Moose’s Doe, 2021
Most honorable #2 son, Moose, got one to the meatpole yesterday afternoon. He took her out the front window at Midway. I was shooting out of Hollywood and when I heard the shot, I came down and went over. As it happened, Remnar was just arriving at camp. We had him grab the truck and roll on out. Moose took the shot at 1713. At 1813, the doe was dressed and back on the truck and we were heading for the processor. This is the first deer we have had to the poll since my buck on Saturday. Action has … More . . .
The Savage Speaks Again
It has been since 2014, but my Savage 99 kept its promise this morning. I’ve been carrying it up into the stand for The Rifle Opener since 2003. The Savage 99 in 308 WIN has only been shot at the biggest bucks. I always put it away after filling my buck tag. This morning, the Savage spoke again. You have to understand this was a pretty big thing. I was dealing with existential problems back over the summer. I even got to ask the surgeon that question you don’t want to ask: Will I be able to be in my … More . . .
So when IS The Rifle Opener?
The Commonwealth of Kentucky picks the second Saturday of November as the beginning of its Modern Weapons Season. This year, that means The Opener is on the 13th. Looking back on it, it has always seemed like the date of The Opener has flitted about. I was sitting here fretting with my usual pre-season jitters, and I thought I would calculate it out. What I found is that there is a bit more order to it than I originally thought. 2020 –> 14th2021 –> 13th2022 –> 12th2023 –> 11th Okay so far, it’s orderly. Now comes the jump 2024 –> … More . . .
Whatcha Taking to Deer Camp?
I emerged this AM from the secret underground Shamanic Reloading Cave with the first of four rifles destined for our upcoming deer camp. The Rifle Opener is a week from tomorrow. I try to be ready well ahead of time. There were several projects that I wanted to work on this year. They mostly had to get pushed aside due to the whole mess with the Left Nut. I was fighting existential issues when I should have been out at the bench testing loads. As a result, I’ve had to pull in my horns a bit this year. The Big … More . . .
Is it Going to Rain on the Opener?
That’s a good question. First off, let me give you the latest outlook from the Climate Prediction Center (CPC). As you can see western KY has got a bullseye on it. The eastern half is not as blessed. My guess is that we’re probably going to see rain. If you squeeze Wunderground.com, you see a lot of rain Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, but none of it is particularly hard rain, just on and off showers.  I can only think of a few times in my career having to deal with rain on Opening Morning, and a few more where … More . . .
How do I Stalk Deer with a Bow?
From Quora: How do I stalk deer with a bow? First off, let me give you some background. I started bowhunting whitetail deer back in the early 80’s. I spent 20 years as a bowhunter before my shoulder pooped out on me. I have not bowhunted since 2007. I have a 200 acre farm in Bracken County, Kentucky. My family and fill our freezers with venison every year during Rifle Season. I am probably not the best authority on stalking. I’m a walking landform; my measurements pretty well match John Wayne’s year by year. I’m about as stealthy as a bulldozer … More . . .
Muzzleloader Season, 2021
At our camp, Early KY’s Muzzleloader Season has turned into Not Hunting Season, and it was highly successful. First off, let me explain Not Hunting. Years ago, I put forward this idea, and I received a lot of positive feedback. The rules are simple. In order to successfully engage in Not Hunting: The Hunter must be hunting in an open season. The Hunter must be kitted legally (Hunter Orange, etc.). The Hunter must have all valid licenses and tags. The Hunter must be carrying a functioning weapon appropriate to the game. The Hunter must make all efforts to engage the … More . . .
Hey Doofus!
This story starts in the first month I was hunting at the farm. In October 2001, I had put up a stand overlooking a trail that ran along the back fence. On my first sit in the blind, I realized that a tree less than 10 yards away had a much better vantage, and so I moved it. It only took a few minutes. When I finally had enough, I got down and left the bulk of my gear at the base of the stand and went for a look-see around. I had not scouted this part of the property … More . . .
Does an ATV Spook the Deer?
From: 24hourcampfire.com earlybrdCampfire Regular Joined: Nov 2015Posts: 1,169long mtn va How do they affect the deer as far as early morning riding going in vs walking I’ve done the walking up mountains for 30 odd years and had good success? The answer I am going to give you may leave you scratching your head as to what to do, but that is just the way it is. First off, let me explain my situation. I’m the patriarch of a deer camp that sits on 200 acres in SW Bracken County. Our Opening Days sound like WWIII. There are at … More . . .
Eye Candy, 2021
I collected the card from the camera out at Campground the last time I was out. There are some nice shots worth letting y’all see. The Big One is back. Views: 1 Related posts: Eye Candy Eye Candy 2017 Eye Candy, 2020 It’s Over, 2021 Muzzleloader Season, 2021 Moose’s Doe, 2021
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You Gotta Be Kidding Me
The KDFWR is telling us that we shouldn’t gut deer for fear that we might get Covid. https://fw.ky.gov/Wildlife/Pages/SARS-CoV-2.aspx In August 2021, the USDA confirmed the world’s first cases of SARS-CoV-2 in free ranging white-tailed deer in Ohio. The virus (which leads to the illness COVID-19) has been previously detected in wild mink, but this is the first instance of the virus being detected in white-tailed deer. In March, the results of an experimental infection trial demonstrated that white-tailed deer were susceptible to the virus but didn’t develop clinical signs of the illness in the laboratory setting. In late July, the USDA released … More . . .
O.D. On the Subject of Stand Selection
I walked into a conversation down at Mister Browning’s Store the other day. O.D. was in the process of egging on a guy he calls “Bigtime.” The truth is, I don’t remember Bigtime’s real name. I’ve taken to calling him Bigtime as well. He seems to like it. The reason we call him Bigtime is that on his first visit to the store a few years ago, he introduced himself as a bigtime deer hunter. O.D likes to spar with him when he shows up. Bigtime watches way too many hunting shows. The conversation was about stand choices. Bigtime ask … More . . .
Kentucky Fall Rules are Out
The Fall 2021 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide just got posted to the KYDFWR website. Click on the image to get the whole thing I have not found any big changes this year pertinent to Zone1 or the Northeast Region. Be sure to read the rules cover-to-cover every year. You never know what you might miss. Views: 2 Related posts: Kentucky Fall Rules Are Out Spring Turkey Rules are Out! New 2012-13 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide KY Spring Rules are Posted It’s Out! KDFWR Releases Spring 2020 Rules The Turkey Rules are Out! The ritual of Fall has begun. … More . . .
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