Moon captured via trail camera.

 

Deer Hunting Notes for File 2020

Early antlerless - MEA.  Yearling at new farm.  Had to work pretty hard to net 20 lbs; almost zero meat waste.  Exceedingly tender.

Word was that these were some of the best steaks ever consumed in our house (from yearling).

 

November rolled out pretty well.  Some bucks harvested by our party; lot of bloody clothing, dragging down gullies and building gut piles.

Who knew a guy could shoot two one-antlered bucks in the span of seven years.  

Tracked a friend's deer; found this on the blood trail.

Buddy shot this big one.

In the orchard at new farm; spent a lot of time watching deer at this trail intersection.

The six pointer (three pointer) yielded just over 40 lbs.

Tend to cut the roast pieces into steaks after defrosting.  Rub with Lawry's, salt, pepper, olive oil; set in fridge for a few days; then grill.  4-5 minutes first side; 3 minutes on the flip.

Kids were gone over MEA so they didn't do the youth season.  They got out a little late, but they both saw deer and both "almost" got shots.  In at least one case a good decision was made to not shoot at a deer that was out of range (I was watching her too).

Have dragged quite a few deer down this gully over time; this one was the monster shot by friend.

We tracked one into the evening.  Lot of blood.  Then the blood trail died at a point at which the deer bedded down for a while.  Started walking likely trails - no blood - found the deer approx 50 yards away, dying, watching me.

Squeezed a lot of these out of my arms and hands.  Broke-off bramble thorns.

Never passed on legal deer much, before this year.  After getting two in freezer, I figured I could watch for a while, hoping to see one of a few certain deer.  Never did get those shots.  Passed on a number of does, yearlings and spikes.  In one instance I had nine deer below me, within 30 yards for 20 minutes.  Not an antler among them.  Saw thirteen total that night.

Getting good vibe for next year - I think it'll be the season for both my sons to get deer.  Will continue to work and study this new farm; was fun watching them frequent this pond.

Ballistics 2020

Can't buy ammo anywhere.  I visited or called: Scheels, Fleet Farm, Gander Outdoors, Cabelas. Coyote Creek, independent shop in Morristown, another in Albert Lea; checked websites.  You can't find that slow Winchester sabot anywhere.  1350 fps.  Those shoot pretty well out of my gun/barrel.  The higher powered stuff doesn't do as well, the trials would confirm.  Fleet Farm told me that whenever they get shipments, guys come in and buy everything on the shelves.  Some form of paranoia/etc. lingering it seems.  Unfortunately this is impacting the common man deer hunter.  

As such, I bought the slowest sabot I could find (at Coyote Creek - they are the only folks limiting the number of boxes per person, per day (1)): these Remington coppers at 1450 fps.  I had ten of the Winchesters on hand from last year.  Being they are apparently scarce, I decided to just shoot two of them; keep eight for the season.  Then I shot three of the coppers - they mixed in really well at 50 yards.  I had some of the Hornady from previous fall trials but those at 2000 fps shoot 8-12 high at 50 yards; I could adjust my red dot to that group if needed, but for now I have a few boxes of slow sabots that will work.

At 50 yards, this group more than sufficient.  Most shots in bluff country range 15-40 yards.  I'd like to get this rifled barrel over on the 100 yard range; just see how it shoots at that distance.

They coming into the licking post but just a bit too late.

 

Sat out with bow tonight (9/19, opener).  Saw seven deer but none within recurve range.  Never owned a trail cam before this year so was kind of excited to pull SD card for first time tonight.  Lot of deer on the camera.  160+ images recorded.

 

 The Kid I, Bass Angling

At nearly 16 years of age, he's become pretty damn good bass fisherman.  Knows the urban pond systems.  Few pics from yesterday.

 Fishing The Kid II

In summer the cows help a guy navigate the streams; make the corridor navigable via grazing.

Got his share using soft hackle swing.

 Quarantine Fishing Continues

Fished my brother few weeks ago.  Got a few eats on soft hackle but water very low and air temps pretty high; it was most efficient to sit on the deep water refuges and pry them out.  Angler was efficient, hooking thirteen and landing twelve BNT.

Great spots on BNT; never gets old.

Took great care in nymphing: careful approach and appropriate level of bird-dogging indicator.