5 pines farm 2012 semi live

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

here is my view from the stand.
 

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

You can see where the logging road comes in and takes a 90 degree turn to the left. The road continues on just on the very inside of the woods.  Down below is the county road and across the road my stream and cornfield.

About 7.15 I could hear but not see a deer close by. It was out in the grass just out side the edge of the wood and was making snuffling noises.  I realized it had smelled my foot prints and was hesitating to come up into the woods. More snuffling and then heads and legs could be seen moving thru the screen of brush. Not one but four does, one a magnum and one a fawn came into the woods skirting the actual entrance and coming in just to the right of my shooting lanes.  Going to have to figure out a away not to let that happen again. The wind was in my face and they angled up and away to my right, heading up to bed.  About an hour later I was lost in thought when a deer snort just about sent  me out of the tree!! How the heck did a doe get right behind me and I didn't hear it?  it was ten yards behind and above me when it crossed my wind. As it turned i saw that two more were trailing it a short distance back. End of story!

The DNR says there are less does this year and have reduced the number of management (antlerless) tags to just one in addition to your regular tag, down from the Four we used to get. It may just be my little valley  but in 1.5 days of hunting we have now seen 22 does!

[beyondmyken]

Keep it coming, this is good stuff.

[agtex42]

Great thread!! I can't wait to hear more!

[ron w]

22 does in a day and a half.......I envy you!! Keep the adventure coming....your doing a great job!      

[awbowman]

Thanks for sharing, really enjoying it

[Longbowwally]

This is a great thread! I'm really enjoying it and appreciate you taking the time to take us along...

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

two words describe tonight's hunt. Rattle Snake.
I hunted on the opposite side of the valley tonight here is the view from my stand.
 

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

Do you see the nice corner across the valley in the green hillside on the prior picture ?. That's where I was this am. The four does were just on the edge of the woods where the logging roads goes in at the corner when they smelled my boot prints. The stand I am in tonight is a lone wolf hang on in a nice oak at the edge of the old pasture. This old pasture is full of wild apple trees. This year there is not much fruit due to the lack of rain.
   this is looking up thru the pasture

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

i love how this stand is hidden
 
but it still may not be in the right tree. This is a killer spot, one where we have killed quite a few does. I switched out a ladder stand this spring because  nine times out of ten you would get picked off drawing your bow. But now its too close to the trail that comes down off of the bluff. There were does up on their feet early despite the warm temps. I saw the first three at 5 pm. One cool thing about hunting steep hillsides is when looking up hill, deer moving thru cover that is 6 or 7 feet tall can be easily seen due to the pitch of the hillside. A lot of times you will see a head or antlers moving thur above the brush. I learned to position my stands  so I can see uphill with having to turn around.

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

That was the case tonight. All though those deer didn't go by me and they were too far away to hear, I got to enjoy watching them browse for a half hour!
here is the view looking up
 
that elm in the middle used to hold the laddrer

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

So this stand is great for observing deer, they were across the valley , in the pasture below me and I could count 6 in the neighbor's Brassica field just across from my clover field on my northern border!
When the thermals changed I got winded twice by does making their way thru the apple trees just below me.Darn!

I had been eyeballing another oak tree about 20 yards away that would give me most of the visibility this stand has and a better shot at the main trail coming off the bluff. It was quitting time anyway and I decide to shoot a blunt down onto the deer trail below me and was then going to take a closer look at this tree. My head lamp was in the bottom of my pack but it wasn't that dark yet so I lowered the bow and put my pack on and climbed on down. Grabbed the bow took three steps over to my arrow , Bending at the waist to grab it I recoiled at the sound of a timber rattler buzzing inches from arrow in forest litter! Holy $$%%! I have occasionally seen a snake here and there the last 6 years but never have I run into one in the dark on the deer trail before! I  picked up a size able stick and tossed it in the direction of the buzzing. Then i was able to pick up the snakes body movement in the low light. I oozed forward grabbed the end of the blunt and sprinted out of there! I'll have to go back and checkout that other tree in the daylight!

[amazonjim]

How much did you pay for your farm

[Whip]

Cool place Jim.  I need to make a road trip for a visit one of these times when I'm up at my cabin.  I don't think we're all that far apart.  How far are you from LaX?

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

any time whip! 30 minutes max1

[OBXarcher]

Thanks for letting us share your hunt. Good luck on getting one of the big boys

[Hopewell Tom]

Except for the Rattler, your place might as well be here in Nova Scotia. We've got 250 acres, 100 yr.+ old farm house, Barred Owls and lots of does and some excellent buck genetics. The topography looks familiar as well.
Great read along, thanks for taking the time.
Good luck on the bucks.

[DWT]

I didnt realize that Minnsesota was that rolling even though ive been through it a couple of times. Looks alot like this part of MI. Very enjoyable playxplay.

[pitbull]

Awesome adventure, best of luck. I'm pretty sure you live directly above some good friends of mine.

[deaddoc4444]

Great thread   Best of luck !  Your "livin the Dream "     Good for you and God bless you and  your adventures !  
   Cant wait to read more .