5 pines farm 2012 semi live

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

record high temps ( 70 degrees!) high winds and a deer to butcher quickly kept me out of the woods last night. Heavy rain and wind kept me in the yurt drinking coffee and sharing stories with a good friend today.  The forecast calls for the temps to drop all day and the rain to turn to snow tonight. A low of 29 is expected.

I plan on being down in the water hole ( now known as the Jay stand) tomorrow am. Yesterday the guy was covered up in bucks!

[South MS Bowhunter]

Jim,

I must say this tread has kept me going as I also pursue the quarry, a very good read.

And I must salute you for your great hospitality, while you play host to many a hunter and ensure that their dreams are fulfill, you yourself is yet to be satisfied, but good things come to those who wait.

Here’s to Jim Gilmer! And a prayer for your dreams to be fulfilled!

[4dogs]

[Robhood23]

Hey Jim,
    Suppose to clear up a little this afternoon! Get in there tonight! Should be awesome! Enjoy the posts brother and congrats to your friend!

[coaster500]

[Oldlodgeskins]

Saturday was indeed a day to remember in the timber at 5 pines. I don't really like hunting shows on tv because they are not realistic but this particular day I would not have beleived if I hadn't been there to see it.

It does show what one hot doe in an area will do to the resident buck population especially at a place where there are so many mature bucks.

Anyway... had a nice talk with Jims nephew Justin in the yurt before sleep on friday night.  Jim rousted us out early on saturday and we discussed where we'd sit based on wind.  I chose the top of the north east ridge but when I got to the "fork" point in the access trail I decided I'd be better off in the valley so I chose the water-hole stand.  

After cliimbing up and getting settled I heard crashing of anlters and breaking of brush in the thicket near the water hole.  I have seen and heard deer fighting before but this battle was obviously between two brutes!!  They continued for 45 min or so on and off and I considered a stalk while they faught but thought better of it.  In the mean-time several (three) smaller bucks patrolled the area and passed within shooting distance.  Two yearling basket racked bucks and a decent 120 or so buck.  I was hoping one of the two combatants would wonder my way.  I'd gladly take on the loser, I thought to myself.

Anyway they stopped and things settled down.  After a bit seveal gun shots range out to the north and east very close to my position and a few min later a comotion started in that direction as deer ran the ridge above me.  One I could see two bucks and realized one was a monster and the other was a nice but much smaller buck.  The smaller came towards me on a trot and I could see he was limping and in fact had a broken front leg.  He "ran" under me and stopped slightly quartering away.  At this point I had no idea what the bigger deer was doing and in fact figured he had left.  I decided to shoot the lame deer and at 10-12 yds put an arrow high in the lungs.  It turned and crashed up the hill from where it had come.  I took a deep breath and knew it was dead.  I was about to climb down and heard a deer again and looked in time to see the huge buck trotting my way.  He passed right under me and kept right on going.  I was sick that I had just shot a small buck (injured or not) and had a clear shot at a monster.

I took a few more deep breaths and climbed down the tree.  I then heard more comotion up where my deer had crashed and through the binoculars could see yet another monster buck trying to pick a fight with my dead deer.  He was shoving him with his rack.  I did not want to spook this buck and turned to climb back up in the stand to let the woods settle a bit more.  I never saw what became of the buck that was shoving mine.  Whew!!  Jim came after a series of text messages and though I felt bad about a dead "average" deer he quickly slapped me on the back and made me feel better about doing the right thing.  Anyway....I can't tell you the level of appreciation I have.

We took pictures....tagged...gutted....skun and worked until dark and Jim gave up his afternoon hunt to help.

What a day.  Thanks Jim.

Jay

[ron w]

You did the right thing killing the buck with the injury!                      

[Oldlodgeskins]

I have to say that yes it was the right thing to do especially after I saw the extent of the deers injury.  I should also mention that it did not appear that the injury was from a gun shot.  Most likely a car collision.  

Anyway...yes it was the right thing.

Jay

[coaster500]

You did the right thing and not every one would have....  That deer is a horse and a deer to be proud of  


Congrats !!!!


           


 

[Whip]

You know you're in a special place when you end up wondering "what if" after taking a fine buck like that!  
Congratulations on a beautiful deer!

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

Old lodge skins you are first class in my book for taking the injured buck and not being greedy. You are welcome at 5 pines anytime!

One hot doe makes all the difference, as I can tell you. I sat in jay's stand today for 6.5 hours and saw one buck fawn! While I did hear a brief buck fight down in the same thicket that Jay did I never saw another deer. It was cold too and snowing!
 

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

it was fifty degrees colder today than on Saturday!
 

At 12:30 My feet were aching with cold I decided to climb down and head up to the upper fields to possibly sit over the decoy.

When I got to the top I realized how windy it really  was and after a bite to eat I changed plans. Knowing I'd never last till dark, I headed down to the yurt for a quick cup of coffee , some dry socks and perhaps a practice arrow or two.

Half way down to the yurt who should jump up out of a bed with a lovely doe? None other than GODZILLA!!
 

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

I was maybe 20 yards from him when he jumped up. I had had the benefit of gusty winds in my favor and wet leaves to boot! he never heard me till I was right on him Its a pity I wasn't more alert as the spot they were bedded was quite in the open. Had I been looking I am sure I could have spotted them before they spooked. But it was great to finally lay eyes on that buck. I have never seen him in the flesh until today! I am so glad he is still alive!

I was in the Joel Stand by 2 :45 and spent the rest of the day on high alert. But I got skunked! not a hair of a deer did I see. . Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day for deer movement!

[Shinken]

Most-excellent sighting!

Deer activity will hopefully be in your favor tomorrow!

             

Shoot straight, Shinken

 

[barms700]

Nice deer Jay! Huge bodied deer! Nice to see both your skill/gamesmanship & Jim's efforts of building 5 Pines came together that day. I'm sure you know better than I (from my hunting with Jim) he gets a huge charge out of seeing a friend take a nice deer off the property. Excellent work! Another black hash mark on the pole under the BUCK catagory!

[coaster500]

GODZILLA!!


Now wouldn't that be something  


 

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

Well he didn't show up today!!!

It was clear , quiet and cold. Very cold ! 16 degree F! The forest floor being wet from the last two days froze solid. Walking to my stand today was like walking across sheets of peanut brittle! no matter how hard I tried to camo my approach every critter in the valley heard me today. I decided to hunt low near where I jumped Godzilla. After the woods settled down a bit I did a few series of hard rattles ( the wife heard me down at the house). At 7:30 a young buck cruised by above me about 50 yards. he was on a does trail from the way it looked.

After that nothing. My feet were quite cold by 8 30 and i headed in. Coming out of the timber i saw a buck across the valley standing in the sun watching me. Hard to say how big but I could see antlers with the naked eye.

Forecast is for a nice afternoon. I am planning on sitting in the Bwana stand tonight and i am going to kill a deer!

[buckeye_hunter]

Good luck!!!

[Robhood23]

That the attitude I like to hear!!! Go get em!

[goldflinger]

Awesome, the power of positive thinking, I will check back tonight after my daughters Volleyball practice to read all about it.