November 30, 2009

Location:  House Stand
Entry/Exit Times: 07:00 – 17:00
Weather: 45 - 37 degrees, morning rain then overcast, wind NNW 10-15 m.p.h., barometer 29.75 to 29.86

It was the opening day of firearms season, and it was a wild one. First of all, the steady rain in the morning put a damper on my plans to hunt with my bow. I figured my best bet would be to just watch our lot with my rifle behind the house from our ladder stand, and set up my tree umbrella. I saw a couple of doe at first light, but decided to go back into the house from 8:00 to 10:00 to let the rain leave the area. I figured the activity would pick up once the rain stopped, and boy was I right.

Shortly after I sat down, a small seven-point chased a couple of adult does and a couple of fawns not more than 10 feet in front of me. He was grunting with every step, and didn’t seem at all bothered by the fact that he was now fair game. After a few more does and small bucks worked their way through, I saw a sizable group of deer coming in from my right at about 11:30. I could see a good rack in the skylight, and when I scoped him out, it confirmed my suspicion that it was a good buck. I could easily see a heavy rack with long tines, but I didn’t take a shot because I felt he was actually off of my lot, and I thought he may head down to my location. As it turned out, there was another good buck behind him that looked to be a shooter, and a three-point. Of course, only the three-point decided to walk right past me. That was fine with me though because I figured the two good bucks bedded quickly, and now stand a good chance of surviving the season. I just don’t find rifle hunting nearly as satisfying, so in a strange way, I was rooting for the deer to stay out of range.

I’ll make a much longer story short. By the end of the day, I saw 32 antlerless deer, and nine bucks. Of the nine bucks, two appeared to be shooters, and one other one was legal in terms of the point restriction for my area. I’m sure some of the antlerless deer were the same, but I’m sure I missed a few too. I also saw 17 turkey. It was a heck of a day, and I had a great time watching all of the activity. My gun just sat there as I enjoyed the show, and that was fine by me.

I may get out a time or two before the firearms season ends, but I’m really looking forward to the winter season. Until then, I’ll be rooting for the bucks to get another year wiser, and bigger.

Deer Observed:  9 bucks, 32 antlerless

Large doe groups are starting to form as winter nears.

It seems the days of endless activity and bucks running does all over the place are over for the year. Out of about 200 photos, only two were of a mature buck, and they were both of the same buck. He was already looking thinner than in previous photos I have of him, an obvious sign that he’ll be limiting his activity, and focusing on staying alive this winter. Another thing I noticed is large doe groups forming. This happens every year over the winter as deer feel safer among other deer, and there are only a few solid food sources left where they tend to congregate.

The firearms season in Pennsylvania starts tomorrow. They’re calling for rain in the morning, which will certainly limit the success rate of hunters. Based on what I’m seeing, I don’t expect their to be much action anyway, regardless of weather. With the deer already limiting their movement, adding hunters and gunshots to the woods certainly bring things to a grinding halt. As stated in my previous post, the best chance for an opportunity at a mature buck will probably be mid-day later in the week. I plan on taking the bow out for a few hours in the morning unless it’s raining. Of course, that’s subject to change due to the weather. I may just sit tight until evening when the weather is supposed to break.

If you’re going out tomorrow, good luck! Please consider safety first, and if you’re in a stand, be sure to wear a safety harness. Far too many people get injured or even killed during opening day due to treestand mishaps. No deer is worth being injured for. Also, be sure to hunt with integrity and obey game and property laws. Unfortunately, some people do things out of character during deer season because they want so badly to be successful. Think before you act. Respect the game you’re hunting, and the land that you’re hunting on.

This good buck was up and moving during daylight hours last season by the middle of the week. This is not uncommon once opening-day pressure subsides.

Firearms season is opening soon in several states, or has recently opened and is currently underway. In high pressured states, such as my home state of Pennsylvania, most hunters believe that if they don’t score on opening day or by the first Saturday of the season, they’ll be making tag soup. While it’s true that high-pressured whitetails are certainly more difficult to take, a little skill and patience can pay off.

One thing a lot of hunters forget during the firearms season is that the tail-end of the rut is still in play. Testosterone levels in bucks are still close to peak, making them willing to move during daylight hours in search of any remaining estrous does. While there is no doubt that the sound of gunshots and the smells of hunters throughout the woods on opening day will bring a halt to buck movement by mid-morning, that doesn’t mean that they won’t move again later in the season when most hunters either give up, or have already filled their tags. This will provide a window of opportunity for you to take a good buck if you play your cards right.

If you did any pre-season scouting, or had the opportunity to hunt during the archery season, you already know where the best deer activity is in your hunting area. The buck sign didn’t get there by accident. It’s there because the bucks were there, and are likely to still be nearby. My advice is to head back to these areas mid to late week when you’re likely to have most of the woods to yourself. Here are some key tips to consider:

• Pay extra attention to the wind as a pressured buck will remain bedded as long as he smells the presence of humans after being pressured. Try to have a couple of good spots in mind to allow for different wind scenarios. If you think you know where the deer are bedded, hunt downwind from those areas.
• Don’t leave the woods at lunchtime. Just like we do our best to pattern deer, they’re excellent at patterning us. They know that our typical approach is to hunt early morning and late afternoon, while leaving the woods during the day. Big bucks especially like to move during the middle of the day to feed or check bedded doe groups, and you can take advantage of this.
• Worry less about how far you can see in the woods to shoot, and more about being able to see in thick cover. I have to admit, I get a chuckle every time I see an orange-clad hunter standing along an open field later in the season, waiting for a buck to bolt into the open. If you can see more than 100 yards around you, you’re not hunting the right cover. Focus on areas that seem more suited for archery hunting as bucks in particular will use thicker cover to get from point A to point B.
• Don’t forget about calls and scents. I’ve called in some great deer over the years during firearms season, particularly later in the week. As mentioned above, the rut is still in, and bucks will still be responsive to the sounds and smells of mating season. Be sure to consider safety when calling though as you may call in a hunter looking for a buck chasing does.
• Use an elevated stand when possible, and ALWAYS wear a safety harness. Resist the urge to climb into homemade stands as they’re typically unsafe and maybe even illegal depending on where you are hunting. I only buy stands with the Treestand Manufacturers Association tag on them so I know it was made by a reputable company. Elevated stands allow you to get above areas of heavy cover, and make locating deer moving through it much easier.

Two seasons ago, I was hunting on the first Thursday with my bow during the firearms season. I was in an area that I knew had a lot of doe activity, and my plan was to hang out with them hoping that a mature buck would check them at some point during the day. By 4:00 p.m., I had several does feeding around me when they seemed to get a bit edgy. Sure enough, a trophy buck came in from my left and began harassing the adult does around me. The wind was perfect, and he had no clue I was there. Although he didn’t offer a great archery shot, he offered many easy shots had I been carrying a rifle. Despite being chased hard a few days before, it was obvious the deer had calmed down, and they were resuming their regular feeding and general activity patterns.

If you don’t fill your tag on opening day, don’t fret. Don’t change the way you’ve always hunted and simply start walking around the woods hoping to jump a shooter buck. The odds are never in the hunter’s favor in that scenario. Your best bet is to let the deer come to you naturally. Using the above tips will put you in a better position to be successful later in the season, and may result in you taking the biggest buck you’ve ever taken.

Data collection is an important element of Quality Deer Management. Here I am extracting a jawbone and getting the live weight from an adult doe shot by co-owner Jeff Hopkins. By collecting this data over a number of years, I will be better able to understand the health of our local deer herd.

The first person I ran into that was practicing some form of deer management was Art Grguric, who was in control of a property in southern Indiana County, PA. He explained how he and some others were letting the younger bucks go so that they would have a chance at bigger bucks in the following years. He also required people hunting the property to take an adult doe before they were allowed to hunt a buck. Anyone shooting a button back was “banished” as he would say. This was well before Pennsylvania implemented antler restrictions, so Art was ahead of his time. Sure there were ticked off neighbors and people who thought he was crazy, but he knew that positive change wouldn’t come easy, and he pressed on. I got the opportunity to hunt the property that year and I remember two moments that changed my hunting career forever. The first was when I passed on a buck that was bigger than any buck I had ever shot with a bow. Although he was nice, he didn’t have a spread beyond the ears, and was illegal for the property. The second was when I saw my first Pope and Young class buck. Everything was different about him, and it clicked in my head that this is how bucks are supposed to look and act, unlike the yearlings that I was accustomed to seeing.

To make a much longer story shorter, I ended up taking a slightly over 130-inch deer that season on the last day after passing on dozens of bucks. A few years later, I had the opportunity to join a partnership to by the property, and we’ve been practicing some form of management ever since. I have a lot of trophies on my wall that wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for QDM on our property. It’s not perfect, and I know that I’m a bit more fanatical about it than the others, but it’s still much better than the alternative, and I hope that our program can continue to progress in a positive way over the years.

I am an active member of the Quality Deer Management Association, and have gone through their Deer Steward certification process to get Level II certification. To get this, I had to travel to Illinois and Erie, PA on two different occasions, but it was well worth the time and money. I went into the program knowing a lot about QDM, but I left knowing three-times more than I did beforehand. I got to interact with some of the top whitetail and property management people in the world, and you can’t get that type of experience just anywhere. In the grand scheme of things, the Quality Deer Management Association is a young organization, but they’re on the road to great things, and I’m glad I’m along for the ride.

I really believe QDM is catching on across the country, and I’m excited to see where it takes us over the next several years. I look at how far it has come over the last 10 years, and it gets me excited about where we’ll be 10 years from now. I understand that it’s not for everyone at this point in time (some of our neighbors could care less), but I think that will change in time. When it does, I’ll be thankful for that too.

I finally got around to posting this. This is the video clip that was shot shortly after I came upon my Illinois buck. Thanks again to Tyler and Josh at Riverview Outfitters for providing an outstanding experience, and for putting me in the vicinity of such a great deer. Their contact information is displayed at the conclusion of the video, and you can feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

Look closely and you'll see my stand hidden among the branches in the skyline.

When you’re hunting the late season, you better make concealment and scent control your top priorities if you hope to be successful. By this time of year, deer have been chased hard with bows and guns, and getting them into bow range is no easy task. Mature bucks become especially wary this time of year, which is why scoring in late December or January with a bow is a true accomplishment.

I set this stand yesterday morning, and I plan to hunt it a time or two during the late season, which begins on December 26. I like to set my stands high this time of year, and I always look for a good backdrop. If you found the stand in the above photo, you’ll notice a decent-sized tree behind me that will help break up my silhouette. I located this stand in an area where I’ll be able to see for a good distance around me so I can get a better understanding of how the deer are moving. If I see a good buck in the area that consistently stays out of range, I can make a quick adjustment and try to get closer.

It's disappointing when good bucks like this one lose a few points from fighting. This is a common sight this time of year.

With the regular Pennsylvania archery season and my Illinois trip in my rear view mirror, it’s time to look forward to the winter season and another opportunity to fill my buck tag close to home. So far this year I have taken three deer with the bow, including my gross Boone and Crockett buck from last week. I think a lot of people would just kick up their feet and put the gear away for the year, but not this guy. The winter season offers yet another opportunity to put your skills to the test, and to be successful that late in the year, you have to be on top of your game.

I plan to get out and set a stand this morning, then finish reorganizing my gear after the Illinois trip. I have six trail cameras out monitoring different areas, so hopefully I get photos of a few mature bucks that survived archery and gun seasons. It gets tough this time of year because many of the bucks either have several broken points, or are missing half of their rack due to fighting. It seems like each year though I get pictures of at least one or two good bucks, and that’s what I’m hoping for this year. Even if I don’t find the type of deer I’m looking for, it will be an opportunity to get a few more days on stand before the long wait until October 2010.

Lake in the center of the property.

The sun has finally set on our 2009 archery trip to Illinois. Everyone had an opportunity at a shot, but didn’t necessarily get the bow drawn. All of the guys had trophy whitetails within shooting range, and I guess that’s about all you can ask for. At the end of the day, it was the poor weather and standing corn crop that made the difference. I feel confident that we would have taken three or four bucks if conditions were better. There’s hope for next year because most of the farms we’ll be hunting will be planted in soybeans. That doesn’t mean the weather will be any better, but at least there’s a better chance that the deer will be in the woods.

Brian and I will be pulling out a bit later than Ben, Cory, and Kevin. His truck is being worked on as I type this. To give you some indication about the quality of the people here, consider this. Our outfitters, Tyler and Josh, were able to find someone to drive out last night to pick up the needed part, then fix it first thing this morning so we can get back on the road. On top of that, Josh’s dad Mark offered us his truck to drive home if necessary! Talk about hospitality.

I hope to add a post or two on our way back. I’m excited to get home and see everyone, sleep in my own bed, and show everyone my buck. I already have a trip planned to Zellman’s Taxidermy on Saturday. It’s not often I’m excited to spend that kind of money, but I don’t think I can write the check fast enough.

I took this large adult doe on the last morning of our hunt. The photograph overlooks the Mississippi River, which was just down the hollow from my stand.

As I walked out the path toward the lodge, the leaves were finally crunching beneath my feet. Several days of rain had softened the forest floor, so I welcomed the soothing sound of the leaves. The air was cooling rapidly as the sun began to splash into the Mississippi. As I walked I passed by numerous rubs and scrapes, as well as the tracks of the giants that roam here. It was one of those moments that you wish you could put in a bottle. I was walking in whitetail paradise, and felt like the luckiest man on earth.

The fine doe that I shot earlier in the day found her final resting place just off of the path. I was quite sad as I thought about how many times she must have walked the magnificent ridge below me. She was an older deer, and I doubt any of her companions knew the landscape better than she did. It was her time, and it was by my hand. Those closest to me know that I do not take that responsibility lightly.

It’s the last day of our hunt, and I find myself with mixed emotions. I miss my wife, pets, and the rest of my family and friends. At the same time, I know I will miss this place, and leaving tomorrow morning won’t be easy. I was blessed to be able to harvest an Illinois giant on this trip, but somehow I don’t think it would have mattered. We spent the week with wonderful people, and were treated as if we had been best friends since childhood. The entire experience was memorable, and will be etched in all of our memories for the rest of our lives.

I am blessed to be able to make a trip like this. I wish every die-hard whitetail hunter like myself had this opportunity. To experience this land, and to watch a magnificent buck working his way through the best habitat that the earth can provide is magical. God willing, I’ll be back here in whitetail heaven, and I can promise you that my experience will not be measured by whether or not I filled a tag.

I was hunting some classic western Illinois whitetail country this afternoon.

It was like you’re used to seeing on television for you hunting show enthusiasts. We’re talking spacious corn fields surrounded by thick fencerows and steep valleys with the occasional food plot tucked in to prime whitetail ambush points. Even though I was only trying to fill a doe tag, I was fired up to be there, and just enjoyed taking in the sights, sounds, and smells. Make no mistake about it. This IS, as good as it gets for the deer and the whitetail hunter. Unfortunately, my hunt ended a bit prematurely as I loaned my umbrella to Brian because his broke early in the hunt. Him filling his buck tag is way more important that me filling a doe tag. As soon as the rain started, I was out of there.

The day had a pretty awkward start. It was raining, so I wasn’t going to hunt. As you know by reading last night’s post, we had some vehicle issues that needed taken care of. Ben’s tire was repaired last night, so he was good to go. Brian’s truck, however, had a problem that was a bit more complicated. He decided to stay back with me, and together we went back to Keokuk, Iowa (I never thought I’d be in that town five times this week) to an Auto Zone to see if we could get the problem diagnosed. It looks like he has a coil problem, which will only cost about $50 to repair. The part will be in tomorrow morning, so we should be good to go for our trip home on Friday.

The guys are doing their best to tough it out. They got in a morning hunt, came back for lunch, and then headed back out for the evening. I wasn’t getting a lot of text messages from the guys, so I’m going to assume that the activity wasn’t great. They should be returning any minute now. If it makes them feel any better, an outfitter in the area with 14 hunters in camp this week only killed one buck. We just ran into a bunch of issues that were out of the control of the guys here at Riverview Outfitters, which is just bad luck. The two biggest factors limiting deer sightings are the corn not being cut yet due to the very wet fall, and of course, the current low pressure system stalled over the area that has been dumping rain on us. To add insult to injury, it looks like it’s going to clear out of here just in time for our departure on Friday. I feel more and more blessed each day that I was able to connect on such a great buck during times like this.

We’ll see what tomorrow brings. I plan to hunt a bit, and maybe fill that doe tag.