SpinnerMan 2018-19 Log

[Darren]

neat hunts! thanks for sharing

At least you had a partner to share the blame with the other day on the poor shooting; my day like that was solo last season, dog got a laugh.

[SpinnerMan]

October 24 (Short pre-work hunt)

Hunters: Myself

Very pretty morning. Calm with a little fog rising off the water, nice layer of frost on everything (except the decoys), pretty full moon setting just as the sun rose, some scattered clouds.

Waterfowl Activity: Very little.

Almost no shooting in the area for the first half hour.

I had a flock of 6-8 ducks flyover just before shooting time that showed zero interest. Had a pair of wood ducks swing by and land about 80 yards behind me. A little later in the morning I saw maybe a dozen mallards up high in the sky heading south. Looked like migrators. Hopefully this is the first trickle of new birds. That was it for duck activity.

The mute swans gave me a nice flyby.

Heard one lonely goose heading my way. I called to it, but by the time I saw it, it was heading straight at me and showed no signs of interest in my call, but was still squawking. Whether it came to my call or I was just in the right spot. Either way, I got the goose as it passed overhead and redeemed myself a bit from the poor shooting on Sunday.

A little later heard another single. Called this one over from a long ways. It circled a few times. Worked really nice and I thought it was going to come all the way in. Passed by a couple times in range. But I really thought I could talk it all the way into the decoys. It swung out wide and decided I'll shoot it this time. I guess it didn't want to get shot because it never came back.

Not many other geese around.

That was it before I had to head home to get ready for work.

Oct24Goose.jpg

[SpinnerMan]

October 26

Hunters: Myself

A little bit of clouds started rolling in but still very nice relatively warm weather.

Waterfowl Activity: Still very little.

Right at sunup, a flock of mallards went over. Hit them with an aggressive comeback call. They turned. I kept on them and they bugged out like they had heard that song before.

Shortly thereafter a pair goes over. I hit them with the same aggressive comeback call. They turned. Then I got soft and quiet. That did the trick. They circled and worked just as you want every duck. A nice suspenseful show before they full commit to land. I drop the drake. The hen freaks and twist and turns, but instead of rushing my shot. I wait. She levels out and drop her. Perfect from start to finish Doesn't happen often.

That was pretty much the interesting part of the hunt. At my club, we rotate blinds. If you like your blind, you can leave your decoys out if you like it, which I did. Today I had to pick up my decoys. As expected about 8-10 woodies came by that I think would have flown over if I were not picking up.

Oct26pair.jpg

[SpinnerMan]

October 26 (Evening with my wife)

Hunters: Myself and wife

Warm, overcast, with a slight NW wind.

Waterfowl Activity: A lot more than a typical evening.

My wife likes to come along once in awhile. I can never get her to shoot. She's way too slow. She loves to shoot, but a lot more going on then at the trap range. My main goal was to set my decoys out for the next week so I don't have to fool around doing it in the morning and was happy my wife wanted to come along.

I spot a pair of geese low heading towards us from a couple hundred yards. I start calling, but I don't think I needed to. Even when I think they are on a suicide run, I still like to call a little so that if they veer off course I can get aggressive and make a course correction. I think that works better if you are already talking to them a little. But none of that was necessary. They came in as pretty as you can ever want. At about 30 yards they hook a little into the wind to land and land 35 yards or so away. My wife is taking her time and finally pulls the trigger and nothing happens When I set the gun down it slipped a bit and it must have opened the bolt a touch. I quickly rack the next shell for her. They are slowly swimming away. Getting a bit far. She finally shoots to no effect

I was worried that she had finally pulled the trigger on a goose and didn't get it and she would not want to do it again. Nope. Exact opposite. She was ready to do it again Saturday we went looking at 20 gauges.

Hopefully, she will come along a little more often. Maybe the excitement will make getting up early or the cold which are why she doesn't go more seem a little less of a hindrance.

Oct26Gina.jpg

[SpinnerMan]

October 27 (Second Week Slowness)

Hunters: Myself and Jesse

Warm scattered clouds and not much wind.

Waterfowl Activity: Not terrible numbers for this time of year, but they showed zero interest.

The birds are definitely stale. Need some weather changes and new birds.

The entire club shot at maybe 3 or 4 birds. We were not one of them.

Sunday I decided to sleep in and take care of what I've been neglecting after hunting ducks or deer every day for over a week. Friday and Saturday I hunted deer in the afternoon. The few I have been seeing on the cameras have mostly been in the afternoon. The rut should start ramping up so hopefully the activity starts picking up.

Trio.JPG

Turkey2.JPG

[SpinnerMan]

October 29 (Second Week Slowness Continues)

Hunters: Myself

Temps are trending down, but so is bird activity. Calm morning with temps just above freezing.

Waterfowl Activity: Nearly zero.

I kicked some mallards out of my decoys and that was most excitement I had. I saw a few woodies off in the distance. A big push of divers went over much earlier and lower than typical. It is fairly common to see large flocks of divers head over about an hour after sunrise. This morning they headed out about 15 minutes before sunrise. They must have roosted closer than normal. Quite a show of ducks for about 10 minutes.

The few geese I saw showed no interest, but most had not gotten up before I had to head to work.

Oct29Sunrise.jpg

[DComeaux]

I hate still, quiet mornings. That's what we had this past weekend while working, and I was glad it wasn't a hunt day.

[SpinnerMan]

Biggest problem right now is that it's the 2nd week of the season.

1. The birds that are here know what's what.
2. The weather hasn't been cold enough to start pushing any mallards down.
3. Apparently the cold snap we had before season sent most of the woodies packing.
4. Until we set our clocks back, I can't stay late enough time to hunt geese because they don't start flying until I have to leave.
5. The rut hasn't started so the deer aren't moving much.

The clocks change this coming weekend. The rut should start kicking in. And with some luck the weather will start pushing some mallards down.

So for now I enjoy the sunrise and hope to get lucky as I wait for things to pick up.

[SpinnerMan]

October 31 (Short pre-work hunt)

Hunters: Myself

A significantly warmer morning after a rainy evening.

Waterfowl Activity: Slow but not terrible.

A flock of 6-7 mallards went over shortly after shooting time. Showed zero interest. Shortly after that I heard mallards chattering. I never figured out where they were at. They sounded close, but not a clue.

I had a pair of ducks zip back and forth and around the body of water I was hunting. Pretty sure they were some kind of divers. Never passed within 100 yards and landed about 300 yards away.

I heard some woodies as well.

There were a good flock of geese that had roosted not too far to my east. I kept chatting with them for about the first 45 minutes. Typically, they head out to the north. About 15 geese came right over me when they got up. Not sure if my pleasant conversation had anything to do with it or not. Dropped one and hammered a second one twice, but he never came down. They flew by the only other blind at the club being hunted and he shot at them. Hopefully, he got the one I hit. Both shots I expected him to fall, but he kept going

That was pretty much it before I had to head to work. I'll be glad for the time change this weekend giving me that extra hour.

And the luck with local goose bands continues

Oct31BandedGoose.jpg

Also, I got a picture of my first buck on the trail cam so it looks like the hormones are kicking, so hopefully the archery starts picking up. Actually, got two different buck and a decent number of doe. Also had 3 coyotes together spend 30 minutes in the area. First time I've ever got more than one coyote on the camera and I don't know what they were hunting for, but they stuck around. Quite a few other coyote pictures. Turkey, deer, coyotes, I'd be very happy getting any of them.

FirstBuck.jpg

TrioCoyotes.JPG

[SpinnerMan]

November 2 (Hunt with my wife)

Hunters: Myself and my wife

A clear cool morning with a slight NE breeze.

Waterfowl Activity: Almost non-existent for ducks, but decent for geese.

I was happily surprised that my wife wanted to get up and go with me this morning. Went all in on the goose spread, which was the right move, but bad timing seems to have kept us from the geese.

Right after shooting time, my wife has to go to the bathroom. She got to learn that that is one of the surest ways to get action. Shortly after she leaves the blind a pair of woodies came zipping around. They made a swing over the decoys and I was able to drop one, a hen. I saw a small group of about 6-8 woodies and that was all the ducks for the entire morning

We had a pretty good goose flight. Every time we'd have one showing interest a decent size group would get up and suck them away. Enough action to make for an interesting morning even though my wife never got to fire a shot.

GinaGooseHunting.jpg

[Rick]

I was happily surprised that my wife wanted to get up and go with me this morning.

She just wanted a chance to rock that hat.

[SpinnerMan]

I was happily surprised that my wife wanted to get up and go with me this morning.

She just wanted a chance to rock that hat.

I had to dig deep through my pile of random unused hunting stuff to find something to keep her ears warm and would work OK for duck hunting.

[Duck Engr]

Those style hats are the warmest I’ve ever used. It has to get well below freezing before I put it on, as I’ll sweat profusely otherwise.

[SpinnerMan]

November 9 (Snow Day)

Hunters: Myself

The day started of around freezing with a steady snow fall that lasted until around 9AM

Waterfowl Activity: Almost non-existent.

I've been hunting deer in the mornings, but have been seeing geese flying by our one goose field. So after a few days of seeing no deer in person. Getting a decent number on the cameras. I decided to give the geese a go.

Ever start out the day and the way things start, you just have the feeling it was going to be one of those days.

The snow was supposed to have stopped by shooting time. Instead we had a wet sticky snow. My goose decoys were white before I had them all set out. The snow did not brush off

I did hear geese in the area on the water. So that was good. I started trying to chat them. I think that works better if you get their attention before they get off the water.

About the time I expected them to start getting up I ran around and did the best I could to clear the snow. Hook my rain jacket pocket on the blind and rip it. The decoys still looked like crap. Anything inside 40 yards, I'm not going to hesitate to shoot because I think I have near zero chance of decoying birds into this mess. Especially these well educated local birds.

Just as I get back to the blind, I hear some geese. Three geese come over about 70 yards up. But they are giving me a good look. That ain't going to work. And as expected, they just kept on going.

The sun peaks through the cloud a little bit finally. Snowing has stopped. I go out and clear the decoys. With the slight increase in temp, they clean up nice. But I forgot my hand warmers and didn't think to bring gloves. So now my hands are freezing.

Everything looks great, but I don't see another goose and only ducks I saw were two woodies that zip by at about 150 yards.

I pack up, go home. Each lunch, get warmed up and head back out to archery hunt.

With about 5 minutes of shooting light left, a beautiful buck comes out broadside at 25 yards. And I have no fucking clue how I missed it Running through my mind over and over and over and over and over. I don't get it. I took my time. I was careful with technique, ... And I just fucking missed. It was pretty windy. Maybe the wind caught my arrow, but I don't know. This was about as easy as it gets.

It was definitely one of those days. So I guess that was it.

Oh and I moved my camera. The deer was standing right next to that pine tree, but because I moved the camera it did trip the camera after it ran away after I missed it so the camera just got a picture of nothing. Although, not getting a picture may be the one good thing that happened. Not sure I want a reminder of the deer I should have shot. It was a beauty.

[Rick]

Not sure I want a reminder of the deer I should have shot. It was a beauty.

On the plus side, now he can grow with each retelling...

[SpinnerMan]

Not sure I want a reminder of the deer I should have shot. It was a beauty.

On the plus side, now he can grow with each retelling...

I didn't spend any time looking at the antlers. I'm sure he had broken tines and wasn't that great.

[Rick]

Yeah, probably busted one whole side off...

[SpinnerMan]

I think I got his picture.

WGI_0014.JPG

[SpinnerMan]

With about 5 minutes of shooting light left, a beautiful buck comes out broadside at 25 yards. And I have no **** clue how I missed it Running through my mind over and over and over and over and over. I don't get it. I took my time. I was careful with technique, ... And I just **** missed. It was pretty windy. Maybe the wind caught my arrow, but I don't know. This was about as easy as it gets.

Mystery solved. This morning I hit my 20 yard pin getting out of the blind. Put it back where I thought it should be, but thankfully the club has a range, so I went over to shoot a few arrows to make sure all was OK. First 2 shots, low. OK, maybe I didn't get it back spot on. I shoot at 30 yards. Low What they hell did I do there? A few more shots, all low. Somehow I banged my sites or something since everything is low. I didn't resight. I just now have a 15 yard and 25 yard pin instead of a 20 and 30. I still had to have shot a little low to cleanly miss the deer, but that seems to explain it. I don't shoot an overly fast bow, so a little low and the pins that far off, it probably brushed hair on the bottom, but enough to miss without it being a bad shot on my end. Put a few more arrows on their mark between 10 and 30 yards and off to work.

I have never got an antlered buck with my bow. I continue to find new ways to blow it. That is the 5th buck I've missed And if you count the one where my arthritis in my shoulder flared up and I couldn't draw the bow with it standing 15 yards broadside. That's 6 I should have had. It's getting frustrating.

[Rick]

Nothing seasons success as well as prior frustration.

Just keep telling yourself that...

[SpinnerMan]

[quote="SpinnerMan"]November 15 (Success)

Hunters: Myself

It was supposed to be in the teens this morning, but with the rut moving along quickly and my chances for a deer realistic limited to about a week, I decided to go. I was very pleasantly surprised that the clouds rolled in this evening and it was a much more comfortable 31F when I got up.

Waterfowl Activity: Almost zero, which is disappointing for this weekend, but I was archery hunting.

7:30AM I hear deer and then see one about 35 yards away and almost surely heading exactly. Then I hear more deer to my right. One is coming out about 30 feet from me That got the heart beating good. I'm completely screened from her so I'm able to move and get in position to shoot. I let her walk until she is about 15 yards away and I can draw and shoot without any other motion. I didn't miss this time. I can see the arrow just behind the shoulder buried to the feathers. I had no doubt I got this one. She bolts off into the brush.

The one young one with her stands there confused about where momma went. Finally the young one heads back the way she came.

I knock another arrow. Still think it best to give the doe time just in case. About 10 minutes later I hear deer coming the same way.

Just the kids coming back looking for momma If I wanted another deer, I could have easily got one, but butcher one is enough for right now.

Younguns.jpg

And the deer I shot, she decided to go into the deepest nastiest place she could find. She was easy to trail and didn't go real far, but one an effort to drag her out of there. Uneven thick honeysuckle and buckthorn the whole way.

EdDeerNov15,18.jpg

BTW, subtract an hour. I didn't adjust my camera with the time change.

[Deltaman]

Congrats Ed

[Rick]

Meat to eat.

[SpinnerMan]

Congrats Ed

Thanks.

Meat to eat.

Yep. Nice sized doe will fill a lot of that empty space in my freezer.

Fresh liver for dinner tonight

[Deltaman]

The fresh deer liver must be a northern thing, as I have read countless stories of deer hunters carrying a skillet with them for the hunt up North, but have never seen anybody down here that has an interest. I go deer hunting once or twice a year, but most of my friends spend an inordinate amount of time in the deer woods, but I have yet to see one that eats the fresh liver or heart. Last time I attempted to eat a heart, it was from a freshly killed hog. After cleaning and squeezing the blood out as best I could, decided to cut it in pieces to cook.........that was a mistake for me. When I cut it up, and saw all of the filaments dangling, made me lose my appetite for it. I do enjoy eating the hearts of ducks and doves, skewering them on a toothpick laced with bacon, and lightly coating in bbq sauce before taking off the grill, good stuff! Am gonna have to try the liver thing. You cook it with butter and onions like beef liver?

[SpinnerMan]

I had liver last night. My wife had leftovers I always look forward to that. Funny thing is I hated liver as a kid. Then again I hated a lot of foods as a kid.

I cooked the heart and diced it up and put it in a jar with sliced onions and vinegar. Pickled heart is something my family has always eaten and the other thing I look forward to when I get a deer. I have in-laws in town next week, so I need to hide that back in the corner of the fridge because I agree, it isn't the most visually appealing.

I'm from central PA. A heavy dose of PA dutch in me.

[Deltaman]

The smell of it cooking always fooled me when I was a kid, coming home for dinner, and I would sit down at the table with an appetite, until I saw what it was........flat hated the taste of it. Like you, funny how our tastes changes as we age, and I enjoy it now. So you cook deer liver the same way, butter and onions?

[SpinnerMan]

So you cook deer liver the same way, butter and onions?

Oil. Dust the liver in flour, salt, and pepper. Saute the onions to my liking, push them to the side of the pan. Fry the liver. Mixed together and eat.

[Rick]

Love beef and chicken liver but never could stand deer liver, too much of a twang to it. But the heart, now that's "a whole 'nuther thing".

[SpinnerMan]

November 17 (The Day I've been waiting for and still waiting)

Hunters: Myself and Steve L.

Temps in the low 30's and snowing.

Waterfowl Activity: Very little.

I was the 2nd draw at our blind drawing this summer and picked this rotation so I'd have the best blind in the club over Thanksgiving week. Typically a reliable week at our club.

The path to the blind is so froze I didn't bother to try to bust my way in. Hunted with Steve in his blind that we could walk into and had a little open water in front of.

We didn't see a duck for about 2 hours. After that only saw a few flocks and they all turned a bit to the call, but never showed any real interest. Only geese we saw was a high flying pair. There were a ton of geese roosted in the area, but they never got up all morning. Ended the day without even thinking about shooting. One blind at the club shot all morning, but there weren't a lot of guys out because hunting has been horrible and most blinds are froze out.

Steve keeps the stats for the club for duck hunting. The entire club hasn't killed 100 ducks yet. A really bad year we'd be at 150 or more at this point. It could change at any time, but the forecast doesn't look good.

Unless something changes tomorrow, back to deer hunting on Monday.