As I said before, it was my first lonely season ever in the woods. Didn't hunt much this year because of family things but when I did get out it was lovely. I did not take a deer but saw 39 during my outings. All but two were does. The last buck I saw was the last day of season, a good 10 minutes after legal shooting time. I heard him coming for a while, and then there he was, within fifty feet of me. Too dark to count points, but guessing a six pointer, and a pretty one. He went on by to a favorite acorn spot below the East Ridge. Below are several of the tree rubs in the plantation. Each year the bucks hit 5 to 10 tress and always kill several. It is on the back side of this that I set up the census station each year.
Below is the first stand I took during season. It was latish as I skipped bow season (never again). I did not see a single deer during this watch.
The next sit I took was up on the Far Ridge, right after a good snow. Of course visibility was 50 yards max, and again, I saw nothing. Later sits in this stand brought many deer within shooting distance, but all does. The exception was on a sit just to the left, on the stone wall, where I foolishly stuck my head out behind a big tree to see what cracked a stick - and scared into full run a doe and a huge buck. Never had a decent shot. If I had sat tight, they would have passed within feet of me. Some things take longer to learn than 62 years.
This is my typical kit for a foray far into the woods. A box on the back for various tools and supplies, a hunting ruck on the front filled with knives, calls, scents, sleds, whatever I may want on stand, and my beloved Winchester model 70 30-06. Not sure whether the Winchester or Honda is my favorite. They ARE the best!.
I did hunt several times in the rain. Lots of deer present then, and one can stalk very quietly on the wet ground. I find that deer browse as often in the rain as they do in the dry. Here are my rain garments drying with the aid of a caribou!
This handsome 9 pointer showed regularly on oats and acorns right up through bow season. Come muzzle, well, he went nocturnal of course. He is still out there for next year. The winter we are having will NOT take a toll on the herd.
I began the census station on December 20th, but only one deer has been interested. He is the spike horn you see down below. Typically at this time of year (January) we have dozens of deer hitting this station, but with no snow, and moderate temperatures, they are simply not interested. there is food everywhere. I started logging and dropping maples, and they cruise right on by. The turkeys however come in daily and scarf the whole corn kernels. This is a flock of nineteen that come daily.
The one young guy so far!. It's OK, not enough snow to accurately count beds anyway, and they are so scattered at this point that a count would be meaningless. I am guessing 20+ per square mile though.
The turks again.
A Gray fox pair. beautiful winter coats.
It always fascinates me to watch turkeys fly. How wings like this can lift up a twenty five pound bird into full flight is amazing. On the other hand we find turkey wing feathers on the land often. Take two, fan them together, and wave your arm up and down. You can FEEL the lift forty such feathers would give. Simply neat.
So, it is off to a New Year. Not sure how THIS one is going to go, but in our little world of nature and farm and friends and family, we will be sound, healthy and safe. And I MEAN safe. I trust all of you will be also, wishing you a good year.
Last I wish to thank my LRDC hunters for their thoughtfulness and generosity during this year, when most did not even hunt here. Thus, this summer, some stand rebuilds, new stands altogether, and a great fall will be coming. At my age now, it is about thirty seconds away. I just know some of you understand that one!
jackzeller@protonmail.com
