October 9, 2008
It's early, but the bucks are already falling
After a couple of close encounters with good bucks the first few days of the season, my buddy Freddy McGuire killed this nice eight-pointer Tuesday evening.
As a guy who hunts in Franklin and Bedford counties, Freddy will now have to put his doe-hunting skills to work because those are earn-a-buck counties and you have to tag an antlerless deer before you can shoot a second buck. I was kidding Freddy about being in a tough spot and he replied that he's seen way more bucks so far than does. Rough problem to have, huh?
I have yet to bowhunt this season, and I think this may be my latest start since I got seriously back into bowhunting in 2002. I have been busy with work and other obligations. I probably could have gone yesterday morning but I don't really have a good morning stand for a ESE wind so I just "slept in" till my normal 6:15 a.m. wake-up.
One benefit to the change to earlier starting times for Roanoke city schools is that it should help my morning hunting. When the kids weren't getting on the bus until 8:35 a.m. last year, I often had to take care of it because my wife had to be at work early. But this year we put the kids on the bus just a touch past 7 a.m. that rarely will conflict with her schedule. Of course it's always better when we can both be there to crack the whip on the kids.
The other benefit is now that I'm used to getting up earlier (and going to bed earlier), it won't be such a shock to my system when I get up at 5 a.m. or so.
Anyway, it looks like I'll finally be able to get out this evening to one of my Bedford County spots. I have an evening stand near a big white oak that's loaded, and it hunts best in a south wind, which is what we're supposed to have this afternoon. My only worry is the acorns are hitting late with this tree and most were still green when I checked it last week. But a week can make a big difference so I suspect a good number are falling now.
I'd like nothing better than to have a good doe come in, but if I buck like this shows up I won't mind burning a buck tag on him and putting some gotta-kill-a-doe-now pressure on myself.
The guy who designs the Outdoors page just put a proof on my desk. So as soon as I can get this thing wrapped up I'm outta here.
Comments
[October 9, 2008 4:40 PM]
MoeWay to go Freddy, Looks like a good start for the year, I hope you continue with your success. . . . .Moe
[October 9, 2008 6:02 PM]
JR MitchellNice buck Freddy!! Still haven't killed a deer yet,but hopefully 7 will be the lucky number! Thats how many years I have been bow huntin. Maybe one day my picture will be on here also :]
[October 9, 2008 8:18 PM]
Mark TaylorJR-
This is your year. You need to be out there now. Find a big white oak that's dropping and take up station. Something will show up. And don't worry about being picky. My first bow deer weighed about 50 pounds and I was proud as heck.
I was on a white oak this evening and it kind of worked. I had three yearling bucks coming in to the tree about 6 p.m. Unfortunately the wind had shifted on me and was blowing NW. Not sure what was up with that but it's the worst direction for that stand. They didn't spook bad (ScentLok probably helped) but they knew something was up and just eased off. They weren't shooters so it wasn't a heart-breaker.
Earlier I had a beagle down below me baying its fool head off. I had to get out of the stand and chase it away. I also got absolutely crushed by skeeters. All in all, a fun hunt that I won't soon forget.
Mark
[October 13, 2008 3:09 PM]
MattHey Mark - I was doing a little reading over the weekend and stumbled onto a section within Mike Hanback's blog titled, "The Rut Report." The report is exactly what it sounds like - readers from different parts of the Country writing about their experiences in the woods and specifically what they are seeing in terms of "rutting activity."
Mike has broken the U.S. up into 4 different regions, with VA being in the "Southern Region." In reading the various reports, Virginia has been well represented and that is the reason I am writing today.
I think this site could potentially be a very valuable resource for Virginia hunters this season and the seasons to come. I urge everyone in the reading area to get on there and describe what they're seeing in the woods after every hunting trip they take. One should realize that the exact timing and status of the rut will vary between locations and people, but more information and data regarding the rut is never a bad thing.
Hopefully I haven't hurt your feelings too much by providing a free advertisement for Mike Hanback, but "The Rut Report" might reduce the flood of emails from readers inquiring about the current status of the rut.
--MW
http://www.mikehanback.com/rutReport/index.cfm?region=south