snouts right up the does ass. She was having none of it and trotted right through my lane at 30 yards, but wouldnt stop. The two bucks chased her around for a while before she left. They meandered through the plot, stopping to do a little sparring here and there, before ending up 15 yards to my right, where they started tearing up every tree and bush they could get their antlers on. By then it was past sundown and I slowly packed up, but could not get out of the stand due to deer all over me. I sat and listened to the yotes yapping and howling for a while before the deer all walked off and I could head out.

Overall a fun weekend. Ill probably be missing out this coming weekend due to a trip to Florida for work. I wont be back till Sunday night.

 

[BizCT]

24 minutes ago, WNYBuckHunter said:

Had a pretty good weekend in the woods this past weekend. On Saturday I went out for the evening hunt and got into my stand at about 2:30ish. I bumped 6 deer out of one of the food plots on my way in. The wind was blowing pretty good and the gusts were just about making me feel like I should be holding on to my stand. By 5, with zero deer activity where I was, I was starting to consider packing it up when I glanced off to my right and saw may target buck, Waldo, walk out of the thicket thats in the next bottom over from where I was. A second, smaller buck stepped out right behind him, and the two made their way over toward a creek bed/hedgerow to my South West. I watched through the Binos as they both turned and started following the hedgerow right toward me. When they hit about 100 yards, I put my binos down and picked up my bow as they were behind a bunch of brush. I checked the binos again, and saw they were at about 80 yards and still steadily walking in my direction. If they kept going, it would bring them right into the plot at 50 yards or less. Anything less than 40 and I should be able to make the shot unless the tree was rocking too much. Right at around 60 yards, Waldo stopped and started feeding in the Brassicas, and the yearling 6 point with him walked right into my lane at around 45 yards and started feeding. I then lost sight of Waldo, and never ended up seeing him again that day. Soon after, does started pouring out of the woods to my left. Another 3 yearling bucks popped into the plot as well. More does started coming in, and then a nice 2 1/2 year old slowly fed by me at 20 yards, right through both of my lanes dead broadside. I hung out in the stand until it got dark and the deer had emptied the plot.

Sunday I got into the same stand at around 3:30. Not long after getting there, a button buck and a 6 point entered the plot. They fed around the plot and eventually bedded right in the middle of it. They got up after about 30 mins, fed around and walked off. Shortly after that, a nice doe popped into the plot and started walking toward my lane. Just before she did, two young bucks, a 4 point and a 6 point, busted into the plot and tried to put their snouts right up the does ass. She was having none of it and trotted right through my lane at 30 yards, but wouldnt stop. The two bucks chased her around for a while before she left. They meandered through the plot, stopping to do a little sparring here and there, before ending up 15 yards to my right, where they started tearing up every tree and bush they could get their antlers on. By then it was past sundown and I slowly packed up, but could not get out of the stand due to deer all over me. I sat and listened to the yotes yapping and howling for a while before the deer all walked off and I could head out.

Overall a fun weekend. Ill probably be missing out this coming weekend due to a trip to Florida for work. I wont be back till Sunday night.

 

Sounds more like a "great season" than " 2 days"

[dbHunterNY]

encounters are always a good sign and give good info even if you don't punch a tag at the time.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I am sitting here at work waiting for tomorrow afternoon to get here. Ill be hunting Saturday morning, possibly Sunday morning, then I have Monday Tuesday and Wednesday off. All 3 days will be all day sits if I can help it. My lack of being able to put much time in the stand so far this year is driving me nuts lol. Damn work and moving keeps getting in the way of all my fun haha.

[WNYBuckHunter]

So a recap of the weekend and my days off.

Saturday morning I was able to get out, so I headed to the farm I have been hunting so far this year. I went about running a scent drag around the plot from the other side, and into my shooting lanes. About an hour after light, a small spike came through the brush, followed my scent drag right to both of my lanes and posed broadside in both of them. That was it for the day.

Saturday evening and Sunday I was not able to get out.

Monday morning rolled around and I headed to the farm. I saw a doe early, but could not get a shot at her. A few hours later, I saw movement on the other side of the plot in the brush. Out jumped a nice doe with young buck right on her tail. She fed around the plot, but never got into a lane, and eventually left with the buck following her soon after. I made the decision to leave and head to another farm, where we hadnt been hunting much all season to keep the pressure off. I headed to a new set that I had hung this year. This set is actually in an area that I previously had a stand, but the new one was positioned differently about 30 yards from the old one. I got setup and waited. Just before sunset I saw a deer heading down a very heavily used trail right toward me. From the point of about 70 yards away, right up until the trail turns towards the stand 20 yards away, the trees line up so they are like a visual wall between the animal on the trail and the stand, so it gives a ton of time to get ready as long as you see the animal coming further up the trail. When I saw that a deer was heading my way, I stood up, grabbed my bow and came to full draw, aiming at the area that it would be stepping into. When the deer stepped out, I saw that it was a young 6 point, so I let down. He walked back and forth, following the drag I had laid down, for about 20 mins and then walked off. I headed out at dark.

Monday night I went through all of the camera cards I had pulled, and saw there was a significant amount of daylight activity from both cams that were in the area of the stand I had sat in that day. I checked the weather for Tuesday and decided I was going right back there the next morning.

Tuesday morning I went to my stand and got settled in. Right after sunrise I saw a nice buck cruising through about 100 yards out. I grunted at him but he paid me no attention. An hour or so after that, 4 nice turkeys (3 jakes and 1 tom) walked through at 10 yards. I was kinda bummed that turkey had closed a few days prior, because I could have easily taken any of them. Through the afternoon things were very slow, but I stayed right where I was. At around 3:30 I saw some does working their way through the timber around 90 or 100 yards away, so I got my bow off the hanger and laid it on my lap watching to see if the does would head my way. About a half hour later I heard a deer walking behind me and to my right. I watched and saw the deer emerge from the brush. I saw the rack and as soon as he got behind some trees I stood up and got turned. He stopped and sniffed the air, curling his lip. I looked at the body and knew he was a shooter. I drew as he got behind some trees and aimed for a shooting lane. As he entered the lane I knew he was at 40 yards so I grunted to stop him, settled my pin behind his shoulder and punched the trigger. I watched the lighted knock fly down the shooting lane, through the trees and hit him right where I aimed, just behind the shoulder about 1/3 of the way up from his belly. He bolted and I saw the arrow back out of the wound and come out and a huge spray of blood as he turned and ran back the way he had come from. A few seconds after he disappeared I heard a crash and what sounded like kicking. I sat down, shaking like a leaf and called a few people. My hunting buddy called and said he would be there shortly. He got there and we started looking. 5 minutes and a super easy blood trail later I was standing over my buck. He is a 3 1/2 year old that I have many pics and videos of. He's the third biggest buck on the property and I am more than happy with him. My biggest buck with a bow and the oldest I've shot.  After I got him gutted and loaded up, I headed to pick up my son and then go vote. When I pulled into the voting location, I got my son out and showed him the deer in the back of the ATV on the trailer. A guy that had pulled in walked up and siad "I have to see too" and climbed up for a look. He complimented me on the deer and we walked into the voting location. When I was at the table getting my card, one of the women at the table whispered to my son "Daddy forgot to take his face paint off", and I laughed, realizing that my face was covered in black paint. We all had a chuckle and voted and headed home.

Wednesday I had errands to run, and I stopped by a taxidermist and spoke to him about mounting my buck. I agreed to have him do it, and went home to load up my deer, as he wanted to cape it out himself. I took the deer down there and he caped it out and we loaded it back into my truck. When we got home, my son and I finished skinning it, and then headed inside to make dinner. Dinner was venison heart fajitas, which are mine and my sons favorite deer season treat. It was delicious.

Today Im back to work. This weekend, my daughter will be with me, but not my son, so we have all weekend to try and get her a deer. It really would be the frosting on a great bow season to have her get her first deer. We will see....

 

Some pics...

Tuesday morning at dawn walking in...

 

The arrow found while beginning the tracking. Nice red, bubbly blood!

 

The end of the blood trail....

 

Exit and entrance wounds from the Rage 125 Gr Crossbow head...

 

Pic of the buck hanging in the garage...

 

Skinning the buck with my son...

 

Dinnertime!

 

Trail cam pic of my buck in velvet. Ill dig up more of these later...

 

[WNYBuckHunter]

This past weekend was pretty much a flop for me. Between my both kids having hockey practice and games on both days, and my daughter having a bit of a breakdown about her shooting confidence, we didnt get out in the woods. This week Im heading to North Carolina for work, and wont be back in time for any more bow hunting, so my bow season in complete for this year. Its been a great season, and actually for the first time in a way Im kinda bummed that its time to get the guns out. On the other hand, my target buck kept skirting me all of bow season, so Im looking forward getting back after him again. I did hear two people talking about the "monster" crossing the road in front of the farm, etc, so I know hes been spotted by others. Hopefully that doesnt mean I will be spending time dealing with trespassers instead of trying to close the books on the buck Ive been chasing for 2 years now.

[BizCT]

8 minutes ago, WNYBuckHunter said:

This past weekend was pretty much a flop for me. Between my both kids having hockey practice and games on both days, and my daughter having a bit of a breakdown about her shooting confidence, we didnt get out in the woods. This week Im heading to North Carolina for work, and wont be back in time for any more bow hunting, so my bow season in complete for this year. Its been a great season, and actually for the first time in a way Im kinda bummed that its time to get the guns out. On the other hand, my target buck kept skirting me all of bow season, so Im looking forward getting back after him again. I did hear two people talking about the "monster" crossing the road in front of the farm, etc, so I know hes been spotted by others. Hopefully that doesnt mean I will be spending time dealing with trespassers instead of trying to close the books on the buck Ive been chasing for 2 years now.

Bring the bow to NC!

[WNYBuckHunter]

1 hour ago, Biz-R-OWorld said:

Bring the bow to NC!

LOL, I wish but I wont have time

[WNYBuckHunter]

I havent been updating this because, well, I havent hardly been out. Gun season has been almost a complete bust for me this year. I injured my left knee opening weekend, spent my entire vacation thanksgiving week on the couch, have traveled a bunch for work, and with my knee, havent been able to walk far or climb stands. I was relegated to a couple of blinds that were a short walk. This past Friday I knocked down a doe at home, gutted her but had to leave her lay so I could pick up my kids. Long story short, by the time I got back to her a few hours later, the coyotes had dragged her into the brush, torn the rear quarters apart and eaten up around the gutting hole. I have some work to do trying to knock out some of those coyotes this winter I guess. So gun season was a bust for me for the first time in 15 or so years.

I did get a little news that put a glimmer of hope back in my mind today. The trip for work I was supposed to go on this week/weekend was cancelled, so Ill be able to get out for ML season.

[Fletch]

Man I really dislike coyotes!! I have a few more that need to be thinned out behind the house. Shot one in bow and saw two more the other night. Got them on cam in the back yard nightly.

[chrisw]

Anytime you have to leave a deer unattended for long just throw a jacket or vest or whatever you have with human scent on the deer. The coyotes won't touch it for days. I've left them overnight to come back and see tracks within feet of the deer but they were deterred by my jacket. But taking a few out does wonders too!

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

[WNYBuckHunter]

Thanks for the tip for the future chris, someone else gave me that tip as well. Wish Id have thought about that the other day.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Geeze I havent Updated this in a while. Might as well restart it. 

Yesterday afternoon Haley and I got our first set on our new property hung. It’s a double sitting in an oak and beech flat. When I put my food plots in, this area has turned into a pinch point. It sits right between the plots. I put a trail cam in there a few weeks ago and they have confirmed that I have pretty heavy traffic going through there already. This set will cover it nicely and be easy and quiet to get into. 

I plan to put a water source in this spot, probably a buried tub or trough, as well as a mock scrape. 

During bow and crossbow I can cover the majority of it. During gun I can reach both plots as well once I cut lanes. 

[WNYBuckHunter]

Another set hung today. This one covers the clover plot, the trail at the end of the pinch as well as allowing me to see into the thicket on the other side of the trail. Another option for the area with different winds. 

[WNYBuckHunter]

Went out and walked a bit of my property that o hadn’t payed attention to yet. Built a mock scrape and licking branch in a place I want To check out. Hung another 2 cams. I also Checked my other trail cams. A ton of activity in the plots and a found a few scrapes that are opened up. 

[dbHunterNY]

sounds promising.

[WNYBuckHunter]

55 minutes ago, dbHunterNY said:

sounds promising.

There are a ton of deer around. I keep hearing rumors of a couple of big guys running around the area, but so far they have evaded my cams. I have exactly 1 pic of a buck that looked good, but he was too far away to tell what he was. Activity in the plots just keeps ramping up everytime I check cards.

[dbHunterNY]

that many deer there and the bucks will follow. i'd think you probably have a decent age structure in the area that something good will be around. few weeks will tell when the pecking order gets re-established.

[Robhuntandfish]

28 minutes ago, WNYBuckHunter said:

There are a ton of deer around. I keep hearing rumors of a couple of big guys running around the area, but so far they have evaded my cams. I have exactly 1 pic of a buck that looked good, but he was too far away to tell what he was. Activity in the plots just keeps ramping up everytime I check cards.

Chicks and looks like an all you can eat buffet - the boys are just waiting at the velvet rope - they will be there!