A few habitat pics I thought you might enjoy

[Foggy47]

Foggy

We......are>70

We........are not dead

bill

Yeah....I hear you. but at age 78 and 3/4 years.....I gotta tell you.....I am starting to feel "old". I simply cannot do things I could only last year. Man....my joints ache from arthritis, the neuropathy in my feet is real, my hips hurt all night now, as does my knees. I struggle to climb a few steps, and take a break mid-way thru a one flight climb.....I cannot eat many foods without ill effects.....those handicap rails in the restrooms are now a necessity, I need naps and frequent breaks.....many things are a PITA.....and often people piss me off (especially the stupid ones....or I suppose I should say naive ones). I struggle to put my socks on....for crying out loud!

Getting old is not for sissies.....and even a year or two can make HUGE changes in what you can accomplish and accept as real. Trust me. We should have "downsized" a few years ago......alas...."now" is what it is....and it is not "easy".

They held my 60th class reunion last Sat nite. I was not there. Sent a message thru a friend about our situation. Of 220 of us that graduated in 1965 only 62 attended the reunion....and that INCLUDED spouses. I suppose only 40 made it to the reunion......and it was over by 9PM. Most of the guys I played football with were among the best athletes and of strongest numbers I have ever known....but 8 of the 11 of us that "started" are now dead. Many of those guys were college football worthy....(one went pro).....tho most spent time in Viet Nam or simply went into other endeavors. These guys were warriors......and super human beings by any stretch.....yet they are now gone.

Still....I welcome the peace that lies ahead as a result of our downsizing efforts....or does it? Life has been pretty "real" for us recently. And age makes a huge difference. Still....we plan plans....and not results. Motor-on! Grin.

Edit: I just want to say....that I do not post this chit for any kind of sympathy or that sort of purpose....only I post it for my friends here that will soon follow this path. Many of you are just a few years behind. My message to you is to prepare for what lies ahead. Nothing more / nothing less. Life is real. Live, and enjoy it.

 

[Native Hunter]

Not much change here except that white oak acorns are king at the moment - and still no Freak. I had 1,200 pics on the tree beside my blind in 4 days and mature bucks on the acorns nearly every day an hour before dark. My son wants to come home for the early 2 day ML season and hunt the 10 point. That buck would be a sure thing right now but no telling where he will be by then.

One worry - neighbors unloading equipment to harvest crops today and making lots of noise in a spot normally very quiet - about 200 yds from my blind. Not sure what if any issues that will create.

 

[Native Hunter]

I was still getting daylight mature bucks the day before the beans were harvested but none since then. Check out the turkey fight on the last two pics, and look at how it spooked the deer on the far left side of the pic.

 

[356]

I was still getting daylight mature bucks the day before the beans were harvested but none since then. Check out the turkey fight on the last two pics, and look at how it spooked the deer on the far left side of the pic.

View attachment 83629
View attachment 83630
View attachment 83631
View attachment 83632
View attachment 83633
View attachment 83634
View attachment 83635

Great pictures...I anticipate our beans will be harvested any time now, which will change things up here as well.

 

[Native Hunter]

Forgot to post my 2025 Lawnmower plot. One rain saved it from being a disaster.



Evidence of chestnuts being eaten.

 

[Native Hunter]

I'm not hunting this deer but he is old enough to harvest. He likes this Rusty Coat Apple tree and has been coming by often to pick them.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Rusty Coat ..... boy that's an old-time apple!! Mom's (I believe) uncle had one on his farm years ago. She used to speak of those apples, and the times she spent on that farm growing up. Good to see your buck likes them.

 

[Native Hunter]

New plots getting daylight action:



A chase starting in the background:



Son's ML target active before dark most evenings but not every day:

 

[Brian662]

Usually the first ones chasing are the young bucks full of T, cool to see a more mature deer starting to feel it already! The best time of year is right around the corner!

 

[Native Hunter]

Usually the first ones chasing are the young bucks full of T, cool to see a more mature deer starting to feel it already! The best time of year is right around the corner!

And that’s a new buck I hadn’t seen until this week. There’s a rumor that a 185 is living less than a mile away. I’m looking for him to show up next.

 

[Brian662]

You've got some great deer in the neighborhood, that's awesome!

 

[Bowsnbucks]

If it weren't for Native's neighbors planting food plots, hard & soft mast trees, etc. - there wouldn't be any deer around there ...........

Glad to see you're seeing some big boys, Native!! Hope you folks connect with a few of them.

 

[Native Hunter]

This is the big bodied 8 that I was calling 135. Pic is about 15 minutes after I passed him on last day of early ML season.



This is the 10 I saw that same evening I said would be a hoss next year:



The deer have now picked all of the low hanging rusty coat apples.



I put a cam on this Eliza’s Choice today. Scraping big time under it.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Looks like the 10 is a hoss already!!! He has that "steer" look to him. A beast. I'd grease his wheels for him!!!

 

[SwampCat]

This is the big bodied 8 that I was calling 135. Pic is about 15 minutes after I passed him on last day of early ML season.

View attachment 84409

This is the 10 I saw that same evening I said would be a hoss next year:

View attachment 84411

The deer have now picked all of the low hanging rusty coat apples.

View attachment 84412
View attachment 84414
I put a cam on this Eliza’s Choice today. Scraping big time under it.
View attachment 84416
View attachment 84418

How big are your Eliza’s choice? Mine were the size of a marble in August when they all turned orange and dropped off

 

[Native Hunter]

How big are your Eliza’s choice? Mine were the size of a marble in August when they all turned orange and dropped off

Mine get slightly bigger than a quarter. The tree has been pretty reliable considering that it is in my frost pocket. My only negative is that half or more of the crabs hang too late, but it seems to be dropping just enough to keep deer coming and checking. There were no crabs on the ground when I was there last and they had made a big scrape. The cam I put on it should show the bucks that are using the scrape and picking up the few crabs that are falling.

 

[Native Hunter]

My son was hunting the 10 point below on Saturday afternoon. I was tagging along just for the fun of watching. Legal shooting light ended at approximately 6:30, and that's when we left. Around 22 minutes later his target appeared 30 yards from the blind. The 9 point was there before that.

So, how did we leave without spooking the deer that came in so quickly???? Easy- The wind was from the South and the deer came from the South. We left going North through a field, and the blind was at the edge of the field.




Bonus pic for you fight freaks!




Bonus pic for you turkey freaks,