December - Water Where There Isn't Any

Early Spring was the last time it rained and it's December now. Everything has dried up into shades of tan or brown. Except for my poor food plot. It is barely green but it still brings deer. It has another strong point, my home made 30 inch by 6 inch water trough. Here's the pics...

Dec 8 - Coldsville
This morning we had some frozen pipes from yesterday's big freeze. By noon the sun was out and generated enough heat to unfreeze them. By afternoon's hunting time it turned cloudy and dropped into the low 20's. But me, and several deer were out.

The deer seem to have darkened up and gotten winter coats overnight. 

This year and a half buck was out at deer thirty. His neck is thickening up and he looks pretty buff in his winter coat.

Cold weather causes my camera's battery to loose some of its charge and my camera gave out. But not before it gave me these two cool pictures. Life is good. Cold. But good.

Dec 10 - "No Seeum"
The morning hunt was a "no seeum". My bud Perry Wicker wants to hunt hogs so he went with me in the afternoon to the Point. As he got in the Double Bull blind I noticed lots of turkey tracks around the water. Then I walked over and got the film from the TrailTimer game camera. I intended to put film in it too, but something shiny caught my eye. The sun was shining on the backs of wild turkeys coming through the brush 80 yards away. They hadn't seen me and I wasted no time getting in the blind. But they crossed somewhere other than the Point. So did the deer and hogs. 

Dec 9 - Freezing Morning, Hoggy Afternoon

A 12 degree morning bowhunt is the perfect way to start a winter day. GO...
On the Afternoon hunt at the Point things thawed out and my self made water hole got unexpected visitors. GO...

Dec 13 - A HotTrails Hot Trail

Bucks, does, wild hogs and 8 longbeard gobblers make for an exciting day. Pics too. GO...

Dec 12 - TrailTimer Pics @ the Point

I took the latest TrailTimer EZ-CAM film to Wal Mart and got it put on CD. Wild turkeys are definitely coming to my water. GO...

Dec 11 - Mid Day Deer
Deer moved after 9:00. A doe with a trailing buck, 2 wandering bucks, 3 wandering does and two doe groups. But the afternoon was uneventful. 

Dec 14 - Wow!!!
This morning I watched a bunch of does as they came and went from my food plot. But nothing came up on the hill with me. At 2:00 I went to the Ridge. Soon after 4:00 I saw wild turkeys walk out of the trees 60 yards away. They continued down the hill to the river. More and more came during the next 20 minutes and left me wishing I was over there instead of here.

At 5:15 I saw a buck walking behind the group of cedar trees 15 yards from my Double Bull blind. Holy Cow, this was a huge buck ... with a big, heavy rack with very long tines. I pointed my camera at a narrow open space in the cedars as he stepped into it. But the camera didn't reconcile the focusing in time and he strolled leisurely down the hill and left me photoless.

I waited silently until dark and slipped out quietly. 

Dec 15 - It happens sometimes.
Today I didn't get to do it.

Dec 17 - The Fighter

I put my camera in Play mode to check out the last pic. It was in good focus ... and there was more in the picture than the lantern. GO...

Dec 17, Afternoon - Fighter #2

This afternoon I saw a buck fight, and there wasn't any antler tickling. GO...

Dec 18 & 19 - The Short Version 
I hunted almost all day both days. Saturday, as I started my draw on a doe 10 yards away she jerked around, took a few steps backward and looked into the woods behind her. Then she snuck off into the woods. Minutes later a large flock of wild turkeys came walking by. One was a big longbeard. I drew and put my pin on him. Released. And shot under him. 
Sunday a few does came through my area but not close. 

Dec 21 - Morning Hunt
This morning I went to New Secret Stand. GO...

Dec 21 - Afternoon, The Ridge Pays Off
My turkey and deer plan falls in place. GO...

Dec 22 - A Disappointment
An unexpected turn of events. GO...

Dec 23 - Wild Turkey Convention

Two bearded visitors today. One's a hen!
I've been promising that the 23 was a biggie. I think you will agree that the pics prove it. GO...

Dec 24 - The Convention Returns

 The gobblers and me get wild on the ridge.
The 24th was one for my record book of great days in the woods in terms of wild turkeys and monster bucks. I'm working on the pics and will have them up asap. GO...

Dec 26 - Uploaded From The Blind
A little after 7:00 a bomber walked out of the trees, came up and drank my water at what's left of my food plot, looked around, and not seeing anything of interest, casually walked away. It was too early for my camera to take a clear picture. He was a wide, heavy  9 point. A big, fat boy too. I returned to the Food Plot in the afternoon and saw a young 8-point.

Dec 28 - Back In The Trees

Scent marking tree limbs and I get lucky.
Everything comes down right this morning. GO..

Dec 29 Jan 1 - Recap
The saying goes, "In like a lion, out like a lamb." That was last week's huntinig. I saw a few young bucks and does, but no turkeys. And no shots.