Huntin with the Hedge 2019-20

[Jim Davis]

Still looking over your shoulder Shawn. I like the reports.

[HH~]

Sure Jim.

The forest took a beating last night here. Saturated ground, strong winds. Lots of old Oaks on ground, cedars snapped clean off. Squirrels be happy. Nuts are all on ground now.

The spot I hunted was all open fields 40 yrs ago. Lots of cedars in woods there. Was tobacco cultivated long before GVT purchased it and added it to Post. I have found some nice native scrapers or fleshers on this ground. Has come giant ERCs in here where they must have left the in fields.

Have had some close encounters over the years with some large whitetails here. Pretty spot in big woods.

HH~

[HH~]

29 Oct

Got a call while I was in the garage sharpening broad heads yesterday about 1000hrs, was Pappy saying he shot a doe and was going back to get out his hunt clothes and get the Hound. He had found both pieces of arrow and figgered he could use another body to find this whitetail. Only a few minutes to his farm, so off I went.
We rode out to the area he hunted and he showed me the shot and both arrow ends, blood trail. I was purty sure this deer was hit just as he described and would find her directly. Well, she went down, down, down and the dog pretty much led him to the deer. She went a 7-800yds all down. We were happy to get her and he dressed her out for long drag up the hill to where he could get his machine to her. I think I busted a small bead coming up that hill? The woods was very pretty, damp and moist and temps at about 55 degrees. The forest floor is cover with wind blown acorns both reds, white and chestnuts. Just really pretty now, leaves falling, lots of yellows and oranges and some red (dogwood, sassafrass, maples).

Got her back, cleaned up and in the walkin all before 1300hrs. Always feels good to get your deer after a long track & drag. Needed a cold drink of water after that!

HH~

[Jim Davis]

Must be nice to live near Pappy--even if it means more work sometimes.

[Deerhunter21]

+1 jim

[PEARL DRUMS]

You guys have the old fudd

[HH~]

30 Oct

Had to go to Post and up to North Christian County KY yesterday. About a 50 min drive and it gives a good idea how the deer are moving because my county and that one are loaded with deer and these two Hiways kill a ton of them when the rut has started. I saw only one dead deer on road when during this time I see ten each way this week of the year.

Went out with my static yesterday after the drive. Got set in about 1420hrs near my old stock pond stand. This old stock pond that held water when they had cattle in here 20yrs ago, its dry and the forest has gobbled it up. No tress grew in the bottom of it and it is like a green flat spot in middle of forest. Has some elm, hedge apple, persimmon, cedars around it. Love to sit here, as it attracts everything that happens to contour around this ridge to it.

Wind would not settle or make up its mind until around 1700hrs. Leaves were just falling in the light breeze and overcast skies. I noticed after the big wind storm the squirrels are not working much in the treetops as there food is scattered on the ground now. Was watch some of the them work under a big oak some distance behind me and slowly turned to do a 180 scan to my front and there was a deer standing 25-26 yds in the old pond. Small deer by itself. It must have came in off the ridge and I never heard it? It fed around and thought "if it come within range and offers a good shot I will go on and take it". It came and turned at 16yds offering a good shot. I drew, picked a spot and released! I watched arrow fly high right and impact behind last rib into vital area but no penetration. Deer went down snapped arrow and got right up. Then, made a big wide circle and came to stop about 22yds out in pond and layed down. I thought about letting deer expire right there but it was fast nearing last light I did not want any other thing going wrong I decided to take this shot on a small target in dim light.

 I remembered my old SOTIC instructor's saying "Lights up sights up, Lights down sights down" rule when shooting rifle at long range with apature. Had a good idea the arrow would fly a bit higher than in normal light so I picked a spot well below deer's vitals in leaves below, picked one and shot. The arrow was an absolute gem. It hit center half way up body, right behind shoulder blade and disappeared. Deer was dead in 20 seconds. Was glad to have the harvest completed before total darkness fell.

I dressed deer in the dark, packed my stand up. Got the pack over my chest backward, threw the stand on my back, found my bow and made my way in the dark some mile and a half homeward.


HH~

[PEARL DRUMS]

Better go buy a bigger freezer man! Nice job.

[WhistlingBadger]

Nice shot(s)!  Not often we get a second chance like that!
T

[HH~]

I have four freezers. They are empty from last year. Think im about halfway to what I will use in a year Pearly. Will hunt out west next year for prolly six weeks. Gotta put up bulk meat for jerk for the Mts. Not to forget we do bratfest in Feb at TO!
Think we did 700+ brats last year.

HH~

[PeteC]

Congrats on your success. That's a lot of venison. God Bless

[HH~]

Jim
I got those reparrows ordered. Thanks.

Thinking I may need a few repairs to come yet. Fixing arrows and sharpening broad heads is not such a bad thing! You know.

HH~

[bjrogg]

you have to be the most dedicated hunter I know HH. and a dang good one to.
bjrogg

[HH~]

Thank you BJ.

A guy I know told me other day "got to love your hunting, you shoot a nice 5x5 and next hunt you shoot a button".

Really have not hunted a whole lot with warm temps early and I did not go out west to hunt elk either. Thinkin next year I will need some extra meat in elk camp as I'm going to ID and hope to get drawn in MT as well. Go from one camp right to the other. I do 10-20 miles a day in Mt's and need plenty protein. I can eat enough in elk camp!

Two years ago I hunted ID and camped at 8000ft. Had a nice backstrap I took out and stashed in melting snow pile near tent. Came in from hunting and it was gone?? I followed the blood trail and freezer paper and saw my culprit. Big blood loving Pine Martin, I got half my whitetail backstrap back. Guess he couldn't eat whole thing.

HH~

[Stixnstones]

Congrats, again...