5 pines farm 2013

[Pat B.]

Your buck is a dandy !

Congrats..

[guzzi2000]

Congrats Jim, nice reward for all time and hard
work you put in. I stopped over to Ridgeland Barry's place to hear is bear story and he said you had gotten a dandy.
Your farm looks wonderful and I love that yurt. Thanks for the thread, it really helps me to imagine what it is like to hunt in such a paradise.
Hopefully we can get together at Sparta or some
other shoot next year.
Thanks again for taking the time to share with us your success. Good luck and have a safe remainder of the season.

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

Outing #7
the hot and muggy weather was replaced by cool and windy weather! hooray! A cold front pushed south yesterday afternoon. We had some good thunder and rain to boot!

So this am the wind was forecast to be out of the NW. I was anxious to be off and left the yurt well before I needed to! No need for a flashlight today as the nearly full moon was still above the western bluff on the 23.

I chose a spot called "sure thing. It's near my north border and my very good friend Bill's farm at the dead end of the county road . I walk up the county road till I reach a gate I have in the old cow pasture.
 

[DanielB89]

Keep this thread going!!!!

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

We call it sure thing as it is very rare not to see a deer here. I bumped at least three deer on my walk to the stand.Two I heard run off  and one was actually visible in the moon light as it got up out of its bed in the old pasture.

I have had the stand in three different trees here. First I had a ladder stand connected to an elm. We killed two does out of that ladder but I always felt totally exposed when in that stand. Then last year I removed the ladder and replaced it with a lone wolf in an oak closer to the edge of the woods. That provided better cover but was too close to the intersecting deer trails in this spot. The solution was just a few feet away. A big red oak that looks like an upside down tripod now holds the stand. I purchased a twisted timber stand to install here since the tree trunk leans severely.
 

[Mac Hicks]

Great looking stand location Jim.  Lots of cover in that big oak.  I really enjoy following your hunts every day. Congrats on a fine buck       .... and enjoy the rest of your season!

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

This spot sits on the bottom of the western side of Rattlesnake ridge and is the spot where I had a snake buzz me in the dark last year. There are intersecting trails coming down off the bluff and one the runs along the inside edge of the woods. I have cleaned out most of the buck thorn . There are good oaks and hickories here. The old pasture below is lousy with wild apple trees . I have to duck under one as I enter the area to climb into the stand.

the combination of the wind in the tree tops and wet ground from yesterday's rain was going to make it tough to hear any approaching game.

I was standing watching the old pasture to my left as deer in the am usually come from that direction. Out of the corner of my eye on my right side I sensed movement. A doe was slipping in from one of trails coming down the bluff. She stood in the open at 6 yards giving me the perfect shot. She was definitely a shooter, but after a moment It was clear I was not yet ready to kill a 2nd time this season. She looked over her back trail and a rather small fawn was coming down the same trail . I was really glad I had decided not to shoot her! I have a very hard time shooting wet does.
they munched on acorns and apples together. Then headed in the direction of the pasture. But as she was leaving she crossed my entry trail and turned around and came back looking for me. Here she is right beneath me.
 
She never did find me. But she was aware I had passed thru. They are such amazing animals to hunt!

[Trad Timmy]

Way to go on the great buck. Just reading that post made my emotions go from low to the highest of highs and most of us live for those moments. Congrats. Special thanks for keeping the gang posted.

P.S. I love the way early season bucks look. That's going to be a great mount.

[awbowman]

You don't eat does?    

[Burnsie]

Com'n October 1st,  this is really giving me the itch to get out there.

[John146]

That's a beautiful picture of an absolutely beautiful animal!  

[Hopewell Tom]

I'm with you on the wet does, Jim. You may be killing two deer if the fawn has a tough go of it this winter.
Others may choose to take that shot, it's just not for me.

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

Outing #8
All afternoon gusty winds out of the north blew in dark low clouds. Every couple of hours we would get a 15 minute shower but nothing too serious. It was supposed to clear off late in the day and the winds were to stay out of the NNW.  I decided to hunt the Justin stand on the East end of the East/West food plot up on top of the bluff.
 

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

Just after rounding the corner and heading up the hill a small doe jumped out of its bed. This is the long straight part of the route above. its up all the way.
 
 Once on top I stopped to catch my breath and to pick a snack
 
 

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

I try to use the contours as much as possible to hide my movements to and from stands. Arriving at the stand I stopped for a minute for one last wind   check.
This photo looks up the food plot to the west. Forage beans are on the top one third and the field with me standing in it that I posted the other day is over the crest of the ridge to the north.
   
the stand is a 20 foot tall ladder in a large oak with hickories all around it.
   
behind the stand to the south the bluff drops off into secure cover that for the most part I leave completely alone.

The wind was quite gusty right up until last light. With the amount of deer sign and how hard the beans have been browsed I expected to see a herd of deer tonight. Instead I saw zero! As the light was fading and I could still see without a head lamp I headed for home. I no longer sit until its too dark to see anything. I have a hard enough time in decent light distinguishing between a doe and a buck fawn.  It would be impossible in low light. So once I am sure there are no deer to bump off the field I am usually sneaking my way along a return trail that keeps me hidden . It works well for me.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Good stuff Jim, Keep it Coming!

[JJB]

Great stories Jim, keep them coming. Congratulations on your great buck! Your hard work on your property certainly has paid off.
-Jay

[BrownA5]

Congratulations... That deer is impressive, to say the least!  Always enjoy your thread!

[coaster500]

[Iowabowhunter]

What a fantastic read, and great buck! Thanks for taking me along!