2014 Spring Turkey

This spring was very late. There was still snow on the ground in the creek bottoms.
The clover field we had hunted the past year was so behind. The first week we heard a few birds but nothing close at all. I was able to call two birds into about 80 yards but never put my eyes on them.
So we abandoned turkey ridge and went on out way. The next spot we tried had birds but it was a long walk. about 2 miles to the ridge.  Kyhl and I got set up on a bird and he was coming then he got hung up at about 100 yards. I moved back and left him with the decoys. I started calling again and had a different bird just at full speed. I was not ready for him and he picked me off when I went for my bow.  The next day I went to find a new way in that was not a two mile walk. I found a old logging road that would shave about two thirds of the hike off.

That night Kyhl called and said he had a few birds around his house and wanted to give it a try.
We got all set up and right at first light we heard a shot not that far away. We packed things up and headed for the logging road where were had the two toms going two days ago.

We get to out spot and I tell Kyhl we are close to where I would like to set up and a hen starts putting only forty yards away over the ridge. We are now a little dearest to say the least.  It is only 7:00am. We turn to walk back to the truck and go try one more spot and we hear a tom gobble. We look at each other and at the same time and say I think we should stay.

We stick the decoys in the road and Kyhl sets up fifteen yards away and I set up about twenty and ten yards left of Kyhl. I have the mossburg as backup. Kyhl gives the thumbs up and I start to call. He starts coming. Each time he gobbles he is cutting the distance in half. Not long and he is with in fifty yards. He stops coming and I quit calling. He is just out of sight over a small ridge. He is gobbling like crazy but not coming. I stop calling and start scratching in the leaves. He starts gobbling every time I scratch. Then there he is. forty yards. he sees the decoys and starts to shy away. Then He pick one of us out. He starts to turn and I let him have it.  He does a few flops and I am on him in no time.

The next day we head out first thing before a storm and hear nothing. Kyhl needs to get home to the kids and I head back home as well. At 10:40 the storm passes and I head to the farm just down the road. I drop most of my stuff and just take a decoy and one decoy. Not much time becuse quiting time is noon. I work my way out to the power line and nothing so I head for the ridge. I can hear one gobbling way off. I am texting with my Brother and let him know how the day is going. The bugs are bad and with only half an hour left in the hunt I decide I am not going to try and hike over one more ridge. It is hot and humid and I'm tired. So I let out a few loud yelps and he gobbles. I text Will and say I hear one but I'm to lazy to go after him. At 11:35 he gobbles again but he is much closer. I text will and say he is coming!! I grab my decoy and drop down two benches on the hill side. Not much time so I wanted to split the difference. I set up and call again he is just coming into view. about 120 yards. Full strut and taking his time. He works his way across the valley and starts coming right to me then turns to my left into some thick stuff.  I take the safety off and he stickes his head out at thirty yards and I squeeze the  trigger. He drops in his tracks and rolls back down the hill. I look at my phone and it is 11:45.  I put my tag on him and shoot Will a text. Got Him!!!

Bother birds were a little over 18lbs , 9" beards and  3/4in spurs.


Mike and Will came up for a long weekend. This was their first time hinting Vermont.  We were not able to get Will a bird but had a few going. Next year.

Mike was able to get a jake from the same spot and almost the same tree I shot my first bird.

 I called in a hen at this spot.

 Kyhl in his hiding spot.

 Will on one of our hunts. We walked a long way that day.

 I had the wish bone from my spring turkey last year. Kyhl and I made a wish on opening day.

Fishing Down Memory Lane

Liam has developed quite the passion for fishing. Naturally of course ;-) 

Last weekend had me fishing down memory lane. 

(Saturday afternoon)

Liam: Daddy can we go fishing?

Me: Maybe, If we get "X" job done around the house

Liam: Please Daddy, I really want to go fishing

Liam: I have the worms right here and my pole and tackle box are at the door.

Nicole: Just go, he really wants to go!

Me: Ok Liam lets go!

That conversation was nearly a carbon copy of how many fishing trips John and I would start with our dad...

We would always get the "Maybe" or "Probably" answer. 

I would usually send John to ask because Dad always seamed to given in or John wouldn't give up I'm not sure which was the case...

One place we always begged to fish was Crooked Creek. We would park at the Parking area at the Ives run end of the Old railroad grade that paralleled Crooked Creek and Walk the 1+ miles to the first "good" fishing holes and typically would fish up and down a short section of the creek until dark. We would be catching Small mouth bass, Carp and Rock Bass. At that time we would have to walk since the gates were almost always closed other than  for hunting season. It was always fun walking along finding turtles, snakes, deer, bear and all kinds of song birds. We also liked fishing Crooked creek because we were allowed to wade the creek and fish at the same time. we would wear old sneakers, shorts and a pack full of lures stomping up and down the creek. 

 After deciding we were going to fish I had to come up with a place to go. I thought the lakes were a bit to windy and  frankly we needed to change things up a bit... So off to Crooked creek we went. Liam had never fished Crooked Creek and I knew he would have fun in a new place... I had planed to just drive to the spot and have a go at it but as we pulled into the park I noticed the Railroad grade was gated and I instantly got a big smile on my face. So we pull in and Liam asked where we were going to fish and I said "Oh down this road a ways." We gathered our stuff and off we went walking down the same road  my dad walked John and I down 20+ years ago. 

We walked as he was looking at just about everything.  Asking to fish the swamp along the road as John and I use to. He was running and walking and asking questions about what things were and where we were heading to. He had to run or walk into every mud puddle on the road and would do his best to Identify the animal tracks in the mud. 

Bear Track Liam Found on our walk in to fish

After our short walk we came to our first spot... I noticed there were quite a few Carp hanging in and around the rocks so I told Liam to get a worm on his hook and he could catch a big fish...

With a puzzled look on his face he followed along not yet seeing the school of 18+ inch Carp swimming right by us. I had him cast a short distance and gave him directions to just let it set on the bottom... 

Well that didn't last long, he wanted to reel it in like he always dose and bam caught a bluegill. I believe he ended up catching a dozen or so small pan fish before he saw the Carp. 

At that point he was all business. He let it sit on the bottom for only a minute or two and he had a hit and started reeling like he always did and nearly lost his pole as the Carp swam hard and fast into the current ultimately breaking his line. Took about 3 lost hooks before he picked up on the technique needed for the bigger, heavier and stronger fish.

On the fourth fish he got his rod tip up as it bent over hard. With my help and instructions he was able to enjoy the fight of a big old Carp. He played it up and down the creek only using a ultra light ugly-stick and spin-cast reel given to him for his Birthday from Uncle John. after a few minutes of fighting it tired and I was able to pull the fish from the water...

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Let me tell you the Smile he had was contagions. I was so proud of him! High fives and cheers echoed up and down the creek as we landed his big fish.. 

I have always taught him to respect the fish and if you don't plan to eat it they go right back in the water. So each and every one of his fish went back in the water and swam away to be caught again.

After putting the fish back and the hole settled down with a few more high fives we were back at it. At this point I had put my pole away and and was focused on him catching fish... I could have cared less if I was catching anything at all. 

He ended up with one more fish before we got the call from Nicole that we needed to get home for dinner. All the way home he could not stop talking about the big carp he was catching and could not wait till he could tell his mom about all the big fish he was catching...

(Sunday Morning)

Liam: Daddy can we go fishing again?

Me: Maybe

Liam: Please I really want to go catch those carp again!

This time It didn't take much to get me to go again so after a few chores and lunch we headed back out.

Right back to the same spot but the fish seamed to be on to us and every time his hook hit the water the Carp would scatter. He caught some pan fish but he was really wanting a Carp again, so I suggested a bit bigger deeper hole up stream we hadn't fished yet. So we picked up our gear and off we went. After a short walk we were at the next spot and getting all settled in and we weren't really having much luck there ether. A few hits from time to time but nothing really exiting for about 45 min to an hour. But that all changed when Liam yells  "FISH ON!" I look and he is fighting it like a champ. Smiling ear to ear. So I grab the camera and set back and watch. I didn't help much this time just watched and if he asked I would help him out... Well this was a much bigger fish than the fish from the day before and took him a good 5 to 10 min to fight it in... I got down into the water and was able to get my hand on it and pull it from the water for him.

We fished a couple more hours and this was the only Carp he caught Sunday but was supper happy. He did catch a few more Small Mouth Bass and a few bluegills that afternoon but nothing compared to the Big heavy Carp...

Oh and yes we did get to play in the creek wading to different holes, but we just enjoyed the cool water more then fished as it was in the high 80's. :-)

The Old 410

I have wanted to kill a turkey with my mom's old H&R model 158 chambered in .410 for some time.  Last time I was in Pennsylvanian I picked it and brought it home with me. I had not shot the shotgun in over fifteen years. It was my go to gun for squires. It is very light and has a nice feel overall.

I picked up a box of Remington 3" Express Long Range 11/16oz of #6. Then went to the range to pattern it. Looking over the shot gun I was happy to see it was a full choke 24"barrel. My expectations were to limit my self to a twenty yard shot.

The target is a eight inch circle with a black one inch dot in the center.

I started out at 10 yards. Very happy
107 hits inside of 8" circle

Then moved out to 15 yards. Still happy.
72 hits in the circle.

Backed it up to 20 yards. I thought this would be my max.
But with only 29 hits inside the circle. I don't think I will take this shot.

I then tried one at 25 yards
20 hits inside of the circle.

Now that I have the info. I will not be taking any shots over fifteen yards.

Post/Pre season Scouting.

Scouting!

 My scouting has began!

So I stared my post 2013/2014 pre-season scouting a couple weeks ago.. I like to use the Snow and the lack of leaf cover to locate key features that other wise disappear or are much harder to locate later in the year.

A friend and I were able to get permission to hunt on some new land this year, so we have been learning what we can. 

The property is around 50 ac. So not knowing what to expect and with snow on the ground we hit the woods.. Nothing beats, boots on the ground seeing the sign with your own eye's..So armed with GPS, & Cell phones we hit the woods to learn what we could...

 After a couple of hour of wondering the woods and collecting data, I was able to put together a map of this new property. I have found maps like this to be key to my hunting success. With a family of five and working a full-time job I don't always get a lot of time in the woods, so I use the time I am in the woods to create maps for planning my upcoming season or hunts...

I create maps like this for all the properties I hunt. I GPS all major trails, bedding areas, food source, and potential stand locations. 

 

With the snow this time of year it brings to light deer trails not always seen with out it..I use the snow to help locate funnels and bedding areas that I may other wise miss. I create most of my digital maps using my Garmin E-trex, I will record tracts with my GPS.  I also recently downloaded Trimble's GPS hunt App and found it quite functional. I am only using the free version of trimble's App and seams to work just fine.. I only wish i could down load from it...

My next step...

"Trail cam's, us them don't abuse them"

 Now that I have a grasp of the lay of the land I plan to put Trail cam's out and see what all lives in the new woods. I don't have cam's out yet but hope to in the next couple weeks..

I use trail cam's until  Mid to early Sept. and will take them down not using them again until mid to late Oct...  When I started using trail cam's I learned quickly not to hunt trail cam's.  I use them to view animals in and around the property but I don't always hunt the locations I have my camera placed...The first couple years after starting to use trail cam's I used cam's all season long and solely hunted the areas I had set my cameras and in the end didn't fill a tag that year where my camera was seeing deer.  I think that year because of the high activity involved with placing and checking cam's regularly the deer avoided that area more and more while becoming more night visitors...  Once I put my cam's out i'll post some pic's of my findings...

As much as Technology can help us be more successful, it still takes true woodsmen-ship to make a successful hunter.

2013 Fall Turkey

On Oct 19 I took my third turkey with a bow. The plan was to meet my friend Kyhl at turkey ridge for an afternoon hunt. I got there a bit early to check my trail cam in the field. I made it to the top of the crest in the field and spotted a flock of birds working their way up the edge of the field. I had dropped  my bag at a logging road that leads to my stand so I didn't  have my call with me. I decided to crawl back to the edge of the field and wait them out. The flock moved with in forty yards and one of them spotted my and sounded the alarm.

So I did something that was a little crazy but have been told it works. I jumped up on my feet and ran as fast as I could right at the flock. Waving my hands like a mad man and yelling. The birds went every direction. Now I have them busted up I should be able to call them back in. But I do not have my call. Should have thought this one out a little more. Now I need to run back to my bag and get my call. I ran as fast as I could to my bag and back. I pop my call in and start kee keeing and doing some yelps. I can hear them responding to me and gathering back up. I thought it was over. I could make out from their calls that most of them had gathered back into a flock.

I find a nice spot on top of a mound that is about fifteen feet tall at the edge of the field. It is covered in blackberry bushes.  The birds are down hill from me. Now I start calling loud and aggressive. Trying to call one or two of the stragglers up to me.  About five minutes have passed when I see turkeys making their way up the hill. They are being very careful.
Stopping and looking about every five feet.

I let out a few soft yelps when the first bird got to about thirty yards. Their are seven young turkeys in this flock. they all respond and keep coming. They make their way right to the bottom of the mound. I draw my bow and decide to try a head neck shot. I have a grim reaper wts with a two inch cut. I did not want a huge hole in a small bird. I hold my top pin right on its head and hit my release trigger. I pulled the shot to the left in my excitement. Just misses the turkey. Now they all get excited and start to move off. I grab another arrow and nock it.   One bird is still at ten yards and draw again. this time I hold right where the neck hits the body. I focus on the shot this time and watch the arrow hit right where I was holding my pin.

I tag my bird and head to meet Khyl. I know he has got to be there by now. As I hit the logging road here he comes walking down the road. Him and I stash the turkey and head back to get him one.
At this time the turkeys know something is up. I make a few calls but nothing. We sneak over the hill and see them working north along the bottom of the hill and try and get in front of them. It did not work.  So we decide to go to our tree stands and sit for the rest of then afternoon.

After all that, I never did check my trail cam that day.

2013 What a Great Year in the Woods!!!

What a great hunting season! 

I had the opportunity to hunt with some of the finest sportsmen I know!
I was able to harvest my first spring Gobbler this year,
Saw more buck from the stand than any other year in the past. 


Spring Gobbler

 I shared my turkey season with 3 great guys, and came so close to getting a double.

Doug and I chasing Swamp Chickens

Matt & I waiting and ready!

Matt & I had only been in our spot for maybe an hour when the gobbles started to hammer from the ridge in front of us. With a few Yelps we had them coming on a string.
Matt was the first to see them at the field edge and the adrenaline kicked in.
We had 3 birds coming into our set up on a string.
We waited for what seamed like for ever for them to come into range.
I whispered to Matt once they were in range that at the count of 3 we would shoot.
With the adrenalin rolling and so focused on the shot I didn't notice Matt wasn't quite ready when my count hit 3. Two shotgun blast and one bird flopping...

 Not only was this my first Spring Gobbler it was also my first turkey ever. had a 5 1/2 beard and weighted around 12 to 15 pounds I was using Winchester Super mag's  #4 copper plated 3" mag with a Remington 870 Sure shot express Turkey

Archery

I had a late start getting into the woods this fall. 

I made my first trip Oct 26th and had action in the stand none stop all season.

I only hunted 7 days in archery and only two days were skunked days.

I saw at least 4 deer each time i was out and almost every trip a legal buck was seen.

I have really worked hard to figure out the deer the last couple years where John and I have been hunting and it really paid off this year!

John was able to get a fantastic buck and we had more encounters in archery with legal bucks then any year before. I wasn't able to put it together in archery but was one of the most successful seasons I have had in a long time!  

 

 Rifle

My rifle season was one of the quickest and most successful seasons I have ever had.

John and I hit the woods early in hopes of anyone else in the area would push deer to us.

After a hour in the dark the first shoot rang out at 6:45am. and the action started.

 With in minuets of the first shoot we had deer coming in. 4 or 5 doe worked there way thought but decided to let them walk.

It wasn't to long a we spotted a lone deer working its way to us. So John hit the grunt tube and got the camera rolling. She came in to about 60 or so yards and my dad's Ruger 7mm Mauser dropped her in her tracks...

I quickly climbed out of my tree got her tagged and drug her back to the tree. Jumped right back in my stand in hopes of more action since it was only 7:30am.

It wasn't 10min. and John tells me to get ready there are more deer coming.

I spot 2 then 3 then 4 deer working there way down the hill. I notice the 3rd deer is a buck and appears to be legal.

John gets the Camera rolling and hits the grunt tube, and he breaks from the group and come in to about 50 yards.

I took a quoting tortes shot and he took off like a rocket, but only a short distance before we could tell he was hit. I was so amped up and shaking that John was picking on me for making the tree shake.

well i quickly climb down and after some "Hang ups" getting out of the stand I was off to do a quick tracking job, and had a tag on him by 7:45am.

He ran about 150 yards from where I shot to the point he died. This buck is the second biggest buck for me to date.

8 point inside spread 13 3/4" and an outside of 14 3/4"

After some photos and the excitement subsided and with the help of John we were back to the truck and on our way home by 9:30am.

I didn't get back in the woods to hunt the rest of the season, but have already started scouting for the 2014 seasons!

I hope 2014 is as fun and successful of a year in the woods as 2013 was for us!

2013 PA Buck

I had been planing a trip to PA for the last two months. The time has finally come to load up the car and make the six hour trip to Tioga county.

 My brother had been sending me trail cam pics of a hand full of buck. I had high hopes to kill my biggest buck to date on this trip. So far my best buck is a eight point I killed in rifle season many years ago. I now use the antlers from that deer as my rattling antlers.

The drive was nice. I decided to push straight threw so I would be able to hunt that night when I got in.

I stopped at the local shop and picked up my tags. I called my brother and asked what he thought for the night. Temps were in the fifties and wind out of the north west. He gave me a few tips and said good luck. Once I got to the farm I got a call from my brother saying he was going to stop by on his way home because of a cat wreck he needed to go the long way. I get all my gear out and getting dressed when he shows up. We chat for a bit and we decide I need to go to a spot that does not get hunted that much becuas a north west wind is the only wind that works. We say bye and I head to my spot.

On the way in  I see more deer sign on the edge of the field than I have seen all season in Vermont.
I find a few good looking rubs and scrapes on the field edge.

I notice the tracks in the scrapes are some of the largest tracks I have seen. I Start feeling like it is going to be a good night. I have only been in the state for two hours. 

I find a good tree form my climber and get set up. Not much comer so I climb about twenty five feet up and pull up all my gear. I am facing not looking up the hill with the field to my right. Not expecting something to come fro the field I have that as my weak side.  The sun is warm to warm. It is still in the fifties. I am getting away with hunting in November with only a long sleeve shirt on.

I sat with out seeing anything but squirrels. I hit my rattling antlers together and do a few grunts and got ready.  Then it was like someone flipped a switch a little spike chased a doe right in front of me and out of sight. Another doe came by and then the spike chased the doe back by again.  Then I noticed a deer out by the field. I look and see a nice buck working his way to me. He is down wind of me. I am thinking there is no way he will come in. Just then the spike comes back with the two doe right in front of him.  The spike stops and makes a rub on a sapling.

 I am surrounded by deer. The doe are at fifteen yards and the spike is off to my left at ten yards. At this point I'm sure one of them are going to pick me off. I slowly get turned to get a shot to where I think the buck I think is a nice ten pointer will come by my stand. He sees that little spike with the doe and you can tell he is not happy about it. He starts coming in. I can now see his left antler is crazy looking, two long spikes super cool looking.  He stops at twenty yards and makes a scrape and then turns and enters the woods. This took me off guard. I wanted him to keep walking the field edge for a nice easy fifteen yard shot. Now I need to get set up on the right side of the tree. Some how I get my bow between the tree and my self with out spooking him or the other deer right around me. He is still coming towards me. Working his way to the little spike. He heads behind a tree and I draw my bow and go threw the motions. He is less than ten yards now.  This is one of the harder shots to make twenty five feet up and under ten yards.

He comes out the other side of the tree and stops. I set the pin right on him and squeeze the the trigger and heat that hollow thump up a good shot. He bucks and then slams into a tree and then gets up and runs fifty yards and drops insight of my tree.


I text my brother from the stand and could not text because I was shaking so bad. All i got back was ?
So I called him. I said I shot a big buck and he is down can you bring the cart from the house. he said your shitting me and hung up on me. I climb down and go look for my arrow and blood. No arrow but so much blood. I follow the blood trail to the buck and find half my arrow on the way.

 I take a moment to get calmed down and tag my buck.

My brother calls me back and asked if I had found him. I said yes. He asked how many  points and I start counting and got to nine and he hung up on me again. I go back to my stand and pack things up and head to the car and meet my brother there. He meet me in the field with the cart and walked back in with me. I pose for a few pics and get to work field dressing him.

This is by far the biggest bodied deer I have ever killed. dressed out at 178lbs. It also my best buck to date. We drug him to the field and get him loaded on the game cart. My brother had called a few  friends to see if they wanted to come help. They showed up about the time we made it to the cart and helped pull him out.Thanks for the help guys.

And my 2013 PA season was over in the first night. I would not have got this deer if it was not for my brothers hard work and time he puts into scouting. Thanks so much.

On the first day of rifle season my brother killed a nice eight and a doe from the same spot.