Muzzleloader 2020

[Quavodus]

How about this wind. Woah!

[KahrMan]

I am getting ready to head out and hunt this afternoon. My favorite thing to do on windy days is to still hunt through thickets. The wind really helps conceal your movement and noise. 

[gregintenn]

8 hours ago, Quavodus said:

How about this wind. Woah!

No kidding! I had my yard cleaned up Saturday. I guess I’ll start over tomorrow. No idea where most of these leaves came from.

 

[KahrMan]

Had one doe feeding as she walked along at 3:26. The wind didn’t seem to bother her at all. I was hoping a buck would be following her but no such luck. 

[Ronald_55]

3 hours ago, gregintenn said:

No kidding! I had my yard cleaned up Saturday. I guess I’ll start over tomorrow. No idea where most of these leaves came from.

 

My neighbors hate my huge mature trees. I gave up and have to bag I have so many. Mulching just doesn't hack it. Never thought I would be bagging 1.5 acres... If not I pretty much have no grass left in the spring. 

Wish I could get out in the woods. Looking like my annual hunt with Dad will be a no go since it requires us to travel, stay in a hotel, and eat out for 3 days. I don't want Dad exposed to anything the way his health is. 

[Omega]

13 minutes ago, Ronald_55 said:

My neighbors hate my huge mature trees. I gave up and have to bag I have so many. Mulching just doesn't hack it. Never thought I would be bagging 1.5 acres... If not I pretty much have no grass left in the spring. 

Wish I could get out in the woods. Looking like my annual hunt with Dad will be a no go since it requires us to travel, stay in a hotel, and eat out for 3 days. I don't want Dad exposed to anything the way his health is. 

Rent you an rv, cook in it and avoid the crowds, don't let the Chinese win.

[rugerla1]

Getting ready to head out. I had a great time yesterday, even though the wind was ridiculous, it warmed up, and I got a little wet. Saw bucks cruising and does feeding before the heavy rain hit early in the morning. After the rain the wind got really strong and the action slowed down. Saw a doe walking along a creek bed about 400 yards away and a buck followed ten minutes behind her. A 3 pointer came barreling across a thousand yard hayfield and checked a scrape before making a new one. I moved up to the top of a ridge above a pond for the rest of the day. Immediately had a doe blow straight out from me. Knowing she didn’t wind me I stared through the cedar wood line border and bam, big bobcat comes easing out. Second time this week. He strolled across the pond bank and right past me at 15 yards. I lip squeaked him to get a little more of him on video. Big sucker! After that I had two does come out and feed (1 bedded down almost the entire time) for almost an hour 70 yards from me. Praying the wind didn’t swirl because it was nice to have live decoys. They left and it absolutely died off. 30 minutes before sunset three does came out, one ate and left, the other two stayed. A spike busted out of the woods and started bouncing around like “Look at my antlers!” Lmao. The does jumped away and continued eating. He walked up the the pond and drank for a minute before nibbling on some grass. He acted startled and eased into the woodline, then quickly walked diagonal up the ridge. A minute later a 2.5 year olds 6 pointer came out and drank for nearly two solid minutes. The does stare at him as he walks up to the high center of the pond bank and trots towards them. This was the coolest thing I saw all day. He made it about 10 yards and both does took off running towards him, smaller one turned on a dime as she got within feet of the buck, turned, squatted and peed. She then took a couple steps and turned around to watch him walk up and sniff it. Like they were saying “Hey, check me”. Watched doe squat many times during the rut even around deer. But never seen them run up to the buck like that, it was pretty awesome to watch. No shooters all day but an amazing day in the woods. Cant wait to see what the cold weather brings today. 

Edited November 16, 2020 by rugerla1

[Quavodus]

Got this one Saturday morning.  Sory about bad truck bed pic.

[rugerla1]

1 hour ago, Quavodus said:

Got this one Saturday morning.  Sory about bad truck bed pic.

Congratulations, nice buck!

[Quavodus]

Thanks, he's not the one I thought he was though. There is another bigger one out there. 

[rugerla1]

I didn’t see a single doe today but saw several 2.5 year olds and two 3.5 this morning. At 10am everything came to a screeching halt and didn’t see a single thing until 3:00 and it was a 6 pointer with a lot of growing left to do. An hour or so later I let the nicest 3.5 year old walk that I ever have. He is going to be a stud if he makes it to next year. 
Going back tomorrow but to a different stand. Hopefully it’s a good move

[rugerla1]

I saw more chasing this morning and close to twenty deer up until around 10am. I left and moved down to some thicker woods due to the wind and imagination that they may be moving more in it with the wind speeds gaining. Turns out the spot I picked was not the happening spot if they were in fact staying in thick areas. Didn’t see anything till sunset and had a doe crashing down the ridge towards me and looking back behind her. That got me fired up, so I stood up with my muzzleloader.....to greet a year and half old four pointer! He was big and tough in his own mind though! Well at least it wasn’t a total skunk afternoon lol

Supposed to be 29 in the morning. I’m tired from all these all day sits because I ain’t 20 anymore. But I’m gonna do it again because of the rut

[rugerla1]

Good evening everyone! This morning was 26 degrees when I walked to my blind. Decided it would be a great morning to try out my Mr Buddy heater. I’ve never owned one because I hate hunting in a blind. But man what a difference it made. I’m not converted to a blind hunter because of it though. As soon as action slowed down I was out in a tree  

Bucks a does filled up the hayfield as soon as daylight broke. Not a shooter in the group but man was it exciting nonetheless! Two 4 pointers, one 6, and a 5 and five doe running wild. The does kept squatting for the bucks and they bucks kept checking. Seems none of them were ready but didn’t stop them all from playing the game. Couldn’t get much footage because of the distance so I just sat back and enjoyed it through my scope until around 10:30. 
 

The rest of the day I spent in a hang on treestand with little to no action. Ton of turkey acting batsh!? crazy for about three straight hours. Probably because they know I don’t hunt them lol. Couple doe and couple small bucks came through the edges of the field I was in. Slow end to the day but I enjoyed every single minute. I’m taking a break tomorrow and hanging out with my daughter all day, then working Friday. When I got home I realized that tonight was the last muzzleloader hunt. The season really is flying by y’all. 

Edited November 19, 2020 by rugerla1

[Quavodus]

On 11/16/2020 at 8:25 AM, Quavodus said:

Thanks, he's not the one I thought he was though. There is another bigger one out there. 

Actually 2 more better than this. One is probably pushing 140's. But, I'll do good just to lay eyes on him.

[rugerla1]

5 minutes ago, Quavodus said:

Actually 2 more better than this. One is probably pushing 140's. But, I'll do good just to lay eyes on him.

I hope you get him!

[Quavodus]

Thanks, Rugerla1 but, I've only got to hunt one evening since muzzleloader opened. I've got to hunt several mornings if I don't need sleep. Been working a lot of days in a row. We've got 2 guys that work in the shop out for "China Virus".  Been a tough season so far.

Edited November 19, 2020 by Quavodus