Banner Year?

[bentpole]

Well Bucky and I drove the extra miles yesterday. First time we were able to hunt together.  Went to 2 of our favorite spots. The  Thermometer on The Yellow Cottage Deli said it was a bawmy 32 degrees.NICE! Should make the deer move. Hunted Walpack in the AM .Went in and settled in at around   6:00 am . Only thing I saw was chipmunks, squirrels and a racoon.Hunted until 11:30. Came out had lunch and went to good old Old Mine Road. Standing corn boy oh boy. Back in settled in at 2:30. Ten minutes later I hear something coming in my direction could it be!!!! Nope another hunter. 3:20 I hear more noise could it be... Nope two more hunters. If I was lucky they could have pushed something to me. Nope. At about 5:40 I hear more noise here we go I say to myself . Out pops a 150 pound bear that must have liked me. He hung around for  about 20 minutes until I had enough and decided to come down, boy did he run like the Dickens.Plenty of deer, mild winter, banner year. The season is still young. Time to rethink, hunt somewhere else, new strategy. Welcome to Jersey. How did the rest of you Good Folks from Jersey do yesterday?

[Recurve50 LBS]

Well I went hunting with the physics teacher in the morning at Wild Cat Ridge. Didn't see any deer while on stand. I sat in 3 diffrent spots and had hunters walk into each of my set ups each time.

In the afternoon my son and I went to my private place in Chester. We sat in 2 differnt blow downs about 12 yards from each other. I had close encounters from a squirrel and red fox, both came within 10 feet from me. Pretty cool.

 Andrew had several close encounters himself with a squirrel and he got buzzed by either a hawk or an owl. It came inches from flying into him. The best and most exciting close encounter Andy had was with a fork horn buck and a doe that came in just before last light. They came within 5 yards from where he was sitting in the blow down. He said that his heart was about to bust out of his chest and that he is deffinatly going next year for his archery hunter safety test so he can try his hand at hunting. He says he can't wait till next weekend.

All told it was a special day for me. I got to see nature wake up and got to see it go to bed  while being in the woods with people I care about. It don't get much better that yesterday.

[Jerry Jeffer]

Tom,  you gotta stay out of those popular spots. Too many goofs around. Still waiting for you to come hang with Vaughn and I.  I might know a couple of quiet places you could check out.

Larry, sounds like you found a nice spot with lots happening. Enjoy.

[bentpole]

Yeh I know, I know Jerry, I know I have an open offer with you and Vaughn. I have to get together with Larry as well. So many spots so little time. I still haven't hit that new spot Vaughn and I scouted out. That could be a good spot depending on the pressure there. Bucky and I just had to hit the good old spots for opening day yesterday. What a let down. How did you and Vaughn make out Saturday? Larry glad to hear Andrew had a great sit with you Saturday night. I guess you lit the fire in him   so to speak. Good for the both of you. That's what it's all about Bud.

[imskippy]

Sorry to say I had similar experiences too. I had a pair of racoons come in just after first light. I thought they made great targets but wasn't too sure of the rules so I held off. Good thing I did because what I gather they can only be hunted at night with a .22cal. About an hour before dark I had a 4 point come in behind my natural ground blind I made in a blow down. He had me made from hello. Just as I thought I was going toget a shot I heard some noise behind me(the direction I was originally facing). As I looked over my shoulder I see a 6 and an 8 coming in. Of course as luck would have it they too had me made. I never did get a shot but they spent about 20 minutes snorting and stopping at me from 3 different directions before walking off. Looks like I need to break out the climber next week. All in all it was an awesome day. Take care and good luck. Skippy

[Recurve50 LBS]

Already I can't wait till Saturday

[Deadsmple]

Well I saw a few does but no shots taken Saturday morning from my favorite opening day spot. The afternoon was a bust out back with Jerry, but we still had fun.

Sat up on the mountain in the cold blind and saw a few does in the distance just as it was getting light. Sat until11am then decided to take the long way home and jumped a big ten. Well, he finally convinced me to hunt an area I have been avoiding. Glad I took a walk in there because I think I found where my friend "Quarters" lives. It's real thick in there and no sign at all of any hunters ever setting up there. I'm gonna give the area time and go back late in the season. Hope it pays off.

[doeboy]

I hunted P.A. in the morning on saturday and had multiple does under my stand and no bucks of course- no doe tag! hunted monday morning and didnt see any deer? hunted on monday evening and saw lots of small bucks but the one i'm after just advoided me in a far thicket at 60 yards or so. I found "big boys" travel route so now i'm going to give him a week and slip back in. he's to big to push.In the early season i had him come in at 40 yards and look up at me and haven't seen him since....never flickered his tail, no snort, no stomping, just skirted outside of me and havent seen him in 3 weeks...till last night and he did it again.Its tuff getting big in N.J.

[Deadsmple]

Originally posted by Deadsmple:

Sat up on the mountain in the cold blind and saw a few does in the distance just as it was getting light. Sat until11am then decided to take the long way home and jumped a big ten. Well, he finally convinced me to hunt an area I have been avoiding. Glad I took a walk in there because I think I found where my friend "Quarters" lives. It's real thick in there and no sign at all of any hunters ever setting up there. I'm gonna give the area time and go back late in the season. Hope it pays off.

forgot to mention this was during my monday morning hunt.  

[bentpole]

Glad you good folks are having some action.Good Luck and Good Hunting!

[Recurve50 LBS]

ttt

[Jerry Jeffer]

Vaughn, Can't wait to get over there.  Will have to discuss a plan of attack.  I think "quaters" is getting around.

[bentpole]

Well I stayed closer to home yesterday. No sense driving over 100 miles round trip and getting skunked. Hunted with Bucky and Steve. Had  deer move threw around 9:00 am at around 60 yards. That made me happy. In the evening watched two does play cat and mouse with Steve. Tuff having four eyes watching you. Been there done that. He did manage  to get a shot off at one. Clean miss though. He's learning. It was a beautiful day weather wise sun up to sun down. I couldn't believe how fast the day passed for me yesterday. On the way out the 3 of us were talking about the season so far and actually can't complain. We actually did have some chances.Steve especially. The guys like a deer magnet. [must be the cigars]  We'll get'um. I have to get in an afternoon hunt with Larry[Recurve50LBS]  before the season ends. How did the rest of you Good Folks in Jersey make out?

[imskippy]

I'm happy with my season so far. I've been out 4 times and have seen deer every time. Last saturday I had 3 bucks within 30 yards but they all had me pinned in my blind from 3 different dirrections at the same time. Thursday after work I was headed in the woods and didn't get 5o yds in when I saw a 4 pointer milling through the about 60 yds out. I squatted down just off the trail and he continued to mill diagnally to my position, at 30 yds he stopped perfectly broadside and tried to make me out for a good 5 or 6 minutes. He kept smelling the air and bobbing his head trying to figure me out. Finally he relaxed a bit and turned his head the other way so I drew and shot without total concentration and missed cleanly just under his belly. He only spooked a bit and ran another 10 yards and began milling his way down out of sight. Oh man what a rush!! I love this stuff. Skippy

[bentpole]

Awesome Skippy. Man your really seeing a lot of Bucks!

[joe skipp]

People who don't think Jersey doesn't have a bear problem should hunt here...its a BANNER YEAR for black bears...Bamboo and Scott hunted Sat and saw 13 bears in the morning...yup...a real banner year ahead....          :mad:

[bentpole]

Joe, if they don't open a bear season in Jersey soon there will be more bear than deer. My Bud Steve bought a Newark Water Shed Permit. He went out twice, saw a mother with 5 cubs and a solo bear. Oh yeh also saw one deer a spike. If the bunny huggers don't want a bear season in Jersey they should do like they do in certain areas around the State and in other States. When hunters didn't kill enough deer in Wachung Reservation they hired Sharpshooters to futher cull the deer herd at 1,000 bucks a head.The good ole taxpayers   pick up the bill. Just came back from the wifes Aunt and Uncles house in Wallenpaupack Lake Estates that's what they are doing there too. Flashlights high Powered rifles and 1000 bucks per head price tag. Real smart ain't it? I guess they will wait until someone gets hurt or possibly killed before they do something.

[imskippy]

Tom, Yeah I'm pretty surprised. usually all we see in this area are does. I have not seen one doe yet but the lady who lets park in her driveway says there are a dozen there everyday. I feel it's only a matter of time tell I get another shot so I'll keep my fingers crossed. Skippy

Oh yeah. Are you guys planning a hunt any time soon or do will you be waiting till winter bow for that?

[Deadsmple]

Jersey Bears?.....S.S.S.

'nuf said.  

[Jerry Jeffer]