I wanted to share a few photos from the duck blind this morning from our hunt near Sacramento, CA. We were hunting flooded rice stubble and the diversity and number of ducks were amazing. The weather switched from high wind and pouring rain to overcast with a steady breeze just in time for our hunt. I shot a spoonbill and a drake mallard, as well as a lot of air during the few hours that we were out.

We have one more morning of hunting planned and hopefully the ducks are a little more cooperative. We saw hundreds of birds but most of them remained well out of range.

As you know if you’ve been reading Rub Lines for any period of time, I believe western Illinois to be the best whitetail hunting in the world if you’re after a buck of a lifetime. While there are several other states that have great whitetails, I feel that your odds of arrowing one are best in Illinois. If you’ve been wanting to plan a trip there, now is the time to think about booking for the 2012 season.

I have written many times about the great experiences I’ve had with Riverview Outfitters in Hancock County, Illinois, and you can hunt these same great places this coming season. Riverview Outfitters currently has openings for the five-day period of October 29 through November 2 if you want to hunt the rut, and they also have several openings for early season hunting beginning on October 1. There are also openings for the shotgun and muzzleloader seasons. For a list of the various hunting weeks offered and rates visit this page. The final two hunts of the archery season are booked, so keep this in mind when planning your trip.

If you think you might be interested in hunting with Josh and Tyler at Riverview Outfitters, definitely get in touch with me and I will be happy to answer any questions for you. I have hunted with them since the day they opened their doors and I promise you that you can’t go wrong. From incredible hunting to comfortable lodging and excellent food, they provide it all, and at an excellent price. Remember, the price includes great food, lodging (satellite television, washer and dryer, hot showers, etc.), and a fully guided hunt including transportation to and from your stand and handling of your deer. Also, the stands are very high quality and comfortable making it much easier to endure an all-day sit if you so desire.

If  you want to reserve your spot you need to act fast before the 2012 season sells out. All that is required is a deposit to hold your spot. For more details on Riverview Outfitters, definitely spend some time on their website. I promise you it is as good as advertised.

Here are a few links to previous posts I wrote while hunting with Riverview Outfitters:

2011 Season          2010 Season          2009 Season

Now that you’ve had a chance to study the photo for a few seconds, what do you think? Unfortunately, there was once a trail camera attached to this tree. Three bullet holes later there is nothing left but the evidence of idiocy. This is the second camera that one of my coworkers had stolen this year from his private property. Not only was someone trespassing, they took the next step and stole valuable property while they were there. This brings me back to the question that seems to creep into my head each hunting season. What is wrong with people?

I probably read dozens of notices in the local paper and on the many online hunting forums that I visit about trail cameras and treestands being stolen. What drives people to do these things we will never know. Even the least expensive cameras and stands start at about $100, with better models easily reaching $400 to $500. In the case of the photo above, the camera was secured with a steel cable and lock to deter theft, but quick work was made of it by the thief who decided to shoot them off. People pay good money for quality hunting gear only to have it stolen by common criminals who also happen to hunt.

I sometimes get frustrated when I hear people describe hunters as slobs and the lowest common denominator of society. At the same time, I can almost understand where it comes from. Instead of so many videos and television shows depicting celebrity hunters shooting giant bucks that are just a dream for most, maybe there should be shows focused on hunting ethics. I don’t want to point the finger at the outdoor television industry, but I do think it has an influence on the average hunter who always thinks someone else’s property is better and that they need to stoop to dirty tactics to ruin another hunter’s chances to improve their own.

After a brief vacation from writing, I’m refreshed and ready to get back at it! In terms of hunting excitement since I last wrote, my trip to do some waterfowl hunting with some of my new coworkers was easily the pinnacle. You may recall my recent announcement that I am leaving my job at Western Pennsylvania Conservancy to become the COO at Delta Waterfowl Foundation early in 2012. Well, this trip was a great way to get to know the regional directors, while also shooting some ducks southern style.

We were hunting just outside of Lula, MS in an area that is flooded this time of year by the Mississippi River. The blinds were outstanding and so was the duck hunting. We saw thousands of ducks and were able to coax a good number of them into shooting range over the two days. On the first day we shot 13 ducks, which was pretty good for just a few hours of hunting. On the second day the four of us shot our limit of five each, and I went through more than a full box of shells. Instead of boring you with all of the details, I will share a few photos from the hunt instead to give you a feel for what the experience was like.

Buck, our helpful black Lab, sat patiently waiting for ducks to hit the water. It was fun watching him retrieve our kills.

We shot our limit of 20 ducks on day two, all of which were mallards.

As most of you know by now, I’m leaving Pennsylvania to take my new job with Delta Waterfowl Foundation in North Dakota. In addition to selling my house, I am also selling my share of the 160 acre hunting property that I own. While I don’t necessarily need to sell, I don’t see myself getting back here enough during hunting season to make it worth keeping. It is a great property that has been under management for more than 10 years. We have taken several Pope and Young class bucks on the property over the years. There are three other owners so what is for sale is a 1/4 share. You can see a complete listing with more details here.

This is a hunting property only and is used primarily during archery season. Some firearms hunting occurs on the property borders as well, but the core of the property is protected. Owners are allowed two guests on the property, and rules regarding property use is discussed by the owners annually. Nearly the entire property is forested with a lot of exceptional early successional habitat. If this is something you might be interested in, please feel free to get in touch with me. If you think you might be interested in the house (see below) and the property, let me know that as well and we can negotiate. It is not too often an opportunity to own a log home in the woods where you can just walk out your door and go hunting on a great property comes along. I hope one of you can take advantage of it.

Mike wanted to share a free hunt with you from our DVD, WOW Whitetails Volume 1: No Time To Waste. Check it out and if you like it, there is no doubt you’ll enjoy the entire video. There is still time to get your copy for Christmas either for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. To order your copy, go to the Weekend Outdoor Warrior website.

This is a video of our house that we have on the market. This is a great opportunity for someone who wants to live in a log home in the woods! Check out the video and let me know if you or anyone you know has any interest. My real estate agent says she can get about anyone financed, and for rates under 4%, you can’t go wrong! The video contains the details, but of course you can contact me for more information at npinizzotto@hotmail.com.

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Sales Contact

Kuzneski & Lockard, Inc.Kuzneski & Lockard Incinfo@klrealestate.com(724) 349-1924

I sat with my brother yesterday who still had his buck tag and an atlerless tag to fill. It was a cold and crisp morning and about perfect for gun hunters, especially when compared to the season opener on Monday. It wasn’t long before a group of deer headed our direction, one of which was a nice-sized adult doe. Junior whispered “I’m going to take her if she comes in,” and it wasn’t five seconds later that she did just that. In fact, she almost came in too close as the shot was only about 30 yards as I watched it through the lens of my video camera. By 7:30 a.m. Junior’s doe tag was filled and we were concentrating on antlers.

We loaded up the big doe and climbed back into the stand around 10:00 a.m. Just before noon we saw at least 10 deer moving across the hillside above us. We could see a couple bucks, but they were small and well out of range anyway. We were hopeful that there might be a good buck in the group, and that he might make his way in our direction for the evening hunt. Since I didn’t have a tag to fill, I returned to the house for some lunch and a little bit of football before returning to the stand around 2:00 p.m. We saw several deer in the evening, but nothing to shoot at. We heard very little shooting, and there was almost no traffic on our road indicating that there were few hunters out. By this time the decent bucks have been pressured to the point of finding a good hiding spot and staying put, causing a lot of frustration among hunters.

If you still have a buck tag to fill, now is the time to seek out some of the nastiest cover you can find and post downwind of it. I’m not a fan of deer drives or just crashing through the brush because it is almost impossible to get off a reasonable shot in those conditions. Instead, I recommend finding good potential bedding areas and hoping for a buck to briefly emerge for a bite to eat or maybe to check on a few does. I also recommend waiting until mid-week to hunt if at all possible. There won’t be a lot of deer movement during daylight hours on properties that are heavily hunted so picking just the right day will be important. It looks like rain during the early part of the week so heading out on Thursday or Friday might be the ticket. I have seen good bucks moving late in the week during the last week of the season and even chasing does so don’t think you are facing impossible odds. I have even had some luck with a grunt call and scents during this time of year so don’t be afraid to give those a try. If you still have a buck tag in your pocket you really have nothing to lose.

By most accounts, the opening day of firearms season in both Pennsylvania and Ohio was pretty slow. In addition to the warm temperatures, significant areas in both states had to deal with moderate to heavy rain for a good part of the day, which really put the odds in favor of the deer. For my part, I spent the day with my Dad next to my house and although we avoided the rain, the lack of deer activity was unavoidable.

As we walked over to the stand we saw several deer heading to bedding areas just before daylight. Once we got situated, a few more deer came into view, but the group consisted of two does and one small buck. There was very little shooting in the area, and by the time we decided to head in for lunch our deer count was up to nine. Despite it being opening day, we could sense that there was no hurry to get back on stand for the afternoon. In fact, my Dad took a nap and I took advantage of the time off to take care of some yard work. This would have never been the case years ago when the action was fast and furious. Boy how times have changed.

At 2:00 p.m. we were back on stand, but the most excitement we had was watching a couple of small woodpeckers chase each other around the base of a tree. I think I counted five shots all afternoon, none of which were closer than a mile away. It was so bad that I watched my Dad nod off about a dozen times. If you have been to my Facebook page you probably saw one of the photos! Frankly, I could have easily dozed off as well but I figured one of us needed to be awake just in case. It wasn’t until just before dark that a doe and two fawns came into view, but that was the extent of our deer sightings for the day.

Although I am aware of a few good bucks taken, I have to assume that kill numbers were way down for the opener. Plus, another day of rain today certainly kept most deer alive, which bodes well for the weekend hunters. It looks like the temperatures are going to drop a bit over the next couple of days so at least it will feel more like gun season. If you happened to get lucky so far this season, send me a photo with some details and I’ll post it on my Facebook page. If you haven’t been there yet, be sure to visit and “Like” the page so that you get regular updates.

You could feel the excitement in the air yesterday. In addition to seeing a lot more flourescent orange apparel around the area, the sounds of gunfire rang out across the hillsides and I could hear the neighbors busily putting the final touches on their tree stand, which closely resembles a fancy studio apartment at this point. Although I’m not a huge fan of firearms season as I’ve written about in the past, what I can’t deny is the level of excitement that it brings to area hunters, and how the tradition brings together young and old for at least one magical day afield each year.

For some, opening day is simply about going out to sit on that same old stump or in that same old tree stand every year with tradition outweighing success on the priority list. For others, it’s about introducing their sons or daughters to the sport of hunting with safety and being able to see for long distances to increase sightings being most important. Then there are those who are taking things a bit more seriously and are hoping to fill their tags with a good buck. For some, archery season may not have gone as planned and this is a shot at redemption. Let’s also not forget that there are some serious gunners out there who put in time scouting for the big day. For those of you who are most focused on getting your hands on a good set of antlers, the rest of this article is for you! Below is a to do, and not to do list of things that will increase your chances during firearms season.

Not to Do

• Pick spots that you can see a country mile from. Just because you have a gun in your hands, resist the temptation to set up over areas where you can see hundreds of yards through the open woods or fields. Even young bucks tend to avoid these areas when pressured, and getting a reasonable shot in these settings can be difficult.
• Take wild shots at running deer. True sportsmen take the time to properly identify their target and only shoot when a safe and humane shot is offered. For some reason the combination of flourescent orange and the smell of gunpowder makes some hunters lose their minds as well as respect for the animal. A single shot that drops the deer in its tracks should always be your goal.
• Walk around aimlessly in the woods. For whatever reason, firearms hunters seem to have ants in their pants and start walking around the woods after only an hour or so on watch. Not only is it nearly impossible to get a reasonable shot using this tactic, you’re more likely to push deer to other hunters who are showing more patience.
• Trespass. As much as it seems like this should go without saying, this continues to be a problem in many areas. Although I don’t know all of the rules in other states, in Pennsylvania hunters must assume that land is posted regardless of the presence of signs. Make sure that you have permission to hunt the property you are on and resist the urge to cross the line. Also, consider how close you are to property lines, especially when shooting at a deer. If you shoot a deer and it crosses onto another property before expiring, landowners DO NOT have to give you permission to retrieve it, not even with the help of a game warden.
• Approach other hunters to see how their day is going. My friend Tyler at Riverview Outfitters in Illinois was hunting the Missouri firearms season opener when another hunter decided it would be okay to walk up to him and ask him how the hunting was going. Unfortunately, this was shortly after daylight! Do not assume that other hunters want to chat. Simply give a wave to let him or her know you see them, and attend to your own business.

To Do

• Hunt like you have a bow in your hand. If it is a good buck that you’re after, you’ll have to be willing to limit your visibility and instead focus on areas of dense cover where older deer will be hiding. When I am hunting with a firearm, I typically hunt areas where most of my shots would be 50 yards or less. Although I’m sure I am not seeing all of the deer passing nearby, my focus is on mature bucks so I’m willing to give up some real estate. The last two bucks that I shot with a firearm were easily within bow range.
• Stay put. On opening day in particular it is important that you settle on your spot for the day and stay there. Opening day means the woods will be flooded with less experienced hunters who will keep deer moving by making mistake after mistake. Take your lunch with you and be ready to stick it out for the long haul.
• Remember that the rut is still on. Just yesterday I saw two small bucks chasing does and came across a few scrapes that were recently freshened. If you are lucky enough to hunt unpressured property, don’t be afraid to use some of the tactics that you would have used in early November. I would be sure to carry along calls and scents and use them just as I would during archery season.
• Play the wind. Having a gun in your hands does not mean wind is not a factor. In fact, wind direction is probably more of a factor when the woods are filled with other hunters. As soon as deer feel pressured, their senses go on high alert and even a hint of human odor will send them in the opposite direction. Always have a backup plan in mind if the wind is not right for your first choice of spots.
• Make safety a priority. Every year we hear about hunters being severely injured or losing their lives due to carelessness. Many of these accidents are due to tree stand falls or accidental shootings. DO NOT attempt to hunt from a tree stand without the use of a safety harness. You should also use a climbing system that allows you to climb and descend the tree while always being connected. Always be sure of your target. Think about all of the possible places a deer may be when you get a shot opportunity, and think about where your bullet might go should you miss. Always consider the “what ifs,” and remind yourself that the bullet’s destination is your responsibility once you pull the trigger.

These are just a few tips that might help you enjoy a safe and successful firearms season. Although I realize many of these seem to be common sense, I have seen common sense go out the window far too many times when there is a tag to be filled. Good luck to all of you who are heading out tomorrow. I hope you put your tag on the buck of a lifetime, but most of all, I hope everyone returns home safely at the end of the day.