Sunday, September 29, 2013 pm

Sunday, September 29, 2013. Sunset: 6:55 pm. Hunting closes: 7:25 pm. Temperature: 71 degrees. Mostly sunny. Wind: S 15-26 mph. Wow. It feels great to get back out and hunt. It has been way too long. I think it has been close to 15 years since I took off 7 days to hunt in the early season. Various commitments, unstable weather, and a new baby have all impacted my inability to get out. When Heidi agreed/offered to watch Charley, I jumped at the chance to get out. The conditions were not ideal, but my "lack of hunting" streak needed to end. On top of watching Charley, Heidi actually agreed to let me hunt the apple tree stand. I just couldn't wait to get out there. We were at a family reunion in Wisconsin this weekend and I needed to pick up the dog from the kennel, but I was able to get into the stand by 5:00 pm. At 5:45 pm, I looked to my left (south) and there was a nubbin walking down the trail towards me. He walked under my stand and spent 15 minutes eating walnuts. I took this picture though the leaves. He never knew I was there. Pretty fun. He ended up walking up the hill to the SW. That was it. Totals: Bob - 1 deer, 1 nubbin buck. 

Sunday, September 22, 2013 pm

Sunday, September 22, 2013 pm. Sunset: 7:10 pm. Hunting closes: 7:40 pm. Temperature 69 degrees. Wind: E-SE 10-15 mph. Mostly sunny. We have three of us hunting tonight. Adam went to the point, Heidi was at the Apple Tree and I went to the Jolly Roger. We were all in and set up by 5:10 pm. I had not had a chance to clean out this stand, so I had to trim a few branches before settling in. Nothing to report. Totals: Bob - 0 deer. 

Sunday, September 22, 2013 am

Sunday, September 22, 3013 am. Sunrise 6:58 am. Hunting opens 6:28 am. Temperature 45 degrees. Wind: SE 5-10 mph. Mostly sunny. Flying solo this morning as Heidi felt like sleeping in this morning. I decided to give Pisa another shot. I was in the stand by 6;05 am. At 6:55 am, I heard a deer blowing a warning call about 50 yards to the SW of me. It was upwind of me, so I am not fire what spooked it. It may have seen me move. At 7:30 am, I looked down to the NE and there was a small 6 pointer still in velvet. Very rare being this late in September. Very cool to see. He ended up walking up the hill about 30 yards to the east of me. I did get some video of him the best was when he was up on top of the hill to the SE of me. Here is a picture of my video. I will post the rest of the edits video later. I sat until 9:00 am, and that is all that I saw. Totals: Bob - 1 deer, 1 buck.

Saturday, September 21, 2013 pm

Saturday, September 21, 2013 pm. Sunset: 7:11. Hunting closes 7:41 pm. Temperature 63 degrees. Wind: N 5-10 mph. Mostly sunny. I am hunting solo tonight. Heidi had a wedding to go to and the boys couldn't make it down in time to hunt. Don and Mary are watching Charley, so I hope I can connect tonight. With a north wind, I decided to give Pisa another shot. I was in and all set up by 5:10 pm. Nothing to report. Totals: Bob - 0 deer. 

Friday, September 20, 2013 am

Friday, September, 20, 3013 am. Sunrise: 6:56 am. Hunting opens 6:26 am. Partly cloudy. Temperature: 57 degrees. Wind: W 5-10 mph. I finally put a seat in at Pisa, so I decided to give it a shot bi was in and all art up by 6:05 am. At 8:10 am, I had 2 bucks, a tall 8 pointer (I think it was the same buck as last night) and a spike come of the hill from the south. The came down to 10 yards. They were upwind of me, but sensed something was not right. I did get some video of the 8 pointer at about 20 yards. Fun to see. Neither buck was a shooter, but the 8 would be a great buck for Heidi or the boys. I sat until 9:00 am, then got down and came in. Nice morning. Totals: Bob - 2 deer. 2 bucks.

Thursday, September 19, 2013 pm

Thursday, September 19, 2013 pm. Sunset 7:14 pm. Hunting Closes: 7:44 pm. Temperature: 68 degrees. Partly cloudy. Wind: N-NW 5-10 mph. Heidi volunteered to take Charley, so I got the "green light" to hunt. I haven't had a chance to get out much this week with baby duty and the wet weather. I decided to give the point stand a shot. I was in at 5:00 pm. This is the 2 year anniversary of me shooting "triple brow" from the apple tree stand. I wanted to go there, but I am saving it for Heidi. At 6:50 pm, I had a nice 8 come down the trail from south to north about 10 yards away. I decided to pass. I did get some video, but I forgot to hit the damn record button. I did get some video, but it was a long ways away and not very good. I think it was "High Beams." He is the buck that I have picture from August 16, 2013.  At 7:15 pm, I had a big doe with two fawns start to come up the hill from the NE of me. She was upwind, but she picked me off. She tried circling me. I had a 18 yard shot, but there was no way I could draw. She ended up blowing and heading across the food plot to the SE. The fawns followed her. Damn. Totals: Bob- 4 deer, 1 buck, 3 does and fawns.

Some more bucks.

Monday September 16, 2013 am

Monday, September 16, 3013 am. Sunrise: 6:53 am. Hunting opens: 6:23 am. Temperature 43 degrees. Mostly sunny. Wind: N 2-5 mph. This morning I decided to go to the point stand. I was all set up by 6:05 am. Nothing to report while I was in the stand.  After the hunt, I did go down and check out the Stump blind.  Right as I got there, a nice shooter buck snorted up by the Pisa stand.  It took off to the west.  The stump looked clean with no wasps or spiders.  It will be ready for latter this season.  Totals: Bob - 0 deer.

Sunday, September 15, 2013 pm

Sunday, September 15, 2013 Sunset 

7:24 pm.  Hunting closes 7:54. 

Temperature 68 degrees. Partly cloudy. Wind NE 10-12. 

This afternoon I decided to go back to the 

Double Bull and Heidi went to the ladder

stand. We were both in and set up by 5:10 pm

It was a really nice night after the much 

needed rain storm last night and this morning

At 6:25 pm, I saw a big doe and a fawn

60 yards to the SE of me. They went off to

the south. I wish I had kept my blind where 

it was last year. It would have been about 20

yards away. At 7:05, I had a small doe 15 yards

to the east of me. At 7:10 pm, Heidi texted

and said that she had a the smaller 2 1/2 year old  8 poinyerbuck behind her. 

and up the hill. She never had a clear shot. 

Totals: Bob - 3 deer, 2 does and 1 fawn. Heidi-

1 deer, 1 buck. 

Saturday, September 14, 2013 pm

FSaturday, September 14, 2013 pm. Sunset 7:25. Hunting closes 7:55 pm. Temperature 70 degrees. Wind - S 3-5 mph. Left the house at 5:15 pm. Tonight I went down to the double bull blind on the border patrol food plot. I was ready to go by 5:30 pm. Adam went to Arlie's Nob. I guess he kick up a doe and fawn on the way in. At 5:40 pm, he texted that he had a doe 45 yards away stating at him. At 6:00 pm, I saw a tail to the east of me. It was blowing, so it must have winded me. It was raining most of the afternoon, after sitting in a downpour for almost 2 hours, I decided to pack it in. Totals: Bob1 deer, 1?  Adam- 3 deer, 2 does and 1 fawn

Opening morning. September 14, 2013 am

September 14, 2013 am. Sunrise 6:46. Hunting opens 6:16 am. Temperature 46 degrees. Wind: S 12-15 mph. We had a great night at the Shack. My in laws were kind enough to come over for the weekend to watch Charley so Heidi and I could both hunt. Thanks. Heidi went to the Apple Tree. I went to Right field. Dwayne went yo the Ladder and Adam is at the NWT. At 7:00 am, Heidi texted that she had two does on the trail to the south of her. Too far away to shoot. At 7:30 am, Heidi had two small fawns come down the trail from west to east. It was an easy shot, but they were too small. At 8:00 am, Dwayne texted and said that he saw a big body deer moving from west to east to the north of him. Too far to tell what it was. It probably winded him. At 8:25 am, I had 2 does with 2 fawns run by me. They came from the NW. 10 yards away. They came through so fast that I didn't have time to get ready for a shot. I decided to get down at 8:45 am and trim a few branches in some shooting lanes. That was it. Totals:  Bob - 4 deer. 2 does and 2 fawns. Heidi 2 deer both does. Dwayne -1 deer. Adam - 0 deer. 

A new 8 pointer. Hardened up. A decent 8 too

September 11, 2013.  Here are some new photos.  We have a new 8 pointer that is in the area and has hardened up.  He is different than the other 8 that we have on camera, as he doesn't have the start of a G4 on his right side like the other 8 in the photos I posted last week.  The other 8 is fairly young, not real tall, but nice and wide.  Going to be a great buck if he makes it till next year.

Dunstan Chestnuts

Here is a picture of one of the four Chestnuts that I planted this spring. Should become "deer magnets" in the coming years. They appear to be doing awesome.  I plan on buying some more this Spring assuming they make it through our Minnesota winters.

1/2 Acre food plot

This spring the area to the NE of the Stump blind was too wet to plant.  As the summer passed, and things heated up, it finally dried up.  A couple of weeks back, I cut the area and sprayed it with round up.  Today, I was finally able to use the digger and tiller to turn over the soil.  I planted about 1/2 acre of Pennington's Trophy Radish's. We are expecting some rain today (we have basically not had any rain for 2 weeks), so it should take.  I would have liked to have gotten this in earlier, but better late than never.  It says that it can be planted from August 15-September 15, so I was able to make that window.  We will just have to wait and see how it does.  I will try and post a few pictures in the next day or so.  4 days till opener! Buckslayer OUT!

Hardened up 8 at Ladder Stand

I still think this is the smaller 8.  Regardless, a nice buck.

More photos of Big 8

Here are some more photos.  It looks like the smaller 8 has hardened up.  Thoughts?  I don't think that he is the big 8, but it is tough to tell when they harden.

2013 Target - Beautiful 8 pointer

Well, here he is.  This is my only target for 2013 to date.  I beautiful 8 pointer.  He must have 10"+ G2's.
I also have some other photos of another 8 pointer.  You can see him in the back of a couple of the photos posted below.  He will be a nice target for Heidi, Adam, or Dwayne.  9 days to go.  I can hardly wait.

Buck Slayer OUT!