The Hunting Times

The Good Lord had blessed us with more than we deserve, that's a fact.  But we got up early to commune with Him & Mother Nature.  I picked up Alex and Nick at 6:30 am.  We drove to the golf course and awaited first light.  It was 24 degrees out with only a slight breeze - finally. Alex headed to Hole #4 to block the S.  Nick went to over-watch on Hole #16.  I walked up #17 and promptly jumped a bedded buck and doe.  They ran W, where there were houses, completely blocking any chance at a shot.  I did not even pick up my gun.  I continued up 17 and as I was about to make my turn E, I heard the hunter to the N fire.  I turned around and went back down 17.  I walked the maintenance path to the pump house and stayed along the woods on Hole #14.  I could see the other hunter was still in his stand.  He must have missed. And then Nick fired.  He texted that he felt good about his shot, but that he was staying put....

Man did it get cold last night.  I woke up to 26F.  At least the wind has died down to a respectable 8 mph.  I met RePhil at Marshall's N farm at 6:45.  It's now down to 24F.  Our game plan was similar to last night, but only I was not going to walk all the way to him. I had taken my clothes inside last night to dry them out.  I had forgotten my hat.  When I picked it up this morning, it was frozen solid and flat as a Frisbee.  Not wearing that one.  Fortunately I had a back-up beanie in the truck.  I wore it instead. I again walked down the road to the bottoms.  Along the way this morning, a truck stopped and the driver & I had a chat.  His name is Adam.  He said he has seen one doe this year, but shot seven coyotes.  He said the Haynes (S of the road) shot a nice double-brow tine buck.  He had pictures.  It was a nice buck. I sat in the bottoms only about 100 yards N.  Since it was so cold, ...

RePhil and I decided to try our luck at some other property this evening.  So he walked N and then E to sit on the Neal-Boyd property line about 400 yards N of Marshall's line, covering the field back to the W.  I walked down the road and onto Marshall's bottom ground / tree farm.  It was about 46F and the wind was kicking at 18 mph.  We just can't seem to dodge the wind this year. I walked N, then up the hill to the standing corn - at about the same time that it started to rain.  Awesome, I thought, because the rain would be cover for any sounds that I might make stalking along the edge of the corn looking back into the woods. RePhil texted to see how long the rain would last.  I pulled up the radar on my phone.  It appeared to be rain turning to snow, so I told him to sit tight, man up, and I would be pushing deer to his position shortly (I hoped). I walked the entire edge of the field, in the rain / freezing rain.  By the time I got to wh...

RePhil and I headed to the golf course at 3:30 pm.  It was 47F with 20 mph winds - and wouldn't you know it, there were golfers on the course!  Those idiots are Crazy with a capital "C."  Who else but hunters would be out in this kind of weather? As we mulled around where we were going to go hunt, the owner Ken came out and told us to go kill 'em all.  It was about 90 minutes to sunset and so he was not going to let any more golfers on the course at that time, so it was ours.  We took it! RePhil went up and held the over-watch position on Hole #16's fairway.  I went off to the fence line along Hole #4's fairway.  And then the temperature dropped.  The winds kept up, mind you, but the colder weather was sure coming in. We sat until sunset and then slowly walked out - and we saw nothing.  We got cold, but no deer died this day.  Turns out that when I got to the bridge (left-hand side of first picture) that the wind was blocked. ...

Kathy has joined me and RePhil at the golf course.  We meet up at 3:30 pm and head out.  It's 32F and the wind is still blowing at 15 mph. Kathy heads to Hole #4's tee box - a location that gets her out of the wind.  RePhil heads E to Jenkins.  I take up a spot to the far N along Hole #14. We sit for 2 hours, not seeing much.  Then, I spot a yearling running in the woods to the N.  This is not property we have permission to hunt, so I do not get too excited.  She finally works her way S and pops out around #14's green, 150 yards E of me.  I have less than 2 seconds before she is gone again.  Then three doe come running from the N.  They cross and stop at the same spot the yearling was standing @ 150 yards. Note that I have stated 150 yards twice.  I know the distance.  But what do I do?  I get excited and put the crosshairs directly on a big doe.  And then I yank the trigger.  What am I, a rookie at th...

It is quite different this morning than it was yesterday.  We are seeing 36F on the thermometer, but the wind is whipping around at 17 mph.  Nick has decided he can sleep in today, so it's just me and Alex heading to the course. Alex sets up over-watch on Hole #5 with his .243.  I head for the "bowl" of #15's green to get out of the wind. We sit until it's time for church, and see....absolutely nothing but a huge murder of crows and four squirrels.  Good to be out hunting regardless. Sunday morning.  Hole #15's Green.  Lots of puddles. Yes, the ground is soggy.

This Saturday opened up the firearms season for deer in Indiana.  The morning looked bleak.  While it was 56F outside (which is odd for the 18th of November), it was also raining - buckets.  I awoke at 5:40 am, and yes, it was raining.  A few texts back and forth and I confirmed that Nick and RePhil were in, but Kathy was going to stay warm and dry in her bed. We met at the golf course at 6:45.  Sunrise was 7:37 am, making legal shooting light 7:07.  However, with the cloud cover, it was not going to get light until much later than 7:07. The rain broke and it looked like we might get 2 hours in before the 'all dayer' set in on us.  We left the parking lot at 7:07 and headed out.  RePhil was off to Jenkins on the E side of the course.  Nick was over-watch on hole #5 with his .243.  I went to #17 to block the W side. The rain had stopped for now at least.  First shot heard was early, like 7:10.  It was not our group, but wa...

So for the past three nights (up to the end of goose season) we have had about 20 geese fly into the pond late in the evening - like at last light.  They fly off again sometime between 8 - 8:30 am, according to Kathy who has witnessed this. So I decide that the Saturday (second to last from season ending) to sneak over and poke a few.  In the midst of a conversation with Krueger, I mention this.  He's game. So at 7:00 am, Krueger is at my door.  He walks over to Kathy's house and then due W to the pond.  I walk down the lane and hide over the berm at the ditch.  I can hear them clucking - they are there! I do not have to wait long - boom!  Boom!  Boom!  Krueger unloads his gun and the honking intensifies.  I have two small flocks split me - the smaller flock flying N of me and the larger flock flying S of me.  I decide the S flock is mine.  I fire twice and watch two go down before the lane.  By the time I am on the ...