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Here it is. Here is a summary of my past week of hunting.
I had a pretty good week of archery hunting starting last Friday. On Friday afternoon, I decided not to take the crossbow and took my shotgun instead, scouting for turkeys. I did not run into any turkeys, but wouldn't you know it? I was walking down a logging road and caught a flash of white to my right in the thick stuff, so I froze and looked hard. The albino eight point I have been hunting all season long was twenty yards away. He crossed the road about thirty yards in front of me. I grunted and he stopped, standing broadside. The shot would have been a piece of cake, but what am I holding? Of course. A shotgun. I figured that would be the only chance I would have at this beautiful guy.
During the week of hunting, I saw six different bucks. Two were sub-legal; a spike and a four point. I also saw two six points and another eight point. The second eight point was a boomer; heavy rack and swollen neck. Unfortunately he made me and I didn't get a chance for a shot.
Thursday morning I tried a stand in the creek bottom below our cabin. I had a second chance at Whitey! He came across behind my stand and never gave me an open shot. Maybe I will see him on the first day of rifle season.
I did have a shot at one of the six points, but I held out for something better. This may turn out to be a bad decision, but I don't think so right now. We still have two weeks of rifle season coming.
The albino eight point is the same buck of which I posted a photo last winter. He was a scrawny three point in February when he finally lost his antlers. This year, he is a decent eight. If nobody gets him this year, I wonder what he would be like next year?
The bucks are into what I call the "Walking Phase" of the rut. They are out all hours of the day and night walking around and looking for does that might be coming into heat. During the Walking Phase, I usually see more bucks than I do does, and this past week was no exception. The scrapes are being tended, and trees are being rubbed like there is no tomorrow. Next week will be crazy for them with the new moon. It has been my experience in the past that much of the "Chasing Phase" occurs during that phase of the moon. I will be out there on Wednesday and Thursday for the archery bear season. We have been seeing a few bears, so hopes are pretty high. Of course, we are hunters, and for some silly reason, our hopes are always high, aren't they?
I have to take today off to help the W 1 FE unit with some of her honeydo list. Good luck to all.
I had a pretty good week of archery hunting starting last Friday. On Friday afternoon, I decided not to take the crossbow and took my shotgun instead, scouting for turkeys. I did not run into any turkeys, but wouldn't you know it? I was walking down a logging road and caught a flash of white to my right in the thick stuff, so I froze and looked hard. The albino eight point I have been hunting all season long was twenty yards away. He crossed the road about thirty yards in front of me. I grunted and he stopped, standing broadside. The shot would have been a piece of cake, but what am I holding? Of course. A shotgun. I figured that would be the only chance I would have at this beautiful guy.
During the week of hunting, I saw six different bucks. Two were sub-legal; a spike and a four point. I also saw two six points and another eight point. The second eight point was a boomer; heavy rack and swollen neck. Unfortunately he made me and I didn't get a chance for a shot.
Thursday morning I tried a stand in the creek bottom below our cabin. I had a second chance at Whitey! He came across behind my stand and never gave me an open shot. Maybe I will see him on the first day of rifle season.
I did have a shot at one of the six points, but I held out for something better. This may turn out to be a bad decision, but I don't think so right now. We still have two weeks of rifle season coming.
The albino eight point is the same buck of which I posted a photo last winter. He was a scrawny three point in February when he finally lost his antlers. This year, he is a decent eight. If nobody gets him this year, I wonder what he would be like next year?
The bucks are into what I call the "Walking Phase" of the rut. They are out all hours of the day and night walking around and looking for does that might be coming into heat. During the Walking Phase, I usually see more bucks than I do does, and this past week was no exception. The scrapes are being tended, and trees are being rubbed like there is no tomorrow. Next week will be crazy for them with the new moon. It has been my experience in the past that much of the "Chasing Phase" occurs during that phase of the moon. I will be out there on Wednesday and Thursday for the archery bear season. We have been seeing a few bears, so hopes are pretty high. Of course, we are hunters, and for some silly reason, our hopes are always high, aren't they?
I have to take today off to help the W 1 FE unit with some of her honeydo list. Good luck to all.
