Deer activity over the next couple of weeks is still hard to predict as we work towards the October lull. Most of the deer will more visible at the first of the month or at the end of the month depending on weather conditions. We won't see early activity related to the rut until October 19th. To be successful, hunt close to the bedding areas without getting so close that the deer pattern you. In the meantime, here are your lunar times for October 1-15th:
October Dates- Best Times- Places to Hunt
1- 0734 (hunt transition areas for the morning and evening)
2- 0830 " "
3- 0925 (hunt transition areas in the morning and near bedding areas during the evening)
4- 1019 (hunt near bedding areas in the morning and evening)
5- 1111 " "
6- 1204 " "
7- 1258 " " New moon.
8- 1353 " "
9- 1450 " "
10- 1547 " "
11- 1645 (hunt near bedding areas in the morning, transition areas in the evening)
12- 1741 (hunt transition areas in the morning and evening)
13- 1834 (hunt transition areas in the morning and food sources in the evening)
14- 0655/1924 " " with two major movements today, first quarter moon.
15- 2004 (hunt transition areas in the morning and evening)
* For more information on this topic, read my previous article on Moon Phases (February 2010)
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
(P) Our first week of deer hunting!
Day #1- September 24th finally came! It was the first hunt of the year and I couldn't wait to get in the tree. Over the last month, most of our big buck pictures on our big farm came off a secluded clover food plot hidden in the woods. We had recently replanted the clover in this field and I had checked it when I put up the trail camera. It looked like this on September 19th:
It looks like the clover is coming up good, right? Well, I was very confident that we could kill a mature buck on this field so I elected to let my Dad hunt and I filmed him. This was the first time we had hunted in the tree together. I was pumped. We had a NW wind at approximately 5 mph. The evening was supposed to drop down into the 5o's. The night was setting up to be perfect for good deer movement. We pushed a small buck, doe and fawn off the food plot as we approached the stand sight (they didn't know what we were and did not spook). However, we did not see a single deer the rest of the night. Here is why- they ate all of our clover in 5 days! It looked like we were hunting over a plowed field. Disappointing.
Day #2- On September 25th Dad and I decided to split up to cover more ground on the second evening. He went to a clover food plot and I hunted a winter wheat food plot. I had a couple recent trail camera pictures of a buck in the area. 
Once I arrived, I found that 3/4 of the winter wheat had also been eaten in this food plot. I couldn't figure out why the deer were devouring our fall food sources. We had Whitetail Institutes Pure Attraction also planted on the other side of the food plot (it was still standing), so I elected to hunt the field anyways. We had a light rain come in around 4:30 but it did not last more than 45 minutes. I was expecting some good deer movement right after the rain cleared out but we did not see much. Dad saw a few does, some small bucks and a 125" 8 point 2 1/2 year old. I saw a doe, 2 fawns, and two small bucks. One of the small bucks kept following the doe around. She kept chasing him off trying to hit him with her front hoofs. I think she must have been his mother who was chasing her 1 1/2 year old buck away for good (to eliminate cross breeding in the coming months). It was sad to watch. I also saw approximately 15 turkeys who managed to pick me out in the tree at 60 yards. Why is it that turkeys can spot you a mile away in a tree but they can't make you out 10 feet in front of them on the ground? Crazy.
Day #3- Semptember 26th found us 3 days after the full moon, temperatures were in the mid 60's, it was a cloudy day with a mild NE wind. Dad went home so I elected to hunt between a corn field and a known bedding area. I didn't see a thing so at dark I walked out to the south fence line to see if I could spot deer heading out to the corn field with the horizon behind them. I was in for two surprises. First of all, the farmer to the south had harvested the corn within the last couple of days. The corn field was gone. This was one of the reasons the deer were hitting our food plots so hard. The farmer pulled the corn off early in the area and the deer weren't hitting the soybeans for some reason. Secondly, I found a hunter hunting near our fence line out in the cut corn field (the neighbors has no woods, so he was sitting in the field waiting for our deer to step on his side of the fence). I politely confronted him since he was wearing no orange (during muzzle loader season) and reminded him to stay on his side of the fence. I doubt he will be back to hunt that area.
My cousin Steve and our buddy (Monty) were down from Wisconsin hunting on another farm in the area. Steve attempted to thread the needle and took a difficult shot at a 135" 8 point. He did not get the deer though (the arrow could have deflected off some brush). We searched the area for 4 hours the next morning and found no deer. The buck was lucky this time. The buck was standing in grass that was approximately 3 feet tall so finding the arrow was impossible. Steve worked hard to locate and hand that particular stand set. He really wanted to harvest that buck!
Day #4- Steve and Monty had hunted a few morning but there was zero deer movement. Usually they deer are back in their beds by day break this time of year. On September 27th Steve had to head home due to work responsibilities. So Monty and I packed up and headed North to a different farm near the Kansas River that we had not hunted yet. We hung our stands just inside the woods line, staying off a 2 1/2 acre Whitetail Institute chicory food plot that we had planted last fall. We had a SW wind at 3 mph, cloud cover, with temperatures around 63 degrees. I saw over 20 deer that night with 16 of them being bucks. Can you believe it? I did not have a shooter come within bow range. However, Monty was a couple hundred yards away from me and he had a a 145" 8 point come by at 4 yards. He elected not to shoot him because behind him was a beautiful 160" mainframe 10 that came by him at 15 yards. There was so much brush that he elected not to try and take a shot. He was afraid of wounding the monster if the shot hit brush. Monty saw 13 additional bucks that night. Most of the bucks were out in the food plot between 5 and 6:30 pm. They were sparring and rubbing trees like it was the end of October. Although we didn't kill anything that night, It was a great experience.
Day #5- On September 28th, I recruited my Dad to join Monty and I the next night for the hunt. Monty elected to return to the same stand that he hunted the night before. You can bet he trimmed out the brush that blocked his shot at the 160" buck the previous night. I offered up my stand to my Dad. Most of the deer walked within 15 yards of the tree, so I was confident that he would have some good action and a chance a killing something. I decided to get aggressive and hunted in a ground blind right next to the food plot. Our weather conditions changed a bit on us. It was hot and sunny with temperatures in the high 70's. The deer did not hit the food plot until almost dark. I saw 10 bucks and 8 does. Dad and Monty had similar results. The only big buck we saw was a 135" 9 point that had a tenth point coming off his left brow tine. I had him at 25 yards in the food plot. I passed on him though so he could grow 2 more years because he looked like a 3 1/2 year old deer. In two evenings, Monty and I had seen over 25 bucks. Although we weren't successful, it was a lot of fun.
Well, it was a great time hunting early season with my Dad, two brothers, Cousin Steve and Monty. It was definitely a different kind of hunting compared to the rut. My next goal is to shoot a couple of does in a couple of weeks out of a ground blind with my kids. I can't wait to hunt with them!
It looks like the clover is coming up good, right? Well, I was very confident that we could kill a mature buck on this field so I elected to let my Dad hunt and I filmed him. This was the first time we had hunted in the tree together. I was pumped. We had a NW wind at approximately 5 mph. The evening was supposed to drop down into the 5o's. The night was setting up to be perfect for good deer movement. We pushed a small buck, doe and fawn off the food plot as we approached the stand sight (they didn't know what we were and did not spook). However, we did not see a single deer the rest of the night. Here is why- they ate all of our clover in 5 days! It looked like we were hunting over a plowed field. Disappointing.
Day #2- On September 25th Dad and I decided to split up to cover more ground on the second evening. He went to a clover food plot and I hunted a winter wheat food plot. I had a couple recent trail camera pictures of a buck in the area. 
Once I arrived, I found that 3/4 of the winter wheat had also been eaten in this food plot. I couldn't figure out why the deer were devouring our fall food sources. We had Whitetail Institutes Pure Attraction also planted on the other side of the food plot (it was still standing), so I elected to hunt the field anyways. We had a light rain come in around 4:30 but it did not last more than 45 minutes. I was expecting some good deer movement right after the rain cleared out but we did not see much. Dad saw a few does, some small bucks and a 125" 8 point 2 1/2 year old. I saw a doe, 2 fawns, and two small bucks. One of the small bucks kept following the doe around. She kept chasing him off trying to hit him with her front hoofs. I think she must have been his mother who was chasing her 1 1/2 year old buck away for good (to eliminate cross breeding in the coming months). It was sad to watch. I also saw approximately 15 turkeys who managed to pick me out in the tree at 60 yards. Why is it that turkeys can spot you a mile away in a tree but they can't make you out 10 feet in front of them on the ground? Crazy.Day #3- Semptember 26th found us 3 days after the full moon, temperatures were in the mid 60's, it was a cloudy day with a mild NE wind. Dad went home so I elected to hunt between a corn field and a known bedding area. I didn't see a thing so at dark I walked out to the south fence line to see if I could spot deer heading out to the corn field with the horizon behind them. I was in for two surprises. First of all, the farmer to the south had harvested the corn within the last couple of days. The corn field was gone. This was one of the reasons the deer were hitting our food plots so hard. The farmer pulled the corn off early in the area and the deer weren't hitting the soybeans for some reason. Secondly, I found a hunter hunting near our fence line out in the cut corn field (the neighbors has no woods, so he was sitting in the field waiting for our deer to step on his side of the fence). I politely confronted him since he was wearing no orange (during muzzle loader season) and reminded him to stay on his side of the fence. I doubt he will be back to hunt that area.
My cousin Steve and our buddy (Monty) were down from Wisconsin hunting on another farm in the area. Steve attempted to thread the needle and took a difficult shot at a 135" 8 point. He did not get the deer though (the arrow could have deflected off some brush). We searched the area for 4 hours the next morning and found no deer. The buck was lucky this time. The buck was standing in grass that was approximately 3 feet tall so finding the arrow was impossible. Steve worked hard to locate and hand that particular stand set. He really wanted to harvest that buck!
Day #4- Steve and Monty had hunted a few morning but there was zero deer movement. Usually they deer are back in their beds by day break this time of year. On September 27th Steve had to head home due to work responsibilities. So Monty and I packed up and headed North to a different farm near the Kansas River that we had not hunted yet. We hung our stands just inside the woods line, staying off a 2 1/2 acre Whitetail Institute chicory food plot that we had planted last fall. We had a SW wind at 3 mph, cloud cover, with temperatures around 63 degrees. I saw over 20 deer that night with 16 of them being bucks. Can you believe it? I did not have a shooter come within bow range. However, Monty was a couple hundred yards away from me and he had a a 145" 8 point come by at 4 yards. He elected not to shoot him because behind him was a beautiful 160" mainframe 10 that came by him at 15 yards. There was so much brush that he elected not to try and take a shot. He was afraid of wounding the monster if the shot hit brush. Monty saw 13 additional bucks that night. Most of the bucks were out in the food plot between 5 and 6:30 pm. They were sparring and rubbing trees like it was the end of October. Although we didn't kill anything that night, It was a great experience.
Day #5- On September 28th, I recruited my Dad to join Monty and I the next night for the hunt. Monty elected to return to the same stand that he hunted the night before. You can bet he trimmed out the brush that blocked his shot at the 160" buck the previous night. I offered up my stand to my Dad. Most of the deer walked within 15 yards of the tree, so I was confident that he would have some good action and a chance a killing something. I decided to get aggressive and hunted in a ground blind right next to the food plot. Our weather conditions changed a bit on us. It was hot and sunny with temperatures in the high 70's. The deer did not hit the food plot until almost dark. I saw 10 bucks and 8 does. Dad and Monty had similar results. The only big buck we saw was a 135" 9 point that had a tenth point coming off his left brow tine. I had him at 25 yards in the food plot. I passed on him though so he could grow 2 more years because he looked like a 3 1/2 year old deer. In two evenings, Monty and I had seen over 25 bucks. Although we weren't successful, it was a lot of fun.
Well, it was a great time hunting early season with my Dad, two brothers, Cousin Steve and Monty. It was definitely a different kind of hunting compared to the rut. My next goal is to shoot a couple of does in a couple of weeks out of a ground blind with my kids. I can't wait to hunt with them!
(P) September 28th
Today is my last day of my early season buck quest. I got aggressive and placed a ground blind next to the food plot on a fence line with thick vegetation. It was 72 degrees today, sunny, with a NW wind @ 8 mph. I saw 10 bucks including a 135" 9 point with great mass and three browtines. Most of the deer came out right at dark. A doe was the only one to notice the ground blind. I with the big 1o would have showed up from the night before.
(P) September 27th
After searching for half the day for my cousin's buck, we loaded up our gear and headed to a new farm to the north for the evening hunt. We had a 2.5 acre clover plot that was getting a lot of attention from the deer. My friend, Monty, and I saw 16 bucks and 8 does. The bucks were aggressive making rubs, sparing, fighting, etc. One of the bucks was a chocolate racked 8 pt. that would score close to 150" while he was followed by a mainframe10 165" monster. non of the deer offered a shot. The SW wind was at 3mph with cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid 60's.
Monday, September 27, 2010
(P) September 26th
We are three days from a full moon with temperatures in the lower 60's. Today is cloudy with a mild NE wind. Deer movement appears to still be slow. I decided to hunt the south end of a ravine which is a bit closer to bedding areas (stand #5). I saw nothing. On my way in from the stand I found a guy (Allen) hunting a field next to our fence line with a muzzle loader. He was sitll out in the field after dark and had no blaze orange in his possession. I chased him off and said I would call the game warden next time. I also advised him to find a new place to hunt that had its own woods. There are some idiots out there that continue to give our sport a bad name.
My cousin Steve hunted a new farm for the first time (hanging a set mid-day). He shot at a big 135" 8 pt. but hit him too high on a very difficult shot. We searched for 4 hours the next morning for the buck covering the whole farm without success. There was almost no obvious blood. Sometimes that is hunting.
My cousin Steve hunted a new farm for the first time (hanging a set mid-day). He shot at a big 135" 8 pt. but hit him too high on a very difficult shot. We searched for 4 hours the next morning for the buck covering the whole farm without success. There was almost no obvious blood. Sometimes that is hunting.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
(A) Hunting Stories #1
The year was 1998 and it was my second fall living in Kansas. I had harvested deer in Wisconsin during the gun season since 1988 but I had still never bow hunted. I purchased a new PSE split limb compound bow in June and practiced shooting all summer. Practice was extremely important back then because rangefinders were just starting to appear. I couldn't afford one so I had to guess at all my yardages by stepping them off. I became pretty good at this in the backyard but I never thought about practicing from an elevated position.
In August, my father and I obtained permission to hunt a 240 acre farm outside of Waverly Kansas. We immediately headed for the farm to scout the property lines and look for deer sign. I remember walking the edge of a soybean field. A wooded creek bottom bordered 3/4 of the soybean field. As we were walking, my Dad thought he heard something down by the creek. He told my younger brother (Dustin) and I to stay in the field while he walked down to the creek. Dad didn't make it 10 yards off of the field edge when out popped a 160" mainframe 10 point. The deer abandoned his creek bottom bed and headed across the soybean field as fast as he could go. The whole experience lasted only seconds but watching a buck that big made it seem like things were moving in slow motion. Little did I know that I would soon have a shot at that trophy animal.
It was the second week of October. Dad and I were hunting down at that farm on a hot windy afternoon. I was hunting in a tree that was on a fence line leading to a soybean field. The fence line was also the south border to a cedar thicket that I knew was a good bedding area. I sat in that tree stand all afternoon fighting the Kansas 30 mph winds and abnormally warm temperatures. I was certain that I would not see a single deer. About 45 minutes before dark, I elected to climb down out of the tree and walk over to the edge of the soybean field. The field was positioned on the opposite side of the farm from where we had jumped the giant buck back in August. I positioned myself next to a small cedar tree that was right on the edge of the field. I was confident that I would not be seen as I watched the field to see where the deer were entering it for my next evening hunt.
As I sat there I noticed the temperatures were really starting to drop with the setting sun. The winds died down almost as if they were on a light switch. I sat next to that small cedar for approximately 20 minutes when I could hear something walking behind me. I slowly turned my head to see 2 does coming out in the soybean field. They came from the cedar thicket behind me and weren't 30 yards away. They slowly studied the soybean field and then proceeded out to feed in the middle of it. They never knew I was there.
Suddenly, I heard a grunt come from the cedar thicket behind me. Then I could hear a deer blowing from the same area. I remember thinking to myself, why is the deer blowing? I knew there was no way that the deer could know where I was. I also knew I had a perfect wind so it could not smell me. The deer just continued following the same trail that the does were on and kept blowing like it was clearing its nose. It was a weird and unique experience.
The brush was super thick from the edge of the field to the cedar thicket. I could not see the deer that was coming, just as I could not see the previous 2 does until they were at the edge of the field. However, minutes later, I soon could see the deers antlers high above the brush as he proceeded to the field edge, I still could not see his body though. I readied my bow and positioned my body. I started to look for a place that I could shoot the buck. I found a hole that I could shoot through just as he reached the edge of the field. So, I patiently waited for him to walk 20 yards to my shooting hole. As he cautiously worked his way to the field edge, I could see nothing but his rack held high as if he knew to be proud of it. I was in awe and that is when the buck fever started to set in.
Right before the deer was going to enter my shooting lane, he would be behind a cedar tree. That was the opportunity that I would use to draw my bow. I attempted to attach my release on my nock loop. It took me a minute because my hands were shaking like crazy (it looked like I was having a seizure). I was gasping for air as I began to hyperventilate. I remember thinking to myself, "get control of yourself. This is the moment that you have always dreamed about!" Finally, the deer stepped behind the last cedar before the field edge. I quickly drew my bow back with no problems because my adrenaline was flowing like a class 5 raging river.
As I waited for the deer to step into the shooting lane I realized that I had missed something. In my excitement, I forgot to judge the distance that the deer would be at for the shot. I began to panic as I tried to make the best estimate that I could while still at full draw. Suddenly it was the moment of truth, the monster deer was standing on the edge of the field looking back at me (he could probably hear me breathing). I put my second pin on his vitals and let the arrow fly. I never guessed that the first deer that I would shoot at with a bow would be on the ground and a monster buck. I also never guessed that I would miss!
I had misjudged the distance of the shot. I shot right under the deer's heart. He ran across the field and stopped to look back at me as if to say "you dumb rookie". I tried to grunt him back over to me but he just blew at me and disappeared into the woods. I was heart broke. I blew the opportunity of a lifetime. I paced the distance off between me and where the deer was standing. It was a 35 yard shot. I had used my 25 yard pin on him. Bows were not fast back in the 90's and pin selection was much more important. I wanted to vomit.
Meanwhile, the buck ran through the woods and headed down a trail that lead to my Dad's stand. My younger brother Dustin, was also hunting in a stand approximately 100 yards from my Dad. It was starting to get dark, so my Dad began to climb down out of his tree so he could pick up my brother before dark. My Dad was half way down the tree when he saw the big buck approach him. They saw each other at the same time so there was nothing my Dad could do but freeze. The big buck spooked and headed towards my brothers tree stand.
Now what would you do in this situation? A mature buck had just been shot at then he ran into another hunter that was climbing down a tree. There was only one thing my Dad could think of. In an effort to warn my brother, he yelled "Dustin, here comes a monster buck". There was only one problem with this desperate strategy. Dustin could barely hear my Dad so he hesitated for a minute then yelled back, "What?" Obviously my brother never saw the giant whitetail. Actually, after that day, none of us ever saw him again.
There are two lessons to learn in this story. The first lesson is about judging distance. If you are estimating the shooting distance in an open area, the actual yards are going to be greater than you think. Your eyes will play the opposite trick on you in the reverse scenario. If you are shooting in a heavily wooded area, the distance will be closer than you think. Practice this with your rangefinder and you will see what I am talking about.
The second lesson to remember is this, if you miss a giant buck, make sure he doesn't run directly towards your hunting buddy's stand. You will never hear the end of it if he shoots the buck you missed. If my Dad would have stayed another 3 minutes in his tree, he would have the biggest deer we have ever shot. That would have made my miss hurt that much more. I am just kidding, it would have been worth it to see my Dad put that big buck down. I know I missed my chance!
In August, my father and I obtained permission to hunt a 240 acre farm outside of Waverly Kansas. We immediately headed for the farm to scout the property lines and look for deer sign. I remember walking the edge of a soybean field. A wooded creek bottom bordered 3/4 of the soybean field. As we were walking, my Dad thought he heard something down by the creek. He told my younger brother (Dustin) and I to stay in the field while he walked down to the creek. Dad didn't make it 10 yards off of the field edge when out popped a 160" mainframe 10 point. The deer abandoned his creek bottom bed and headed across the soybean field as fast as he could go. The whole experience lasted only seconds but watching a buck that big made it seem like things were moving in slow motion. Little did I know that I would soon have a shot at that trophy animal.
It was the second week of October. Dad and I were hunting down at that farm on a hot windy afternoon. I was hunting in a tree that was on a fence line leading to a soybean field. The fence line was also the south border to a cedar thicket that I knew was a good bedding area. I sat in that tree stand all afternoon fighting the Kansas 30 mph winds and abnormally warm temperatures. I was certain that I would not see a single deer. About 45 minutes before dark, I elected to climb down out of the tree and walk over to the edge of the soybean field. The field was positioned on the opposite side of the farm from where we had jumped the giant buck back in August. I positioned myself next to a small cedar tree that was right on the edge of the field. I was confident that I would not be seen as I watched the field to see where the deer were entering it for my next evening hunt.
As I sat there I noticed the temperatures were really starting to drop with the setting sun. The winds died down almost as if they were on a light switch. I sat next to that small cedar for approximately 20 minutes when I could hear something walking behind me. I slowly turned my head to see 2 does coming out in the soybean field. They came from the cedar thicket behind me and weren't 30 yards away. They slowly studied the soybean field and then proceeded out to feed in the middle of it. They never knew I was there.
Suddenly, I heard a grunt come from the cedar thicket behind me. Then I could hear a deer blowing from the same area. I remember thinking to myself, why is the deer blowing? I knew there was no way that the deer could know where I was. I also knew I had a perfect wind so it could not smell me. The deer just continued following the same trail that the does were on and kept blowing like it was clearing its nose. It was a weird and unique experience.
The brush was super thick from the edge of the field to the cedar thicket. I could not see the deer that was coming, just as I could not see the previous 2 does until they were at the edge of the field. However, minutes later, I soon could see the deers antlers high above the brush as he proceeded to the field edge, I still could not see his body though. I readied my bow and positioned my body. I started to look for a place that I could shoot the buck. I found a hole that I could shoot through just as he reached the edge of the field. So, I patiently waited for him to walk 20 yards to my shooting hole. As he cautiously worked his way to the field edge, I could see nothing but his rack held high as if he knew to be proud of it. I was in awe and that is when the buck fever started to set in.
Right before the deer was going to enter my shooting lane, he would be behind a cedar tree. That was the opportunity that I would use to draw my bow. I attempted to attach my release on my nock loop. It took me a minute because my hands were shaking like crazy (it looked like I was having a seizure). I was gasping for air as I began to hyperventilate. I remember thinking to myself, "get control of yourself. This is the moment that you have always dreamed about!" Finally, the deer stepped behind the last cedar before the field edge. I quickly drew my bow back with no problems because my adrenaline was flowing like a class 5 raging river.
As I waited for the deer to step into the shooting lane I realized that I had missed something. In my excitement, I forgot to judge the distance that the deer would be at for the shot. I began to panic as I tried to make the best estimate that I could while still at full draw. Suddenly it was the moment of truth, the monster deer was standing on the edge of the field looking back at me (he could probably hear me breathing). I put my second pin on his vitals and let the arrow fly. I never guessed that the first deer that I would shoot at with a bow would be on the ground and a monster buck. I also never guessed that I would miss!
I had misjudged the distance of the shot. I shot right under the deer's heart. He ran across the field and stopped to look back at me as if to say "you dumb rookie". I tried to grunt him back over to me but he just blew at me and disappeared into the woods. I was heart broke. I blew the opportunity of a lifetime. I paced the distance off between me and where the deer was standing. It was a 35 yard shot. I had used my 25 yard pin on him. Bows were not fast back in the 90's and pin selection was much more important. I wanted to vomit.
Meanwhile, the buck ran through the woods and headed down a trail that lead to my Dad's stand. My younger brother Dustin, was also hunting in a stand approximately 100 yards from my Dad. It was starting to get dark, so my Dad began to climb down out of his tree so he could pick up my brother before dark. My Dad was half way down the tree when he saw the big buck approach him. They saw each other at the same time so there was nothing my Dad could do but freeze. The big buck spooked and headed towards my brothers tree stand.
Now what would you do in this situation? A mature buck had just been shot at then he ran into another hunter that was climbing down a tree. There was only one thing my Dad could think of. In an effort to warn my brother, he yelled "Dustin, here comes a monster buck". There was only one problem with this desperate strategy. Dustin could barely hear my Dad so he hesitated for a minute then yelled back, "What?" Obviously my brother never saw the giant whitetail. Actually, after that day, none of us ever saw him again.
There are two lessons to learn in this story. The first lesson is about judging distance. If you are estimating the shooting distance in an open area, the actual yards are going to be greater than you think. Your eyes will play the opposite trick on you in the reverse scenario. If you are shooting in a heavily wooded area, the distance will be closer than you think. Practice this with your rangefinder and you will see what I am talking about.
The second lesson to remember is this, if you miss a giant buck, make sure he doesn't run directly towards your hunting buddy's stand. You will never hear the end of it if he shoots the buck you missed. If my Dad would have stayed another 3 minutes in his tree, he would have the biggest deer we have ever shot. That would have made my miss hurt that much more. I am just kidding, it would have been worth it to see my Dad put that big buck down. I know I missed my chance!
(P) September 25th
No morning movement what-so-ever. Dad and I split up tonight to cover more area. We experienced a light rain for about 45 minutes at 4pm. The deer movement was right after that. I saw a doe with 2 small fawns and a 6 point while sitting on a food plot (stand #8). Dad sat on another food plot (stand #7) and saw 2 does, 4pt., and a 125" 8 pt. with should grow into a very nice buck in two years. A cold front moved in after the rain bringing heavy NW winds.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
(P) September 24th
First night out this year. Had a NW wind at 5 mph. I videoed my Dad hunting off a food plot hidden in the woods (stand #4). We pushed a small buck, a doe, and a fawn in the east end of the food plot. We had just planted this clover plot 3 weeks ago. It was coming up nicely but on this night we found that it was all gone! Bummer! The deer hammered it down to nothing but dirt. We obviously saw nothing else during the night sit.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
(P) Tribute to a Bowhunter
Every year I find today is always a very difficult day for me. Seven years ago on September 19th (2003) my Grandpa Fred passed away unexpectedly. He wasn't just my grandpa, he was one of my best friends and role models. He was a man who lived life to it's fullest, genuinely loved people, and was enthusiastic about everyday. Grandpa Fred was definitely the life of the party in hunting camp each year. Boy, did he like to hunt. I don't know if there was ever a deer season where he slept the night before opening day. I think about Grandpa everyday. However, this day is always more emotional for me.
(Grandpa Fred and his 2002 Kansas bow buck)
I really shouldn't be sad that he has passed on because I know of no one more prepared to meet our maker, our Lord and Savior- Jesus Christ. Grandpa lived a simple life but everyone new he lived that life for God. He didn't have to say a word, you knew he was right with God by the example he set everyday.
Seven years ago today, Grandpa Fred stepped out of his house (which was located on a private Northern Wisconsin Lake) and headed for his favorite tree stand. It was located across the street in a thick Douglas Fir pine tree forest. He climbed up in the tree about 12' off the ground. At 81 years old, he was just as excited about the hunt as he was when he was a teenager. You would have to know him to truly understand this excitement or enthusiasm. Grandpa saw a few does that night but did not shoot anything. After dark, he climbed down out of his tree stand and headed back home. My grandma met him at the door and told him to get ready for dinner. Grandpa was in his trophy room, changing out of his hunting clothes, when he had a heart attack and passed on. I will never forget the phone call that I received that night when I learned what had happened. It tears me apart every time I think of it. It altered my life forever!
I try to remain positive though because Grandpa left this world the way he wanted to. At 81 years old he was still doing what he wanted to do more than anything else, hunt Whitetail Deer! He never suffered or experienced any pain in his last days. Grandpa just made sure he was spiritually ready to meet our God and left this world in a manner that he would have preferred. He was a great man!
Thanks Grandpa Fred for hunting with me every year!
(Grandpa Fred, Me and my Dad)
Don't take for granted the opportunities you have to hunt with friends and loved ones because after the season is over, all we have are memories. Make sure your right with God, it's what Grandpa Fred would have wanted most.
(Grandpa Fred and his 2002 Kansas bow buck)Seven years ago today, Grandpa Fred stepped out of his house (which was located on a private Northern Wisconsin Lake) and headed for his favorite tree stand. It was located across the street in a thick Douglas Fir pine tree forest. He climbed up in the tree about 12' off the ground. At 81 years old, he was just as excited about the hunt as he was when he was a teenager. You would have to know him to truly understand this excitement or enthusiasm. Grandpa saw a few does that night but did not shoot anything. After dark, he climbed down out of his tree stand and headed back home. My grandma met him at the door and told him to get ready for dinner. Grandpa was in his trophy room, changing out of his hunting clothes, when he had a heart attack and passed on. I will never forget the phone call that I received that night when I learned what had happened. It tears me apart every time I think of it. It altered my life forever!
I try to remain positive though because Grandpa left this world the way he wanted to. At 81 years old he was still doing what he wanted to do more than anything else, hunt Whitetail Deer! He never suffered or experienced any pain in his last days. Grandpa just made sure he was spiritually ready to meet our God and left this world in a manner that he would have preferred. He was a great man!
Thanks Grandpa Fred for hunting with me every year!
(Grandpa Fred, Me and my Dad)Don't take for granted the opportunities you have to hunt with friends and loved ones because after the season is over, all we have are memories. Make sure your right with God, it's what Grandpa Fred would have wanted most.
(P) September Deer Activity
Deer activity this month is a bit hard to predict. Most of the deer should be on their feeding patterns for the next month as they begin to bulk up for the rut and winter. We won't see early activity related to the rut until October 19th. To be successful, hunt close to the bedding areas unless you are hunting near a good evening food source (unless otherwise noted below). In the meantime, here are your lunar times for the rest of September:
September- Time
22-1259 (Autumn begins)
23-1333 (Full Moon)
24-1402
25-1443
26-1538
27-1622
28-1718 (Don't be afraid to hunt a transition area in the morning on this day)
29-1813 (Hunt transition areas in the morning and evening)
30-0638/1906 (Hunt transition area in the morning and a good food source staging area in the evening)- Last quarter Moon
* For more information on this topic, read my previous article on Moon Phases (February 2010)
September- Time
22-1259 (Autumn begins)
23-1333 (Full Moon)
24-1402
25-1443
26-1538
27-1622
28-1718 (Don't be afraid to hunt a transition area in the morning on this day)
29-1813 (Hunt transition areas in the morning and evening)
30-0638/1906 (Hunt transition area in the morning and a good food source staging area in the evening)- Last quarter Moon
* For more information on this topic, read my previous article on Moon Phases (February 2010)
(P) 2010 Opening Day in Kansas is here!
Tomorrow is finally opening day in Kansas. I won't be hunting until the evening of September 24th though, due to my work schedule. I can't wait because we will be hunting for 6 days straight. My cousin Steve and a friend of mine (Monty) are driving down from Wisconsin to hunt with me and my Dad. We are going to have a good time!
I checked some of my trail cameras yesterday and saw 3 nice shooters. Our fall food plots are coming up slowly but surely (I am impatient). Hopefully those big boys will be walking around prior to dark.
Another friend of mine (Rob) drew a special archery tag in the La Cygne area. He will be hunting that area this entire week. They have seen bucks down there in the 160 class on alfalfa fields. I wish him luck. My boss and a friend of mine are down in Texas this weekend chasing wild hogs. I will post their pictures if they are successful.
Well, let me know if any of you guys are out there hunting. Post your comments or send me some pictures. Thanks
I checked some of my trail cameras yesterday and saw 3 nice shooters. Our fall food plots are coming up slowly but surely (I am impatient). Hopefully those big boys will be walking around prior to dark.
Another friend of mine (Rob) drew a special archery tag in the La Cygne area. He will be hunting that area this entire week. They have seen bucks down there in the 160 class on alfalfa fields. I wish him luck. My boss and a friend of mine are down in Texas this weekend chasing wild hogs. I will post their pictures if they are successful.
Well, let me know if any of you guys are out there hunting. Post your comments or send me some pictures. Thanks
Monday, September 13, 2010
(A) 14 Step Season Prep: Step 14- Bringing It All Together
We have finally reached the last step in our quest to be completely ready for opening deer season. Step 14 is basically a look back at all we have accomplished to get ready for the fall and to review all of our hard work:
Step 1- Analyzed our equipment that we used last year to determine the need for any changes.
Step 2- Talked about the basics of shooting form and how to improve our practice sessions.
Step 3 and 4- Pulled our old stands and scouted for new stand locations.
Step 5 and 6- Talked to landowners in an effort to find new farms to hunt.
Step 7- Took a break and hunted thunder chickens.
Step 8- Planted spring food plots.
Step 9- Built or improved buck bedding areas.
Step 10- Began hanging all remaining tree stands (especially in the bedding areas).
Step 11- Summer shooting sessions to keep up our archery skills.
Step 12- Uses for trail cameras.
Step 13- The need for pre-season scouting.
Over the next couple of weeks make sure you complete gear checks for all of your hunting equipment. Be sure to wash everything in scent free soap. Make sure you are shooting your bow well and your broadheads are sighted in. Continue to practice to maintain a high confidence level. Keep checking your trail cameras as you finalize your buck inventory. Keep an eye on your food plots in the event they need a shot of fertilizer. Don't forget to mow your clovers down to 6-8" in mid-September.
I don't know about you but I have accomplished my goal this year. I am completely ready for opening day with no work to be done. This will be a good reference for us to use again after this deer season. What a great feeling to have no pressure, no questions about why I didn't do this or that last spring, and no regrets. It's time to focus on killing a mature buck. Over the next couple of months I will try to stay current on posting moon phases and the best times for buck movement. There will be updates on our hunting progress throughout the season. I will also talk about some of the issues that we face during deer season. And lastly, if I get time, I will share some hunting stories. Good hunting!
Step 1- Analyzed our equipment that we used last year to determine the need for any changes.
Step 2- Talked about the basics of shooting form and how to improve our practice sessions.
Step 3 and 4- Pulled our old stands and scouted for new stand locations.
Step 5 and 6- Talked to landowners in an effort to find new farms to hunt.
Step 7- Took a break and hunted thunder chickens.
Step 8- Planted spring food plots.
Step 9- Built or improved buck bedding areas.
Step 10- Began hanging all remaining tree stands (especially in the bedding areas).
Step 11- Summer shooting sessions to keep up our archery skills.
Step 12- Uses for trail cameras.
Step 13- The need for pre-season scouting.
Over the next couple of weeks make sure you complete gear checks for all of your hunting equipment. Be sure to wash everything in scent free soap. Make sure you are shooting your bow well and your broadheads are sighted in. Continue to practice to maintain a high confidence level. Keep checking your trail cameras as you finalize your buck inventory. Keep an eye on your food plots in the event they need a shot of fertilizer. Don't forget to mow your clovers down to 6-8" in mid-September.
I don't know about you but I have accomplished my goal this year. I am completely ready for opening day with no work to be done. This will be a good reference for us to use again after this deer season. What a great feeling to have no pressure, no questions about why I didn't do this or that last spring, and no regrets. It's time to focus on killing a mature buck. Over the next couple of months I will try to stay current on posting moon phases and the best times for buck movement. There will be updates on our hunting progress throughout the season. I will also talk about some of the issues that we face during deer season. And lastly, if I get time, I will share some hunting stories. Good hunting!
Monday, September 6, 2010
(P) Food plots are growing- hanging 1 more stand
I was down at the farm today so we could finish up some brush hoggin'. However, one of the blades broke on the brush hog which required some welding repairs by Dad. While I was at the farm I hung another stand. Your probably thinking, do you really need a 19th stand on one farm?
No, that is probably too many stands for 300 acres but I want to be ready for anything this season. I want to be able to ambush the deer from anywhere. I previously hung a stand in this general location a couple of years ago during December but I didn't see much activity on the two sits. However, Dad thought we should make sure that we didn't need to hunt the area. So, I had placed a trail camera on an old logging road a couple of weeks ago. To my surprise we found that deer were really using the area. With 130 deer pictures on the camera in only a week (sorry no big bucks), I decided to scout the area more thoroughly, finding a couple of hidden deer trails. So today, I threw up another stand in the area to hunt this fall. It will be perfect for a west wind and is only 100 yards away from one of our food plots.
That reminds me of the whole point of this post. I checked our recently planted food plots today (planted 11 days ago) and found them coming up nicely. We received the rain we needed approximately 4 days after planting. I can't wait until the end of the month to see their progress.
No, that is probably too many stands for 300 acres but I want to be ready for anything this season. I want to be able to ambush the deer from anywhere. I previously hung a stand in this general location a couple of years ago during December but I didn't see much activity on the two sits. However, Dad thought we should make sure that we didn't need to hunt the area. So, I had placed a trail camera on an old logging road a couple of weeks ago. To my surprise we found that deer were really using the area. With 130 deer pictures on the camera in only a week (sorry no big bucks), I decided to scout the area more thoroughly, finding a couple of hidden deer trails. So today, I threw up another stand in the area to hunt this fall. It will be perfect for a west wind and is only 100 yards away from one of our food plots.
That reminds me of the whole point of this post. I checked our recently planted food plots today (planted 11 days ago) and found them coming up nicely. We received the rain we needed approximately 4 days after planting. I can't wait until the end of the month to see their progress.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
(A) 14 Step Season Prep: Step 13- Pre-Season Scouting
Do you have a spotting scope? I would guess that most of you do not. The majority of Midwest hunters don't own one but if you hunt out west, or in western Kansas, I would venture to say that you probably do own a spotting scope. You might be asking yourself, why do we need a spotting scope if we are not hunting out west? Well, you don't. I don't own one either, however, I know I should. Let me explain my thought process and the advantages of a spotting scope.
It is the first week of September. We are only 3 weeks out from opening day in Kansas and 2 weeks out from opening day in Missouri. If you like to hunt early season, when the weather is still warm and the days are long, then it is time to get to work. Early season deer hunting takes a slightly different approach than hunting the rut. There are positives and negatives to deal with.
Let's start with the negatives. It is hot and difficult not to sweat walking to your stand. When the air is warm it also becomes much more difficult to control your human scent (it doesn't rise as quickly as a cold day). The bugs can drive you crazy this time of year and it is hard to see very far in the woods because the vegetation is thick. Now let's move to the positives. The deer are feeding heavily and are fairly predictable on their eating patterns. The bucks are in bachelor groups which means you may see a couple of shooters together. Their racks have just come out of velvet so they are shiny, clean and not busted up yet. The temperatures are warm so you won't be wearing bulky clothing and you aren't going to freeze out like a December hunt. The bucks should not have any hunting pressure on them and are probably bedded within close proximity to the major food sources or a water source.
By doing some pre-season scouting, you can get on these early season bucks. I try to hang observation stands prior to the season starting. These stands are strategically located to keep intrusion down to a minimum while being in a position to see where mature bucks are coming out into the fields to feed. Try to get into these positions at daybreak or sunset. This is where the spotting scope comes into play. High quality binoculars will work too but a spotting scope can really zoom in on the make up of a particular deer's rack. You should be able to get a good idea where bucks are entering and exiting the fields. This will also give you the opportunity to confirm the buck inventory of your hunting property (supported by your trail cameras).
Observatory stands, hay bails, and old country roads are great for scouting prior to the season opening. Ensure that you don't put any pressure on the deer during your pre-season scouting. The season is almost here and we don't want to tip the deer off that our favorite time of year has almost arrived.
Once the season has started, if you are having a hard time getting on a buck, try your pre-season scouting techniques at first light in the morning. Once you locate the buck you are after, quietly set up a stand inside the wood line where he left the field (getting between the food source and the bucks bedding area for the evening hunt). Chances are he will come walking by you if the wind is right in the evening. This year I am going to have a spotting scope for pre-season scouting, even if I have to borrow one! Good hunting and make sure you are shooting that bow a couple of times each week.
One last thing, take a kid hunting or fishing in the next couple of months (you have heard me say this before). It is just so awesome to see the positive impact on them.
It is the first week of September. We are only 3 weeks out from opening day in Kansas and 2 weeks out from opening day in Missouri. If you like to hunt early season, when the weather is still warm and the days are long, then it is time to get to work. Early season deer hunting takes a slightly different approach than hunting the rut. There are positives and negatives to deal with.
Let's start with the negatives. It is hot and difficult not to sweat walking to your stand. When the air is warm it also becomes much more difficult to control your human scent (it doesn't rise as quickly as a cold day). The bugs can drive you crazy this time of year and it is hard to see very far in the woods because the vegetation is thick. Now let's move to the positives. The deer are feeding heavily and are fairly predictable on their eating patterns. The bucks are in bachelor groups which means you may see a couple of shooters together. Their racks have just come out of velvet so they are shiny, clean and not busted up yet. The temperatures are warm so you won't be wearing bulky clothing and you aren't going to freeze out like a December hunt. The bucks should not have any hunting pressure on them and are probably bedded within close proximity to the major food sources or a water source.
By doing some pre-season scouting, you can get on these early season bucks. I try to hang observation stands prior to the season starting. These stands are strategically located to keep intrusion down to a minimum while being in a position to see where mature bucks are coming out into the fields to feed. Try to get into these positions at daybreak or sunset. This is where the spotting scope comes into play. High quality binoculars will work too but a spotting scope can really zoom in on the make up of a particular deer's rack. You should be able to get a good idea where bucks are entering and exiting the fields. This will also give you the opportunity to confirm the buck inventory of your hunting property (supported by your trail cameras).
Observatory stands, hay bails, and old country roads are great for scouting prior to the season opening. Ensure that you don't put any pressure on the deer during your pre-season scouting. The season is almost here and we don't want to tip the deer off that our favorite time of year has almost arrived.
Once the season has started, if you are having a hard time getting on a buck, try your pre-season scouting techniques at first light in the morning. Once you locate the buck you are after, quietly set up a stand inside the wood line where he left the field (getting between the food source and the bucks bedding area for the evening hunt). Chances are he will come walking by you if the wind is right in the evening. This year I am going to have a spotting scope for pre-season scouting, even if I have to borrow one! Good hunting and make sure you are shooting that bow a couple of times each week.
One last thing, take a kid hunting or fishing in the next couple of months (you have heard me say this before). It is just so awesome to see the positive impact on them.
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