2006 deer season diary.

[stilllearning]

03-10-2006
WOW what a night. Even with only 2 hours to hunt I saw 10 deer (all does and yearlings) and Eastern saw 12. I have a buck only tag and Eastern has an either sex tag. On our way to where we wanted to do our hunting we routed out 3 deer. I could not get eastern stopped before he spooked them but still neet to see them that early in the hunt.
We proceeded on to were we would split and I would head across to another field we have seen a lot of deer in and sure enough as soon as I got far enough to see the other side of the wind row of trees here was another nice sized doe. After she moved on I proceed onward to were I wanted to stand and watch from. I did find one scrape and was surprised to see it so early in the season. As I stood where I had been trying to get to I see another deer and when she ran two other tails came up.
As it started to get on the dusk side of things I decided to move back up towards where eastern was and as I step out to where I could see him in the next field I notice two deer that he is watching. I grab my binoculars and begin watching to see if he takes the shot or lets her go. I then notice that she is watching him pretty close and doen't give him a chance to knock an arrow while she is only about 20 yards away and broad side to him. As she ran and snorted I tried my doe call and behind me hear a deer snorting back at me. Not sure what it was as I did not get a look at it and it was starting to get quite dark by this time. so all and all it was a great evening. somthing I have been dreaming of for a while. A good start to the season.

 

[stilllearning]

05-10-2006
Tonight was a great night out in the fields. I saw a lot of deer but got the operatunity to laugh at a buddy of mine sneeking up and down the row of trees between two fields trying to get close to some does. He did get an arrow off at one of them but miss judged the distance and was just under the belly of the deer. I guess she did a nice jump straight up in the air and then only ran about 20 yards so that she was just out of his comfort zone for the shot.
He also saw the Two bucks in the area one being a spike horn and the other was at least a 6 point but he was pretty sure it was actualy an 8 point. If we get that one we will count the points a little closer. All in All a good night and tommorow is another day.

 

[stilllearning]

06-10-2006
I took the day off work today so I could get out there early. ;D ;D
After my wife put a stop to that I got away from the house after everyone had caught their bus to school and my wife had left for work (7:30). Heading into the woods a little after 8 am. Not as early as I would have liked but all was good. I was not in the woods more than ten minutes and I came out to the apple orchard I have to cross to get to the fields I hunt. I look over the orchard and take about 5 to 10 steps around a turn to my left and am busted big time by a doe at about 10 yards. She looks me over and starts stamping her feet. I had heard of this kind of thing but had not seen it before. she finally decides to move on and I notice a second tail come up and run with her. I continue on and all of a sudden I see a third deer running from right to left through the orchard to catch up with the doe that just left. 3 deer in ten minutes not bad. I cross the orchard and start out into the fields and see a doe and two fawns about 200 yards away in the far field from were I want to sit. So I continue on and make another left turn to get to my sitting spot. well not just yet though as I see a yearling come out from behind a knoll so I stop and watch mom and another yearling come out and they have not seen me yet so I stand there, for about an hour and a half. In that time the three deer in the far field have walked off and the three in from of me have now moved to the other side of a row of trees so I can now continue on.
(count at this point 9 deer).
I sit until I am so cold I need to go for a walk to warm up but as I get up and step out onto the field I see a doe off to my right so I look through the binoculars to make sure there is no horns and decide there are none. I stand as still as I can and she begins to stomp her feet as she moves from now 40 yards up to within 20 yards. she now tries lunging forward and planting both front feet to try and get me to move. I am now not sure she will not charge at me, but instead she blows and runs back to 40 yards and stops. she looks at me and starts all over until she is within 20 yards again. Finally she heads for the woods. I am now warmed up enough to go sit down.
As I sit I see another doe come out in a distant field and munch away. I again get cold and decide to go take a look at were I had sprayed some doe in heat scent the night before.
I never make it as I get busted by yet another doe. she watches for a while and walks off. I go sit again and hear off in the field straight across from me a deer snort and then I see Mom and two yearling's come bounding across the field at a 45 degree angle toward the field I am watching. (count at this point 15).

I decide to leave for lunch and come back later in the afternoon.
I do come back around 3 and sit until almost seven before seeing any more deer and 5 does and kids come out. Two of the bigger does decide they should leave and I sit very still. Still enough that one of the kids gets to within 10 yards and still does not see me. At dark they begin to bed down in front of me but I still have to get out before it gets to dark so I try to blow at them to get them to move on. Nope wont work so I just start packing up and head out to meet up with my hunting buddy who has been watching the 3 deer play in front of me.

What a day is all I can say.

 

[stilllearning]

07-10-2006
Today was not as good a day but some deer were seen. We tried one of other spots and realized real early that the deer are not coming in there this year so we packed it in and headed back to were we have been seeing all the deer.
We watched 2 does and 2 kids a horse (yes I said horse and rider) and a cat. Yup a kitty cat was in the field getting mice I guess. but he come over to our side and walked right by us.
When the doe and the kid decided to leave the other field they went up and jump up on the bales of hay that Eastern usually sits on. It was if to say "nan Nan a nan na you can't get me" . But the reality of it the doe had kids and he wants a dry doe if he takes a doe at all. He would not of shot anyway.

 

[stilllearning]

7 more does this morning with none of them coming in close enough to get a shot anyway. once it cools down here the bucks will make there move and make a mistake. You just watch.
Still really enjoying my time in the woods.

 

[stilllearning]

10-10-2006

We planned, we looked at the patterns we were seeing, we scrutinized what we were doing while we were out there and came up with a plan for last evenings hunt.
We put Eastern in an area that we have seen the dry does come out into quite often and I went back to the area that Eastern had seen the bucks come out the one time they came out.
The action started at around 6:15 with two does and a kid coming out to the left of eastern but to far away and out from him to get a shot. He very patiently waited for them to turn and come into range. The deer had other plans. I lost site of them around 6:30 but I guess they stayed out in the field at about 60 yards all evening. We proceeded to leave the area at dark and agreed we planned it right but the deer did not get the memo as to how they were suppose to act.

All in all another great night in the outdoors.

 

[stilllearning]

10-13-2006
I just realized it is Friday the 13th. OH well. ;D ;D

Well this evening started out slow. I got to were I wanted to sit and realized that a doe was already in the field. I knelt down to watch her and she didn't stay long and walked into the woods on the far side of the field I was watching. Well it was quite until about 6:50 out another doe comes and starts munching on the grass. she kept watching the field behind me and to my left but I could not see into it. I figured something was out there but what. Well she stayed until dark and I began to leave only to see silhouetted on the hill a deer. I could not tell for sure what it was but it looked like another doe. It decided it was time to leave and off it went for the woods. I continued on my way to the truck and as I start out of the apple orchard I have to cross down an access trail I take to get to my friends house another big deer snorts and jumps into the woods.

So all in all not a great night but better than no deer. 4 in total.

 

[stilllearning]

2006-10-14
Lets see if I can get all this in here in the right order.
into the woods I went this morning and as i was passing through the apple orchard I jump my first deer of the day. No way of telling what it was.
I proceeded on and out into the first field and I now have a problem as 4 deer are already standing in the field eating (2 does 2 kids). I wait and then I notice something coming into my line of side from my right, another doe :-[
They leave and I head to where I want to sit and watch for deer. Down to my left is the head pond to the local Hydro electric dam and it is fog in like you would not believe.(This will make sense latter).
I decide to try the rattling horns that i have not ever had much success with by it is cool and it may work. While rattling I look up to see a doe running across the second field toward me. Never saw that happen before and it is definitely cool.
I watch her for a while and then I see the fog start to roll in. Now I have only seen fog roll in like this on a stage when they turn on one of those fog machines.
It gets so bad I can only see about 6 yards and then you can not tell what is out there only that there is a shape. I think there are 4 deer which turns out to 6 more when they move up to within 40 yards. All does again. Want to see them?

Aren't they nice. Believe me they are there.
The fog lasts until about 10:30 I would say and right now I am 13 sighting of deer. I notice a doe to my left when the fogs lifts and have no idea how long she has been out there. I want to see what rattling will do and see if she will move in when I do it. I rattle and she doesn't move but when I look to my left here comes 3 more does over the knoll and walk to within 30 yards as they head into the woods again. I think that is now 17 sightings.
I go for lunch and return around 2:30 to my seat.
At about 3 I hear a snort behind me and then hooves running off from about 10 yards back. What ever it was, Buck or doe it was heading out of the woods right in line with where I was sitting and I guess it thought I stunk or something and didn't even say hello.
On the far side of the far field I see a doe and two more kids come out. The stay and much for about an hour and somewhere in that hour, I notice Mom come over and the two kids start to wag their tails like a dog would and they run up to mom and start taking a drink of milk. (now at 20 sightings of deer)
Here is the mom and two kids.

What you want closer?

OK this is as close as I can zoom.

They head out and I only see two more what I think are the same kids latter in the day to give me a total of 22 sightings and one that just snorted and ran without letting me see what it was.
I was discouraged after all this though. I felt that with a bucks only tag I might as well stay home if all I am going to see are does. I have since come to my senses. I almost for got I saw two partridge on the way in and 4 on my way out at night.

 

[stilllearning]

2006-10-17

Tonight was a bit of a wash. Arrived at my spot to sit at around 5:15pm. Dark is about 7pm so not much time but in the past we have seen lots of deer in the evenings. Eastern headed to his spot and noticed 2 deer in the field but they moved on and he positioned himself for the evening. At around 7pm I decided it was to dark out to shoot so I began putting things in my small back pack. I turn and look over my right shoulder to see 3 dark spots in the field. I put up my binoculars only because for some reason they pick up the light better than my eyes and I am looking at a doe and her two kids. I continue to get ready to move out of my spot but she keeps moving closer so I stand semi still and watch her walk up to about 25 yards and cross in front of me not noticing I am even there. She finally decides oops there is something over there so she goes to the far edge of the field and blows for the kids to come along as he heads out. so I do the same and head out. so we did see deer but a very slow night. Can't get out again until Thursday so check back then to see how we did. Only 4 more days of bow only and then on Monday the rifle comes out. I can only hunt Thursday and Friday evening so it is not looking good for a bow kill this year.

 

[stilllearning]

2006-10-19

For some reason there were no deer out tonight. the only thing we could figure was the weather front that was moving in and maybe the deer headed for cover.
Last I look the weather was looking like rain for tomorrow so that could mean the end to the archery only season for me. I am still looking into the idea of taking the bow and a rifle to the woods with me and it is looking promising. Time from here on out for hunting will be at a premium.

 

[Hiker@home]

stilllearning, I hope you connect soon, keep us posted. Thanks for sharing your hunt.

 

[stilllearning]

My next trip out is Tomorow with my 9 year old son. I can only go for half the day but it will still be fun being out with him. I also have to make another trip out with my daughter. She has been waiting for rifle season to start so we can go out.

 

[stilllearning]

My trip out with my son got canceled as we got a phone message at 9 pm on Friday that his football game was moved up from 4 pm to 11 am. just not enough time to get out and back and if we got a deer then what so we decided to wait.

Just got back in town tonight after my trip home to hunt on Saturday with my Dad. It went well but we did not see one thing but I did tire the 80 year old out. He would not admit it but we decided to head home and were home at around 3 and you could tell he was tired out. Here are a couple of pics of my dad checking out the clear cut.

I was just very glad he could still make it out with me.

 

[stilllearning]

2006-11-11

Got up this morning and got my son up out of bed and we headed out. We did not see a thing but we did have fun. He is still small and gets cold fast so we only managed to stay out about hour and a half but all is good if will continue to go with me.

Here are a couple of shots with him.

[
This is just the view we had as we were about to leave.

All in all a good time.

After dropping him back at home I decided to check out an old spot I hunted and had a home made stand in. When I got there all I found was the trees my stand was in were the only trees left standing.

What a depressing view. Stand in in the left of the photo.

 

[stilllearning]

I can't wait any longer.

2006-11-14
Took the day off so that Eastern and I could get at least one more day of hunting in together. WOW did it rain. I have not seen it rain like that for years. We did however find a spot with a nice hardwood ridge that slowly changed into a nice mixed wood area, then into a spruce/fir/pine area and last into a cedar swamp. We decided to watch the area with transitioned from evergreen into cedar swamp because it had a thicker area of woods which we figured the deer would be in. About 4:30 yesterday we decided to leave as the rain began comming down in bucket loads for rain drops. As we came up through all the changes in the woods we slowly worked our way up through the hardwood ridge and came around a turn.........
"OH THIT" I said "their is one right there". (by the way I was quite excited at this point) Eastern looked around and said "WHERE"
"Right there in front of Us (or did I say You)" He stepped out and put the gun up as I proceeded to say "Shoot it" He had the doe tag and there were no visable horns so he had to do the shooting.
The deer started to twitch and was getting ready to leave when I heard "BANG" and the deer went 3 feet in the air kicked and came down on all four. It then proceeded in a huried fashon but not real fast to go off the road and into the hardwoods.
We both got out, Now keep in mind it is raining like crazy and we are now getting soaked, and headed up to were the deer was. No blood and no tracks. The rain was washing everything away as quick as it would hit the ground and then we see hair.
We now know it is hit. Eastern heads in after it and I go to the truck to move it up so we could mark were the deer was and start a grid search. As I got the truck Eastern went into the woods about 30 yards before he found any sign of deer. Tracks in the leaves and water. I came and caught up to him and starting watching ahead to see if the deer ran in front of as Eastern looked for the next bunch of signs. I spoted the deer down and yelled as loud as I could "There it is, its down, its down" I was pumped that Eastern had got it.
When we got to it we got a surprise this deer was not a doe but a real good sized button buck about year and half old. GREAT eating to had off of this beast.
All told 40 min from shot to in the back and on our way and it went about 50 yards total. He had hit the top of the heart.

Here are some picks.

You can see the buttons in this photo.

 

[stilllearning]

2006-11-19

Well the season for 2006 is now over. :-[ ???
I did get out for the afternoon yesterday and it was a beautiful day and had a nice time in the woods with eastern. No deer sightings but there were a lot of people out that is for sure.
Well I guess now I get my stuff packed away for the winter months and start trying to catch up on the stuff I have neglected so I could go hunting.
If you are still out hunting I wish you all the luck in the world and may you fill your freezer.
Good bye 2006 hunting season. How many days until the next years season. I can't wait.

 

[Hiker]

Congrats! on your buck stilllearning. Did you get out for Moose?

 

[stilllearning]

Sorry hiker I did not see your response untill just now. Sad isn't it. Neither one of us got a moose tag this year but that is OK cause there is always next year right?
All in all a good year up here even though it was my buddy that got the deer this year and I got tag soup. LOL