I hope I'll have something neat to write about this season. So far, I have been out to hang a tree stand and help with a ground blind for my partner. I'll be up there again this weekend for one last check. I have seen tons of signs, lots of acorns nearby, and I simply can't wait to see what happens... Lots has gone into preparing for my archery and gun hunt so I hope it pays off.

There is a nice 6 point buck in my hunting area that survived last season and a much larger one that was missed, hopefully he'll still be using the area.

I'll post some pics shortly.

I am heading up to 76C this weekend to check things out... Pics to come. Next weekend I will be off to Pefferlaw to join my good friend Phil on his deer spot to familiarize myself there. I'll be hunting with him and his group a few days after the archery opener on what sounds like a very promising spot.  

Checked my spot out on 76 and it looks really good. The trails we noticed a couple of weeks ago have been used considerably since then, my feeder has been used with almost all the feed gone, fresh tracks below my stand, and my friend who owns the land says the pinch point spot is where he sees most of his deer sightings. My brother's feeder was done as well, so I refilled it for him. I dropped a load of fresh crumbled carrots in mine. I won't be back there until a little later in October so I hope it continues to draw deer in.

I am off to 78 in a couple of weeks. My buddy there just showed me pics of the deer that have been moving through in front of my stand there... And I am really excited now! I just hope we see them when I'm there.

Had a cold one with the land owner - the beer was on me... And we talked deer cuisine and enjoyed a half hour of great weather and catch up. What a beautiful day.

Mike

I hunted the morning and had a doe appear at 56 yards out. She seemed startled by something and ran off in a hurry. It was great to be back in the woods hunting again. I'll probably be back there in mid or late November to try again. My next stop is in 76 in a couple of weeks... too long to wait .

Hunted from 2:00 until dark on Saturday the 18th of October. Saw no deer. My partner sat in his ground blind by a swamp edge and thicket and sow none as well. Other than that, it was a comfortable bright cool day on the treestand. I won't be back there until the gun hunt.

I hunted three full days this week in what was the warmest controlled shotgun hunt ever since 1965, I think. Anyway, my opener started with a morning watching a black bear rumage around in the feeding area across from my treestand. He visited three times until I yelled at him, having nothing to throw his way. I also missed a buck as he slipped through a ticket in front of me... Man, was I ever disappointed. Our group had many chances and never connected, despite the warm and "wrong" weather for deer hunting. My next chance at filling a tag will be in a couple of weeks, same place... only this time it'll be on the ground near a newly found trail that seemed to be the travel route of preference this week... I wish I would have figured that out earlier...

Heading out tomorrow 11-29-08 - for a morning hunt in 76C. I'll be getting my treestand out of there and doing some scouting for next season as well. I may be back there for one last hunt December but in a natural ground blind.

Saw nothing. Lots of snow.

Officially done for 2008. We planned to head out to Pefferlaw this past Sunday morning but decided to stay back due the weather. So since I have no more free time to hunt, I'm done. Saw only one buck this 'short' season, and he was a shooter... but the shot never connected.

Hey Michael,, sounds like you had a full season,, with the weather it has been difficult to get out. Mitch and I went out yesterday and got caught in the storm,,cold, cold, cold,, not a fun time,,Next will be small game or turkeys for you,,Frank

Turkey, yes!! And maybe one coyote hunt, if I can get out this Jan or Feb.

I'm looking forward to  doing some prepping for deer this summer. I found a new spot along a swamp and some hardwoods. This spot has proven to be a main entry/escape route between pastures as deer move from island bush lots in the morning and evening. Gonna be cutting a trail or two and will be hanging my ladder stand there in July/August. Can't wait to start working!

Broke my toe this summer so I never did get back there into the swamp and hardwoods like i had planned.... that's ok though. I'll leave them alone over there. I did however find a great looking spot in a small wood lot on the other end, closer to my car Lol, where i found tons of acorns and good trails to hang a tree stand close by. Going there this weekend to check out my mineral lick and small plot.

Hi Swamp Buck can you please tell me what crumbled carrots are.I am thinking broken pieces from the warehouse.

I just grab big whole carrots and snap them into pieces - crumbled carrots.

Well I was close, in Bradford there are veggie warehouses they hold onions carrots ect you can buy a skid of cull carrots cheap most are broken or misshaped thats what I was thinking  you used.

Sat in my new spot in an inside edge close to bedding and among lots of acorns. I only had a 3 hours to spare for this morning hunt . I saw nothing. I did notice fresh tracks in the area, probably from before I got there. The rest of my archery hunt for October will focus on other spots in WMU 78, so I won't be back to this area until the gun hunt in November. I hope cold weather will put those deer on the move when I return there.

Well colder weather did come, and as I thought - hunting the full moon would not be good. Still lots of tracks around but it seemed deer were nocturnal. Our group saw 0 deer.

I'll be in 78B in a couple of weeks to do some more hunting, this time with my crossbow. I hope it's a better turn out.