2020 Gun Season

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Jonny
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2020 Gun Season

Unread postby Jonny » Fri Nov 27, 2020 6:16 am

Gun season was a little different this year. First time I ever had to hunt without my dad around. He was extremely excited for this year and back in august/september he started having horrible chest pains. Flashbacks to last year and his open heart surgery. Ended up being pancreatitis and he needed to get his gall bladder removed. Ended up being that there was too much inflammation to do the surgery safely so they wanted to wait until it went down. Still hasn't and now since its not essential, it likely won't happen due to the huge shortage of beds in the hospital, and because his doctors don't want him to be around covid patients while recovering from surgery, especially if it doesn't go smoothly.

So he missed all of bow season and now gun season for this. Doctor told him it would be foolish to walk around in the woods because one fall an hour from the nearest hospital could be horrible for him. Then with how much time he missed from work for this, he wanted to stay home and focus on work instead of come up to the cabin. Sucked but I know he would have been furious if I didn't go anyways.

Thursday I worked most of the day in the office and finished up all the work I needed to have done before I left. Took Friday through thanksgiving weekend off to hunt and spend time with family. Work is also stopped anyways since we can't do any public works jobs and the season is pretty much over for us. At least for my plants we finished up Thursday/Friday. Got up to the cabin Thursday night after stopping for a dinner of rocky rococcos sausage pizza and a root beer float from a&w. Dinner of champions. One uncle, my grandpa and our longtime family friend who is essentially just my 4th uncle at this point were the only ones up.

Friday I drove some of the forest roads to see if anybody had set up camp yet. I usually do this every year and if they are out I stop by with a couple beers and talk to them. Really cool to hear how long guys are coming up to the area, and they always have some great stories. Some groups aren't real friendly but I have found 3-4 I always stop by to see. Usually stop by again monday or tuesday to see how they did.

late morning I drove to the area I planned on hunting and did some scouting. Have had a lot of luck in this area since I first found it in 2016. Shot 1 in 2016, 2 in 2017, my dad hit one in the shin in 2018, and I got one in 2019. Its a big hub where alot of escape routes converge, and on the backside of some large swamps. So I have seen deer running for their lives and also have seen rut action all in the same day. Not hard to see deer usually, its just getting a shot at them thats hard. Based on my observations last season and sitting much closer to the river, I wanted to set up so that I could shoot across the river, but still cover the same trails I had seen deer every year. Also have had some beavers move in and put a big dam on a small little brook feeding into a creek right where I used to cross when I came in from a different parking area. That dam washed out an old crossing, but deer always manage to find a new spot to cross. Big rub right next to the crossing. 5-6" between tine marks in the middle so its not a small buck by any means.

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Eventually settled on moving one ridge over. Luckily that ridge had a pair of straight trees so I could put my climber on one and use the other to hang gear from. Love when it works out that way.

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Put the stand out, put my jacket and bibs under it ready for the next morning and I walked the mile or so back to the truck. Went over and talked to the group camping nearby who have been a great source of info (and for beer) since I first started hunting. They let me know where they all hunt and we keep ourselves separated and all have had good luck. Sure helps keep people away when they drive by and see 8-9 trucks parked somewhere the day before the season opens, and even during opening weekend.

Had another uncle already up by the time I made it back to the cabin. Had a dinner of chicken and pasta (grandpa loves his "gourmet" meals). Got a call during dinner that my third uncle hit a doe doing about 70 on the freeway. Was in the left lane in traffic so he was taken off guard by that.

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Saturday got up around 3:30am. Filled my thermos of coffee and started breakfast. Wanted to leave the cabin around 5-515 just to make sure I was parked and already walking to my stand before most were even starting their trucks. Warmed up the gravy and made a couple tubes of biscuits. Got dressed and ate while the rest of my group was just getting up. Wished them all good luck and drove the 20 minutes to where I park. Grabbed my pack and rifle and started on the trek under the cover of darkness.

Got set up just as the sky started to get a little light. Saw one flash of a flashlight up on the ridge above me but that's it. Pretty uneventful morning. Around 9am I got a little hungry so I pulled out the last summer sausage chub I got from my buck last year (shot him and gutted him within 100 yards of where I was sitting). Had a couple bites with some crackers and man was it good.

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Was holding it in my hand and the knife in the other when I heard some rustling in the leaves. Turned to see a squirrel and then a loud thump. Looked down to see my sausage staring at me 15' away. Talk about a kick to the nuts :lol:

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Maybe an hour, hour and a half later I thought I heard some leaves moving. I've learned to keep my movements to a minimum especially when I'm not in my lone wolf. But I forgot I was in my climber so when I shifted my weight, the stand creaked where the teeth bite into the tree. Turns out I had a nice buck all of 10 yards away and I never heard him. The tree I set up in had a second large trunked tree and this buck walked right in line with it. As he ran I grabbed the rifle and lined up the crosshairs on him waiting for a shot. He ran down to the beaver pond and stopped with his rear to me and looking back over the shoulder. Was braced for the 100ish yard shot but he turned and bolted through the creek and ran down its opposite bank, never giving me a shot. All I could see was his large body and the main beam of the antlers. Have no idea on what tines, if any, he had. Looked to be a really nice 2.5 y/o buck or a decent 3.5 y/o. He got the best of me and I'm sure lived to tell the tale. Ran off into what I call the abyss. An area I have seen countless deer run into where they just vanish. An overgrown creek bottom where you can walk 10' apart from someone in blaze orange and not be able to see them.

Got pretty ticked about it but shook it off pretty quick. It happens and it can't always work out in my favor. Just something to try and fix with my set up. If I were in my tree from the previous year I would have seen him sooner, not banking on having a shot since I was in the open more and it was on my weak side, but I would've seen him sooner.

Another hour goes by with almost no shooting. First hour or two was pretty busy and then it died to where I maybe heard 1-2 shots an hour. Hear some commotion and look to see 5 deer running towards me from the east. Grab the rifle and watch as 3 does (doe and 2 fawns maybe?) break off and 2 stay back in the thicket. Been thwarted every year by a doe and 2 fawn group and this was just deja vu to me. They ran right to the river at the closest crossing to me. Followed the lead doe since she looked the biggest, and suddenly she stopped in the middle of the river. Touched a shot off aiming for the lungs and trying to not hit the back shoulder (quartering away). Watched her and one of the fawns run up the bank but she struggled. Heard her crash off in the distance and the farther she went, the more my heart sank knowing my drag kept getting worse and worse. The third fawn/doe stayed right on the beach. Put the crosshairs on her and just quietly said "Bang". Pretty sure it was 3 does but the one I shot did look a little bigger. Couldn't get anybody to come hunt down by me, so I was limited to the one doe. Nobody in my group within 2 miles so no way would i ever think of trying to group hunt.

Radioed one of my uncles to ask if he can come help. Needed a cart and my hip boots since I could go get her, and didn't really want to add 2 miles to my trip. He said he was on his way and would be there in about a half hour. Radioed again when he was on top and I directed him on where to find the key for the truck to grab some stuff. Figured I would stay in the stand until he got close to me in case he kicked something up. Never saw those 2 deer again.

Maybe 2-3 minutes go by and I look behind me in that thicket I saw the 2 deer stay in. Pulled the gun up and saw it was a spike. Didn't want to end my season on a spike, and I knew my uncle would tag him for me. Waited until my uncle was well within sight, looked back over and the spike was still feeding. Said screw it, put the crosshairs on him and pulled the trigger. Watched him bolt and within seconds saw a deer about 50 yards behind where I shot him. Went to get a bullet from my pocket and by the time I got it in the chamber it was gone.

Waited about 10 minutes and we decided to go grab the doe first. Walked over to the beach, put on my hip boots, took a section of rope, and walked across. Still have no idea on how that doe made it up that bank. I'm pretty agile for my size and climbing up a 10' clay river bank was tough. Then it was on my hands and knees following blood through buckthorn. Not a ton of blood but as soon as I saw this I knew I was going to find her. There was a lot of hair on this as well.

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As she lay and making the trip across the river. Deer float extremely well when they aren't gutted, but they suck to drag. Gotta pick your poison I guess.

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Picture on the beach she ran across. Shot her in the water directly behind this and she climbed that bank. Water was over knee deep with a soft bottom and I couldn't reach even 2/3's of the way up. Whitetails never cease to impress me. Solid 2.5 y/o doe which is pretty nice for our area and for what my family usually shoots.

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Gutted her out, spread her open to drain and went to look for the spike. I climbed back up in my stand to direct my uncle on where I shot him. He couldn't find blood so I directed him back to where I thought I saw him standing after the first shot. Still nothing. Got down while my uncle combed through the thicket where it appeared he ran off to. I walked over and said I either missed or I saw a second deer. So I went to where I thought I shot him and walked in the direction he was facing. Had a steep little ridge. Slid down and ended up face to face with my buck. Looked back and saw a nice blood trail and tons of stirred up leaves and broken saplings. Not sure how I didn't hear him crash.

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Sunday I sat all day and had a solo doe across the river. I'll talk about the doe I shot and how it was the worst overall drag I ever had, but I wouldn't ever hold back from doing it again. Just like dragging one out with the kayak, its just different enough from what everybody else does that it makes it feel that much better. But since I already shot a doe and nobody else wanted to come hunt near me, I just put the crosshairs over her with the safety on, and just quietly said "bang". Watched her feed for about an hour hoping she would bring a buck in, but no buck showed. Didn't see another deer which was weird considering sunday has always been the better day. At least I didn't drop my summer sausage today. Pulled my stand at the end of the day. Needed to walk some ground and see some scenery.

Monday I decided to do some walking. Walked from the cabin to where I parked to hunt. Sat for about 2 hours until I got cold over looking a power line and where it runs over the creek. Have seen a few run through here on drives. Had one moving around in the bottom but never saw it. Just saw a couple legs. Saw one guy trying to still hunt the river bottom where I sat. Hope he didn't find any of my gut piles. Ran up to town to get some work done, and to submit some papers and info for applying for a house loan. Also bought some cheese to bring home since we have a fantastic cheese factory in the area. Drove some new areas as well and found a fresh clear cut full of logging cut offs. Lots in that 14-22" range. Perfect for the campfire.

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Tuesday I filled the truck a couple times with firewood for my grandpa. Kept a truckload to take back to my place in point. Pretty much all the irregular pieces he didn't want. Planned to go on some more walks but it started raining. Didn't feel like getting soaked so I ran over to one of the local bars to get lunch. Hard to pass it up when the special is a chili cheese dog :lol:

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Overall not a bad season. Made some more memories and learned some more about the areas I hunt. Told myself I wasn't going to shoot another spike, but when he gets you excited, its hard to pass him up. Didn't get much meat from either of them but all part of hunting in a group where nobody else can close. At least I have my own buck in the freezer to tie me over. As I write this on thanksgiving, I am thankful that I got to enjoy another season doing what I love and my family supported me while I did so. Sure hope the lady doesn't get used to me shooting deer on the first hunt. Sure been a fun one, hope to get out after a doe late season, and to start scouting some new areas so I can continue to go into gun season not worrying about how much meat I'll get back.


Also managed to grab a picture of the pricing for our meat processor. Have 35lbs of scraps to take in from my buck earlier. (Think my grandpa took in 20lbs off these 2 deer). Time to decide what I want :L: . probably will make a day trip this winter to drop it off. My grandpa was told 1-2 months since they are doing tons of deer right now. Figure I'll wait until February to go.
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You have a monkey Mr. Munson?
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Edcyclopedia
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Re: 2020 Gun Season

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Fri Nov 27, 2020 7:24 am

Sweet! :dance:
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Re: 2020 Gun Season

Unread postby muddy » Fri Nov 27, 2020 7:31 am

Congrats! Fun story
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Dewey
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Re: 2020 Gun Season

Unread postby Dewey » Fri Nov 27, 2020 8:22 am

Good job Jonny. Should fill the freezer and the belly for awhile. 8-)
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Jonny
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Re: 2020 Gun Season

Unread postby Jonny » Fri Nov 27, 2020 8:40 am

Dewey wrote:Good job Jonny. Should fill the freezer and the belly for awhile. 8-)


That’s the goal. Really enjoy eating venison and have enough that I can try new recipes with different cuts. Planning on making grilled tenderloins and stroganoff tomorrow for the lady and her family. And making the shanks Sunday. Never did shanks before so it will just be the two of us if something goes wrong.
You have a monkey Mr. Munson?
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hunting_dad
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Re: 2020 Gun Season

Unread postby hunting_dad » Fri Nov 27, 2020 8:42 am

Congrats Jonny. Sounds like a fun time up there with talking to the other camps and hearing stories of the past seasons. Hope all goes well with your dad’s surgery.
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Re: 2020 Gun Season

Unread postby bigbuckhunter88 » Fri Nov 27, 2020 8:54 am

Congrats. Hard to beat time spent at deer camp
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Re: 2020 Gun Season

Unread postby john1984 » Fri Nov 27, 2020 12:59 pm

That's a dang good season you had this year :clap:
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UntouchableNess
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Re: 2020 Gun Season

Unread postby UntouchableNess » Fri Nov 27, 2020 1:12 pm

Good read and congrats on the deer. Memories made.
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Re: 2020 Gun Season

Unread postby oldrank » Fri Nov 27, 2020 1:19 pm

Looks like a good time to me.
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Re: 2020 Gun Season

Unread postby BJ99Robinson » Fri Nov 27, 2020 2:50 pm

Congrats!
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Hawthorne
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Re: 2020 Gun Season

Unread postby Hawthorne » Fri Nov 27, 2020 2:58 pm

Some good eaters there! Congrats young man
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Jackson Marsh
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Re: 2020 Gun Season

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Fri Nov 27, 2020 4:58 pm

Nice work Jonny. :clap: :clap:

Sometimes a guy has to drop his sausage and get down to business.
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Re: 2020 Gun Season

Unread postby Lockdown » Fri Nov 27, 2020 5:47 pm

Nice work!


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