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| NOVEMBER
Deer Season 1998 (Day 31). The Texas archery season is over, but we can hunt with a bow during the regular season, which started this morning. Unfortunately I had to make web pages all day. However, my bud Robbie and his son Robert (16) bowhunted. Robert saw 7 deer this morning in my tripod at the top of the Rock Ledge. This afternoon Robbie saw several deer from my treestand at the bottom of the Rock Ledge. Deer Season 1998 (Day 32) The rut heated up this morning. Deer were on the move until almost noon. (Unfortunately, I didn't get home in time to hunt.) Robbie saw a couple dozen deer (bucks and does) from my Rock Ledge stand. Two bucks were walking and grunting. He had a couple of "almost" opportunities, but no shot materialized. His son Robert hunted the Mound and saw 6. A a big doe surprised him by suddenly walking out from underneath him. It strolled off before Robert (16 and 2nd time bowhunting) could get his heart slowed down enough to get back into the hunting mode. This afternoon they both hunted the same stands and I went to the December Tree. I could see the two big scrapes and the ground is tore up bigtime and the low limbs of the cedar trees are mangled and broken. But there was no afternoon deer activity for any of us. The Day 34rd day of Deer Season 1998 (In Progress). Early this morning I saw a young buck in hot pursuit of does. A couple hours later another young buck chased a doe by me. I finished up Tink's new column, it took until just now (12:00am) so I didn't hunt this afternoon. Right now it is pouring rain. The weather report predicts rain tomorrow and the temp will drop into the 30's. That ain't bad news to me. Rick Phillipi is coming down Wedneseay night and we will get some bowhunting in the rest of the week. The 35th day of Deer Season 1998 (In Progress). Usually, after the firearms hunters hit the woods the deer activity slows way down for a while. This morning was proof of that. Nothing moved. The weather report predicted rain and said the temp would drop into the 30's. There's not a cloud in the sky and 70 degrees! The 36rd day of Deer Season 1998 (In Progress). Rick Philippi is coming down tonight and we're going to shake, rattle, and roll some bucks the rest of the week. (More rattle than shake or roll.) //big grin This morning Rick Philippi watched a young 8-point mark limbs and rub saplings as it moved past him. Next, he saw a big 10-point heading towards him. He got ready to shoot. At the same time a hen turkey walked up from behind Rick. Another step would put the buck in a shooting lane 15 yards away. The hen sounded off with loud yelps, directed at the buck. Instantly, the buck trotted off. The hen scratched around the area for quite awhile. Tough break. (I've actually seen wild turkeys beat their wings on the ground to run off deer.) JimboTX just came and John came with Rick. JimboTX is hunting the Point and I'm on my 3rd Fence. It's a perfect deerhunting day, overcast, chilly and getting colder. Wish us luck. And the same to you. This afternoon JimboTX saw a young 8-point cruse through at the Point. I hunted the Mound and zipped. John saw a dark horned young 8-point, a spike and a small doe. Rick saw a mature buck with real wide but forked antlers. It drizzled off and on while we hunted and it's 50 degrees and falling. The 37th day of Deer Season 1998 (In Progress): (5:00am ) It rained all night but appears to have stopped. I'm hunting the 3rd fence and JimboTX is headed for the Mound. (10:00am) Perfect deerhunting morning: an overcast, cool morning right after a rain. One of those days when the deer always move good. But they didn't. Did you ever notice that they have their own agenda? :-) (3:00pm) We are heading out. JimboTX at the Windmill. Me at the Pocket. It's overcast and 54 degrees. Perfect. (7:01pm) JimboTX zipped at the Windmill. The Pocket was rockin'. Three groups of does came by. Then I heard a loud raking and limbs cracking and spotted the legs of a buck ripping up the limbs on some nearby cedars. Next he moved in front of me--12 yards--and obligingly stopped, smelled the ground. A nice 8-point, 14 incher, probably 2 1/2. In a couple of years I won't walk him like I did this afternoon. The 38th day of Deer Season 1998 (In Progress): (5:58am) Heading out. JimboTX at the 3rd Fence ladder stand. Me at the Point. Robbie at the Rock Ledge. (9:23am) JimboTX got all the action. Two does browsed by early. Later he grunted. A forky came running up the hill and stopped right at the bottom of his ladder stand, looking hard for the source of the grunting. Unable to locate it he shook his tail and walked back downhill. Ahhh, yes, I didn't see a thing but just hearing how big a kick he got out of the forky makes it a great day. Hunting is cool. (3:01pm) We're off. I'm at the Pocket again. Robbies at the Point. JimboTX went home after lunch at the Red Barn. (7:05pm) It rained all afternoon but Robbie and I drove out to the Windmill area anyway, hoping it would stop. We lucked out, it did! He hunted the Windmill stand and a 7-point come right by him. In the Pocket I had a lone doe hang out for an hour, standing near the trees the buck tore up yesterday. Later, I heard a buck grunting and grunted back. He walked by behind me. Silent, like a ghost. A sixer. Before long an 8-point walked up and stopped 15 yards in front of me. A nice rack, 14 incher, and a different one than the one last night. A couple years from now maybe we'll meet again. (5:55am) The rut is on and the bucks have been moving good. Robbie is hunting the Rock Ledge and I'm on my way to the December Tree area--it's "scrape city" there and after the rain they should be working them. It's 58 and one very dark morning. (7:51pm) The rut was definitely on today and there was more action at "scrape city". I hunted all day and I'm exhausted. I can't keep my eyes open. I'm going to get some sleep and will update when I wake up. Tthe 39th day of Deer Season 1998 (In Progress): I slept in this morning. At 3:00pm I went to the December Tree scrape city area. I saw 6 deer move through, 5 does and 1 unidentified. Nothing came to any of the scrapes. When the sun got low it really lit up the yellow and orange leaves. It was beautiful, just sitting there, looking at them shinning in the sun, so bright and colorful. Hunting is cool. Tuesday, the 40th day of Deer Season 1998 (In Progress): I worked this morning and didn't hunt. (2:50pm) I'm headed to the 3rd Fence ladder stand. It's been overcast all day and cooling off. Nice day for bowhunting deer. (6:15pm) I bought a new grunter that changes tone when you pull out the tube, accordion like. About 3:30 I grunted several times with it as I tried different tones and got it like I like it. It pins to your jacket so I pinned it. Woops, a deer was coming up behind me. A young 8-point came right in and walked all around me looking for the sound. He finally left. Later I saw a doe behind me about 60 yards. Then a big bus doe came up from the rock ledge area and walked through 20 yards in front of me. It was still early and I was hoping to see a buck so I didn't shoot. Later another big doe came from the thick cedars in front of me and very slowly slipped through my area. By the time the doe got where I had a clear shot the light was too low to shoot. My lucky day for seeing the doe. It was the doe's lucky day too. Wednesday, the 41th day of Deer Season 1998 (In Progress): (6:45pm) Rick Philippi came down this afternoon to bowhunt. We hunted the thick cedars in the Back 200. Rick saw a bomber buck in his Tripod stand. He watched him for 5 minutes and got to check him out good, 150 class, but the closest the buck got was 35 yards. That's no cigar when you're bowhunting. I hunted the pocket in stand #2 and saw nothing. It was a pretty afternoon. Occasional gust of wind. And a beautiful orange and red Texas sunset ripped across the sky as the sun disappeared. Thursday, the 42th day of Deer Season 1998 (In Progress): (5:45pm) Rick is going to his River Stand.I am headed back to Scrape City. (Imagine that!) (10:30am) Rick didn't see any deer. I changed my mind and hunted Alex's Road (A farm road that divides a strip of thick woods. There is a fence on one side.) A young doe and a big bus doe came through my slot. (Afternoon hunt) Donald Duck arrived and bowhunted the edge of one of our wheat fields. Nothing happened. Rick and I hunted the Back 200. Nothing happened where I was. Rick returned to his tripod stand where he saw the bomber yesterday. Today he saw another big buck approaching some does that were passing by. Dean came with Don and he saw several does, but they winded him. Friday, the 43th day of Deer Season 1998 (In Progress): (6:00 am) I'm headed to the Back 200. Don and his guest Dean (son n law) are hunting the canyon. (11:00am) Dean saw several does. I saw two young bucks and one doe from my stand at the Point. (6:45pm) At the Point I saw 1 Spike with a doe together and a sixer and two does, all separate. Dean saw two doe groups (6 does in all). One doe got close enough for a shot, but he missed. The Duck saw saw a Spike and several does. The temperature dropped 20 degrees this afternoon and the wind picked way up. Saturday, the 44th day of Deer Season 1998 (In Progress): Don and Dean saw 25 deer this morning. Dean I didn't hunt. (2:50pm) This afternoon the Duck is hunting the edge of on of our wheat fields. Dean is at the dry up pond. I'm returning to the Point. ( 7:21pm) At 5:00 I saw another bomber buck, big rack, big body. He stopped 65 yards away and checked out my area. No does were around so he walked on. By 5:15 I had seen a young 8-point, a forky and two wild turkey hens. The Duck hunted the wheat field and saw no deer anywhere. Dean was at the canyon and saw 4 does. He tried to get a shot at one but it made him and left. Sunday, the 45th day of Deer Season 1998 (In Progress): This morning Don saw 5 does and a young buck. Dean almost got a shot a doe but it was just too spooky. I didn't hunt. They left for home at noon. This afternoon I returned to the Point. The bomber from yesterday no showed. The Point catches run off water and lots of animals drink from it. Today, it was visited by very large gray fox, an armadillo that took a bath in it, and one lone doe. Saturday, at 5:00 I saw another bomber buck, big rack, big body. He stopped 65 yards away and checked out my area. No does were around so he walked on. By 5:15 I had seen a young 8-point, a forky and two wild turkey hens. The Duck hunted the wheat field and saw no deer anywhere. Dean was at the canyon and saw 4 does. He tried to get a shot at one but it made him and left. Tuesday, the 47th day of Deer Season 1998 (In Progress): Rick, John and Rickie saw the accumulitive total of zero deer this afternoon. Guess I didn't miss much. I got stuck in Hamilton at HTC today, just too much to do. Wednesday, the 48th day of Deer Season 1998 (In Progress): This morning I saw 1 doe about 50 yards off. Then I moved a stand to the Rock Ledge near the route I've seen the deer use to enter my 3rd Fence area. At his River Stand, Rick had 20 gobblers and twice as many hens fly across the river and file by him. He also saw 4 does and a buck. His son Ricky (age 12) zipped. John saw 4 does and 2 bucks at the Pocket. This afternoon Rick and Ricky hunted separate stands in my 3rd fence area. Rick saw 4 does. Ricky saw 10 deer and got a shot at one but missed. I saw a spike at the Point. John returned to the Pocket and saw a doe and a buck. Thursday, the 49th day of Deer Season 1998 (In Progress): (5:00am) This morning is Thanksgiving and it is a bowhunting, deerhunting day at my house. Right now, the pop tarts and oatmeal are cooking. (11:00am) The deer were moving. Robbie hunted my 3rd Fence area and saw 6 does, a 4-point, and a bomber 8-point, he got to full draw but coundn't find a lane. His son Robert (16) went with me to Scrape City. At first light a doe came inn and spotted him and snorted. Soon, another doe walked behind him. A sixer came by both of us. Then 2 does, 1 doe, 3 does and finally the sixer returned. John hunted the Pocket and saw a 5-point and young 8-point and a couple of does. His son Bryant went with Rick and Ricky and saw deer activity in the oat field, 8 bucks and 4 does total. All the does were being chased. (9:09pm) John hunted the point. He had seen a few deer when a doe came in that was being pursued by 6 young bucks. They cat and moused and the doe would up in John's bowsight. He made a perfect shot and we got to help field dress a deer on Thanksgiving. His son Bryant saw 8 deer and a turkey. Robbie saw 2 bucks and 2 does. Robert and I zipped. Friday, the 50th day of Deer Season 1998 (In Progress): This morning I hunted the 3rd Fence Rock Ledge and saw an enormous doe and tried to get a shot but didn't quite get it all lined up in time. Later a mature 8-point came by on her trail. He had heavy horns but short tines and I passed on him. At the Pocket, John saw 3 young bucks and 4 does. Robbie zipped. His son Robert (age 15) hunted the mound and saw 3 does. Bryant (age 13) saw 2 young bucks. We're heading out for the afternoon hunt. Leroy Sisco joined us and is at the 3rd Fence. Robbie is at the Dry Up Pond. I'm taking Robert with me to the Point (2 stands there). Friday afternoon: Leroy Sisco joined us and is at the 3rd Fence and saw 5 does, a button, and a freak horned 6-point. Robbie zipped. I took his son Robert to the Point. Early on we saw a buck and doe chasing back and forth. Around 5:00 a big doe came through behind us. A little later a doe came by me headed for Robert. He got his first shot. I could hear him breathing real loud after the deer run off. He didn't get the deer but, it was still cool. Saturday, the 51th day of Deer Season 1998 (In Progress): This morning Robbie hunted Alex's Road and saw 4 does and a forky. Robert (15) hunted the Point and saw a 4-point. Leroy was at the Mound and no deer came by. (2:21pm) We just finished changing out the stand at Alex's Road. The wooden seat had rotted. We'll go hunting in a bit. Robbie will hunt Alex's Road. Leroy is at the 3rd Fence. Robert is returning to the Point. I'm hunting the Pocket. (8:30pm) I saw a doe 50 yards away. Robert had a doe come right by him but it was getting low light and he decided not to shoot. At the Alex's Road (a farm road) stand Robbie had 3 bus does walk right into his shooting lane. He shot at one but missed. Nothing moved at the 3rd fence where Leroy was. Sunday, the 52th day of Deer Season 1998 (In Progress): (5:00am) This morning Robbie is on my 3rd fence. Robert and I are back in Scrape City. (10:19am) The wind got up and the deer didn't move well. Robbie saw a doe and a bomber buck, but they were a hundred yards away. Scrape City was a little better. Two does came under the fence (Scrape City is bordered by a fenced coastal field and we were 20 yards from the fence.) They headed away from me, along the fence, and cut over to the deer trail that Robert was near. But they managed to keep out of his shooting lane. (7:45pm) I hunted the Pocket. It was a very windy afternoon and I saw one more deer than I normally see before a front. One 8-point walked by a few yards in front of me. Big body but not much in the antler department. That's the only deer anyone saw. Robbie and Robert are on the way back home. Monday, the 53th day of Deer Season 1998 (In Progress): (5:45am) I am headed for Alex's Road. (10:03am) Nice morning for deerhunting. It rained most of the night so it was cool. I grunted in a big bodied 8-point with a very nice ivory colored 14-inch rack. His neck was swollen and he was steady looking for does. He walked slowly by, directly in front of me. Two years from now if our paths cross I won't walk him. He is going to be a big boy, for sure. (7:45) I hunted at the Pocket. It was hot, 80 degrees, and dead calm. Two does and a respectable buck came by, both in different directions, but about 50 yards away. |
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