Bad Season

I have been deer hunting for quite some time but this deer season has been the worst season ever. I have been hitting it hard since September 4th and I have only seen one buck worth shooting at and I did just that. Unfortunately I did not recover that buck due to bad shot placement. I hunted hard this year trying every thing possible to get close and nothing seemed to work. I played the wind. I used decoys and scents. Grunting and rattling. Nothing, nothing at all! I had many encounters with does and small bucks in the first part of the season but as the season carried on the deer seemed to be carried off.
I have spoken to many other hunters and thank god I'm not the only one with a black cloud hanging over my stands. Don't get me wrong there have been several nice bucks taken here in Kentucky but the deer activity has been slow in my neck of the woods. I have done some research and I have found that due to the warm weather along with the timing of the full moon made this deer season a tough one. We all know that warm weather will keep deer movement at a minimum. We had several extremely hot and humid days not to mention over a month with zero rain fall. Walking through the woods sounded as if we were walking on aluminum foil. Critters could here a hunter coming a mile away. The full moon also played a roll. When the full moon falls within the first week of November (1st - 10th) its going to be an exciting season. Deer are moving everywhere you hunt at. Last year it was this way. If your like me and do a lot of traveling you will see many deer dead on the sides of the road. I didn't see over 10 dead deer on roads I traveled and I travel from country roads to major interstates and highways. If the full moon comes in at mid/late November get comfortable, you might been there for a while. Deer movement will spike a high level one day then the next day you think someone turned the switch off. Its hard to stay motivated during this time but I'm holding on by a finger nail. I plan on doing some hunting with my PSE over the holidays.
In conclusion deer hunting this year was a tough one for me but I enjoyed everyday I got out there. Of course it would have been nice to have taken a nice buck by now but that's why we call it hunting instead of shooting. This is whats keeps me coming back for more. I love a good challenge.

Muzzler Loader

This weekend starts the late muzzle loader season for Kentucky and all chips are on the table. Its been a long season with not a lot of action in Central Kentucky. High temperatures have kept deer movement down to nothing til night fall. I am hoping with the cooler temperatures deer will be up moving. I am planning on hunting a ridge line that is covered up with oaks. Every year at this time, deer seem to huddle up in this area. It has plenty of cover and food so maybe with a little luck we can get some action on film. I have been totally committed on taking a mature buck and letting the younger bucks walk. So with that being said I haven't even attempted to take a doe but that is about to change.

Should I hunt this location?

I had a friend the other day ask me if he should hunt in his buddy's hunting spot. Its private land and both hunters have permission. The friend had the kindness to ask his hunting buddy for the set up and I thought that was respectful. I also told my friend that out of respect he shouldn't even ask for that permission especially if the other hunter was going to hunt that same location that afternoon. I myself want a fresh set up when I go out to the stand. I don't want to be in area that has been ran all over by other hunters or ATVs. I believe that if you know that good bucks are in your area you need to stick to that area. You don't want to burn that stand up everyday but you should hunt that core area. Play the wind as they say. If he is around chances are you will get an opportunity at that certain buck. I believe hunting has ethics just as golf or any other sport and hunters should use hunting ethics because they (hunters)represent the hunting community and or sportsman. I hope that he has the respect to stay out of his fellow hunters area. The other hunter can't say a word to him for hunting in his area but I would like to be a fly on the wall when that friend of mine tells his hunting buddy that he killed the giant that he has been after the whole deer season. He will be happy for him and his successful hunt but at the same time he will be killed inside.

Show Respect

This weekend will be the opening of the 2010 Kentucky rifle season and everything is getting right. If you hunt property where other hunters will be, remember to show respect to your fellow hunter. Don't get greedy and place your stand in another hunters comfort zone (like 160 yards across a field from you). This action shows what type of hunter you are. Not only is it wrong, it can be dangerous. You never know what can happen. People get excited and everything they know about hunter safety and gun safety goes away. Make sure that you personally thank the land owner for allowing you to hunt there. I have even helped out with farm work or bought the owner a gift of some sort. A simple thank you can go a long way also. If you see that some one has left a gate open or has trashed the property up make sure you go the extra mile and make things right. Let the owner know whats going on because it only takes one bad hunter to blow it for everyone. Be a safe hunter and show respect to everyone you come across in the woods it will pay off even if your in-law has placed a stand across the field from you. Keep in mind that hunting is a sport, hobby or maybe a passion for some hunters. So, don't blow another hunters day by being ignorant!!!!

What's this ?

Here is a word that we use here in Southern Kentucky. Can you read it? My father inlaw heard one of my friends say this so he carved it out on a stained board and gave it to me as a gift. I have it hanging on the wall in my man cave. Let me know if you can figure it out. So far, nobody has got it right. Here it is!

IFICGOKILSUMPIN

lET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN FIGURE IT OUT!

Using Ground Blinds

I have used several different types of ground blinds over the years but I have finally found one that's a Cadillac of blinds. Double Bull Baby! I got one as a gift and this is a gift that keeps on giving! It has tons of room which is great for taking a child along for the hunt. I'm not a very tall man (5'9") but I can stand up in this joker which is a major plus. 180' shooting that can be adjusted to different widths without the noise of a big zipper. I think that is the most important part of the blind. How many times have you got in the blind and have to make adjustments in the windows to shoot though? With the double bull you can make adjustments quickly and without the noise. I had two does and 4 fawns come within 20 yards of my blind on Tuesday afternoon. They knew something wasn't right but they never freaked out. That brings up another issue. When you think that you got your blind blended in with its surroundings. Step back and look again. It is imperative that you get your blind setup in the shadows and camouflaged up so good that it would be hard for you to pick out. If its easy for a human to see it you know that a "blind dumb deer" could see it.
Here are some tips on using a blind.
1).Set your blind up a day or so to let it air out.
2).Use scent killer sprays on blind while its airing out. I recommend Dead Down Wind
3).Make sure that you set your blind up in the shadows and that it blends in.
4).Use scent killer sprays (Dead Down Wind) on the blind after set up.
5).Get ready to cut some thing down! Game on!

Deer Hunt Cut Short

I got up around 4:00 this morning grabbed the PSE and the blind and headed out to a corner that sat on the Cumberland River. My good friend Andy Biggerstaff and his family owns this farm. Its open river bottoms with fingers of oak trees running parallel with the river. Great looking farm for deer hunting. I had a great set up. I sat between the river and a feeding area. I got the double bull sat up in place and hunting partner and I got camera and bow ready to see what my come out of the river bottoms for something to eat or drink. About 15 minutes of setting in the dark and noticing how bad the fog was going to get I hear something way out in front of us. There was a good thick fog on. We could see about 40-60 yards out. Then I see it. Shining like new money were the Head Lights of a Truck! I was about to freak out. I told my friend that I wouldn't get to mean with them but I would let them know how they blew our set up and to get there rears off my property. The damage had already been done we can't change that. I have to admit that if those "poachers" had shot a round off and got within 60+ yards from me I was going to see how close I could get to the radiator or tires. It is illegal to cast rays of light across a field. Even headlights of a car or truck. This was a major problem in our area several years ago. I sure didn't want them firing one off in our direction. Lucky they turned off from our direction a few hundred yards away. Rule of thumb, if you think for a split second that someone could be hunting in this area or if the farm don't belong to you go somewhere else. Great morning shot down hard. I wasn't in the blind no time. I guess you could say it was one of my shortest hunts. I am going down to the River Breeze Cabin this weekend to do some hunting maybe fishing. I know for a fact that no body will be back in there riding around. Its mountain goat country. I plan on putting one of my G5 broad heads though something.