11-05-11
No I didn't shoot a deer.
But I did spend the whole day hunting with Danny yesterday. 
This was my first trip with a gun to the deer woods this fall. We decided early we were going to cover some ground in search of where bambi was living. I wasn't impressed with our haunts. The most sign was along field edges. The lack of hard mast in the woods we walked was evident.
But apples this fall are everywhere.
I know an old farm where apples trees took over as the fields started reverting back to forests. Lots of them are shaded out now but a scouting trip was in order to test my theory.
You can't hunt this property. Which is bad. But it has two good things going for it. First it is a safe place to run Bay during deer season. Second it serves as a sanctuary to grow big bucks. There is more than enough hunt-able property within one days travel of a whitetail deer.
WOW is all I can say. It was though I was inside someones goat pen. I've made this journey before and knew where to start.
When I saw this trail beat to the ground I knew where they were going.
Now you have to use a little imagination because the following two pictures are two dimensional. The third picture will show you the hill.
This is the start of the run up the slight incline to a grove of apple trees.
As it goes up the knoll it turns to this.
The ground under this grove of trees was beat to mud. Please excuse the butt shot.
You can see that knoll to Bay's right. I am standing on the run.
This got me thinking of where have I tread in the past that is similar in forest structure? Only one property comes to mind. My journey continues.
11-06-11
I checked out the other piece tonight. Bingo. Apples are for supper. Even saw some trees rubs.
Who would have thought the tide would influence a hunt?
11-07-11
Find the food..........find the deer.
My brother in law (BIL) and I spent yesterday at the Apple Ranch. This is the hunt-able piece that rivals the posted lands apple trees. Sunday night I just went in for a sit. Found apples trees and apples galore. Again the ground under the crown of the apple trees was BEAT to mud.
What started as a couple hour hunt turned into an all day affair. The weather and the leaves still on the trees were not in our favor. I've never shot many whitetails while hunting in a T shirt.
This piece is a bast-rd to get into without spooking the deer. We felt a good recon was in order. What we found absolutely amazed both of us. In BIL terms this sign wasn't made by a few deer. His description was a "herd".
I would have to reach deep in my NH deer hunting history to think of a place where I have ever seen this much deer sign. I would say as Dad did, PA comes to mind.
Our hunting skills are proven. Proven by the fact we were able to "herd" turkeys by each other all day long. I am overwhelmed by the amount of turkeys I've seen in my short time in the NH deer woods. Yesterday I had a bachelor group of mature toms in no hurry to get out of my way. The largest flock we saw totaled more than 20 birds. They have also been feeding on the crab apples.
All we brought back yesterday was pictures. But what we gained in our recon should put some venison in the freezer by seasons end.
The ground is mud under these apples.
Closer shot of the vittles.
This ground scrape was fresh and made in mud. The licking branch was an apple limb.
This stand has been in here for a few years. No sign of any recent activity.
While we didn't shoot any bucks I did find this youngster.
I have a plan in place for tomorrow morning. BIL said a boat would be the best buck extraction tool.
I hope the tide is in our favor.
11-09-11
On stand in the apples at 0530. Movement detected at 0735. Deer!
Had a skipper doe walk into 10 steps. I believe it saw my orange and came to investigate. So gullible. No mama, no dada. Alone.
Rendezvous with BIL at 0900. While standing there talking we look over 30 yards and the skipper is eating apples from the pile in the previous picture.
BIL had 16 turkeys walk by at 20 yards. Could have cared less about him.
Back at it this afternoon.
11-09-11 PM
No deer tonight. This is the second time I've seen this guy. It loves apples.
I call it Monkey-pine.
11-10-11
BIL and I were on stand at 0600. At 0715 not 20 yards at 1 o’clock a deer blows. As I turn to look it is running away with its tail held high. Bald.
How did I not see it coming?
About 20 minutes go by. I scan to my right and at spitting distance a deer’s hind end is sticking out behind a tree. Then it peeked around the tree to look at me. Again bald. It runs into some thick multiflora rose. 10 minutes later it is back twenty yards in front of me doing the head bob. I suspect same skipper as yesterday. She left the same way she came yesterday. BIL watched her exit the piece.
BIL offered to do the multiflora push. It isn't five acres big. BIL goes in. A flock of long beards and hens come out. Now I’m thinking more about the next gobbler season than deer hunting.
Fresh scrapes in the rose patch. BIL says the deer have tunnels. There was a big tree rub at our entrance point this morning.
11-10-11 PM
Torrential rain tonight. Did some needed chores. Back at it in the AM
11-11-11
AM. Sat on stand until 9AM. No deer.
At mid day did a little scouting and found this in a familiar area. I'll be back.
PM sat on stand until dark. Saw Mrs. Monkey-pine. She was heading for the apples.
11-12-11
Two of us went after the buck that made the rubs. We saw a small buck, a doe and a skipper. My hunting partner needs some range work. He killed a couple trees.
11-13-11 Twins
Due to the October nor'easter we have been missing our two utility lineman. Both are finally home. As Danny says deer hunting is a team sport. Today was our first chance since deer season started to assemble.
Our legal compliment set out to pursue whitetails at dawn. Ruben jumped the first group. Jay saw a nice buck. Courtney missed a coyote. On our way to set up for our second stand we jumped two bedded deer. Dan had an equipment malfunction. Instinct took over for me and I downed a button buck for M tag #1 (antlerless permit).
The crew pushed on in my absence. The second push and Courtney shot a button buck..
As Jay said today was a bad day to be a button.
Back to the working world tomorrow morning. I've decided after this week I would rather spend my vacation time turkey and upland bird hunting. I miss the yellow dog.
While I like deer hunting, I like bird hunting even better.
11-15-11 I took the wrong week off
Got this text at 5PM last night. Tom shot this buck.
11 point 204 pounds.
Truth be told we know where at least three more this size live.
Is it Saturday yet?
