Thanksgiving Week Wrap up

Welcome back everyone; we hope you've had a safe & successful Thanksgiving Week both in the deer woods and with family. Damin and I surely had a busy week followed by an even busier week at school so accept our apology for our lack of posting!

I thought I’d take this little time to share how our hunting went over the Thanksgiving break. It started off with a bang for me on Friday afternoon as I was hunting a particular buck that we had caught on the trail camera just days before. This buck, nicknamed Hulk (pictured), sports a massive, powerful body that I believe weighs over 200lbs. on the hoof! He is a mainframe 8 the best I can tell and I would guess him to gross in the low 130s. However, what attracted me to the Hulk was his enormous frame! This buck is without a doubt a 4.5 year old deer, making him a real challenge to hunt. In fact, I was talking with Damin on the phone just that day telling him of my plans to TRY to pass on Lefty or the Dark Knight so I could increase my chances and time afield for Hulk.

Anyway, I was perched up high in a Gorilla Hang On stand overlooking a network of doe trails that ironically, was just 60 yards from where Hulk was caught on film. It was a cold, blustery afternoon with the temperature in the high teens and the wind chill around zero. And, I’m not going to lie, for the first time in my hunting career I actually got cold! I was clearly under-dressed and it affected me mentally and physically on stand. I went through almost an entire bag of shelled walnuts to keep my metabolism high and give my body some energy to create warmth. Still, I kept telling myself, “Cody, this is primetime, we have a giant working this area, tough it out!” So I continued to fight the cold and after seeing a couple does browsing two does came bursting out of an oak flat and I was sure Hulk was to follow.

I immediately grabbed by Traditions Pursuit II ready for the shot, however, no buck followed. I was sure there was buck in the oaks simply because nothing else would cause the two previous does to act the way they did. Almost two hours had passed without a deer and I was about ready to get down and surrender to the cold when a doe and a massive buck came out of the same oak flat. I glassed him out and, while trying to honor my promise to Damin, wanted to make sure it was Hulk, and it was! Unfortunately, as is often the case during the chase phase, he did not present a shot. He was too busy dogging the doe back and forth and would not allow me to get a shot off. Oh well, he did not get that big and old by being dumb.

In hindsight, I wish I would have handled the differently in two aspects. For one I would have dressed warmer, obviously. And for two, when the first two does were chased out of the oaks, I wished I would have become pro active and did some serious grunting and rattling. I KNEW there was a buck out there, but I chose to be patient and wait for him to come to me. Had I been able to call him in he may have presented a makeable shot as he would have likely actually stayed still! Regardless, it was an extremely exciting hunt simply because we caught him on camera had the stand hung specifically for a buck of his caliber, it just didn’t come together but hey that is hunting!

The remainder of the week was pretty uneventful for me personally. Damin, however, did have a quick encounter with what we believe was the Hulk as well. He was still at it chasing a doe and was in and out before Damin could even shoulder his rifle. Damin also saw several good looking 1.5 year old bucks that we are hoping will survive to mature into shooters in the next 2-3 years. To the best of our knowledge though, we do know Hulk is still out there and actually as I finish this post, I am going to go do a little scouting to better our chances to tagging this bad boy during the late season.

Another hunter was fortunate enough to take a buck off the property over the break. While we did not get to actually see the deer in person it looked eerily similar to a 3 year old 8 point I had passed on the week before at 55 yards because I felt he needed another year. He had a suitable rack, the hunter guessed him to score 110”, but I felt his body size put him behind most 3 year olds and that another year would catapult him into shooter status. Oh well, that is just simply the way it goes sometimes!

While Damin and I had a roller coaster time in stand over the break we enjoyed some fine eating, time with family and a little catching up. So I would have to give our week an A+, because remember, very rarely is hunting about the actual taking of a deer. We hope you guys are having a successful season out there and are settling down in time for the holidays. God Bless and Happy Hunting.

Camo Review: Just Check Out The Picture!

A lot is made these days of different camouflage patterns and their effectiveness in the deer woods. And, while it is important to remember one's background, silhouette and other environmental factors, camouflage with respects to hunting hardwood treestands has been taken to a new level with Mossy Oak's Treedstand camo pattern.

Originally introduced 20 years ago, Mossy Oak has reintroduced this wonderful pattern that "utilizes digital technology to exactly reproduce the details and subtleties of actual tree limbs laid over the neutral tones most commonly seen when looking up through bare trees." I've got to admit, both Cody and I were a bit skeptical as to just how effective the pattern would be. However, after spending some time in the woods with a camera, we've found just how great this pattern is!

For All the "High Tech Rednecks" Out There

As some of you may know, when not in the classroom this fall I've spent a lot of my time working at a local archery shop called "High Tech Outdoors and Archery." And, as an official Bowtech Dealer, owner Brecht Sprouse couldn't have come up with a better shop name.

Archery is a mathematical sport. There is intense geometry, mind boggling physics and statistics come as part of an average day on the job. Mr. Sprouse said he fell in love with all of this at a very young age and often baffled his friends with his ability to talk science, archery and hunting all within the same sentence. He said that his friends began calling him a "High Tech Redneck" due to his knowledge and the name has hung with him ever since.

All that being said, there has been word in the archery world that a particular company is about to release a bow that shoots 360 fps. A speed that was once thought achievable only by crossbows, this bow would be an incredible break through in speed for the bow industry. But that got me thinking, why not 380 or 400fps? What is the limit? Well friends, take a look at this website here and check out just what math does go into the creation of a bow. As I was, I'm sure you'll be amazed.

http://www.huntersfriend.com/bow-review-400-fps-bow/400-fps-compound-bow.htm

Congratulations Are in Order

Well, it always gets the heart pumping when you see a nice buck that has been taken. Of course, if its a good friend that takes the buck the excitement is even that much greater. We just wanted to take a second to extend our congratulations to Mike Kern for taking the spectacular buck pictured here. He took this buck in Bedford County as it was chasing a hot doe during the middle of the day. The split main beam is antler character that few people in life are lucky enough to see. Congratulations to him for a great buck! Looks like he shoots the muzzleloader a little better than he shoots a basketball! (Just Kidding Mike)

Heading closer to home, Cody and I are still having a tad bit of a slow year in the deer woods. We've been seeing fewer deer than we have in past years and have seen very little movement during the day light hours. We know the deer are there, we just have to be both patient and persistent during this sometimes grueling waiting process. If Jim Shockey can hunt in Alberta dawn to dusk for 21 straight days at negative temperatures waiting on the right buck and Lee Lakosky can bow hunt 51 straight days in Iowa without even drawing his bow, I think we can be patient as well!

With hunting season in full swing we wish you the best of luck and hope that your seasons have been a success thus far. Don't forget, the rutting moon is this Thursday night and the effects of photoperiodism should be in full effect beginning this weekend. The rut will soon be on! Good luck everyone and remember to hunt hard and smart and always remember, its much more than a pursuit when you're in the deer woods this time of year.

A Marathon, Not a Sprint

The rut! Man, I bet I just gave your stomach butterflies with those two words. The rut is without a doubt, the most exciting time of the year for a seasoned deer hunter. The thought of two 140 inch titans fighting over an estrous doe, monster bucks roaming the woods unaware of your presence and the cool crisp autumn air is what I live for! With the rutting activity a little over a week away, I thought I would share some insight on how Damin and I hunt the magical rut.

Any whitetail hunter worth his salt knows that the rut just doesn’t mysteriously occur for two weeks during the general firearms season. Also contrary to popular belief the rut is easily compared to a marathon and rather than a short sprint. Realizing this will allow you to hunt the rut smarter thus increasing your chances of taking a buck of a life time.

Since whitetails do not have the thinking and reasoning capacity of us humans, obviously, they need Mother Nature to tell them when it is time to breed. This is where the moon comes into play. Every year, generally around the last week of October and first week of November the first full moon after the Fall Equinox occurs, to deer hunters this is often referred to as the "rutting moon." The rutting moon and decreasing amount of light taken in through the deer’s eye triggers a sensory receptor in the brain, kind of like their aphrodisiac. As stated before this usually occurs in late October and early November, however this year the rutting moon is late and will fall on the night of November 13th. This will result in a more compact, frenzied rut.

We are also going to assume that fellow hunters know the rut can be generalized into three different phases: the seek phase, the chase and the breeding phase. Read on to see what skills and tactics we apply to hunting each phase and how we approach the big boys during this time.

Seek Phase: The seek phase is the first of the aforementioned three phases. Bucks testosterone levels are close to peaking or have peaked already. However, at this point of the game they are able to contain their sexual drive and the majority remains cool and collected. Bucks are now cruising and scanning the outskirts of doe travel routes, bedding and feeding areas checking each doe’s estrous level. A buck’s sense of smell is so well defined that he can actually pinpoint individual does and knows their age, social status and estrous status! Damin and I actually hunt this stage very patiently and cautiously. Remember, bucks are all still reserved animals at this point and, even though their daytime activity will increase, they will do the majority of their cruising during the fringe of dawn and dusk. I do very little to draw attention to myself during this phase. My calling will consist of several soft contact grunts right at sunrise and sundown. However, I will rattle during this time of year. I’m trying to simulate an intense fight between two bucks that have found an early estrous doe, attempting to tempt a mature buck in closer range. Hunting scrapes lines, albeit mock (we’ll explain mock scrapes in a later post) or natural will also increase your chances of harvesting a bruiser this time of year. Most ‘hot lines’ will stay hot for nearly two weeks if conditions are steady and little human pressure is applied. To summarize the seek phase Damin and I hunt very smart during this time. Bucks are becoming more susceptible to calling, scents and decoys yet are skittish and wary enough to pinpoint a fake deer or unnatural sound. Be patient though, primetime is just a week away!

Chase Phase: To quote Dickie V, “It’s primetime with a capital A!” Boy is it ever; the chase phase is by far my favorite time not only to hunt. Bucks are all jacked up on testosterone and are bouncing from doe group to group looking for an estrous doe. This is your best chance to tag a mature buck. This is your best chance to dupe Mr. Big as he has one thing and one thing only on his mind, estrous does. So, what are the best call, decoy and scent for hunting the chase phase? None of the above, that’s right, hunts the does. Big bucks are hunting does this time of year and, while it’s a simple concept, Damin and I are too. I have always said that the best lure for a mature buck is a mature doe. Damin and I hunt primary food sources this time of year as this is where we will have the best chance of seeing does. In fact, many times we hunt certain doe groups or families, as we know their tendencies and habits and know that eventually they will tempt in a big buck. Still, mature deer didn’t get old and big by being dumb. While it may seem that bucks are running around with no care in the world, this is actually not the case. Mature bucks use the knowledge they learned of their doe groups during the seek phase and apply this to their ‘hunting’, for does. Damin and I study, apply and utilize the topographical features of our property during this time. The scouting that took place during the shedding season allows us to hang stands in transition zones and funnels, hoping to catch a buck travel from doe bedding area to doe feeding area or vice versa. It is also during this time when we hunt the most aggressive. Hunting over buck decoys, mixed with aggressive rattling and calling work best during the chase phase. Combining estrous doe bleats with tending grunts works especially well now, as it simulates a buck tending a hot doe and this catching the attention of every buck in the vicinity. Quick summary: This is when deer hunting is at its best. We hunt hard, but smart at the same time. We are hunting doe concentrated areas, utilizing topographic features and become very aggressive with our calling because it is prime time baby!

Breeding phase: Sadly, the intensity of the chase phase is followed by a ‘dead zone’ known as the breeding phase. It is during this time that bucks are holed up with their does and the woods will be so quite and calm you’ll wonder if your deer herd has moved to the next zip code. The moon is almost full again, extreme hunter pressure has the deer as skittish as ever and exhausted bucks make this a slow time for deer hunting. It is actually during this time where Damin and I get a little R&R as well. Let me explain. As stated before the moon will almost be full again thus resulting in midday activity. It is wise and comforting to catch up on some sleep and hunt less during this time. Often we will hunt during the middle of the day. In fact, last year we had an encounter with The Dark Knight during a midday hunt, unfortunately no ethical shot presented itself. Again, rattling will work well as mature bucks will be the only deer to respond to the horns because they are the only bucks that have enough energy left to do so. Still hunting and stalking can be very productive if done correctly. It was actually during a still hunt when Damin and snuck up on the Dark Knight. Still, we play close attention to the wind, move only wind a strong wind blows and use the topographical features again to our advantage. Another tactic we use during this phase is capitalizing off other hunters. The breeding phase often coincides with the general firearms season and the Orange Army (the hills become covered with fur and fire hunters). Damin and I will often plan our hunts on the mistakes of other hunters by positioning ourselves on escape routes that we know the deer will use when bumped from another property. Quick summary: This can be a miserable time to hunt, however, through effective scouting Damin and I are familiar enough with our property and deer herd to get a bead on the pressure wary bucks.

Wow, what a marathon read! Just like this post, the rut is drawn out and full of detail. Through hard work and patience, Damin and I feel as if we have enough knowledge of the bucks on our property and their tendencies to feel confident in seeing mature deer every time out. Remember, all three phases overlap one another and no two bucks are the same. I hope everyone took something from this post as the rut is literally just over a week away! Damin and I honestly cannot wait and are about as jacked up as these bucks (if not more)! We’d love to hear everyone’s hunting experiences during the rut, so if you read the blog, post a comment!

Weekend Wrap Up

Welcome back everyone. Damin, Dad and I had a successful time in the woods this past weekend.]The weather was warm and balmy, and kept most of the big bucks holed up during the day, but the heat didn’t keep the does from feeding heavily on the sweet nuts!

Unfortunately Damin didn’t get to harvest an animal while he was in, but he elected to pass on a 3.5 year old doe we nicknamed ‘Momma.’ Momma is an excellent doe to keep on the property because her diet literally consists of food plots, protein pellets and mineral supplement during the summer when she rears her fawns. She is also easy to distinguish from the other does as she has a white steak down her snout. Still, Damin saw a lot of good deer on his hunts. In fact, Saturday afternoon we saw an impressive buck from stand while I ‘attempted’ to video his hunt.We didn’t get a very good luck at this bad boy, but it’s safe to say he was at least a mainframe 8 and definite shooter with the bow and possibly the gun too. Sadly though, no ethical shot presented itself and again we lost to the ways of the whitetail.

Luckily, I was able to take a young doe on Saturday morning.I was hunting an acorn flat that we had seen tremendous sign in and I was sure I would have some luck there. Well, at about 9:15 a 1.5 year old doe wandered by and I made a pass-through double lung shot on her. The G5 Striker did its job as it made an impressive entrance and exit hole and the young doe expired within 10 seconds.\I’ve been diagnosed with buck fever before, but I honestly believe I caught a strong case of doe fever Saturday morning as well.After I made the shot I began shaking uncontrollably and couldn’t even talk myself through the follow up interview on the video camera.Needless to say, I was pumped!

I am eternally thankful for the awesome opportunity God provided me with on Saturday morning, He provided me with an adrenaline rush both natural and pure, a quick thankful harvest and some fine eating.I am blessed!

We also had some good action on the trail cameras this past weekend too.Often you hear the saying ‘the bucks just aren’t moving during daylight hours.’ Well we had a different problem, a lot of the bucks we caught on camera were during the middle of the day! Some very nice bucks showed up on the cameras.We had photos of a nice 2 ½ year old 7 pointer, an impressive 8 pointer that we are unsure of his age but are likely going to give him another year. We also captured an image of a very, very nice looking yearling buck. At jut a year and a half he has already surpassed the size of a 2 ½ year old 8 we had last year. We are definitely going to keep tabs on him!It’s awfully exciting to see the effects of QDM unfold before your eyes. We know of at least 4 different impressive 2 ½ year olds, and this was only in a small acorn flatGood things are yet to come!

We are hoping to create a photo album on the blog containing our trail camera pictures so you guys will actually get to look at the deer we are hunting, the ones we want to let walk and so on and so forth. Again, we are extremely grateful for a fun weekend of family, good food (thanks to mom) and some fine hunting!Stay tuned within the next couple days as I’m preparing a post on the different stages of the rut and how we hunt them.

Good Bye City I'm Country Bound!

After 2 months of Charlottesville and school life, I finally get to go home this weekend! It'll be the first time I get into the woods this season and, more importantly, the first time I get to see my family since August. Cody and I haven't really talked too much about our hunting strategies for the weekend, but we're both hoping to have a successful weekend. I actually have two days off for fall break next Monday and Tuesday so I'll be able to hunt for 3 days over this long weekend! Anyways, I can hardly wait until tomorrow when I can head home, hopefully Cody and I will both have some success stories for you next week sometime. Good luck to all of those heading into the woods this weekend!