DATE: 08/16/2007 08:38:31 / MOOD: Excited

I decided to check on my camera today 14 Aug 07

Geese its hot out but had to see what kind of movement I have coming through. Once I got to the camera I saw the FULL on the display. My first thoughts was of joy and happiness. I can't wait to see all the deer movement going through.

Well to my dismay my camera had malfunctioned. I noticed some ants inside the flash area while I was out there. What had happened it started taking a picture about 1 minute apart till the camera filled up. Thats 702 pictures.

It wasn't all a lose though. I have a few pictures of a fox coming and going. I also got a small batch of pigs eat'n all my minerals with one take'n a quick roll through it.

I did swap memory cards and going to check it out later this week. Maybe this time I will have some deer movement.

I uploaded two pictures.

View Entry

DATE: 08/01/2007 14:47:10 / MOOD: Excited

I remember the last few days of deer season last season. I would take my son with me just to do some scoutting. He had such a hard time walking through the woods. I would end up walking a bit to fast for him causing him to get a few feet behind me. He really didn't like that much.

Fast forward to yesterday.. 31 July 07

I wanted to check my camera and throw some more salt out. I always take my son so after getting off of work I went home to get him. After getting him into his "Walking in the Woods" outfit we set off. First we had a pit stop at USPS. I sold one of my bows. While we was getting out of the truck I noticed two very nice cotton tails. I told my son to move around slow and look at them. Finally he was able to get around the bush and see them. I imagine they are used to people some what being on main base by USPS. After paying for shipping and coming out of the store we had to take another look for the rabbits of course. By this time they had moved on.

With that business done we was off for the woods. I was really hoping to have some nice pictures of the deer coming into my area. My son is almost 6 so about every other question was "Can we go mudding daddy?"

I explained that mudding was not in the plan for the day but I did hit a few nice puddles on the way in. He loves the splashes all over the truck.

Once we arrived to the area I park my truck I got us out and sprayed down with bug spray, yeah right. I don't know what I was thinking. Could take a bath in that stuff and stupid skeeters will drink it to get to you.

On the way in we was talking about the old pig sign. My son has become pretty good at identifying areas that the animals have come thru. He would tell me that this is where the pigs have eaten. When we got closer to the creak near my stand I could see all kinds of fresh pig sign. I waited a minute and let him explain it to me. I was so proud to hear him tell me what the pigs had been doing.

Now I do have one thing on my mind the whole time we are walking in, SNAKES. I saw the biggest water moccisan in this area two years ago so I am very cautious with him. Luckly no snakes today.

We get to my camera area and guess what. Batteries are dead. Oh well, we swap out the batteries and throw the minerals out. Then once the camera is charged and setup we stand for a proud FATHER and SON picture in the woods.

That picture will be the best one I capture ever!

 

View Entry

DATE: 07/19/2007 13:01:15 / MOOD: Neutral

I have hunted since I was 11 with my dad and had shot at some bucks as a kid. I tended to get a ferce fit of buck fever and miss. I grew away from hunting after joining the military for a while. I got back into seriously in 2000-2001 while stationed at Vandenberg AFB, Ca. Lots of good animals there.

While I shot many good does I still would get buck fever and miss them. I chased a many nice bucks around on Vandenberg. But I had no luck making a bullet/arrow stick in one.

Fast forward to my PCS to Barksdale AFB, LA in 2003. A buddy of mine that was already stationed here a few months before me had been checking the woods out. When I got here we went out and decided on a few locations that we really liked.

 We decided to build some wooden stands. One of the stands was a old stand that needed some work. Mostly he had and another friend had hunted off of that stand and only seeing small bucks. Nothing of legal size.

 They had taken leave so I figured I would set myself up on the old stand and see what I found. On the way in I found a nice scrape with a huge doe print. I was getting excited. Figured I would lay me a doe out.

 At about 10:30 my eyes was getting droppy and my tummy was hungry. I decided to sit just a bit longer and then go get lunch. No sooner than I had thought that I look up at about the 10oclock position from my stand I see horns.

He has his head to the ground and is trucking right along. This buck is moving with intent if you know what I mean. After I verify he is legal to shoot I pull my brand new Rem 710 3-06 up and steady the gun. The buck takes a turn and run straight across me at 50 yards. I take a deep breath and follow him as he goes behind a huge tree. I let my breath out just before he came out from behind the tree and I so softly squeezed the trigger.

 Kapoooow... I see the buck stumble, get up and run like there was no tomorrow. My head was buzzing with the sound of my gun just going off that I couldn't hear him crash if I had tried to listen. I knew I had to have shot him.

 Quickly I reload a round and start climbing down. I was a bit excited. I slowed myself down and gave the buck 15 minutes before going after it.

I walked out to where the buck had fallen upon being shot. YEHAW..... blood everywhere... I start to track the buck and it gets kind of thick and I loose it. Keeping my self I went back to the begginiing where I had shot.

I was able to find him after that. He had fallen right in a thicket not 20 yards from where I shot him.

I ended up draging him 500 yards to my truck up hill all the way. Once I got there I was so tired and couldn't get him  lifted up. I was kind of scared that someone may find him and take him. I ended up pulling him off the side of the trail and going to get help load him up. It still was pretty hard for both of us to load him but we did.

After getting him to the check station he weighed in at approx. 220lbs on the hoof. He was 8 points. Probably no B/C deer but for my first buck it was a monster. It also broke my streek of buck fever.

Oh I still get the fever when I see a buck but now I know how to control it.. or is controlling me still? either way it was a great hunt and I will never forget it.

 

View Entry

DATE: 07/09/2007 10:10:47 / MOOD: Excited

June 9, 2007 trail cam is put in the tree in my main area I hunt. Hope to catch a glimps of 10 point I saw from stand but didn't have a shot at. It would be neat to catch a few pictures of the pigs that have been moving thru my area to.

View Entry