Maryland CA/TG hunting blog 2009-2010

Hate to hear that TG, But it does happen to all of us. hopefully you or someone else will stumble over him sometime

Hate to hear that man.

Hate to hear that man.

Decenber 19 morning

Sat the old fencerow blind. Woke up to 4-6 inches of fresh powder snow and 20 degree temps. But the wind was whipping at about 10-20 mph with gusts of up to 30. Saw 6 deer before we had shooting light then 4 of them came back but stayed on the neighboring property. With the wind driving the snow horizontal the deer headed for cover and bedded down. By the time we got back to the house we had 8" of snow. We'll try it again this evening.


Decenber 19 evening

Back to the old fencerow blind. We would have prefered to get in the new hillside blind because it is bigger and warmer the wind is perfect for either set but the wind would have been blowing right into the windows and on to the camera so it's back to the little ole fencerow blind. It's alittle tight but it keeps the wind and snow off us. Before we left the house we had 14" of snow, temps still in the low 20s and the wind was still getting it. Nothing was moving early except a yote came through at 160 yards but before we realized what it was and got the gun up it moved off. About 3:00 deer started movingbut they were not moving very far. They would just mill around nipping off any browse that was above the snow and trying to keep thier face out of the wind. At 4:00 the wind died down and some about 8 deer started heading our way. The first deer came into the field in front of us at 4:45. We had probablly 4-5 fawns and a couple of mature does in front of the blind and we were getting some good footage so we decided it was time to start some herd management. Picked the biggest doe and let the Encore eat. She went about 80 yards and piled up on the other side of the blind. Only a couple deer ran off and not 5 minutes later a couple more mature does came into the field so we continued our management efforts and heated up the T/C barrel again. This doe ran and dropped about 30 yards away from the first one. Again a bunch of deer stayed in the field. We scoped out the rest of them and confirmed that one of them was deffinitely a pretty big dow fawn so before the barrel cooled down we let it eat again. 3 deer in 10-15 minutes, not bad for hunting in a blizzard. Everyone thought we were crazy for going out today, they said nothing was going to be moving today. Wrong they were and we aren't crazy just dedicated deer hunters. It was fun up till we had to drag them through knee deep snow, luckilly TG had his uncle come meet us next to the blind with one of the big farm tractors. We still had to drag them about 80 yards, that was enough. I will be snowed in so I will get a little of the footage up tomorrow.

That's awesome... good shooting and way to prove the others wrong!

Nice work.

December 24 Christmas eve Morning

I decided to continue my tradition of going out on Christmas eve morning. This is something that I have done for years but this year I was on my own becasue CA had to work. So I decided to head out to the Old Box Blind with the camera and T/C ML in hand. It was a slow morning with only seeing one deer until the sun came up and the woods in front of me came to life. We still had about 12" of snow on the ground with temps in the single digits so I knew they were going to move late. At about 8 I caught movement a ways away and it was a buck but I could not tell how big. As I was sitting there watching him I heard my Dad in the tractor feeding the cows close to where the buck was so I called him my cell phone to see how big he was. During the conversation a doe and spike were heading my way, I was trying to get my Dad to tell me if he was a shooter or not because I did not want to shoot the doe if it was. He finally said he was nice but not a shooter and I quickly hung up the phone got the camera and the gun on her and at this time see is 90 yards and getting ready to cross the property line. I settled the cross hairs, checked the camera, back to the gun and BANG, she runs 80 yards and piles up. I got the shot on camera but did not get her falling. There are to many trees in the fence row to see with the camera. All in all it was a good morning, cold but good. I did not see the buck after I shot so I assume he stayed close to the bedding area.

December 26 morning

My brother in law ( the dermist ) was hunting with me this morning. We sat the old box blind. We got to the blind 45 minutes late. Clayton is not a morning person so he typically doesn't hunt in the morning but since he has been busy at work and with his taxidermy bussines he decided to make an exception and maximize his oppurtunity. He has not shot a buck in 3 years so he was more than ready to get a shot at one. Well he should have slept in. When we got to the blind there were 6 fawns not 60 yards from the blind. We did see the tempting 8 we see all the time on this side of the farm. He's a nice 2 year old that needs a couple more years. We saw a couple other deer and a group of 5 jakes, but nothing offered a shot.


December 26 evening


We where back in the old box blind by 2:00. Right off the bat we had 6 little ones in front of us. At 2:30 I caught a glimpse of white moving along the hillside. It was one of the piebalds we have running around. She moved back and forth along the hillside for close to an hour until finally moving off to the top of the hill. At 3:30 a nice buck entered our corner of the field. He was tall but very narrow. It was bigger than anything Clayton had shot in the past and we verified that it was atleast 3 years old so he got the green light and he wacked him. The buck only made it 60 yards and piled up. Since it was so earlyand we still had deer in the field, I tourtured him by not letting him get his buck but instead we reloaded and we were going to do some doe management. More deer filtered into the corner but there was a real nice doe on the hillside that we wanted to take. She cautiously made her way down, turned broadside and then Clayton missed. We had a great afternoon sit. We saw plenty of deer and Clayton got his biggest buck to date so he wasn't to bummed about the miss. Here's a pic of his buck.

Hey man congrats again on a nice buck. Can't wait to see him on the wall in your shop.

Congrats on a fine buck, Clayton!

How many deer have been shot so far out of the box blind by you and TG, CA? Sounds like a bunch...

Well let see.... We have two blinds that over look the same corner of this field and we hunt them with different wind directions. So the new blind we have killed 3 does and 1 buck plus hit and lost another buck. The old blind we have killed 4 does and 1 buck out of. This is a hot spot of our farm because it is next to a farm that does not get hunted and these deer pile out of there. We also have two sets of stands in the same area for bow season and we have missed a buck and killed 2 does out of that set. This year it was a bean field and the action is good, last year year it was a corn field and it was a little slower. The best years I have ever had was when it was in Alfalfa, these deer love that stuff. Plus we only hunt these setups after scouting and know that deer are using this area so we do not burn it out.

December 30

I sat in the Natural ground blind where I missed the ten on the second day of the archer season. I was hunting and filming because CA had to work and could not get off early enough. I had about 10 deer working there way to me when some guy started to walk in the middle of the field on the neighboring farm. He ran about 40 does and fawns by me but I seen probably another 30 - 40 deer on the neighbors farm. This really pissed me off because he was not supose to be there and with deer moving at 230 - 300 it was shaping up for a good night. So later on in the night I took my frustrations out on a big old healthy doe at 10 yards with T/C ML. Caught it all on film along with her going down. Is was a good night but it would have been better if it was not for this guy taking a nature hike.

December 31

Went back to the same blind but this time I took my uncle. I thought it was going to be slow because I shot that doe the night before. Boy was I wrong!!
We had decided to shoot the first big doe that came out just because he has not shot any yet this year.(Dairy and Crop Farmer with not much time to go out) But when an old big boy steped out on the neighboring farm are plans changed quickly. They slowly worked there way in and I looked up and another shooter was getting ready to cross the property line. All of a sudden he got spooky when some does got down wind of us. The wind was suppose to be ESE witch is perfect but at times it was blowing NW and right where the does were standing. Needless to say he turned and went the other way. There was still hope because there was another one coming and with a third possable shooter behind him. They came up to the property line but only I could see them and they disapeared and we did not see them again. With light fading fast I knew our hunt was just about over. I then recieved a call from a buddy hunting on the farm and he said he seen a nice buck coming from our direction. So the only thing I can think of is they came in behind us down over a hill where we could not see them. All in all it was a good day even though we did not get something, it was still nice to hunt with my uncle who along with my dad taught me a lot of what I know today about hunting.

January 1 New Years Day

CA and I sat the old hillside set with CA shooting and me behind the camera. Lets make this short and sweet, we did not see a darn thing. Maybe this afternoon CA will have better luck.

January 1 midday


Went duck hunting for the first time with Clayton. We saw over 15 ducks on the way up the river but we didn't see anything while we set up. Maybe tomorrow if the weather man was wrong. They are calling for 20-30 mph winds tomorrow.

January 1 evening


Went to the new hillside blind. Was by myself cause old TG still had Christmas stuff to do. Some one needs to tell him that Christmas is December 25th, just that one day it doesn't go on for weeks. There was 4 fawns out in the field when I got there. Nothing else moved until 5:00. I had the 4 little ones come back in, then as I was packing all the camera gear up a doe and 2 fawns came in but it was way past legal shooting hours.

January 2 evening

We took the morning off. To windy to be sittingout there with the little movement we have been seeing in the mornings. It was pretty cold, around 24 with 30 mph winds with gusts in the 40s. We were going to the new hillside blind because the hillside blocks alot of a NW wind and the deer know this. Well we had probablly 25-30 deer come in tonight but they were all fawns and does except 3 of them. @ were litlle spikes and on looked to be a 2 year old that had allready shed his antlers. Seems a little early but some of the nasty weather we have had lately could have put some added stress on the herd causing him to drop early. Who knows, hopefully the big boys still have both antlers if we get a shot at one before the season ends. The last week of our season last year we had a 13 point we had seen during pre season scouting come in with only one antler. Talk about a bummer. We saw that deer several times during pre season scouting and got a few trail cam pics but never saw him during the season until he came in with one antler. We have the late 3 day gun season next thursday,friday and saturday then I'll break out the long bow and try to take my first deer with it.

January 8 evening


It was nice and cold, about 24, but it was windy. We sat the new hillside blind. There was no action until 3:30 when a descent 2 1/2 year old 8 and a few fawns came out. With the wind blowing like it was they got a lttle spooky and made there way off to the nieghbors. Some one or something was stirring the deer up on the neighboring property because at 4:00 deer started running out of the bedding area and off to the north. About 15 minutes later they came running back. At 5:15 the deer started pouring back out of the bedding area and started filling the field infront of us. A nice 2 1/2 year old 8 with a broke G2 was out in the field chasing a doe. Then a shed buck and a spike joined in for a little while. January 8th and the bucks still have intrest in does. There are way to many does around here. We had another nice buck come in but we decided to pass on him. His face looked as if he might be 3 but the body looked to be a 2 year old. Plus I'm still have a little faith that we can seal the deal with old Lucky Buck. We saw a real nice shooter 8 but he was no where close to being in range, he was probally close to a mile away. The final count on deer in the field infront of us there was 44, but in there had to be another 20 plus deer in the nieghbors field.Tomorrow is the last day of the late gun season so we will see if we can't get a good buck on the ground tomorrow. If not we still have a couple weeks of boww season left.

Thanks for the update CA... Glad you got to see some action! Good luck cashing in tomorrow. Hope to hear some good news!

Hope ya get a crack at that big boy ya saw today and put a nice one down. Put some pics up if ya do.

Good Luck CA TAG EM AND BAG EM.

January 9 evening.

Took the morning off because we haven't been seeing any deer movement in the mornings. I slept in until 9 am, very unlike me but man did it feel good. Called TG to see if he saw anything moving this morning from his house and wouldn't you know 3 mature does and a few fawns walked right in front of our blind we would have been sitting in. At 2 pm I get to TG's house and find out I left the camera at my house, good thing we were going to get there early we had plenty of time to go get it and get to the blind. Well we get situated in the blind after bumping a few little ones and a flock of about 20 turkeys. No action for awhile until TG got a phone call from another hunter on the farm. The other hunter had a tresspasser shoot a little buck not 100 yards from him, so TG leaves to go find out whats going on. Not 20 minutes after he leaves the deer just start pouring into the field. A real nice 8 point was the third deer in the field, but he was deffinitely only a 2 year old. Then 2 more nice 2 year olds came in with a pile of does and fawns. it was getting late and not seeing any other deer making thier way to me it was time to take out another doe. Trying to pick a nice doe out of probablly 20 plus deer in fading light proved to be a little stressfull. Having seen a few shed bucks allready and having mistakin a spike for a doe a few time tonight I wanted to be 200% positive I was on a doe and not a buck. Well after some searching I found one and put a hole in her. She went about 80-100 yards, and now we got another doe out of the herd. Was hoping for a buck but we got another doe, we just need to shoot about 100 more does to get the herd's buck to doe ratio close to where it should be. You can bet with 3 more weeks of bow season left I will be out there trying. Out comes the LONGBOW!

Congrats on the doe CA!! Theres a spot by where I hunt that it is like that and we cant do anything bout it caus its all posted!!!! Most of the guys that have the property dont shoot does until the last day if they shoot any!! Ohwell, its their property and if thats what they want to do then let them have it their way!!

January 16 morning.

Went duck hunting for the second time ever. Saw some birds and got a shot at a set of two ducks but we missed. Got a lot closer today but still came home empty handed.


January 16 evening.

Went to a natural blind we have on a alfalfa field. Deer were moving but just not toward us until late. The weather man was calling for a west wind but we were getting a south/southwest which is pretty good for this blind unless they come in behind us. Thats just what the deer did to. We had a yearling doe and a spike in front of us and 3 small bucks coming in behind us. One of the smaller bucks was a big 4 point that TG wanted to get a look at because he thinks it might be a 3 year old. If it was a 3 year old IA probablly would've taken him out. I was hunting with my long bow and I was just looking to do a little doe managment but I would've taken him out if it proved to be an inferior 3 year old. Never got a good look at him because he ended up getting our wind when he was just 20 yards behind the blind. Well we got 2 more weekends to get some more deer on the ground and for me try to get one with my long bow.

January 22 evening

We sat our natural blind trying to get one with the long bow. Had a few in on us early and they were close, about 15 yards, but we couldn't get them to seperate. They moved on and we didn't have anything come in until late. Got one close and a big doe spotted something she didn't like and trotted off 30 yards or so. Then I rushed the shot on one thayt was still at 22 yards and missed her clean. Had some more come in but they hung out at 30 plus yards. Deer 1 Me 0. We will be back out at it tomorrow evening.





January 23 morning

Went duck hunting on the river with my brother in law again. When we got to the spot where we put the boat in there were 2 trucks already there. When we got up river to our spot there were guys set up in the same spot we had been set up the last 3 weeks. Can't say anything, thats public hunting, but it was sure a nice spot and we had not seen any other hunters the last 3 weeks. So we go down river a ways and set up. Some ducks flew over but we couldn't get them to commit. We were sitting there not paying much attention when one flew in on us, BANG got my first duck. While we were retreving it about 12 ducks come flying in and they spooked off.

Good looking Quacker Buddy,congrats on your first

Way to go congrat's nice bird.

January 23 evening

Went back to the natural blind, trying to get one with the long bow. 4:00 deer started coming out in the neighbors field. Lucky Buck came out and bedded down in the field 300 or so yards away. I told TG that it was going to take an act of God to get Lucky to come in. A bunch of the deer broke away from the herd and came straight into our setup not 20 yards away. Wouldn't you know, I missed again. All the deer cleared the field and ran right past Lucky Buck. I didn't phase him because he never even got up. At 5:00 some of the deer in the field started making thier way towards us. Lucky got up and started to follow, thats when I dropped the long bow and picked up the Bow Tech. All the does and fawns came in but Lucky Buck hung up at the property line till just after last camera light. He came out in front of us at 45 yards, a little far but I drew on him and could see him good through my peep and was rock solid. I decided I was going to take the shot so I asked TG to range him and now he was at 50 yards, so I settled the pin and l took the shot. With the aid of my aluminock we could see that I just smoked him. We sat there for awhile in amazement that we just connected on another buck on our hitlist and the top deer on my hitlist. I have been after this deer for 3 years. He's not the biggest deer in the area but he is old and we have history with this deer. This is not my biggest deer but this is deffinetly my best trophy. What a day, got my first duck and the buck that has topped my hitlist for the last 2 years and we have been chasing for 3.