Hunting with the Hedge 2020-21

[Allyn T]

I didn't grow up hunting so all my experience has been the last 4 years or so but processing it yourself to just feels like something you should do, finishing your own work so to speak. Plus I like to keep as much of it in roast form or big cuts for steak as I can I try to grind as little as possible.

[HH~]

No Hunt 6-7th NOV

It opening of Smoke pole season and the Orange Army will be in woods here this morning and I wont be in that! Maybe on Sunday? Warm here, very warm.

 We took care 3 or 4 whitetails. We ground almost 80lbs of burger some for burger some to be used in making Brats later this year. Purdy much we worked from 10:30 to 1600hrs then clean up. Was a good day. What happens when you shoot doubles or triples on same day (work). Have some wrapping to do today and make a trip to the smoke house. Need to smoke some stuff to cure it so I can get it out to my son overseas. Guy is a deer jerky and deer stick eating machine.

Big Dave/OTIS came in while we were finishing up. Good to see him and will check in with him through out the week bow hunting at the farm.

Keep waking up at 0400 even if I dont hunt. Guess that's from hunting out west and getting up at 0330 to hump the Mt to be in in the area you wanna hunt at first light? It's all gud.

Good Hunting
Shawn~

[GlisGlis]

great stories and awesome pictures
thanx for this journal 

[HH~]

Sure.

HH~

[HH~]

08 Nov 20

Was 60 this morning! After 0800 I could not stand it by 10:00  it 75 degrees. I saw plenty deer on and around the two acre green field we put in. Those doe were gnashing and tearing the bejesus out of it. Then, a big ground hog wandered out and got his fill. In all I must have seen 15 deer. Had a good looking 2x2 walk right up to me on ground. I took a knee and he kept right on into me. He had his mouth wide open and slapping his tongue to his nose. He stopped and ate some fresh fallen maple leaves and kept on moving. Love drunk no doubt.

Fella who owns farm said there five bucks outside his widow at sunup. I sure did not see them in my area by creek. Good day with the "Tit" and some new arrows I had to put together. Deer been breaking a few off. Have not lost a point yet though.

Good Hunting
Shawn~

[HH~]

10 Nov 20

Went to farm this morning and on way saw a deer. He got ker-plunked last nite on road. Small buck, pulled the 4x4 over and he was still warm. In the back he went. He a hit to head and left front shoulder. Took the hinds and back straps out and ice them down. About 30lbs of boned meat.

Went out tonight was 65 degrees and drizzling. I got setup and looked over and nine hens turkeys were feeding on some kind of seeds in the dead stalks. When, I looked back to right a nice 6x4 whitetail was coming fast along a deer trail. Nice looking buck. He was cruising for doe and never gave me an opportunity to get on him. Later about dark, was getting ready to pack my gear on ground and looked up and he was about 10-12yds away on trail looking at me. Was far to dark to shoot. He just turn around and walked back the way he came. Warm but bucks are cutting up the woods looking for females.

Good Hunting
Shawn~

[Allyn T]

That's a good rut report

[HH~]

11 Nov 20

Was 62 at 0445 now un 58 and raining. Will wait til rain goes thru then go hunt. They out searching and this cool will help fire these deer up.
I did watch a buck last nite. He was bedded about 500yds out in a corner of hay pasture. He stayed in bed til it was almost dark. Just to warm (70 degrees) with winter coat and all fatted up. Thinking they will be in a tear later today as front moves in.

HH~

[PaSteve]

Congrats on the double Hedge. Weather's been the same here in PA. Too hot for good rutting activity. Not much daytime movement at all. Heavy rain today and tomorrow, then it cools down a little Friday the 13th. Hopefully they'll get active then. Should be a good couple of days. Enjoy reading your adventures. Keep it coming.

[HH~]

Finished up second 6lbs of jerky last evening. Man gotta have a shirt pocket of deer jerk.

Shawn~

[HH~]

11 Nov 20
 45degrees, wind NW 5-7mph

Veterans Day. To all the warriors, the 1% if this great nation who chose to serve. Thank You Brothers in Arms.

Took the Hawken out tonite. Saw a herd drop in to my friends standing beans out at about 300yds. They disappeared in a low spot at 1600hrs then about 45 mins later i saw ears coming over the high spot about 135yds away. I checked my iron sights and wAited for this big lop eared granny doe who was trailing to get clear. As, she did i put a center hold on her and touched off the old smoke wagon.
She ran right at me. I could see shot was right height but to far back as she stood in thicket 40yds away. Slowly dropped powder, then patched ball and rammed it to bottom.
Plucked a new primer out of breast pocket and primed rifle.
She was in purty good blackberries, honey suckle and sapling thicket now and standing there dripping. I took good 6 O clock hold, pulled set trigger then touched off main trigger. Big smoke! Then, i see her going down. The old rifle still a fine hunting gun.

Good hunting~

[Eric Krewson]

There is something about putting as patched round ball through one that is akin to a feathered wood shaft and two blade broadhead.

[HH~]

Not really. If it were the same i would hunt with my cap and ball pistols more. Always for me something about taking skack out of a bow string, looking down shaft past a broadhead on a patch of fur/hair! Maybe its just me?

Never seen you on the Hedge thread Eric. I put you a pic Eric of the Booner doe. She soaked up that first ball like a champ!

Shawn~

[HH~]

12 Nov 20

36 degrees this morning, NNE wind 2-5mph.

This morning was one of those November hunt sits when it was nonstop action from before shooting light til 0830hrs. Just a rare day with a selfbow you may or may not have once a year. When, I got to the Happy Hunt ground with my forefathers if it's like this hunting will be fine. Hop they have lots of arrows there.

0600 in light just enough to see a we bit a small doe trotted by with tail up looking birdy. She was followed by one of the deer I been after. The went by crossed creek of my hunt land and ..... Boom! Smokepole went off. I know he is dead unless are nimrod missed his mark. Big mature 5.5yr old. Hope a young hunter got him!

About 0650 a big mature 5x5 I have been on twice now came down same scent trail but moving very slow and taking his time. He got about even with me and stopped cold. Thru his head up. Wind shifted right into his nose. So, he stood still as a head stone for 5 min then slowly made a circle 50yds out into wind but it had shifted back to NNE. I knew he would be back later. So, I stood in stand ready for about an hour then sat back down. Just as I did, I hear a deer coming hard behind me. I stand slowly and look and its him moving fast right under my backside of tree. I grab bow and turn, draw bow about halfway back and my tree stand platform creaks on tree and he bolts out about 50yds away right into a 2x2 coming the other way. He left for the day. I will stay out for a day or so now. he in the thick stuff chasing doe. He not going to far. Saw a few other deer and packed it up and walked out.

Had the big doe to take care from last evening. Have 65lbs now of ground deer for brats and burger. Mr.Bill was there and he knows a family thats on hard times so I gifted him some backstraps and roasts for those folks. Help em out some I hope.


Good hunting~

[Eric Krewson]

I wish I could bow hunt with my selfbows but loss of land and physical limitations have shut me down.

I had lost the ability to hunt with my flintlock rifles because I couldn't see the sights well enough to be confident in my ability to shoot accurately. I just made a peep sight for my #1 deer rifle that shows promise in getting my shooting ability back.

I guess I feel the primitive connection to my rifles because I made them, the first took me 2 years worth of goof-ups and corrections before I was satisfied with the final product. I got much quicker and better on my later guns. I am working on what could be my last build, I don't need any more.