SpinnerMan 2021-2022 Logs

Re: SpinnerMan 2021-2022 Logs

Postby SpinnerMan » Tue Nov 02, 2021 10:27 am

Duck Engr wrote:Reads like a really nice sit! Back when I deer hunted I would coyote howl to clear the field before getting down.

That sounds like a good idea.

I screwed up last night. Should have had my doe. My stands is in the corner of a field where the deer cross from all directions. It is thick brush covered around the edges which is why I'm not set up back in the woods. About 25 yards away just in the brush, I notice a lump that wasn't there earlier. "Was it there earlier, I don't think so. Is it a dead deer? Where did it come from? Was it there?" Finally, the lump moved a little. A young deer had walked barely to where I could see him in the brush and laid down. I notice another deer moving behind him and assumed it was my fun loving twins from the night before. Nope. Momma stepped out of the brush 25 yards broadside and I was not ready to shoot her. As I was trying to ease into shooting position without getting busted, she does a 90 degree turn and I've got nothing but ass to shoot at. She goes back in the bushes. Her and her son came out just beyond my comfort zone for an evening shot. Big buck, I take that shot every time. Just don't want to spend the night track a doe through the brush in the dark if I don't hit her perfect. There she feed for about 10 minutes. Junior came to within 20 yards. Decent sized button buck. Would have shot him if I didn't have one in the freezer. After they had moved off a good ways, I had a little bitty button buck feeding at 15 yards. I don't think that guy was 40-45 lbs. Definitely, not shooting him after passing on one that was about 65-70 lbs.
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Re: SpinnerMan 2021-2022 Logs

Postby SpinnerMan » Mon Nov 08, 2021 9:39 am

Deer Season Update

Been seeing and hearing a few ducks, so I guess I can make it waterfowl related. :lol: The guys hunting the water behind me jumped the gun on Saturday morning and opened up on some ducks more than a couple minutes before shooting time. For some reason that morning when I walked out to the parking lot, there was a CPO waiting to check everybody. Actually the first time I've ever been checked while hunting. Pretty hard to believe.

I had a young buck come in the other night. Not what I want to use my last buck tag on, plus I couldn't if I wanted to because the place I am hunting has a 4 point on a side minimum which is why there are a fair number of bucks that I am hoping for. I think he caught something when I switched my camera to video mode. Not easy to do when you are in a tree with a bow in one hand.



But the next night, there was no fooling with the camera. I had the one I was looking for coming straight to me. Saw him at about 90 yards. At about 50 yards he stopped. "oh no" You could tell something just didn't feel right to him. He looked around sniffed the air. The wind should have been good for me, but earlier there were some strange gusts in odd directions. I'm guessing there was just a hint of me in the air that he couldn't pin point. And the reason old deer are so hard. Even though I am pretty sure he didn't bust me, he just doubled back the way he came because he knew that was safe. So close. Heart breaker. I'd probably stretch it to 45 yards with the perfect shot. 50 maybe 55 and head on. Not going to happen. Absolutely beautiful 10-point. Tall, wide, all long tines, symmetric, good mass.

Since then, my buddy that is set up at the other end of the field has seen him pass by my stand twice when I was not there of course. Although, the one time was on purpose because the wind was completely wrong and I'm sure he would have busted me. I should be hunting every evening. Talking to other guys, it seems like there are a couple other shooters in the area, plus it is the rut now and buck just appear out of nowhere that nobody has seen.
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Re: SpinnerMan 2021-2022 Logs

Postby Deltaman » Mon Nov 08, 2021 10:01 am

Ahhh, he's still out there and waiting on you Spinner :thumbsup:
"It ain't what you don't know that gets you in trouble. It's what you know for sure, that just ain't so"
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Re: SpinnerMan 2021-2022 Logs

Postby SpinnerMan » Mon Nov 08, 2021 10:54 am

I forgot to add. I had one of those funny, but wow has technology changed things experience Saturday.

About 80 minutes before shooting time I get a text from a buddy.

"Are you hunting today."

"Yes, but not where you hunt"

"Can we hunt your blind?"

His son is 17 and has never got a deer. I have a big deer blind that fits two well. This is where I shot my little buck earlier this year. My buddy already has a deer and really wants to get his son his first.

"Sure, good luck."

"Good luck to you."

While I'm hunting I notice I have an email letting me know I have new photos from my trail cam that is set up in front of that blind.

Seth's Deer.jpg


That deer is 30 yards straight out in front of the blind. My blind is just off screen left of that little evergreen in the background.

So I text him.

"Did you get the doe?"

"My son got it"

"Awesome!"

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Cellphones, cell cameras, ... Makes hunting very different.

That picture had to be seconds before he shot that deer. That's the kill spot. Most of the deer and the coyote I got in that area have been within a few feet of where that doe is standing.
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Re: SpinnerMan 2021-2022 Logs

Postby SpinnerMan » Sun Nov 14, 2021 1:59 pm

Date: November 14

Hunters: Myself, Roman, and Matt

Dogs: Diesel

Time: Morning

Location: B&G Blind 10

Weather Conditions: Cloudy, Some Wind, occasional drizzle

Waterfowl Activity: Saw maybe a dozen ducks, geese were a little more active

Birds By Species: 1 Canada Goose

Took a couple of new guys out for their first hunt at the club. I don't believe either had got a duck or goose before and had done little waterfowl hunting.

Just a really slow morning. Very little shooting around. We did get lucky and have a flock of geese fly over. I got myself kind of turned around and shot a hole in the sky. But Roman dropped his first goose. It hit the water about 60 yards from us just on the other side of a peninsula of land. I said he should take his dog and retrieve it. I never like leaving the ones you can't see even if you are sure they are dead. They have a way of disappearing.

He started to head down to the boat without his gun. I said "better take your gun just in case." He rounds the peninsula and no goose in sight. I tell him to have his dog hunt for it. The dog is working the shoreline and the goose hops out and starts swimming away. Swam right back to the blind for us to finish off. Very young dog and first time waterfowling. He behaved in the blind. Needs some experience with the ducks and geese.

On the way back to pick up their first goose.

PXL_20211114_133827903.jpg


Diesel with the practice retrieve.

PXL_20211114_134135459.jpg
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Re: SpinnerMan 2021-2022 Logs

Postby SpinnerMan » Wed Dec 01, 2021 6:16 pm

Date: November 25 (Thanksgiving)

Hunters: Myself

Time: Morning

Location: B&G Blind 15

Weather Conditions: Cloudy and windy

Waterfowl Activity: Very little flying where I was, but a little more to the west based on the gunfire

Birds By Species: 0

Planned on hunting with a buddy. When it was time to head out to the blind. No buddy. Got a text later to let me know he set his alarm wrong.

I had a pile of geese on the water to my north and a few mallards. Some so close I could hear their wings hitting the water when they took off. They went north I guess. Never saw them.

Right after shooting time had three (wigeon I believe) come bombing in, well in behind the island. If I would have seen them sooner, I would have had a good shot at them. I took a crack at the trailing hen. All those nice decoys, and you all want to land alone behind me :evil:

Saw a few mallards. Had one group of 15-20 working a couple nearby blinds, but never showed any interest in me before they all headed north. Later I talked to the guys in one of those blinds. They flared off when a bunch of swans came by. Saw more swans than I've seen in quite a while.
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Re: SpinnerMan 2021-2022 Logs

Postby SpinnerMan » Sat Dec 11, 2021 10:46 pm

Date: December 11 (First Crane Hunt)

Hunters: Myself, Jose, Jeff, John, Steve, Shaw, Kirt, Debbie, 3 others, and Sam the guide

{b}Dogs: Jase

[b]Time:
Morning

Location: West Texas 45 miles NW of Lubbock

Weather Conditions: Clear, calm, and cold by Texas standards (low 30's)

Waterfowl Activity: Nonstop cranes from around sunrise until pictures were finished

Birds By Species: 36 Sandhill Cranes

I write a lot about hunts where little happen. This I don't have much more to say than awesome.

We had a ton of working birds. They weren't too easy and obviously not too hard. Singles up to probably a couple dozen working us.

Shooting other than the first two flocks of the morning was pretty good. Would have had a short morning and I'm pretty sure we had the guide worried when the first two flocks we probably should have had 15 to 20 birds and had about 4. We didn't shoot the lights out after that, but we settled down and put most of what we should have on the ground.

I loved watching the Chessie Jase going to work. Reminded me of mine. The live ones. He was a freaking freight train charging after them. The dead ones. He did his job well, but nothing like the thrill he got from running down the cripples.

I always loved the sound of cranes, but even more now.

PXL_20211211_150323186.jpg




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Re: SpinnerMan 2021-2022 Logs

Postby Duck Engr » Sun Dec 12, 2021 12:26 am

Man that looks awesome! What a great experience. Does the dog have any kind of eye protection on? Couldn’t tell in the video. I’ve heard those cranes can be rough on the hounds.
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Re: SpinnerMan 2021-2022 Logs

Postby Rick » Sun Dec 12, 2021 4:41 am

Think the audio begins with "That's so cool with the goggles on..." Know that when the biologist I band with hunts cranes, his Lab wears them.

Neat sort of "bucket list" hunt in any event. Glad you got to give it a go, Spinner.
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Re: SpinnerMan 2021-2022 Logs

Postby SpinnerMan » Sun Dec 12, 2021 5:06 am

Duck Engr wrote:Man that looks awesome! What a great experience. Does the dog have any kind of eye protection on? Couldn’t tell in the video. I’ve heard those cranes can be rough on the hounds.

Yes he has goggles on.

The dog was not a fan. He only wore him for the lively ones.
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Re: SpinnerMan 2021-2022 Logs

Postby Rick » Sun Dec 12, 2021 9:54 am

SpinnerMan wrote:The dog was not a fan. He only wore him for the lively ones.


Did he bitch about putting them on like mine does about his vest. He fusses so that folks think we're about to throw down, but it's just ritual - I think....
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Re: SpinnerMan 2021-2022 Logs

Postby SpinnerMan » Sun Dec 12, 2021 1:00 pm

Rick wrote:
SpinnerMan wrote:The dog was not a fan. He only wore him for the lively ones.


Did he bitch about putting them on like mine does about his vest. He fusses so that folks think we're about to throw down, but it's just ritual - I think....

When he came back to the blind, he tried to get them off by rubbing them against the blind.
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Re: SpinnerMan 2021-2022 Logs

Postby SpinnerMan » Sun Dec 12, 2021 1:27 pm

Date: December 12 (Second Day of Crane Hunt)

Hunters: Myself, Jose, Jeff, John, Steve, Shaw, Kirt, Debbie, 3 others, and Jeremy the guide

Dogs: Pisser

Time: Morning

Location: West Texas 45 miles NW of Lubbock

Weather Conditions: Clear, about 10 mph, and cold by Texas standards (low 30's)

Waterfowl Activity: Nonstop cranes from around sunrise until pictures were finished

Birds By Species: 36 Sandhill Cranes

Another amazing and very short day.

Yesterday after us shooting poorly at the first flocks, the guide said "Come on guys." Today, that was not the case. When the guide is cheering, you know you did something right. We had big flocks that did it beautiful. First flock we knocked down 8 and the guide was very happy. The next flock 12. The next flock 9. Then we had seven birds left, we picked 7 shooters, and we dropped 7 from the fourth flock. All done by 7:50 AM with the first birds showing up around 7:30. Short and very sweet.

Today though the guide did not have goggles on his dog :shock: The dog got in a fight with one of the cranes. :shock: I thought for sure I had it on video, but somehow I screwed up :evil: :evil: :evil:

PXL_20211212_140931062.jpg


I love the talking on this video right after our last volley. :lol:



And no we really were not over.
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Re: SpinnerMan 2021-2022 Logs

Postby DComeaux » Sun Dec 12, 2021 10:55 pm

Awesome hunts, spinner. On my to do list.
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Re: SpinnerMan 2021-2022 Logs

Postby Deltaman » Mon Dec 13, 2021 2:35 pm

Cool trip Spinner! Glad the birds cooperated for y'all, and with a 3-bird per man limit, the Sandhill Crane numbers must have made a solid recovery. Great to see the results :thumbsup:
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Re: SpinnerMan 2021-2022 Logs

Postby SpinnerMan » Mon Dec 13, 2021 6:20 pm

Date: December 12 (Last Day of Crane Hunt)

Hunters: Myself, Jose, Jeff, John, Steve, Shaw, and Bo the guide

Dogs: Dean

Time: Morning

Location: West Texas 45 miles NW of Lubbock

Weather Conditions: Clear, about 10 mph, and cool

Waterfowl Activity: Lots of cranes moving early then slow for a bit

Birds By Species: 20 Sandhill Cranes

Our group of 6 was by ourself. Good thing because we wouldn't have gotten many more even if they shot the ones we let get out early.

Definitely our worst day shooting, but we got most of what we should have. Just took a lot more shells than it should have.

First thing we had a single come in on the left. After the three guys to the left of me emptied their guns and it was still going, I dropped it. After I dropped it, I said "Come on guys." Making John sitting on my right laugh.

I would burn my shells on some groups later.

We had a lot of birds landing out in front decoying a lot of birds away from us. If not for that it would have been a short morning.

We had steady action and then it died off for a bit. Then we had 4 come in and one volley all birds down. Finally did it right.

We had another lull and got a single. We could have got one more but called an end to a great trip.

PXL_20211213_162334886.jpg


This guide didn't have goggles either. I don't know. They definitely rear up for a fight.

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Re: SpinnerMan 2021-2022 Logs

Postby DComeaux » Mon Dec 13, 2021 8:01 pm

Reads like an awesome time. Looks really dry up there.
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Re: SpinnerMan 2021-2022 Logs

Postby SpinnerMan » Mon Dec 13, 2021 11:43 pm

DComeaux wrote:Looks really dry up there.

Dry and VERY dusty.

Thankfully the wind died down. This was the view from the plane when we arrived.

PXL_20211210_170602006.jpg
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