Checkin' in with a Thanksgiving report. I appreciate y'all's comments and concerns. The new knee is doing well but the old hip is givin' me a fit. Probably won't be long and I'll be the proud owner of a new one. If we go ahead now, probably be able to get in on the rut if all goes well.
Opening morning went well saw some does, no bucks. Family started to trickle in for the holiday. A light lunch of venison stew and then the girls would finish up for our Thanksgiving supper meal, turkey and all that goes with it.
It was decided that the 10 year old grandson would hunt with me that afternoon and the 8 year old would go Friday afternoon. Let me tell y'all how it went this year:
At 3:30 we rode down to the shootin' house on the cart and climbed up in it. Had to adjust some curtains when the boy said "GrandDaddy, there goes a white tail!" And here I am trying to make it easier for him to see. I told him they should be back in a little while, sure enough a little fawn showed up at the feeder, then another and finally momma was closing in when the feeder went off at 4pm. They all spooked and ran away from the feeder but within a few minutes were back. Another doe with twins came up, the 1st group moved out into the Rye. Just right for a "city boy" grandson to watch. (Got me to thinkin' about his uncle, my son, he had already killed a deer by himself when he was this boy's age. The grandsons are growing up in a fine neighborhood but it is not like being raised on a farm). Well about 4:45 we started to see more deer moving around in the planted pines, I think there were 7 more, no fawns. Finally spotted the little 4 point that had been on the camera, he kept hanging up, feedin' on some privet bushes. Secretly, I was hopin' he would stay back till shootin' time was over at 5:10 . I believe it was at 5:00 but he finally gave me a clean shot. Prior to this, my instructions were for Christian to slowly put on the ear protectors and keep watchin' with his binoculars if I got ready to shoot. Pow! "GrandDaddy you got him!" Then the fun began as supper was all but ready. As we walked in the house to get some help, Miss Joy gave me that look and said, "Tell me you didn't, you know what time it is!" I assured her we would be back to eat in 30 minutes and we would dress him after supper but before coffee and pie for dessert. Friday's hunt was also successful in that the younger grand got to see 7 deer, no bucks thank goodness. He hasn't quite learned what it means to be still and watch. Here is a few pictures of a memorable hunt for me and my oldest grandson.
Treefarmer
Congrats T. Farmer love seeing those pics of family time.
:saluting
Some of y'all will understand why I didn't go to the woods Sat. and Sun. our 1st half of the doe days. I was tired out :crip ! After huntin' with my grandson on Thanksgiving afternoon and cleanin' the little 4 pt., I was really hopin' not to see a buck on Friday afternoon when I took the younger one to the shooting house. We saw enough does and fawns to keep him and me happy. He actually spotted the 1st deer that afternoon! I don't think you could tie him up and keep him still. He's about like this guy> :taz . After our children left on Saturday, Miss Joy and I broke the deer down and put him in the shop ref., he'll age for a few days before we cut him up.
I did figure out something that may help this food plot as the season progresses. As you may know this plot was "carved out" of a larger food plot. The whole patch was covered with weeds, dog fennels, etc. also some surviving clover was showing up. You read a lot about deer and weed patches in the hunting magazines and on-line articles. We also see a lot of good words about long narrow food plots and the security it provides for the deer. All this is seeming to work this time with the narrow plots and edges of the tall weeds. However, because of the height of the dog fennels and the narrow width of the Rye, it is very difficult to see what is walking and feeding in the lanes that are perpendicular to the shooting house. So my remedy for this was to run the bush hog about 3 passes on the near side of the perpendicular lanes, this allows you to see over into the lane from the shooting house and still affords the deer the security of a place to dive into if alarmed, I think :dtect . Time will tell. Sittin' with the boys, it was difficult to keep up with the deer as they worked up and down those other to lanes.
Muzzle loading starts on Saturday the 6th and runs through the 12th, bucks only on the south side of I-10.
If the does that are hanging around will stay close, I have confidence that ol' buck will be checkin' 'em out when the rut gets into high gear in January.
A few pictures to show how things are going.
Treefarmer
I usually try to make my entry for the week on Wednesdays and today I am runnin' a little late. Had to be in Panama City at the doctors office at 8:45 this am and then a couple of stops with Miss Joy, so we're all out of whack today. One of the stops was at BestBuy to have them try and straighten out my PC. Had to leave it and I'm using Joy's laptop, it ain't the same. Windows 8, whatever that is don't work like Windows 7 and if you breath on this laptop thing it does all sorts of tricks.
I haven't seen anything but does and fawns around the feeder or in the Rye patch. It is Muzzle loading week, went Saturday am, foggy and then Monday and Tuesday afternoons. Same bunch of deer each time. As the rut is still probably a month away it will probably be slim pickin's here at the house. There's always the chance of a buck ramblin' through! I'll try a post some pictures tomorrow if I can figure out where to stick the sd card? Haven't been to the lease other than to fill the feeder last week and haven't heard of any bucks being killed.
Started processin' the little 4 point from Thanksgiving Day, need to finish him up as next Monday I'm scheduled to get a new right hip to go with my new left knee. Timing is not good but I want to get it over with, hoppin' around with a walkin' stick and having to sit down every few minutes is gettin' old! I guess there's never a good time for elective surgery, but a year without a real garden don't need to happen again. I'd appreciate y'all that believe in the power of prayer, remembering me next week as you speak to the Lord.
Treefarmer
Will be thinking about you. My mother in law had both hips done, and you are in MUCH better shape physically, so you will be just fine!
