Ramblin's Hunting Lodge

Deer Season 2011

2011-12-04T16:05:00.000-08:00

Well deer season was somewhat disappointing. The first 3 day season although I saw a lot of deer, they were all too far away for a shot. I did see one Buck for all of about 2 seconds for about 60 yards through the woods. The first season ended without a harvest. The second season was going to be a little cooler and the weather a little better so I was hopeful that my luck would change. The first day started off with seeing several deer but all were on the east side of the ditch which is about 15 feet across and about 8 feet deep full to the brim with back water from the 4 inches of rain we got the 3 days before the second season. Rain and backwaters usually end up messing up one of the seasons. At around 2pm on the first day after seeing deer across the ditch I decided to take a shot at one. A nice doe eased up the the edge of the ditch with 3 other does. I placed my dot at 60 yards just on the top edge of her shoulder blade and squeezed off a shot. She dropped in her tracks but in my mind I was thinking, great now we got to get her from across the ditch. Just then I heard a splash and then saw a doe run by the stand at about 20 yards and stop. I wondered if this might be one of the accompanying does but after looking over the doe I saw a reddish spot just above and just back of her right shoulder blade after a few seconds she shuttered and was going down. The shot passed through and exited left groin area in in the deer's left thigh. The does that were with her all scattered in different directions and my water soaked doe was on the ground. My doe had delivered herself across the ditch herself. Of the luck I was to have this season that was about it. The next 2 days I sat in a deer stand from 6am until 4pm and saw all sorts of does except for a button buck and another buck for a couple seconds at about 80 yards out. Over the season I bet I saw anywhere from 15 to 20 deer every day but hardly any bucks. I still have a tag to fill so we will see about the late antler-less season but we will see how the weather will be.

Trail Camera Nov 2011.

2011-11-14T19:52:00.000-08:00

Trail Camera Pics.

2011-11-07T18:56:00.000-08:00

Since they have taken the corn out from around the small woods the traffic has been down. I think it's still a little warm for the deer to come into rutt but hopefully the cooler temps in the next few weeks will kick it off in time for the first shotgun deer season.

Stealth Camera Oct. 2011

2011-10-23T15:09:00.001-07:00

Just a few pictures and video of my trail camera from 10-9-2011 to 10-23-2011.

Sparing Bucks

Doe

Doe with yearling.

Same buck a couple night later.

Stealth Camera Fall 2011

2011-10-02T15:32:00.000-07:00

This is a few of the pictures from my trail camera which was left on Sept. 11 and pictures were retrieved on Oct. 2. Unfortunately the battery went dead on the Sept. 19 so the last 2 weeks it didn't take a picture. I charged the 12 volt battery before hooking it up but apparently the battery maybe crapping out. I will recharge the battery and retry it with the camera next week. However I did have 355 picture on the card and had some activity.

Another Stealth Camera Video

2011-04-17T19:06:00.000-07:00

Stealth Camera Video 2011

2011-03-13T20:08:00.000-07:00

Trail Cam Video

2011-01-30T15:54:00.000-08:00

I reset the trail cam to video the last time I was down there and checked it today. I was disappointed that I didn't get too much. I ended up with a raccoon, several squirrels, a robin , some rain and a deer. I reset it and we will see if we have anything next time. Here is the only video that had a deer.

Trail Cam Update.

2011-01-16T13:15:00.000-08:00

I usually pull my trail camera before the last deer season but this year I thought I would leave it out and see how it preforms in the cold temp. The only noticeable difference is it seems like the trigger speed is a little slower. I have been getting more pictures of deer butts. Maybe the deer are just moving by the camera a little quicker. Anyway here are a few pics I pulled off the camera today.

Trail Camera Pics.

2010-12-26T15:20:00.001-08:00

Deer

Coyote

Deer

Raccoon

Deer

Deer Season 2010 Videos

2010-11-27T08:40:00.000-08:00

After Buck Harvest.

After Doe Harvest.

Deer Season 2010

2010-11-21T10:42:00.000-08:00

Friday morning:
Deer Season 2010 started out slow and it seemed that with all the shooting in the area everyone was having some luck but us. The first deer I saw was approximately 250 yards away and heading away from me. A few hours later I saw a small doe come from the south and head into the woods to my east about 60 yards away and move through the woods. About an hour later I think that same doe tried to slip down the west side of the woods and winded me and moved back into the woods just out of range for a comfortable shot. The rest of the day was uneventful and windy with gusts up to 2omph. I did see a couple of deer run out of the southwest corner of the woods and run across the field but well out of range. The first day I spent almost 11 hours in the deer stand.

Saturday morning:
I started out into the freezing fog heading south toward my deer stand. After I came to the second drainage ditch I made right heading west imagine my surprise when the first thing my headlamp lite up was a telephone pole on the northwest corner of the property. I had almost walk in a circle in the fog. The fog was so thick you couldn't see much more than 10 feet in front of you. By the time I took a not so scenic route to my stand I had walked about 3 time farther than I usually do. I slipped into the stand and waited for the think fog to lift. The fog condensed on the trees and leaves and every time a breeze would blow the water would come dripping down like rainfall. I figured the fog would lift once the sun came up but again I was wrong. It stayed foggy until almost 9:30am when I could first see across the field.. A little after 7:30am I happen to turn and see a young doe slipping up on my north east from the woods. Since the damp fog had soaked the leaves I didn't hear her until see was almost to me. I turned a picked a opening in the limbs to make my shot. She continued south and into the opening for a shot and I dropped her in her tracks at 35 yards. Upon inspection I double lunged her. I waited until 10am before heading back to the house for food and hot coffee. That evening I slipped down to the big woods and didn't see a thing.

Sunday morning:
I got to the stand without the difficulty of the morning before. I settled in for what I thought would be a long day of seating. I planned to stay until noon and then head back to the house and call it good for first season. I set for what seemed like about an hour without anything going on. At 6:30am I heard a noise behind my left shoulder and turned to see 2 does about 10 yards form my stand. I thought where in the world did they come from. I knew I didn't want to shoot one as I had only my buck tag. I positioned to watch them a little better when I looked to the south out into the field. I saw a young buck heading toward the does. He moved to my east and looked like he might start to move into the woods out of range so when he moved to within 40 yards I made my shot and it was a pretty good one, taking out both lung and the top of his heart. He went about 40 yards and that was it. With that that was all of my tags and Deer Season 2010 was over.

The gut pile for the doe and the buck was within 15 to 20 feet of each other.

Stealth Camera Results.

2010-11-20T12:09:00.000-08:00

A couple of bucks, a doe, squirrels and a raccoon rounded out the captures on the trail camera. I went ahead a hooked up the 3 month battery and I am going to leave it down there and see what we get during the winter months. I might check it around Xmas or after New Years and see what we get.

Needles Uncle C's Trail Camera Results.

2010-11-07T14:39:00.000-08:00

Stealth Camera Update.

2010-11-07T14:01:00.000-08:00

Doves

Glowing eyes of a deer mid left of picture.

Rain

Small buck

Squirrel

Deer

Bird on small tree middle of screen.

Trail Cam

2010-10-10T19:36:00.000-07:00

I checked the trail cam today and really didn't have too much on it. I think the drought we are in and also the fact that I set the darn thing wrong might have something to do with it. I accidently set it for 1 picture with a 1 min. delay when I usually set it for 9 picture burst with 1 min. delay. SO this is all I got.

Stealth Camera Video 2010

2010-09-26T19:39:00.000-07:00

First Trail Cam Pics of the Season.

2010-09-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

Here is a few of the pictures from my Trail Cam I540IR Rogue placed 8-22-10 and retrieved 9-6-10. It had almost 400 images on it but I would say that maybe a third of them had some animal in the pic. I think the raccoon tilted the camera because I noticed the picture view moved just before the raccoon pics. I reset the camera for video so hopefully next time I will have something to post.

Baby deer.

Gray Squirrel.

Turkey.

Raccoons.

Deer.

Multiple deer.

Deer Season 2009

2010-01-02T21:52:00.000-08:00

Late Antlerless Deer Season.

2009-12-31T13:22:00.000-08:00

Thursday morning I got up to head to the old deer stand around 5:15am. I was fearing that the cold night might turn the corn husks laying in the field into noisy deer alarms but to my surprised the night didn't get cold enough. There was only a skim of ice on the water in the mud puddles and ditches. When I got to my stand it seemed like forever until the daylight appeared. I really can say sunlight because I never saw the sun the whole day. The day was overcast and dreary with only a few shots heard in the distance I was wondering if the deer were even moving. When there was enough light for me to look around I strained to see if Needles uncle "B" was in his stand. After looking for awhile and not seeing anything near my stand I wondered on down the field. The bucket loads of rain we got the week before had caused the back waters so the Southern part of the property was extremely flooded. I was hoping that the water and ice wouldn't keep the deer away. I walked down into the larger woods and confirmed that "B" wasn't in the stand so I waked on down the large ditch that runs North and South on the East boundary of the property. I sat about 50 or so yards into the woods and was looking West when I saw a deer about 75 to 100 yards walking through the woods. I only got a glimpse of the back side before it disappeared behind some brush. I grunted with the call and waited. About 20 minutes passed when I had a small button buck move into range from the South. He was at about 70 yard s when I first noticed him and moving my way. He would move past me at what I thought was about 40 yards. When I fired I saw the deer buckle and move North on 3 legs. I thought I had hit him pretty good but not sure. I waited a few seconds and heard the crash. I thought that the deer was down. I walked into the area that I thought the deer was hit and didn't see a blood trail so I moved North thinking I would come across it. After walking several yards with no sign of the deer I questioned how well I hit the deer. I heard him go down but was questioning exactly what I heard. I walked in a large circle looking over the area. There wasn't too many places a deer could be in the flat sparsely wooded area. I walked back to where I first thought I hit the deer looking for a blood trail and finally happened on the trail. I stepped off the distance of my shot and it was more like 52 yards. When I found the trail the deer had maybe went 35 yards before crawling down in a ditch and under a tree that had fallen.The brush pile the little buck was under.

I walked within 20 feet of the deer and never saw it on my first walk through the woods. I wrestled the little buck out of under the tree and into a area that I could work to field dress him. I didn't get my monster buck this year but at least I got to put a little meat in "L's" freezer.

My little button buck.

Poor Showing for Deer Season.

2009-12-06T10:43:00.000-08:00

Not to happy about the results of the second deer season. Thursday I sat in the stand for about 5 or 6 hours total. Friday was 8 hours. Yesterday was 11 hours and today 3. In my total of 27ish or so hours of hunting I saw 1 lousy deer. And this wasn't even from my stand. This was walking into my stand Friday morning. I think the rain just before season and the freezing temps Thursday night is the reason. The south part of the property that connects with the other larger portion of woods was flooded during the rain and then it froze so that the south part of the property was mostly ice. The deer which normally move into the property from the South went around the ice. That is my theory anyway. So this is the first year in the 4 years that I didn't get a second deer. It will be a long wait for next year.

Deer Season 2009.

2009-11-22T12:15:00.000-08:00

Needles and I arrived at her Moms place Thursday night and I was excited that in a few hours it would be the first day of shotgun deer season. That night I lay in the bed wondering in which of my two deer stands should I set. I thought about the East but ultimately decided on the West one. I finally fell asleep around 2pm with a few hours it would be time to get up. 5:10am came all too soon and I was up and ready to head to my stand. The first day always seems to take forever to get ready. Clothing, Boots, Gun, Backpack full of crap and then you are on your way. I walked out the back door and noticed a raccoon in the driveway. I thought he was cute but little did I know how he would impact my day. I loaded my gun very quietly as to not scare the raccoon and and paused for a few seconds to watch him and even got a picture of him in the non existing light.

I then made my way to the stand and slipped into the woods a silently and I could manage. At just enough light to make out the shape of a deer was moving from the North and heading South at about 60 yards in the neighbors field. If he would have stayed in the woods I would have heard him but never saw him. As I couldn't make out what size deer it was I didn't even think about shooting. I grunted a couple of times and could see the deer move toward me a few steps and when he went behind a tree he just disappeared. I sat in my stand and the sun was on the verge of creeping up when I heard a noise behind me. I turned and strained my eyes in the limited light and saw the largest deer I have ever seen from the deer stand. He was a monster and heading my way. He was at 25 yards and broadside for a moment. To myself I thought this is it this the the year it will be my turn to get a nice buck. I raised my gun and leveled it off just behind his left shoulder. He never knew I was there. I squeezed the trigger and nothing. I lower the gun checked my safety was off and tried again. Nothing. I thought "You got to be kidding me!" But it was not a nightmare... It was real. I had the buck of a lifetime standing broadside at 25 yards and my gun wont fire. I eased back the slide and checked in the chamber. There was a shell but it wasn't ejecting but when I slide back the slide the next shell went up to slide into the chamber. I had to remove the shell and slip it into my pocket and then slide the slide forward again. This is when the deer heard me and ran into the still dark woods. I was disappointed and sick at what had just happened. I couldn't believe that I had that chance and couldn't capitalize on the opportunity. After thinking out what happened I think I know what happened. Remember the cute little raccoon that was in the driveway. I was so careful not to scare him when loading my gun I didn't slide the slide of the gun back far enough to cock the firing pin. If I only had it to do over again. My trail camera revealed to me the monster that I missed out on looks to be an eleven pointer. Its amazing the little things that effect your life in a big way. After I made it back to the house I had the feeling that I never wanted to hunt again. I was ready to hang up the gun and call it quits but after a while that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach went away and has been replaced by some disappointment but also the knowledge that anything can happen and it usually does when you least expect it. That evening the hunt was uneventful and no deer were spotted. The next morning I had 3 deer walk in just after daylight but then went West. About 10 minutes later with better light five doe move in to with in a few yards of my stand. I move into position and waited for the lead doe to step past the small water filled ditch. I took my shot and the deer ran into the cornfield and stood broad side at 40 yards. I could tell I hit her but the way she ran didn't make me very confident in the shot so I took another shot and hit her perfect. She buckled and coughed a few times while I looked around to see where the other deer ran to. I turned to see where she was and she was gone. I suspected she fell right where I hit her with the second shot. I sat in the stand the rest of the morning without checking and disturbing the area. After about an hour and a half I am ready to get on the ground and check on my deer. While walking to where I last saw the deer I heard a blow behind me. I turn to see 3 does running to the East. I find my doe laying right where I thought she would be. While kneeling down to filed dress my deer I had a yearly spike buck walk from the woods toward me and stand about 10 to 15 feet away. He turns walks away and then comes back. When I stood up he decided he no longer wanted to be there and headed South down the cornfield. The evening hunt came up goose egg. This morning I made my way to my West stand and didn't see a thing until I walked out. I jumped up a bedded down doe. I guess we will see what second season will have in store for me. The doe that I was fortunate enough to get first season.

This is Mr. Big. This is the one that got away. Want a better look.

Yeah.... I still cant believe it.

Deer Hunting Fever

2009-11-08T17:12:00.000-08:00

Checked my Stealth Camera today and this is what I found in one of the pictures. Hope this big boy walks by my stand during deer season. I am so ready for deer season.

Hunting Halloween

2009-10-25T21:37:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Stealth Camera 10-11-2009 thru 10-25-2009.

2009-10-25T21:33:00.000-07:00

New Stealth Cam Video Mode Video....Video... Video.

2009-10-11T21:11:00.000-07:00

New Stealth Camera Video

2009-09-27T19:31:00.001-07:00

Stealth Camera Test

2009-08-16T19:32:00.000-07:00

Spring Turkey Season 2009

2009-04-23T19:08:00.000-07:00

Deer Season 2008

2008-11-22T18:50:00.000-08:00

I didn't have much luck the first two days of the first season so Needles Uncle let me set in his stand. I videoed the hunt and uploaded it to YouTube. I noticed that the video seemed to be getting a lot of hits so I did some searching and found my video featured on Prairie State Outdoors. This doe walked in from my left and presented a 30 yard broad side shot. I hit her a little high and she went about 60 yards before giving it up. If you want to watch the video of my 2008 deer season scroll down to the end of this post. Both deer were taken 11-22-2008. This was the first time I took 2 deer on the same day. This young buck walked in at about 40 yards. I shot and hit him just about perfect. He only went about 20 yards before laying down.

Taken 11-22-2008.

Here is a screen shot of the web page. My video is on the left hand side midway down the page. Click on picture for better view.

Deer Season 2007.

2007-11-30T18:23:00.000-08:00

This young 6 point was harvested 11-29-2007. While in the stand I heard a noise coming from behind the tree I was setting in. I slowly turned around in my deer stand to get a better view of what was sneaking up on me, when I noticed a doe walking through the woods just 35 away. I aimed and pulled the trigger only to find out that I had not turned off the safety. I am glad I didn't make that shot because this guy was hot on her heels. I waited for him to step into the field and I pulled the trigger. In my view the deer just disappeared. I was wondering where he went and when I walked up on him he fell right where he stood and rolled behind some brush. This doe was taken November 30, 2007. It was the last evening hunt of the season and was about to climb down from my stand. I looked to the South and saw some white things wagging down the tree line heading my way. I watched 3 does run almost a half a mile toward me. All the way I got more nervous with every step they took wondering of they would turn and go across the field or even give ma a chance at a shot. I told myself I would take the first deer that entered the woods a presented a shot. I was ready when she came into view from one of the trees edging the woods form the field. She was broad side but still moving when my first shot took out one of her front legs. She stumbled and recovered while running to my right. I followed her line with my shotgun and pumped in the next round. When I pulled the trigger, a large branch exploded about 20 feet from me. I saw the deer moving away from me and I slung another shot in her direction only to miss low with the 40 yard moving shot. I didn't see her again for several seconds wondering if she went down with her injury. While scanning the woods I watched her step into view broadside 55 yards away. I took careful aim as this could be my last chance. My shot found its mark and the deer went down in her tracks. I field dressed her as the sun light was fading.

Deer Season 2006

2006-11-18T18:07:00.000-08:00

This doe ran in on me on my morning hunt. As she ran by at about 20 yards I took my shot while she was mid run, hitting her perfect. She traveled about 30 yards before she was down for the count. Harvested 11-17-2006. This buck walked in from the South West and jumped a fence. He stood there beside a small ditch and was starting to head away from me. I grunted and turned him around where he stopped about 40 yards from my stand. I harvested these deer with a Mossberg 835 12 gauge pump with True Glo red dot scope. I hit him in the neck and he dropped right where he stood.

Harvested 11-18-2006.

Deer Season 2004

2004-12-01T17:24:00.000-08:00

This small buck was the only deer that came close to my stand after a very uneventful first season. I was cold and ready to fill the only tag I got for the season. This was the first deer I harvested on my girlfriends family's land. I sat on the South East corner of the small woods. After seeing several deer run down the West edge of the woods I did a little grunt calling to see if could get anything to come my way. After about 20 minutes since the group went by this small button buck walked up with in 30 yards of my stand. I made the shot and he ran towards the West. After waiting awhile I decided to rack the deer. I walked the woods looking for sign and by what I found I guessed it wouldn't be long. I blood trailed South down a fence row and when I looked up I saw the buck standing about 50 yards from me. I headed back to the house to give him some more time to pass on. After a couple hours the Uncles were done with their hunt so I went back to find my deer. After blood trailing up to where I last saw him I lost the trail. One of the uncle walking on the other side of the fence row spooked him up and he ran into the field about 20 feet and that was the end of him. This young button buck was taken December 1st 2004 with Charles Daly Maxi Mag 12 gauge pump.

Deer Bow Season 2003

2003-11-08T17:08:00.000-08:00

This doe was taken in my friends back yard. I had set in a ground blind until the sun was down behind the trees. I had a young doe walk about 25 yards in front of me but my shot was too high missing just over her back. I walked out to retrieve my arrow and resigned to set in my blind until dark cleaning the dirt out of the broad head. While waiting on darkness this adult doe walked the same path as the young doe just minutes before. Learning from my first mistake I put the arrow right where it needed to go. The arrow hit her and made the sound of a flat fist on a side of beef. She ran straight into the woods crashing limbs as she entered the treeline. I waited until after dark to track her. A friend of mine help with the trailing but we had no luck. It was only until the next day that I found her less than 60 yards from where I had arrowed her, laying beside a small pond. I had to drag her 150 yards to the nearest road and then lift her over a small fence. When I got home this picture was taken.

Deer taken 11-8-2003 with my Alpine Sidewinder.