roysclockgun
Handloader
- Dec 17, 2005
- 736
- 0
Many of us, after we have hunted deer for many years, think we know a little about deer and how to hunt them. Sometimes, we are humbled by hunts not going as we had anticipated.
Since Oct. 17, I have hunted three or four days out of each week. My club leases 2000 acres of paper company land in Appling Co., Ga., which is in SE Ga. The hunting is different from hunting in my earlier home state of Maryland, or the hunting in my current home in FL. In Ga. baiting is allowed. We have 29 stands. Some are shooting houses, on the ground, while others are elevated. All 29 stands have feed lots, cultivated in the spring and having lots of the green stuff that deer like, along with radishes and turnips. There are also corn feeder that we can keep full, if we care to do so.
For the past two seasons, I have seldom sat in any stand more than twice, morning and evening, without seeing deer. Many are antlerless and less are young bucks carrying small headgear. Last month I spotted two doe, closely followed by two chasing bucks. The larger buck sported at least an eight point rack. The other buck had a large body but a lesser rack. They were moving through pine cover at about 175 yards. I only had a few openings, where I could get a shot. They had one more opening to cross, before they would be gone. I held on the opening as the two doe crossed, trotting. Then, as a buck appeared, quartering away to the left, I fired and he went down. He turned out to be the smaller buck. I "knew" that I had plenty time to get a larger buck before the season ended in mid Jan.
I mostly hunted the same stand, but on occasion, just for a different view, I hunted other stands and most always saw some deer, morning and evening.
Last Tuesday, Dec. 1, I decided to go ahead and shoot a doe for more freezer meat. I got to camp in time to be on my stand by 2:30 P.M. I sat until after dark and saw no deer. Next morning, same result. The Solunar table showed very good hunting and major moves of deer, close to first light and last light. This is supposed to be optimum time to kill deer, as they are surely moving to feed. No deer.
Being an old hunter, I simply said to myself that I would "get'm" tomorrow. I was not rushed and was enjoying the solitude of the forest and absence of external stimulation. No radio, TV, newspaper or human contact. Great! And I would surely still get a deer before heading home.
The same situation continued for five days. I move four times to stands on which I had regularly seen deer for the three seasons. No deer. I got spooked and got up earlier to sit in the dark for an hour, before shooting light. I hunted mid day, when the Solunar chart said there was a "Major Move". Still no deer.
By Saturday morning, my fifth hunting day, I had had enough. This week the deer win!
I am humbled, but not discouraged. Friday, after a VA doctor's appointment, I will head up to Ga. and deer camp again. This time, I will kill the big buck!
Steven
Since Oct. 17, I have hunted three or four days out of each week. My club leases 2000 acres of paper company land in Appling Co., Ga., which is in SE Ga. The hunting is different from hunting in my earlier home state of Maryland, or the hunting in my current home in FL. In Ga. baiting is allowed. We have 29 stands. Some are shooting houses, on the ground, while others are elevated. All 29 stands have feed lots, cultivated in the spring and having lots of the green stuff that deer like, along with radishes and turnips. There are also corn feeder that we can keep full, if we care to do so.
For the past two seasons, I have seldom sat in any stand more than twice, morning and evening, without seeing deer. Many are antlerless and less are young bucks carrying small headgear. Last month I spotted two doe, closely followed by two chasing bucks. The larger buck sported at least an eight point rack. The other buck had a large body but a lesser rack. They were moving through pine cover at about 175 yards. I only had a few openings, where I could get a shot. They had one more opening to cross, before they would be gone. I held on the opening as the two doe crossed, trotting. Then, as a buck appeared, quartering away to the left, I fired and he went down. He turned out to be the smaller buck. I "knew" that I had plenty time to get a larger buck before the season ended in mid Jan.
I mostly hunted the same stand, but on occasion, just for a different view, I hunted other stands and most always saw some deer, morning and evening.
Last Tuesday, Dec. 1, I decided to go ahead and shoot a doe for more freezer meat. I got to camp in time to be on my stand by 2:30 P.M. I sat until after dark and saw no deer. Next morning, same result. The Solunar table showed very good hunting and major moves of deer, close to first light and last light. This is supposed to be optimum time to kill deer, as they are surely moving to feed. No deer.
Being an old hunter, I simply said to myself that I would "get'm" tomorrow. I was not rushed and was enjoying the solitude of the forest and absence of external stimulation. No radio, TV, newspaper or human contact. Great! And I would surely still get a deer before heading home.
The same situation continued for five days. I move four times to stands on which I had regularly seen deer for the three seasons. No deer. I got spooked and got up earlier to sit in the dark for an hour, before shooting light. I hunted mid day, when the Solunar chart said there was a "Major Move". Still no deer.
By Saturday morning, my fifth hunting day, I had had enough. This week the deer win!
I am humbled, but not discouraged. Friday, after a VA doctor's appointment, I will head up to Ga. and deer camp again. This time, I will kill the big buck!
Steven
. Remember have Fun, Shoot straight & most of all be Safe!!
