Snowstorm and Muzzleloader Season

Ohio has a 4 day M/L season in January.  Since I'm still buck-less, I gave it a try.  Creigh came out to help out and potentially take a doe.  It turns out that a major winter storm came thru Sunday afternoon and it is continuing into Monday afternoon.

It was cold with a dusting of snow for the start of the weekend.

I had quite a few does on Friday evening while I was hunting with my crossbow.

It was chilly but tolerable.

Saturday morning was very cold and nothing was moving.

I went for a walk to warm up and found some new rubs and trails.

The snow really helps with visibility in the woods.

Saturday evening was unnaturally quiet.

Creigh did take a swing and a miss at a doe at last light.

On Sunday, as the storm started to roll in, I hung some of my Christmas presents - photos from the Africa hunt (added to prior hunt photos).

I also got this heat deflector for the Solo stove.

The birds seemed to sense the storm was coming and were all over the feeders.

I was hoping for the same with the deer as I headed to stand.

But the storm was already kicking in.  Only one button buck came out to feed in the shadow of the pine tree.

This is a trailcam from the night.

The snow is drifted this morning with some crunch layers.  The dogs were having a hard time finding a comfortable place to pee.

We probably have 8" but it's drifted in spots much deeper.  2" to 4" more predicted for today.  Creigh and I got the blade on the tractor yesterday so I am prepared to go plow the driveway.  We may spend another night and I may get another night in stand.

Meanwhile on the trailcams, the gutpile from gun season saw a lot of activity.  When I walked by that spot, there wasn't a trace left.  Visitors included:

Lots of coyotes.

And a bobcat (or two?).

And lots of hawks.

Some birds of prey were active elsewhere on the property too.

Here's an owl.

This two-shot series was fun.

Not sure what it was - Flicker?

Coyotes.

Bobcat.

Fight victim.

Hopefully, I can excavate this driveway during the day today. We're lucky that there were no power interruptions - hopefully that will continue to be the case.