trampledbyturtles
5 year old buck +
Oh boy there goes your good spots.
Ha, already told her she better start looking and asking for permission. Some spots are sacred.
Prairie Pit-Stop
- Thread starter trampledbyturtles
- Start date
Ha, already told her she better start looking and asking for permission. Some spots are sacred.
trampledbyturtles
5 year old buck +
Sad day. First one of the season, early to.
Fawn button buck.
First big cold snap of the season, -16 two nights ago then cold an windy last night.
10ft from the garage.
Lotta winter to go.
Fawn button buck.
First big cold snap of the season, -16 two nights ago then cold an windy last night.
10ft from the garage.
Lotta winter to go.
trampledbyturtles
5 year old buck +
Stopped by the farm for the mid-winter check up. Finaly got a NE wind so was able sit in my tripod stand. Wouldn't have needed it considering the drifts were just as tall, better than sitting in snow I guess.
The herd must be wintering somewhere else this year. Didn't see a single deer. Which in hindsight may be good cause they put a hurtin on my willow stands last winter.
Seeing groups of 100 plus on the daily around home.
Should be a banner year for the pheasant hatch if we can get the spring weather right. Stopped counting after while.
Plan is to start habitat work in a week or so once we lose some snow. Ready to get back at it.
The herd must be wintering somewhere else this year. Didn't see a single deer. Which in hindsight may be good cause they put a hurtin on my willow stands last winter.
Seeing groups of 100 plus on the daily around home.
Should be a banner year for the pheasant hatch if we can get the spring weather right. Stopped counting after while.
Plan is to start habitat work in a week or so once we lose some snow. Ready to get back at it.
trampledbyturtles
5 year old buck +
Got some work done in the home orchard last night. Needed to open up some light on the south end. All the ash on the right will be coming down before eab shows up as well. Feel kinda bad as this old bugger survived Dutch elm when it went through. But such is life. I have different plans for the new place and food security is part of that so time to start fresh.
Now most from the east may laugh. But this is my largest fell to date. Not that many trees on the prairie and not that often you just decide to cut one of the big ones down.
Slight back lean, got a little hairy at one point, sacrificed a bit of a wedge in the process. But she landed right where I wanted her.
Also, hope no one minds. But will be using my land tour to catalog some stuff as the homestead orchard progresses. Only seems right since my apple addiction started here.
Now most from the east may laugh. But this is my largest fell to date. Not that many trees on the prairie and not that often you just decide to cut one of the big ones down.
Slight back lean, got a little hairy at one point, sacrificed a bit of a wedge in the process. But she landed right where I wanted her.
Also, hope no one minds. But will be using my land tour to catalog some stuff as the homestead orchard progresses. Only seems right since my apple addiction started here.
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trampledbyturtles
5 year old buck +
Fired up the chainsaw yesterday and got to work on green ash removal before EAB shows up.
Hope I didnt screw things up to bad.
Hinged half, stumped half for sprouts.
Decided to try to use the opportunity to create a new treestand location.
Found a nice bur oak to work with on a natural trail point. Dropped a few ash to make an access path for my self while steering deer to south and around.
From there it got messy.
Tried to create half moon bedding blocks going up the hill.
Plan to interplant shrubs an spruce.
My question is
Should I cut exit trails out of the back wall of cover. Some spots ended up super thick, almost like brush piles. Cause I was running out of places to drop them. Deer can exit out the front and side easy enough. Just not sure if they feel they need rear exit routes or not.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Pics of bedding not included(forgot)
Hope I didnt screw things up to bad.
Hinged half, stumped half for sprouts.
Decided to try to use the opportunity to create a new treestand location.
Found a nice bur oak to work with on a natural trail point. Dropped a few ash to make an access path for my self while steering deer to south and around.
From there it got messy.
Tried to create half moon bedding blocks going up the hill.
Plan to interplant shrubs an spruce.
My question is
Should I cut exit trails out of the back wall of cover. Some spots ended up super thick, almost like brush piles. Cause I was running out of places to drop them. Deer can exit out the front and side easy enough. Just not sure if they feel they need rear exit routes or not.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Pics of bedding not included(forgot)
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trampledbyturtles
5 year old buck +
Sun closes shop on another day on the prairie.
Inching closer to the end of an intense planting season.
Rit
5 year old buck +
I’ve always found the more exits the better with no long stretches of one way exits.
trampledbyturtles
5 year old buck +
Quick update before we head into my favorite time of year.
What a habitat season.
Alot of ups and downs.
Threw my final hail Mary last night.
Plots this year are slightly better than a train wreck. Gunna be lucky to get an acre of corn out of 7 planted and my sorgum is overrun with foxtail.
Put down 100#rye, 50#oats 25#wheat 75#urea to the acre in my brassicas plots to try and salvage those. Finally caught a rain and got an inch 2hrs after everything was spread. Hoping it will be the fix I need to turn things around. Would of maybe waited another week or 2 with the rye. But the sept calendar is full of planned hunts so down it went.
On a positive note.
Was able to sample some new apples off trees planted at the time I joined HT.
Macintosh, haralson and all winter hangover.
The AWH looks promising, good pace of growth, apples the size of ping pong balls. Not to astringent, should make a good deer tree.
Pulled trail cams last night for the first time since June.
Have 2 deer I'm targeting this fall and some good up and comers. Especially a little 1.5 year old stud that has a killer basket 4x5frame. He has the genetics to be something if he could make it even 2 more years.
One I'm calling junk, a 4yr old mainframe 5x5 with trash. He is the kingpin of the farm at the moment. Daylight active on multiple cams. Shed his velvet on Aug 23. Guessing he goes 154. Think I know where his main bed is based off the timing of his movement between 2 cams.
The other is wide guy. A deer I've had on cam for 4years since he was 1.5. Guessing he was 145 last year with duel split g2s
Dont know if he is alive or not. He shows up around sept 9th then on and off till Oct 27-4th then he blows up the cams daily. Plan to try and capitalize on this yearly pattern. Think there is a home doe that he keeps tabs on that may come in slightly early.
The calendar is full. Have 4 tags, including some out of state adventures.
Hoping I will have some story's and pics to share in the coming months.
What a habitat season.
Alot of ups and downs.
Threw my final hail Mary last night.
Plots this year are slightly better than a train wreck. Gunna be lucky to get an acre of corn out of 7 planted and my sorgum is overrun with foxtail.
Put down 100#rye, 50#oats 25#wheat 75#urea to the acre in my brassicas plots to try and salvage those. Finally caught a rain and got an inch 2hrs after everything was spread. Hoping it will be the fix I need to turn things around. Would of maybe waited another week or 2 with the rye. But the sept calendar is full of planned hunts so down it went.
On a positive note.
Was able to sample some new apples off trees planted at the time I joined HT.
Macintosh, haralson and all winter hangover.
The AWH looks promising, good pace of growth, apples the size of ping pong balls. Not to astringent, should make a good deer tree.
Pulled trail cams last night for the first time since June.
Have 2 deer I'm targeting this fall and some good up and comers. Especially a little 1.5 year old stud that has a killer basket 4x5frame. He has the genetics to be something if he could make it even 2 more years.
One I'm calling junk, a 4yr old mainframe 5x5 with trash. He is the kingpin of the farm at the moment. Daylight active on multiple cams. Shed his velvet on Aug 23. Guessing he goes 154. Think I know where his main bed is based off the timing of his movement between 2 cams.
The other is wide guy. A deer I've had on cam for 4years since he was 1.5. Guessing he was 145 last year with duel split g2s
Dont know if he is alive or not. He shows up around sept 9th then on and off till Oct 27-4th then he blows up the cams daily. Plan to try and capitalize on this yearly pattern. Think there is a home doe that he keeps tabs on that may come in slightly early.
The calendar is full. Have 4 tags, including some out of state adventures.
Hoping I will have some story's and pics to share in the coming months.
trampledbyturtles
5 year old buck +
The struggle bus buck.
Headed out of state for what was supposed to be a 7 day hunt. Picked a spot that looked good on a map and went for it.
Arrived on thursday midday and got camp setup just in time to do some late glassing.
Found a handful of does and could of made a move on a forkie. But the natural movement made me think no one had been in there yet so wanted to see more country first.
Went to bed with dreams of glassing up big bucks in mind. That's when the dream morphed into a freight train that was about to run me over.
Turns out it was a diesel pickup coming down the dusty two track with its brights on blasting into my tent at 1:30am. Needless to say I had a quick coming to Jesus moment.
With the sudden realization crashing down on me that I was no longer alone. I decided to swing for the fences. Head in deeper than I hoped to start off into what I thought was gunna be my best spot for a S wind.
Day 1
Got up around 330, had some instant coffee and took off making the 2 mile trek. As soon as I crest the hill to my glassing spot a buck appears less than 100yrds away. Standing, dang near where I was hoping to park it for the next couple of hrs. Hit the dirt, and grab the binos. Bingo. Nice 3 year old with deep forks. Thought to myself, is it really gunna happen this easy. The answer, no, no it wasnt. Almost immediately does start popping up out of no where throwing me out of sorts pinning me down behind a scraggly looking cedar.
Eventually they all work off down the hill into the valley. Moving into position I was confident I could relocate the buck. Less than half an hr later he makes his apearance. I get the glass on him trying not to lose him in the cedar choked bottom.
Fully enveloped in the task at hand I dismiss the sound of crumbling shale. Being seated on a near vertical drop off the only thought was it can't be. Then again, but this time I had a sinking feeling. Turn slightly off the spotter to see him standing there staring at me at 20 yards. A beautiful fully velvet 4x4, like he appeared out of thin air. He disappeared as fast as he came into life as I reached for my bow.
I was a bit derailed. Kicking myself I get back on the glass. Unable to relocate the buck in the valley but with a idea of where he was. I move 20 yards to try a different angle. This is where my inexperience kicked in and killed my chances. As I'm scouring the patch of trees I think he is in. Suddenly he jumps out of his bed, runs ten yards, looks right up the hillside towards me and runs off. Talk about a kick in shins. Only guess is the sun was glaring off the binos and was casting reflections into his bedroom.
Day 2
Wake up and hit the trail. Spirts high but also wounded knowing a hunt usually goes one of two ways. Either your score right out of the gate. Or things turn into a grind. I try to mentally prepare for the things to come.
After making the mile and half trek I set up and wait for the sun to rise.
Right on cue the chorus began to bellow. What seemed like a sea of bovine appeared in the grey light.
I decided to pack up shop and head back the way I came and went a mile the other direction. Got set up around 830 and immediately turn up some does being pestered by a yote.
After glassing long range for about 30 min. I set down the spotter and in disbelief to my bare eyes the velvet 4 is bedded on a grassy knob 300yrds away soaking up the sunshine.
After an hour he works off to what I hope is his final resting place for the afternoon.
I make my move, take off the boots. Put on the extra thick wool socks to make my final approach. Dang weatherman and his W wind. This shits blowing straight N and off goes my hope's and dreams.
Day 3
Hit the trail. After not speaking a word for about 3 days I'm in my head a little more than usual. Hit the same glassing knob thinking maybe, just maybe. After a half hour realized that was gunna be a bust so I took off for the next drainage that he spoked towards the day prior.
Immediately I'm meet by the velvet 4 and 2 new buddies.
I hit the dirt and observe. For the next 2 hours they feed in an out of various cuts in the landscape. Finaly they disappear into 1 and dont come out.
Booya, here's my chance. In a spot I can get to quietly, wind is perfect and the shot should be under 50.
Make the approach, crest the hill, and theres the forkie standing guard atop the cut. Range him at 55yards. Thinking to myself I just need this little bugger to wander off. And to my astonishment he does just that. Within minutes he is out of view.
Arrow knocked I creep inches forward.
And forward, and forward, and forward.
Astonished I find nothing but empty beds. I try to play catch up and crest the next hill only to see three rear ends parked safely on private just out of reach.
Day 4
Ready to shoot the first spike within range.
Nothing in the a.m.
Back at camp for lunch decide to shoot some practice rounds.
First arrows misses way wide, second dosnt even hit the target. It's a little gusty but what the heck, know I'm not that terrible of a shot. Turns out my serving had splintered and was unraveling catching up in my rollers on the riser.
Whomp, whomp.
Hunt over.
Pack up camp and head the 7 hrs home.
Back to reality.
Edit: truck problems
Half way down the access path my low light censor pops to life. One glance out the sideview proves my decision to skimp on only 2 new tires proves fatal. Well it was a tag or tires and at the time and I rolled the dice.
Made it to the closest town and had to borrow a hammer from a local to pound the tire iron onto the cheap fake metal capped lugs, (all have been changed to solid stainless since). 2 hrs later I'm finally on the road.
After a few days off and bit of reflection.
I could not let 2020 get the best of me, and have the season start and end on that series of misques.
Head back out for one more go round.
Burning my vacation days I had planned for another hunt I had to make this count and fast. Same ground and camp site.
Day 1
Alot of miles, alot of does, no bucks, did find a neat shed. Hoped it was a sign of good fortune to come.
Day 2
Up early and on the mountain with plenty of time to spare. Set up shop and get to working the glass.
Nothing.
Getting a bit restless I start in on my breakfast burrito when I decide to really reach out there with the spotter and see if anything is alive in the next county over, ha. To my surprise almost immediately pick up a doe. Spirts start to lift. Move on hoping to turn up a buck. Nothing
Go back to the doe just so I have something to watch. Dang near spit out my last bite of burrito when I realized she is a he. Could hardly tell from that distance, but whenever the sun glared right I could just make out a set of horns.
Finally a pulse.
To my astonishment this guy decided to bed down directly in my line of sight on the side of a hill. Would of guessed it at 1 in 1000 chances of that happening.
After watching him for about a half hour to make sure he was staying put. I packed up and took off.
A mile later I was standing in my socks. Peaking over the edge wondering where the heck has he gone.
That's when I spot it. His front foreleg and hoof, nothing else. I freeze. The dang thing is right below me but further to my right than I anticipated.
Luckily the wind was strong enough to blow the hat off my head so he didn't hear me readjust my position.
Range finder said 20 yards with a 40 degree angle, cut a few yards and still managed to miss my mark by about 4 inches. Didnt matter as he made it about 8 yards out of his bed before he expired.
If your still reading, thanks for sticking with me, bit long winded. But felt I needed to share the story for someone out there.
Blessed for the experience, probably learned more on this trip than the last 2 years combined. Only advice would be to just go.
Can't wait to get back out.
Edit: should add, this was my first time 1/4ing in the field and packing out. All I will say is, I'm dang glad I had a set of trekking poles.
Edit #2: forgot a crucial part at the the end of hunt 1. Truck problems.
Headed out of state for what was supposed to be a 7 day hunt. Picked a spot that looked good on a map and went for it.
Arrived on thursday midday and got camp setup just in time to do some late glassing.
Found a handful of does and could of made a move on a forkie. But the natural movement made me think no one had been in there yet so wanted to see more country first.
Went to bed with dreams of glassing up big bucks in mind. That's when the dream morphed into a freight train that was about to run me over.
Turns out it was a diesel pickup coming down the dusty two track with its brights on blasting into my tent at 1:30am. Needless to say I had a quick coming to Jesus moment.
With the sudden realization crashing down on me that I was no longer alone. I decided to swing for the fences. Head in deeper than I hoped to start off into what I thought was gunna be my best spot for a S wind.
Day 1
Got up around 330, had some instant coffee and took off making the 2 mile trek. As soon as I crest the hill to my glassing spot a buck appears less than 100yrds away. Standing, dang near where I was hoping to park it for the next couple of hrs. Hit the dirt, and grab the binos. Bingo. Nice 3 year old with deep forks. Thought to myself, is it really gunna happen this easy. The answer, no, no it wasnt. Almost immediately does start popping up out of no where throwing me out of sorts pinning me down behind a scraggly looking cedar.
Eventually they all work off down the hill into the valley. Moving into position I was confident I could relocate the buck. Less than half an hr later he makes his apearance. I get the glass on him trying not to lose him in the cedar choked bottom.
Fully enveloped in the task at hand I dismiss the sound of crumbling shale. Being seated on a near vertical drop off the only thought was it can't be. Then again, but this time I had a sinking feeling. Turn slightly off the spotter to see him standing there staring at me at 20 yards. A beautiful fully velvet 4x4, like he appeared out of thin air. He disappeared as fast as he came into life as I reached for my bow.
I was a bit derailed. Kicking myself I get back on the glass. Unable to relocate the buck in the valley but with a idea of where he was. I move 20 yards to try a different angle. This is where my inexperience kicked in and killed my chances. As I'm scouring the patch of trees I think he is in. Suddenly he jumps out of his bed, runs ten yards, looks right up the hillside towards me and runs off. Talk about a kick in shins. Only guess is the sun was glaring off the binos and was casting reflections into his bedroom.
Day 2
Wake up and hit the trail. Spirts high but also wounded knowing a hunt usually goes one of two ways. Either your score right out of the gate. Or things turn into a grind. I try to mentally prepare for the things to come.
After making the mile and half trek I set up and wait for the sun to rise.
Right on cue the chorus began to bellow. What seemed like a sea of bovine appeared in the grey light.
I decided to pack up shop and head back the way I came and went a mile the other direction. Got set up around 830 and immediately turn up some does being pestered by a yote.
After glassing long range for about 30 min. I set down the spotter and in disbelief to my bare eyes the velvet 4 is bedded on a grassy knob 300yrds away soaking up the sunshine.
After an hour he works off to what I hope is his final resting place for the afternoon.
I make my move, take off the boots. Put on the extra thick wool socks to make my final approach. Dang weatherman and his W wind. This shits blowing straight N and off goes my hope's and dreams.
Day 3
Hit the trail. After not speaking a word for about 3 days I'm in my head a little more than usual. Hit the same glassing knob thinking maybe, just maybe. After a half hour realized that was gunna be a bust so I took off for the next drainage that he spoked towards the day prior.
Immediately I'm meet by the velvet 4 and 2 new buddies.
I hit the dirt and observe. For the next 2 hours they feed in an out of various cuts in the landscape. Finaly they disappear into 1 and dont come out.
Booya, here's my chance. In a spot I can get to quietly, wind is perfect and the shot should be under 50.
Make the approach, crest the hill, and theres the forkie standing guard atop the cut. Range him at 55yards. Thinking to myself I just need this little bugger to wander off. And to my astonishment he does just that. Within minutes he is out of view.
Arrow knocked I creep inches forward.
And forward, and forward, and forward.
Astonished I find nothing but empty beds. I try to play catch up and crest the next hill only to see three rear ends parked safely on private just out of reach.
Day 4
Ready to shoot the first spike within range.
Nothing in the a.m.
Back at camp for lunch decide to shoot some practice rounds.
First arrows misses way wide, second dosnt even hit the target. It's a little gusty but what the heck, know I'm not that terrible of a shot. Turns out my serving had splintered and was unraveling catching up in my rollers on the riser.
Whomp, whomp.
Hunt over.
Pack up camp and head the 7 hrs home.
Back to reality.
Edit: truck problems
Half way down the access path my low light censor pops to life. One glance out the sideview proves my decision to skimp on only 2 new tires proves fatal. Well it was a tag or tires and at the time and I rolled the dice.
Made it to the closest town and had to borrow a hammer from a local to pound the tire iron onto the cheap fake metal capped lugs, (all have been changed to solid stainless since). 2 hrs later I'm finally on the road.
After a few days off and bit of reflection.
I could not let 2020 get the best of me, and have the season start and end on that series of misques.
Head back out for one more go round.
Burning my vacation days I had planned for another hunt I had to make this count and fast. Same ground and camp site.
Day 1
Alot of miles, alot of does, no bucks, did find a neat shed. Hoped it was a sign of good fortune to come.
Day 2
Up early and on the mountain with plenty of time to spare. Set up shop and get to working the glass.
Nothing.
Getting a bit restless I start in on my breakfast burrito when I decide to really reach out there with the spotter and see if anything is alive in the next county over, ha. To my surprise almost immediately pick up a doe. Spirts start to lift. Move on hoping to turn up a buck. Nothing
Go back to the doe just so I have something to watch. Dang near spit out my last bite of burrito when I realized she is a he. Could hardly tell from that distance, but whenever the sun glared right I could just make out a set of horns.
Finally a pulse.
To my astonishment this guy decided to bed down directly in my line of sight on the side of a hill. Would of guessed it at 1 in 1000 chances of that happening.
After watching him for about a half hour to make sure he was staying put. I packed up and took off.
A mile later I was standing in my socks. Peaking over the edge wondering where the heck has he gone.
That's when I spot it. His front foreleg and hoof, nothing else. I freeze. The dang thing is right below me but further to my right than I anticipated.
Luckily the wind was strong enough to blow the hat off my head so he didn't hear me readjust my position.
Range finder said 20 yards with a 40 degree angle, cut a few yards and still managed to miss my mark by about 4 inches. Didnt matter as he made it about 8 yards out of his bed before he expired.
If your still reading, thanks for sticking with me, bit long winded. But felt I needed to share the story for someone out there.
Blessed for the experience, probably learned more on this trip than the last 2 years combined. Only advice would be to just go.
Can't wait to get back out.
Edit: should add, this was my first time 1/4ing in the field and packing out. All I will say is, I'm dang glad I had a set of trekking poles.
Edit #2: forgot a crucial part at the the end of hunt 1. Truck problems.
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Troubles Trees
5 year old buck +
Love to read the stories, not long winded at all friend.
Congrats on a successful hunt bud! I have always wanted to hunt out west again someday.
I hunted a bit in Colorado when I lived there but I was very much a rookie back then and nobody to teach me the ways of the west. Saw alot of critters but never even fired a shot, the experiences I had were priceless I just wish I had someone there to witness what I did. I saw a Golden Eagle riding the air current on top of a sheer rock face, but probably the coolest sight was seeing a full curl Ram standing out on the very tip of a triangle outcrop atop a similar sheer rock face. Where he was standing was such a tiny space that he looked like he would fall at any moment with just the wrong gust of wind, I can't possibly put to words how majestic he looked standing there scanning the surroundings.
Congrats on a successful hunt bud! I have always wanted to hunt out west again someday.
I hunted a bit in Colorado when I lived there but I was very much a rookie back then and nobody to teach me the ways of the west. Saw alot of critters but never even fired a shot, the experiences I had were priceless I just wish I had someone there to witness what I did. I saw a Golden Eagle riding the air current on top of a sheer rock face, but probably the coolest sight was seeing a full curl Ram standing out on the very tip of a triangle outcrop atop a similar sheer rock face. Where he was standing was such a tiny space that he looked like he would fall at any moment with just the wrong gust of wind, I can't possibly put to words how majestic he looked standing there scanning the surroundings.
trampledbyturtles
5 year old buck +
What a night.
My #1 target buck I was calling junk is getting a ride home with me this morning. Sometimes it blows my mind how these things play out.
Pretty crazy story if there is any interest.
Was a tad worried on the shot angle but thought I could sneak it in.
My #1 target buck I was calling junk is getting a ride home with me this morning. Sometimes it blows my mind how these things play out.
Pretty crazy story if there is any interest.
Was a tad worried on the shot angle but thought I could sneak it in.
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