Friday Mid-Day Report

On Thursday, the weather change started.  It was 65 in the morning, the downpours started, and it was in the mid-50's by afternoon.  The rain stopped for the afternoon hunt and colder weather was on the way.  It seemed like ideal conditions to get the deer out in the field eating before the storm. 

That's exactly what happened. We ended up with 18 deer in the fields.  Kristen and I waited for the bucks and they never showed up.  Leo, who already had his buck, went ahead and shot two does.  Shooting the first doe in the barn field didn't discourage other does - they just kept coming out to eat.

I sat in the driveway stand and watched 7 does come out, cross the driveway and go up to the turnips.  Kristen only saw one doe at the pond hi-rise.  Leo had 11 or so does in the barn field.

Of course, shortly after the evening hunt ended, the skies opened up again.  We decided to deal with Leo's does in the barn - dry and light.  First we had to go recover them and one of them needed a pistol dispatch (spine shot). 

You may be noticing a size difference between the two does.  Leo has a well-earned reputation as a Bambi-killer.   Think of it as veal or lamb.

One doe is a nice sized 98.9 pounds. 

The other one is a new property record - 37 pounder! 

 Between Thursday night and Friday morning, we got the buck caped and all the deer skinned and quartered.  Leo's mega cooler wouldn't hold it all but I had the shipping package from the elk that I received a few weeks ago.

I made a camera tour on Thursday and mostly had pictures of ourselves.  That's me. 

Dave looking for sign after his missed shot. 

Leo shortly before shooting his buck. 

Dave walking in from ridge stand. 

This is Dave, BB and me after collecting Dave's doe in the valley. 

Lots of turkeys on camera. 

A fox just above the spot where we recovered Kristen's doe. 

This is just one of the culverts running - normally a dry creek bed. We decided to sleep in Friday morning because the weather showed 100% chance of rain and 39 degrees.  When I finally got up at 7:30, the rain had stopped so I decided to go for a walk.  Everything was so soaked and the creeks were running so loudly that I could move thru the woods without detection.  I pushed two does out of the orchard as soon as I walked out of the barn.  I walked within 10 yards of three other deer in the woods.  Two does and a spike buck. By 10 am, the rain started again and the temps gradually dropped to freezing. 

 

We have had freezing rain all day turning to snow tonight.  I may go out to a stand this afternoon but it is probably wasted effort.  I doubt if anything will be moving in this mess.  The weather channel shows 5" to 9" of snow predicted at home in Mason.