******Daily Hunt Report 2004******

[Terry Green]

25th....Day of the Squirrels.  We seen a ton....but no bears.  Too much food on the ground, and could not believe we didn't see a bear as much as we walked.

Here's a photo I took about 4 miles into the Cohutta Wilderness 1000 feet over Jack's River.

 

[Tracy McQueen]

9/26

No deer seen today, but did run into a flock of about 15 wild turkeys. I'll be looking for them again in a few weeks    

Man I don't think I have EVER seen as many squirrels as I have this year! Terry has been seeing a lotas well it seems, how is it where you guys are?

[Doug in MN]

Sept 26, It has been hot here in Mn went out early saw a few does and one dandy buck just no shot opportunity they never got closer than 45-50 yards. Hung the stand in the wrong spot[again]oh well. It has been a crap shot on stand location there are acorns everywhere, the most I have seen here in years. Was out of the woods by 11:00AM got tired of being used to feed the local bug population. By the way Tarzzzz that is some beautiful country.
Doug D

[John Scifres]

KyKodiak,

It's darn scary how many squirrels are about this year.  The ones in my yard are a nuisance.  Cured one yesterday though.  It's like "The Birds".

[Roughcountry]

Today was the last day of the Oregon archery season. There's a few special hunts later but you need to draw them.
Anyhow I talked my bride into going up with me about late morning. Figured I'd hike out on a Mt. I hadn't gone out on for about three years. I was hopin to get Cindy a shot at a big ol blue grouse on the ridge goin out or on the trail around the top. No grouse but we did find a good elk wallow and a lot of fresh sign. I'll get some pics up on Littlefeathers thread as soon as photobucket fixes their site.
It was a great day in the hills and a good end to the season.     We can hunt grouse a few more months. So I'll get my bride out somemore. Those tags taste better if you put them in the dutch oven with a bird or somethin.

[Woodduck]

Finally got an afternoon with no hurricane in NC...equipment details at 'Highlights 2004'
 

[Woodduck]

and daughter from college was home to congratulate me...  

[RayMO]

Congradulations woodduck! Let me see...who is the easiest to look at woodduck or his daughter...I vote for his daughter..no contest!  :D  

I had quit a hunt last night. It is a rather long story. Two does, one was right behind me and I didn't even know she was there. The squirrels were making such a racket all afternoon. I see the other doe off to my left, stand up for a shot and the one that was behind me flags and runs to the other doe. Boy did I feel stupid.     Then she come in even closer. This deer really wanted an arrow. Unfortunately she never gives me another good shot.

Obviously, I need to work on shots taken over the back side of my lone wolf.     I have taken many shots from this stand and never had this problem before, but then I was never in this position.

Anyway, my composure will be much better next time (Lord willing) and I won't make that mistake again (I hope   :D  ). Still learning.
 

[Littlefeather]

9-27... Had a fantastic hunt today. No game seen other than the hundreds of Cardinals that seem to come out of the woodwork this time of the year. Its one week till deer season here and its still in the 90's during the day. Deer Season? Kinda warm and nothing really active yet. The pigs have showed back up at the house in small numbers and in no real routine. Im glad to see them back again. I'll be in pursuit of them till I figure out the routine or they drive me crazy. Happy hunting. CK

[gatorarchr]

I (Donnie)Went to Ga. last weekend with two friends (Rick and Roger) to hunt on another friend's (Donny) land.  All 4 of us were using primitive bows and arrows, 2 using steel points and 2 (Donnie and Donny) using stone. The first afternoon Donny shot and hit a 6 point that happened to come by my stand limping, I shot it to make sure we had a good blood trail.  When we found the deer, he had hit it in the lower leg and I connected on both lungs.  The second afternoon Rick had a very close encounter with a doe and yearling, but was never able to get off a shot. Not bad for our first weekend of hunting.
 
good luck,
Donnie

[Doug Campbell]

Well the past couple days, 27th and 28th, have been a blast but the wind just keeps hammering me. lots of close calls but no shots.

Saw thirteen different wolves and five different bears last week. The compitition amoungst us preditors is getting a little stiff up here   :mad:   Taking a few days off to take my better half away so will be back after em when we get back. Bear season will be open then  

[b.glass]

Kentucky
Sept. 25, 2004
8:00pm
7 yd. shot
recovered less than 90 yds.
12 pt. buck
first deer ever!
planning to send story to ATHA

[Hooked]

b. glass,
congrats!  Lets see some picks!

[Littlefeather]

Ever notice how long it takes to build confidence but what a short trip it can be back to humility?

Thats right, I missed again.........

Uggg, I sat quite patiently for almost 15 minutes as I watched MaMa Sow and two 40# pigs feed. I also noted the tree I'd failed to trim nice and neat. In addition, I even thought about how the little branches wouldn't be visible after the light got much dimmer. Id committed to getting the Sow to quarter because she was quite large.

As she quarters, I draw smootly and release. It was over till the Ash shaft changed directions at the same time as the hogs left the State. I forgot about the little branches in the faiding twilight.

 Ahhh, The reason I love this so much is the strain on all the emotions. I cannot imagine the successes without the failures either. At least it was a Sow and not the 190 class Buck Im working toward. Yea, Right! CK

[Timo]

Finally got into the woods today. No not hunting, but scouting and setting stands.

Found out that we have a lot more acorns than I first thought,and that the deer are slammin um down!

Found a little water hole full of tracks.Muddy beyond belief. Followed muddy tracks up through the leaves about 40 yds to a huge chinkapin. matted grass, and raisins everywere.

Got some stands set!

[insttech1]

Got out kinda late for the opener (had a field trip with my daughter all day...) but...

I jumped a deer 100 yards from the truck, 12 yards off the road...scared the crap outta me...oh well...

Make my way towards where I wanna hunt, go 25 yards off the trail...and jump two more that were standing watchin' me in plain darn sight...I just wasn't ready for them to be that close to the trai (this is public land, and a state park, with hiking trails...)  They were close enough to the campground that even I could smell the campground!!

Oh well, so much for them...

Get to where I want to sit for the evening spot, on a known route to water...and jump another deer comin' down to water WAY early...this one also was within 25 yards, and I wasn't ready...

Then watched 4 more 300 yards away across a bowl as they fed in and out of private property...

But hey, I was able to confirm that the deer are where they were last year (didn't scout much, can ya tell????), I was able to get within 25 yards without freakin' em out too much, so I had to be kinda quiet, at least...

The acorns are fallin' here like crazy too...that's pretty cool!  And I was able to see eight deer in less than 2 hours, which is pretty good for this area of public land...

Looks like the start of a good year to me!  Now I just gotta figure out how to get a stand along their travel route to the local lakes (bad area for swirling winds on edge of a bowl), and I'll be almost golden...LOL  yea, right...!!

Take Care,
Marc

[Littlefeather]

Insult to injury! Thats the way this mornings deer opener has been for me. Two and a half hours in a tree was quite enough without seeing anything.

I thought Id take the long way back to the house still hunting as I went. I was about a half mile into the walk when 10 feet in front of me two hogs bust out of the brush in opposite directions. Once I gathered myself I realized that they were now looking for each other so I crept forward to put myself in between them. Boy, It got interesting for the next few minutes. I had one in at ten yards but could only see the top of his back before he moved off.

I slowly moved forward about 40 yards and again I found them lying down but without a shot opportunity. Well this went on for an hour or so. Id catch up to them then they would bust and run. I've never seen them do this. Well, about the seventh time they ran they must have dead ended into a pond. As I sat and pondered which direction they'd gone, I heard a grunt. Surely they wouldn't have been so stupid to trap themselves at the pond. About then seven or eight 100 pound hogs comes over the pond levey and is on a collision course with me. As I raise my bow they change direction and stop at 10 yards. THWACK! One Wensel Woodsman directly through the shoulder bone. Broke the shoulder! The shot was a little forward but he was hit hard and left good blood.

 Well, There was good blood for about 5 minutes then a torrential downpour started. I've been walking in circles in the rain for two hours and still no pig. Im sick! The rain is still comming down and Im sitting here in the house pouting. Not much I can do till the rain stops. I guess I can still hope but things sure look gloomy. CK

[hunt it]

Hope you find that hog Curtis, good luck. I just returned from 14 days moose hunting. There were three of us hunting, had a great trip. We shot two bulls, one on the first night and the second one on the last morning. Alot of work for three guys but it was a great hunt. One young bull 2 1/2 yrs and a 4 1/2 yrs with a 42" rack. Both bulls were called in and shot from tree stands first one shot at 20 yrds second one at 27 yrds. Both shot by good friend that has been hunting moose with us for seven years now and this was his first and second moose. Some guys have all the luck. I had no chances this year, however I saw both kills and called in the big bull. Great hunt and will try to post some pictures when they are ready.

[Littlefeather]

5 Hours of aimless searching in the on and off rain has me frazzled. The brush is just too thick and with the rain there has been no sign to even help me. I even came back to get the dogs. They were of no help. Too much rain.

Im calling it an evening. I sure do hate the Lows in this sport. Sometime it happens. CK

[Roughcountry]

Curtis, Thats to bad. Don't be to hard on yourself, You gave it a great try. I was kinda down over the same thing one time and the game bio that lived in the neibouring place told me not to worry. He said nothing goe's to waste in the outdoors. As long as you give it your best shot at finding it your all right, you just feed all the other kritters instead of your family. It's another day tomorrow, and the huntin gods will be in a better mood