Scouting
For Deer In 2003
Deer Pictures On Sept 23
A bunch of deer browse the
edge of the forest this afternoon and I luck up and get some nice pictures
of them as they meander around doing deer stuff. With deer season only
days away I thought you might enjoy these deer
pictures.
A gray faced 8-pt and
the June Buck Have Shed Their Velvet - September 23
 
This morning a gray
faced 8-pt buck came into the area. June's
biggest buck (now a 9-pt) showed up this afternoon and he has now
lost his velvet -- Pics
of him in velvet on Sept 21. Both bucks got close to me and I
took some very good, clear close up pics them.
June's Biggest Buck on September 21
(Gonna loose his velvet.)
 I
haven't seen this buck in weeks. The last time I saw him he was barely
an 8-pt, now he has an additional kicker. He stopped briefly on the perimeter
of the food plot and checked things out. Judging from the rough look of
the velvet on his antlers he is only hours away from shedding it. Maybe
I'll be lucky and get a pic of him then. Here
are 3 pics. (For comparison: Here
he is in June.)
 |
1 Week Left
With bow season for deer
only one week away, a nice 8-point buck cruises through the area
and lets me get 8 photos of him. Life is good. To
The Pics. |
 |
First Picture of the First Buck Without
Velvet
Actually, I've seen a few
bucks that have shed their velvet but until today I couldn't get a pic
of one. But this buck brings us up to speed on the latest Whitetail hapenings.
To
The Pics. |
Buck Buddy Group on 8/12/2003
 To
The 2 Pics
On the other side
of some high weeds I saw deer working their way along on the edge of the
woods. Today I left my binoculars at home so I zoomed on them with the
camera and took the first picture. I clicked the picture on view to study
it and saw the racks of several bucks. In a while they moved to a more
clear area and I got the 2nd picture.
August 11, 2003 - Back
In The Bucks
 The
past couple of weeks, when I've seen any bucks I just have not been able
to get any pictures of them. Today I had better luck and slipped up to
the edge of a clearing and got my camera busy on a 4 buck buddy group.
Here are the 5 best pctures.
Homemade Watering Hole
 Last
year I trucked water out to the Point and a buddy group of 8 bucks started
watering there. (Some pics taken
there last year.) It is even drier this year and this weekend I started
the project up again. I filled up a couple of drums and some coolers with
water. Here are 3 photos
of the setup.
A Bomber Buck (July 3):
On
the way out to the Hammer Hole to hunt wild hogs I saw a big boy buck near
the Point. This one was extra wide, 22 to 24 inches at least. It was standing
in the brush watching me. When I slowed down it turned and walked away.
A Bomber Buck (July 3):
On
the way out to the Hammer Hole to hunt wild hogs I saw a big boy buck near
the Point. This one was extra wide, 22 to 24 inches at least. It was standing
in the brush watching me. When I slowed down it turned and walked away.
 
A Bedded Doe:
As I photographed a doe
it stopped and bedded down 25 yards from my treestand. I got some cool
pictures of it too. Notice that in the last picture two deer walk right
by the bedded deer. To The
Photos...
July 24: A Buck Fawn
A doe and a fawn were the
first deer by my Slew Hole stand this afternoon. The doe dallied in the
brush but the fawn came out to the trail that runs right in front of my
tree. As I took pictures of it I noticed the beginnings of buttons on it's
head, a little buck in the making. There are other deer pictures in this
photo gallery, including other fawn pics. Enjoy. To
The Pictures.
 8-point
at the Hammer Hole: From my tripod on the South side of the road
I noticed a deer in the brush across the woods road where I am hunting.
I also have a tripod on the North side of the road, and in this
picture you can see one of its legs and part of the seat in this picture,
as well as the deer. It moved to the right and I saw antlers. NEXT
July 18: A New Buck At
The Hammer Hole
 Yesterday
afternoon a wild boar had made me at the Hammer Hole and today I switched
to my tripod 20 yards to the North. When the sun was low but still above
the horizon I noticed a deer and pointed my camera at it and took the first
picture. At this point I didn't know if it was a buck or a doe. It moved
and through the branches I saw antlers. To
The Buck Pics
 July
9 - First Fawn Pics of The Year - Actually I've seen quite a few fawns
this year but before today I didn't have my camera handy at the right time.
But this afternoon I glassed a doe with two fawns back in the woods during
mid day. It looked like they might be headed to my food plot so I zipped
out to my photo blind. They came right in. They didn't go to the food plot
but browsed on other stuff in the taller grass and weeds. To
the Fawn pictures.
 Over
the long weekend of the 4th I photographed several bucks. Here they
are in a thumbnailed photo gallery. Click on the pictures to see the larger
view. And the arrow above will take you to the next pictures. There are
3 more pages. Enjoy.
 Scouting,
July 4
One of the things that I've
tried to get a picture of, over and over again, is a deer sliding under
a fence. It happens real fast and the pics always come out blury. Today
I saw two does and one gave me the picture I've been looking for.
 June
25 - Pics of the June-7
buck with a new 8th point.
Patience and perserverience
always pay off when you are scouting deer. Here are 4 pics of the June
7-pt buck with his brand new 8th point. It looks like he is starting a
kicker too.
June 23 - Wooooeeeeeee
!!!
 
I was really lucky today.
A new buck showed up
sporting the most developed rack I've photographed so far this year. It's
a 7-pt right now, but he will have more points soon. A different buck browsed
around while I took pictures. This June 7-pt buck got
very close to my photo blind. Notice the ends of his main beams
and the tines are swelled and are a different color than the rest of the
antlers. As this buck walked into the brush I looked around and noticed
a Wide Racked Buck.
A different one than the buck I took pictures
of yesterday. This wide racked buck has brow tines and main beams (no
other points as of yet). Notice the little pot belly on this potential
big boy buck. He's getting a little sway backed too. Here is the link
to the picture I took of last year's July Big boy on July 16 --
remember, almost a month's worth of antler growth is between the two pics.
But this buck might be the same buck. Time will tell. What do you think?
June 22: Buck
Action Right Now -- In June!!!
 
Looking between the leaves
to the right of my blind I saw this
buck approaching. A six point -- so far -- already wider than his
ears. He looked toward my blind but wasn't concerned and walked around
in the nearby high weeds as I took more pictures. I got a dandy full body
pic when he was very close to me. Then he headed toward the woods, but
stopped first to urinate before walking into the trees. I took my eye out
of the camera's viewfinder and glanced around. Holly Cow! A buck with a
great rack was to my far left, walking towards the woods. I got one pic,
this
one, before he disappeared.
June 19: Scouting For
Deer: The 2 Headed Doe!
 Lots
of does were out after sunrise this morning. Deer came and went as the
morning progressed and I got pics for a nice Photo
Gallery for June 19. I lucked up and
got 3 particularly cool and unusual pictures on this
page. The first pic, with the doe's nose sticking out of the pole
is a dandy. I named picture #7 "The two headed deer" (a little joke, of
course, but it does look like it) and the last one where the young doe
scratches it's nose with it's foot. Plus, there are 3 pictures of a deer
drinking water in a little puddle I keep full of well water for them (they
love drinking this way).
June 18, Bigger Yet
This afternoon the deer
waited until photo light was gone before some does showed up. Three bucks
cruised the area in the twilight. I could see them ok in my binoculars,
one had a high rack with long tines for mid June. That's a good thing,
he'll be back during photo light, and I'll be there too.
June 16, Morning: Antlers
Are Getting Bigger
 
I took pictures as 2 bucks
in velvet browsed through my stand area near the Gulch that borders my
yet to be planted food plot. They look promising, remember this is only
mid June, we have two full months of antler growing ahead of us. To
The Bucks.
June 16, Afternoon: Checking
Out A New Area
Here are the pictures of
4 different does. This area gets good deer traffic. The doe in the last
picture is pretty skinny, its ribs are showing. Afternoon
pics.
Deer
At The Slew Hole Funnel
 In
all, 11 deer came through the deer funnel where my stand is at the Slew
Hole. The funnel is only 30 yards wide so this is a good bowhunting stand.
The buck in velvet with a blacker than usual tail was the first deer to
show. One of the does has it in for him and she appeared and charged him
and ran him off. (In Picture #2 she stands her ground and the buck turns
to leave.) Other does came through and I took random pictures at varing
distances. Then the black tail buck returned and co-operted by giving me
a close up picture -- you can see that his velvet antlers have grown. To
The Photos.
Wow!
Talk About "Big Momma"
 A
large bodied deer began to take shape in the brush across from my Hammer
Hole tripod stand. I got my camera ready because I was certain it was a
buck. But no, it wasn't. Instead, a doe, and a very fat, pregnant one at
that, stepped onto the woods road and walked right past me. I hope I can
recognize this doe later so I know if she has twins, triplets, or possibly
even more. Enjoy. Pregnant
Doe.
Buck
At The Hammer Hole
 When
the wild hogs are staying in the Hammer Hole area deer sightings go way
down. But when they leave and only run through occasionally deer are regular
visitors on the woods road where I have 2 tripod stands set up. Bucks hang
out in this thick area.The buck I photographed on May 21 showed up this
afternoon and I got 4 pics of it -- and as you'll see he got pretty close
to me. Hammer Hole Buck
May
29, Grapes & Deer At The Slew Hole
 
Right now wild Grapes are
growing at the Slew Hole stand area. Deer are eating them big time. They
pick them off the low hanging vines, plus grapes are falling on the ground.
Below is the link to the thumbnails for today's deer activity. Pics 3 &
4 are a doe working the grape vines. Pic 5 is a different doe, and a cool
pic to boot. Pics 6-8 are a buck in velvet. The last two pics are of a
rolley poley, very pregnant doe. To
The pictures.
May: Deer At The Slew
Hole
 
I set a stand here to bowhunt
wild hogs and hogs use the area. Surprise, it is a deer traffic magnet
too. The intersecting trails here receive regular deer traffic. Here are
a few deer pictures I took from this stand, including a buck in velvet
that got run off by a doe. To Slew
Hole Deer Photos.
May 21, 2003 - First Buck
Of The Year
 Before
the wild hogs showed up at the Hammer Hole I saw and photographed the first
buck in velvet (that I have been able to get a picture of). I noticed
it in the thick brush 10 yards from my tripod. It crossed the woods road
and several minutes later it came running back. Not long afterward I heard
wild hogs coming in my direction.
Friday, Jan 10: The Rut's
Still A Go!
I've got the deer season
withdrawls real bad. This afternoon I couldn't stand it and sat in a new
blind the last hour and a half of daylight. I was watching 4 does when
an 8-pt and a very young doe came out of the brush. The doe started toward
the other does and the buck cut her off and herded her over to the edge
of the bursh and kept her there. The rut is still on.
Friday, Jan 10: When
deer season is over this bowhunters fancy turns to ... scouting. This morning
I sat in my blind at the food plot. One doe came by. But yesterday I saw
12 in a single group and 3 in another. All does.
Scouting
For Deer Season 2002: a Photo Journey
Scouting
Pics & Notes From 2001: June &
July | Aug | Sept
|
Scouting
Pics & Notes From 2002: May,
June & July |
Scouting - Sept
27, Last Day To Scout
 
Sept 27, 7:41pm:
Ahhhhh, how sweet it is! At deer thirty a couple dozen deer were around
and the ever shy and cagey July's
Big Boy buck watched them from the edge of the woods. In this picture
(on the left) he is about 100 yards from where my "TrailTimer
stand" is.
Sept 27, 9:37am:
This morning was definitely a morning for bucks, as you can tell from the
First
Picture today taken at first light. July's Big Boy and the 3-Legged
buck looked each other over. I managed several pictures, here
they are.
Jim Autrey of the Texas
Deer Hunter TV Show asked me if he could film my bowhunt this weekend.
After lunch I'll put a Double bull blind 80-100 yards uphill from my "TrailTimer
stand" so he can film. Tomorrow is the first day of season. I am
stoked.
Scouting For Deer
Sept 26, 7:37pm:
With only 2 days to go I didn't risk going to my blind to take close pictures.
I watched from a distance with my binoculars. Minutes ago 7 does were scattered
around my small food plot and July's Big Boy and a buddy buck appeared
on the edge of the woods. The buddy buck approached the does and Big Boy
cruised them from a good distance. The clock is ticking, it is only a matter
of
hours now until season begins, and so far everything is holding together.
Scouting - July's Big Boy
On Sept 24
 Sept
24 - Daybreak. Five mature does were in the area. The 3-legged buck
was next. The light improved and July's Big Boy appeared at the edge of
the woods. (He came from the direction of my TrailTimer stand.) I got These
4 Pictures as he watched the does briefly and disappeared into
the woods. Fifteen minutes later all the deer wandered off. Except the
3-legged buck, he ran. Surprisingly, although he walks with an extreme
limp, he runs perfectly, you can't tell him from any other deer. Two weeks
ago deer were moving until early afternoon. Now they are gone before the
sun is above the trees. Things change.
Scouting - TrailTimer
Locates Big Boy
 Sept
23 - Earlier this month I used the TrailTimer
PhotoHunter infared game camera to see if I could find a route
Big Boy uses before he checks out the deer in the food plot. I moved the
camera to different trails every 2 days. I picked up the pictures Sunday
morning and I have 2 pics of him. Here,
he is walking on a woods trail.
Scouting
Sept 22 - Afternoon
- The deer came too late to take pictures but there were a bunch of them.
In the fading daylight I checked them with my binoculars. There were several
new bucks. One had main beams that go up like a circle, he is big and his
rack is huge.
 3-Legged
Buck Returns
Sept 21 - I recognized
the buck the instant it walked into view. Nine does and a buck were around
but the does left as he swaggered in. It was the 3-Legged Buck I've photographed
in year's past. His leg was somehow cut off at the shoulder. Here are 4
pics of him and links to pictures of him I took on 2000
and 2001.
Yesterday I found a section of fence that was broken down and Perry Wicker
helped me repair it. That will keep the cows off my place. It doesn't hurt
my feelings.
Scouting - Oh,
Oh!
Sept 20 - At daybreak
a group of my neighbor's cows broke into my food plot. I got 4 of the worthless
no-good's out but the rest ran into the woods. People tell me that cows
and deer get along just fine. Well, in my experience with them, which is
considerable, this is not the case. Cows run deer out of the area. With
one week to go before the season starts I am not happy about this turn
of events.
Sept 19 - It was
pouring rain at 6:30 this morning but it stopped so I set up to take pictures.
Two fawns and a doe walked through around 7:05am. Then it poured again.
And stopped. Two does came up at 7:40. It started raining again and I took
a
picture of them standing in the rain. The rain didn't bother them,
they ate oats, shook the rain out of their coats, etc. for 15 minutes.
Scouting - Picking
Back Up
Sept 18 (afternoon)-
This afternoon I watched from binocular distance, not camera distance.
The deer were active in the area, mostly does and fawns, but a couple of
bucks, too. I feel better.
Sept 18 (morning)
- No deer in the area this morning!
Scouting - Bad
News This Morning!
Sept 17 - Before
walking to my blind I glassed the area. In the darkness I made out the
shadowy figures of a dozen deer. That meant I had to stay where I was,
no close up pics today. The Big Boy buddy group joined the deer. At the
first twinkle of sunlight eight wild hogs charged up. Deer scattered in
every direction. These were all mature hogs. One was a humongous, very
fat, boar I bet will go 400 pounds. They started rooting up my patch of
freshly planted oats. Carefully, I slipped back to my house to get my bow.
I might not be able to sneak up on the deer here, but I can get up on these
hogs. When I returned they had moved on. There has not been a deer in the
area since.
Big Boy in particular is
a very spooky deer. Any strange noise, even a cow in the vicinity, will
spook him. With only 11 days before opening day I sure don't want the hogs
to run the deer out of my deer honey hole. Stressful. This is more fun
than fun itself.
Sept 16 - Big Boy Gets
Close And I Get The Pictures
 
I was looking through my
camera's viewfinder, taking pictures of two bucks, when suddenly Big Boy
shoved his head into the frame (the first picture). Today he got close.
I just finished the photo gallery, click
on the thumbnails to see the bigger picture.
Scouting Sept
14
Sept 14 - The deer moved
early today. In the twilight I saw the shadowy figures of quite
a few deer, including big boy and some other bucks. They moved off before
there was enough daylight to take pictures.
 Bucks
At The Hammer Hole This Morning
Sept 13 - I settled
in at the Hammer Hole and waited as sunlight lit up the area. Soon a deer
was walking in the nearby brush. A buck. I took a couple of pictures of
it and noticed movement to my left. Through the limbs of the trees around
me I saw a second buck, an 8-point, about 10 yards from my tripod. It walked
by me and went up to the other buck. To
The Sept 13 Pictures
3 Bucks At A Small
Watering Hole, That I Made ...
 Sept
11 - 3 Bucks Drinking Water
Judging from my personal
observations deer would rather drink out of a puddle of fresh water than
a large pond, lake, creek or river. So one of the ways I check out possible
hunting sites is to make my own watering areas. Here is one I just did.
And to see if deer are around now I set up a TrailTimer
game camera. It let me know if deer were in an area. As you can see
in the picture, they are. Here
are the TrailTimer's Pictures.
I Got It!
Big Boy Lost His Velvet Yesterday And I Have His First Hard Antler Pictures.
 
Sept 10 - I glassed
him and 3 other bucks in the low light before the sun came up. However
he left before there was light enough to get a picture. Before long I saw
him rubbing a big limb and his velvet was definitely gone. Then he worked
the licking tree and I got pics of him and his new rack. Plus a closeup
of a buddy buck working the tree, you can see the branch in his mouth!
Enjoy...
Big Boy's Antlers
Show Signs He Is Ready To Loose The Velvet!
 Sept
9 - A few does and fawns were browsing through the area when I saw
one of the bucks that travels with the July Big Boy buck. He approached
the does and in the mix of things he gored one of the does a solid smack
in the ribs. (Ouch!) A little time passed and he and the other
deer looked off in the woods. I glassed and found the racks of the other
buddy buck and their larger traveling partner. After several minutes I
got These 4 Pics
when Big Boy moved into the open.
First Buck In
2002 To Loose It's Velvet!
 Sept
7 - Today we have a special buck, the first to shed it's velvet in
2002. In this buck's case, it is a young 1 1/2 year old, sporting around
in his first set of antlers, an 8-point rack. He was feeling his oats too
and after he showed himself to the other deer, off he went to the licking
tree and grabbed a low branch in his mouth and worked it over. Another
buck approached him and walked around in front of him. You can see it going
on in the Pictures
Of Our Buck Of The Day.
Scouting - The
Velvet Is Ready To Go
 Sept
5 - At 6:35 this morning I could just make out the big horned buck
with my binoculars. He left before sunrise. A few minutes ago when the
sun was shinning brightly through the trees he returned and I got pics
of him as he cruised
the area. Notice how the velvet has constricted around his antlers,
particularly on the main beams. It won't be long until it is shed. He stayed
apart from the other deer and then disappeared into the woods.
Early Morning
Visit & More Deer Pictures
 
Sept 4 - The July Big Boy
Buck returned once again. He didn't stay around long but I got 6
pictures of the buck. The two buddy bucks and several does browsed
in the food plot (Those
Pictures). And a fawn and doe walked right up to my blind and the
fawn browsed on one of the branches I cut to give the blind some cover.
I had to move very carefully for these 4
pictures.
Scouting - After
11 Days Gone, He's Back!
 Sept
3 - The 3 bucks walked by at the first sign of daylight. Later 7 does and
1 fawn straggled into the food plot area.
Sept 2 - The first bucks
I saw this morning were the two bucks that have been traveling together
since they started growing antlers. They joined up with the July Big Boy
Buck and the 3 of them are a buddy group. So when I see both of them I
start looking for their big racked buddy. I glassed him in the woods and
soon (see below) he walked into the clear and began moving toward the other
deer. He approached the other deer and looked the does over. Then he moved
out of my sight. But he didn't leave the area. From time to time I caught
glimpses of him in the woods marking trees. He is going to loose his velvet
real soon. Here Are Today's
Pictures, Click on the thumbnail to see the larger picture.
Scouting - He's
Back!
Sept 1 - Minutes after I
got in the blind this morning he walked into the area. 3
Pictures...
Aug 30 - The last time
I saw the July Big Boy buck was on August 19, eleven days ago! You
gotta know I was worried that I wouldn't be able to find him again. But
if I am anything I am persistent, so I've been moving my blind around every
afternoon, and it paid off today. A doe was real close to my blind and
I had my camera turned off when suddenly I noticed he was behind her on
the edge of the woods. I turned the camera on and got a pic and then he
started walking and he was blurry in the other pics -- but
this one is good.
Scouting - Mo'
Deer
 Aug
29, Morning - A group of does
and fawns were out this morning. They were very relaxed today and
I got some excellent fawn pictures of them doing fawn stuff. One of the
fawns bedded down in the tall grass, not far from my blind. Another drank
water in my makeshift watering place.
Scouting - From
my scouting headquarters!
 Aug
27, Afternoon - This is my good ol' home away from home for deer scouting,
a Double bull ground blind. It's plenty big enough for my tripod, digital
camera and other gear. Here are photos of deer that were in the area this
afternoon. To see the pics Click
Here.
Scouting - Some
day's it's the shells
Aug 27 - Several bowhunters
I've met that check my hunting and scouting daily told me they want to
hear about it even if nothing happens. Well, my cyber friends, that's what
happened this morning. I saw a few does in the trees but nothing came within
100 yards of me. Yesterday I began an experiment to see if
I can create a watering area in the woods. I put together a rig to hold
and (slowly) disperse water and trucked in 200 gallons to the Point to
start the experiment.
Scouting - I'm
Getting Worried
Aug 26 - This morning I
watched over a dozen deer, all does or fawns. That is always cool. But
it's been nearly a week since I last saw July's Big Boy buck. More than
that, I haven't seen any bucks in or near my food plot area. None. It is
too early for the bucks to change their routine. Something has happened.
On a separate, more positive note, I am beginning my setups for the
2002 season and I made some scouting progress this weekend,
Setting Up On
A Bomber
Aug 25 - As you know, I've
seen a huge buck using a trail about 80 yards from the Hammer Hole. And
on another occasion he was bedded down and let me pass right by him. I
moved a tripod there and it turns out I can also see the 3 crossings at
the Hammer Hole. That's pretty cool, I'll wait there to see if I can get
a pic of the buck and if wild hogs come thorough the Hammer Hole I can
get down and sneak up on 'them. Yesterday afternoon I saw 9 deer and 5
of them were fawns.
Gettin' bigger
All The Time ...
 Aug
19 - The July big Boy buck and another buck came into my blind's viewing
window just after 7:00am. I recognized him at once from the length and
shape of his brow tines. I zoomed my camera in to take a closer picture
of both bucks. In a minute they turned and walked in the direction of the
woods along the edge of the nearby gully. I zoomed in tighter on the Big
Boy buck and ... yes ... he stopped walking and held still for a moment.
This buck is really shaping up nice. Here
Are The Pictures & MORE...
Where Do The Bucks
& Does Come From?
 
From my blind I can see
the deer come out of the trees that border the gully near my flood plot.
But what route do the deer use to get to the gully? I put out a TrailTimer
Game Camera to see what was up. In particular, the TrailTimer pictures
tell us when the slope is being used. Which deer are using it. How many
of the 3 parallel trails are being used. And they tell us if the Big Boy
bucks are traveling the slope or not. Check out the pics and see if
we come to the same conclusion .... GO
 
August 14 - A
group of 4 bucks became
visible on the edge of the woods as daylight brightened the world
around them. They came up out of the gully and made a wide circle, which
put them out of sight. Then they appeared along the fence line and
July's
Big Boy stayed long enough for me to get a couple of good pictures.
In these pictures you can really tell he has gained weight in his body
and his neck is getting thicker.
August 13 - New
High Racked 8-Point
 Just
when the light got right this morning a new 8-point, High Racked buck walked
up and stood about 2 yards from my blind and watched the other deer for
a long time. He came from behind my blind so I didn't see him coming and
he surprised me .. a pleasant surprise, for sure. But I didn't risk any
pictures at that close range. At last, he moved out to 15 yards and I started
taking pictures. Another buck approached him and then all the deer left
in a couple of minutes. Here are 5 close up pictures of this High
Racked Buck.
August 12 - Big
Boy, Fawns & Other Deer
 
July's Big Boy walked out
of the woods at low light time and strolled through the area, keeping his
distance from the other deer that were in the food plot. I got 4
pictures of him.
As the sun rose further
my attention was on two fawns and I got pictures of them licking each other's
faces as well as some cool close ups. Check it out at Two
Fawns.
August 9 Deer
Scouting & Pics - and Wild Turkey
 
This morning I saw a few
deer but they stayed to the shadows of the woods. Late afternoon July's
Big Boy walked out of the gulch behind where I've been taking the pictures
and looked the area over. I got 3
good pics of him and then daylight faded. In the mid afternoon
I moved my tripod at the Hammer Hole and checked out the area. Two weeks
ago I found some huge buck tracks on a trail half way between Rick's Casablanca
stand and mine so I checked it today. The buck is using the trail regularly.
Also I took one picture of some
wild turkey hens with pouts.
August 8 Deer
Scouting & Pics
 
July's Big boy came by at
just the right time this morning, when the morning light was getting good.
And I took several very fine pics of him. And he got real close to me too.
Big
Boy On Aug 8. Plus here are pictures
of the other deer.
(Click
on the Thumbnails to see the bigger picture.)
A Doe Works The
Licking Tree & Big Boy's Back
 August
6 - First, a doe came to the licking tree and worked the same lower limbs
that the buck did the other day. She is the first 3 pictures in Today's
Deer Gallery. Immediately after good light the July Big Boy buck
walked through the area. Every time I see him his rack is a little bigger.
He didn't hang out today but here
are 8 pictures of him and a couple of other bucks.
Scouting For Deer
- August 5 Deer Pics
 
August
5, am - I love seeing fawns in the Spring. In Today's
Deer Pics you'll enjoy seeing one, as well as some other deer.
Next to show was a group
of wild turkeys. This year we have zillions of grasshoppers and
the turkeys were getting after them in the long grass.
Scouting For Deer
- August 2 Deer Pics
 August
2, 8:30am - This morning you can see the Big Boy buck's rack growing
daily. Today there is the beginnings of a new point on the right main beam,
in Today's Pics you
can see the bump on the on the last tine. That, plus the new point starting
on the main beam should put him in at 11 points, so far. (Click on the
Thumbnails to see the bigger picture.)
 July's
Big Boy Again
Lots
of photos
July 30 - I spied him coming
out of the woods. He browsed near the edge and then approached the other
deer, which fortunately for me, were in good photo distance from my blind.
This time you can see him real good, all 9 points and the new point starting
on the right side. Lots of photos of the big boy buck and the other deer,
bucks, dopes and fawns. Enjoy...
 July
Big Boy Buck Came Back
July 28 - This time it was
good daylight when the buck appeared. He didn't stick around long but I
got 5 nice clear pictures. The tines on his antlers are definitely longer
now than when we saw him last. AND the bump on the left antler has turned
into the 9th point. He be lookin' good.
More New Bucks
 
Last year the bucks started
showing up on July 17. This year I'm seeing them earlier. First, here are
3
growing bucks I saw in the morning. Next I went to the Hammer Hole
and the two bucks that were button bucks in March showed up with their
first
year's, still growing, antlers in velvet. And, in case you missed
it, here's the latest July Big Boy Buck Close
Up!
FAWNS & DOES
-- SCOUTING FOR DEER
 Fawns
and does. Fawns are rare to see until September arrives. Here are a few
thumbnailed
fawn pics.
I FIND THE BUCK!
 After
a couple of afternoons watching the Rolled Wire area I moved to the opposite
fence where I could see the major deer crossing on Shoemaker's Fence. I
got lucky. At 6:05pm the July Big Boy Buck walked out of the thick brush
and approached the crossing. I got two pictures. The
July Big Boy Buck!
Fathers &
Sons & The Licking Tree
 Fathers
& Sons: Notice the difference in the size of the two bucks. Here
is a wallpaper for ya. (1042x768)
(800x600) (640x480)
July 15 - This morning
I got a pleasant surprise. July's first Big Boy buck returned to the area
he was in on July
12. I recognized his rack (remember it's still growing) and looked
through my camera's viewfinder. Good, there was pretty good available light
and I got a pic of the buck. He walked under the limbs of a tree that the
deer use as a licking tree. He got to licking and pulling the limbs and
I took pictures. There were several more pics but in most of them his head
was a blur because of his movement in the limited light. As you see a first
year buck came up and was very excited about what he saw. Here
Are The Pics from the Licking Tree
SCOUTING - Bingo!
Big Boy Returns!
 July
12 - Daylight was coming on slowly. A few deer milled around the edge
of the nearby gully. Even though his head was down I saw a thick antler
on the largest bodied deer. He lifted his head up, there was no doubt it
was the buck I was looking for. I managed a couple more pictures, good
ones even in the advancing morning light. The buck walked over to the edge
of the gully and walked down into it and disappeared. I noticed the left
antler has a bulb on it, he is growing another point and his main beam
is growing. It is early, only July 12 and he has a lot of antler growing
to do. Here Are
The Pics
Scouting The Rolled
Wire - Looking For Big Boy
 July
10 - I want to see if I can find where July's first Big Boy buck comes
on my property. So I started with the Western fence and went to the Rolled
Wire area and put up my double bull ground blind. On the way in I got a
cool pic of a fawn walking along the fence. Most of the traffic was 90
yards away as 11 does used that crossing. A young buck hopped the fence
and walked toward me. It saw the blind and I got a picture of him being
nervous (you'll recognize the look). Then he stared at it for a while.
He decided not to worry and walked on by. Then he joined a doe and the
two of them moved on. It sure was cool, I always love seeing the new fawns.
And having that buck only a few steps away made my day. To:
Rolled Wire...
First Big Boy
Buck Of The Year!
 July
8 - I quietly slipped into my photo blind in the dark. Soon daylight's
first rays let me see around the area. I saw a deer's tail flick and checked
it out. There were antlers on the deer and even in the dim light I could
tell this buck already had a nice rack. I got busy with my camera. MORE...
SCOUTING DEER
FOR 2002 - Grooming
 I
got some cool pictures this weekend. I spied two deer in the brush. Soon
they came closer, a doe and a young buck. They started to groom one another
by licking licking each others face. They did it at two different places
and I was real close. Buck
& Doe Grooming...
SCOUTING DEER
FOR 2002 (Wallpaper)
 My
game camera catches a doe walking past my tripod stand in the Hammer Hole.
Wallpaper: (1024x768)
(800x600)
(640x480)
BUCKS ANTLERS
ARE GROWING
 The
last few days I have had no buck sightings. Today changed my luck. I spotted
two bucks in velvet walking along the fence that borders this years not
doing so well food plot. I took several pics but on most of them my camera
focused on the fence rather than the deer and the pics were blurry. However,
these two pics were ok. If you have time take a look at the buck
on May 31 and you can see how their antlers are progressing.
FAWNS !!! First
Sighting Of The Year
 Seeing
my first fawn for the year is always a big day. Sure we all know they are
out there, but the does keep them hidden until they figure the new fawns
can come along with them. Here
are 9 very cool fawn pics. One of them ran around the entire time
and I only managed one picture of it. The other was a camera hog. Ahhh,
life is good.
The
Deer Were Moving This Morning
 (June
14) First light reflected off the back of a doe as it came into my photo
blind area. Next up were some raccoons. A couple of does came to water
in my make shift water place, just the kind they like. The crippled doe
and 10 other does came in. I lucked out and got 3 pictures with aggressive
doe behavior in progress. Enjoy
the pics. It's the next best thing to being there.
More Scouting
- Young Buck
 I
returned to the Hammer Hole. There was zero wild hog action but I did see
a young buck with starter antlers. It walked out of the brush on a trail
and strolled down the edge in my direction and re-entered the woods underneath
my tripod stand. Here
are the Thumbnails.
Scouting June
10 - The Crippled Doe Returns
 Before
sunrise this morning I slipped out to my closest picture blind. At first
light I saw a deer approaching and by it's walk I knew it was the crippled
doe that I videoed a few days ago.
I took
5 pics of the doe,
beginning with its approach in the near dark and ending with a very close
up pic.
Scouting June
3:
 Deer
moved late this morning, the first ones were at 7:50am. I photographed
two bucks (in velvet with starter antlers), two does getting an attitude
with each other, and the other deer that were in the area -- one got within
a few yards of me. Here are
the pics. One was a crippled doe, she has a broken left rear leg
and limps badly -- my guess is she got it caught jumping a fence and broke
it getting loose or had some other accident. Otherwise, she is fat and
healthy and about to drop a fawn. Sightings of deer with broken legs are
not a daily occurrence but it does happen and those deer adapt and get
along ok. Here is a short video clip of the crippled
doe's limp.
Scouting For
Deer 2002 - The Bucks Are Back !!!
 May
31 (8:34 am) - This morning at daybreak I watched a group of deer move
through my food plot area. Before long a buck with starter antlers in velvet
came up. I took pictures of all of them and here is a Thumbnailed
Gallery of them. Plus, here is a wallpaper sized, close-up picture
of this years first buck in velvet. (1042x768)
(800x600) (640x480)
Shanna's Deer
Pics!
 Mar
25 Monday Afternoon)
My friend Shanna, who has
never hunted before, came over to wild hog hunt and help take pictures.
There are two tripods in the Hammer Hole that are close together and we
each got in one. Before long I saw a deer's legs moving in the brush and
I quickly looked toward Shanna to signal her so she could take pictures.
She already had her camera in action. She first saw the deer when it was
15 yards behind me (I hadn't seen it yet) and she got its pic. She kept
on as the deer came out of the brush onto the woods road and walked toward
us. Then another deer joined it. Here
are 6 pics she took, beginning with the deer behind me. Later we heard
wild hogs fighting a couple hundred yards away but none came to us.
When Do The Bucks
Start Growing Antlers?
 March
20, A Special Day
Today was my first time
to check out my newest stand site, a tripod in thick brush at the doorway
to the deer bedding ground in the Back 200. At 5:30 I spied a large deer
on the trail that led to me. It walked in the trail, totally unconcerned.
SURPRISE! This deer was a buck with his new 2002 antlers bulging from his
head. I got a picture and then zoomed in on his head. Woops, a message
flashed on my camera telling me that its CD was full. Four more deer used
the trail this afternoon. I was worried the pic would be bad because that
has happened before on the last pic. But it was good. So here is the
first Buck of 2002, walking down the trail .. to me and to you. Enjoy.
(1024x768)
(800x600)
(640x480)
 Scouting
For 2002
Feb 24 - This morning
my camera was busy. I got some cool deer pics of deer doing their thing,
plus one pic of a buck that has shed its antlers. To
The Deer Pics...
Scouting
Pics & Notes From 2001:
June
& July | August | September
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 |
Find
it here.
