Bamboo and I are Soaked!.....

[joe skipp]

Today was a day you either sat home watching Star Trek or Mash Reruns...or you hit the woods with the rain and wind and hunted rutting bucks.

Mike and myself hit the Jersey woods from dawn to dark. Wet, cold, tired and sore...but man did we see deer! I seen 2 does on the morning sit but they offered no shot. At 10am we headed out, dried out some clothes and grabbed a quick breakfast.

Then the weather got real ugly. Northeast winds and rain pelted the area for about 1 hr. We then took off for a new area...we climbed...climbed some more and finally reached a plateau that was covered with rubs. Easing through we still hunted pausing to call and flag. We encountered 9 does just off the property we hunt. We couldn't entice them over and they slowly fed off.

The rain slowed but the wind picked up...and then the chasing started. Maybe 60 yds out front a buck was chasing 4 does. The silent carpet allowed us to follow rather quickly hoping to intercept them. Running through scrapes and dodging large rubs, the buck herded his harem down off the plateau.

Two hrs later after a calling sequence, Mike and I headed towards a nice funnel. Down the hillside runs a small buck....the much larger buck satisfied he ran off the little one, ran back up the hill and started chasing around close to 13 does! Flags were racing around everywhere!

The little buck then ran up the hill and tried to catch up. The hill was just a tad too steep for Mike and I to run up and follow. By this time it was close to 3pm. Two wet and tired bowhunters headed back the half mile to the truck. We managed to make our evening stands for the last hour. It was a great day...my clothes and backquiver are drying out...Saturday...both of us along with Southpawshooter will be at it again...

[Deadsmple]

Hey Joe, atleast you guys were smart enough to get out for a little breakfast. I went out dark to dark and now I'm a little worried some of my stuff won't be dry by 4am so I can get out again tomorrow. it sure did get ugly a few times today but hey I was still having fun.

What part of Jersey did you hunt? Southpawshooter and I are practically neighbors. Hope you guys will be hunting away from all the corn and CRP fields on Saturday. The florescent army should be out there chasing pheasant with their dogs again.

[joe skipp]

Also its gun season for the Youths. Saturday is their day to deer hunt...last year we forgot and I was easing around in my ASAT when I noticed a father/son team above me, decked out in blaze orange...toting a shotgun. Wasn't pretty as I scooted off the mountain.

[Wapiti Chaser]

Gotta love it Joe. This is the time of year we wait all year for. Like you the weather has never kept me inside. The orange army takes to our woods saturday as well. Good Luck sounds like a matter of time !!!

[adkmountainken]

good luck!! hope ya get a slammer!!

[BFinegan]

"Easing through we still hunted pausing to call and flag."

What do you mean when you say "flag". Just curious.

Thanks

[woodchucker]

Sounds like a great (and wet LOL) day Joe!!!!!

Man I just LOVE huntin' when the leaves are wet and you can move quiet and fast!!!!! Keep us posted on how you boys do!!!!!

[bamboo]

Joe---         glad to see you made it home----i was asleep an hour before you posted --LOL--we,ve been spending alot of time in Stokes State Forest---that place has it all---cover---food and big deer every year i learn more---- last week southpaw and i each called in big-boys mine was at least a 135" scott said he stopped looking at rack but said he was big-- really big ----but to get to these guys you gotta bust your hump!!!and to close the deal is even harder ---they drive these deer hard with a really long muzzleloder season--and i've seen 10 pick ups pull in to do drives--and thats just the drivers!!!these deer have seen it all!!but it can be done my buddy arrowed a nice130-5 6x4  a week ago -----as for flagging we do this with a white rag --while calling [estrous bleats] we shake and flip it to similate a doeready to stand and breed---sometimes this brings them right in----joe shot a nice 5 point at 6 yards-- we we called twice -flipped the rag and he grunted then ran in[from 150 yards out]   !!good stuff -i wish i had video !!! this stuff should keep working for another week or two --we saw two groups chasing yesterday and i saw chasing this am on the way to work----tis the season!!!!!

[southpawshooter]

Sounds like a blast, albeit a wet one boys!!!  Looking forward to the weekend, should be real good!
   

Hope both you sorry old wet muskrats dry out for the weekend LOL

[joe skipp]

Scott...I'll meet you guys down there tomorrow morning. Maybe those Youth gun hunters will push some deer our way. If it wasn't for that giant pancake breakfast Mike and I had, don't know if I would have made it through the day!! LOL. I'm noticing....at my age....my knees are starting to ache more after running those steep hills. By the way...I did another fine slip, spin grab the limb after hitting one of those wet rocks!  

[southpawshooter]

 another ballet manuever, huh????

At your age, sheesh, I hope I can get around as well as you amigo!

See ya' in the AM.  I've gotta quiver full of arrows that need to be launched, hehehhehehe......

[joe skipp]

I'm sitting in tonite, just loaded up the Catquiver and shot some arrows from the Mikuta this afternoon. Gonna be chilly in the am...I'm all set....a full pouch of Levi, bananas and baby wipes...don't get no better!!

[bentpole]

Go get 'em boys!!! I have to work tomorrow. I hope to be done at 12:00 . I figure on hitting Wild Cat Ridge after work. It's only 20 miles from my house. Guys do yourself a favor tomorrow and wear at least an Orange hat. It's youth day.Don't want to see anyone hurt! Bucky will be on Old Mine Road couple miles down from the Milford Bridge.Go where no one else dares to go! That's where they'll be or hidding in the corn on Old Mine Road.Good Luck , be safe and keep us posted!