Maryland Sika hunting

[RIng]

Hi all . Last year I decided to hunt Maryland for Sika , whitetail ,and Turkey this year ( and for many rears to come , I hope ) . Thanks to some traditonal bow hunters I have 2 spots to hunt . Thank you Mike and Steve . I am on a small 20 acre lease in Woolford Maryland and a big 990 +/- acre lease at Slaughter Creek . I came down in March to see bouth leases .I have medical issues that have me at less than full strength and stamina .I wanted to put stands in that I could leave . That is why I wanted leases . There is a lot of public land ,if you can do hiking in and out with stand each day . I came down in Apral , May , July  ,and August , hiking and scouting the leases . I had 2 stands and 3 game cameras out all summer . I have the Woolford lease parity much to my self as Mike rarely hunts it . I called turkey in several times in Apral and May , but no shots with the bow . I hunted opening week (September 4 or 5 ) but it was hot and I did not handle hunting and hot weather well .
 I am on my third day of a longer hunt in October .So far it has been good . Thrisday AM hunted Slaughter creek , and checked game cameras . Put a nice stalk on a hind  on my way out. Got to 50yd +/- . Fun but no shot . Thrisday PM Sat at Woolford and had a nice doe under me for 10 minutes but could not get to full draw . These soybean feed whitetail shure look good compared to my mountain ones . Friday I took a stand into Slaughter Creek . ( a 2.4 mi. hike according to my GPS ) I had it up by 12:00 and sat it from 1:00 to dark . It was raining on and off . I tried one of those umbrellas that fasten to the tree . It worked much better than I thought it would . I had a small hind cross at 10yd. but did not stop for a shot . 10 minutes layer a biger hind spotted me moving from 30 yd. out then got down wind of me and sounded the alarm chirp for 10 minutes . That cleared the frag . I could hear a number of Sika running in the water . All and all I am having a good trip and look forward to the next few days . When I get back home I will try to figure out how to post some pic. from my game cameras .

May life's simplest things bring you the greatest pleasures !!!!!

[Hatrick]

Sika's can be a tough hunt. It sounds like you're earning your stripes. Keep at it, good luck, and post some pics. Watch that frag, it's real easy to get lost in those areas.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Rich, Good luck. I hoe to be down at Blackwater next October. I may need to pick your brain before then.

[Matty]

 
One of my dream hunts

[kevsuperg]

hey rich, glad to hear you got down there.
 what was the brand of the recurve you had up at moose river.   kevin

[FerretWYO]

Very cool hunt.

[Soonerlongbow]

Very cool! Good luck!

[RIng]

Hi . . Kevin I am shooting a Border Covert Hunter .46# @ 28" shooting a 480gr. arrow at right around 200 fps . I am enjoying hunting the marsh . These Sika don't let you make any mistakes . I am a long way from figuring them out . I am handling the hunt and walking much better then when I was here last . All the hiking I did in the Adirondacks must have helped . PM me or give me a call if you have any ? about the bow .

May life's simplest things bring you the greatest pleasures !!!

[Cwilder]

I'm leaving at 3am to head down and hunt the lil Marsh deer

[shedhunta]

They are beginning to rut from what I hear.  You should have some bugling this week.  Enjoy!! and good luck.

[tracker12]

I hunted Mon and Tues with a few friends.  Two hinds and one very nice Stag killed. They are starting to go off pretty good.

[RIng]

The Sika are kicking my butt . They have me second guessing myself . I get good game cameras pic. for week's and as soon as I try to hunt the spot it slowed down to a few pic. I do not know if my stand and me are moving them or if I am just behind there natural movement . I hope too move a camera and may be a stand today in the rain . I slept late today as I am getting very sore and tired . I am off to a wet day in the marsh . Good luck to all chasing the marsh ghost .

May life's simplest things bring you the greatest pleasures !!!!

[RIng]

I had a good experience walking in the marsh today . Off to my right I caught some movement . What is that . Looping along close to the ground , moving through the open pines . I am just standing there nexed to a pine . It turnes and moves to me . It passes 5-6ft. in front of me paying no attention to me. That is the closes I have been to a otter . It made my day .

May life's simplest things bring you the greatest pleasures!!!!

[Izzy]

Im enjoying this thread and I sure hope you tag one. I was out by your house yesterday on the way to Manchester with the family and was wondering if you were still in MD. Good luck buddy.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Seeing an Otter in the wild is pretty Neat.

Hope you have a  stag bugling his head off in close proximity!

[DennyK]

I've got family in the Gaithersburgh area, I'd love to hunt Maryland one of there days. Sure sounds like fun.

[RIng]

Hot and humid today with a strong southerly wind . The wind made it pleasant in the marsh . I was in the marsh from dark to dark . Too hot for good hunting . Just right for a mid day nap under a pine tree . Cooler weather is coming and muzzelloading . I hope more hunters and cooler weather will move them around .

May life's simplest things bring you the greatest pleasures !!!

[Mike VanBuren]

Ring, I will be around for this long weekend. Stop by and I'll have the grill going every evening. There may be some crabs, stripers and backstraps.

[FubarFred]

Hey RIng, go to this site and get a sika call. Doug knows how to talk to them critters.
 http://www.dougwigfield.com/
Have several, works good, too.

[TylerH]

One plus to hunting yesterday was the skeeters weren't out! Last week they got me good when my thermacell ran out of butane right as the sun hit the horizon.