Waterhole Pics

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xpauliber
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Waterhole Pics

Unread postby xpauliber » Sun Jun 12, 2011 10:31 am

I was turkey hunting in May and came across this waterhole littered with tracks. We had a hot dryspell the end of May so I set my cam up the first week of June. I got 182 triggers in 9 days. Surprisingly no fawns and about 4 different bucks. I was also surprised at the lack of midday visits. There must be water elsewhere also. In PA, where I hunt, any buck 130+ is a trophy so I'm pretty excited about these first 2 pics. Never got a daylight visit from him though:
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These next two pics look like the same buck. It's neat because even though he isn't a shooter, they were taken 6 days apart and you can see an increase in his antler size:
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When I went to get my cam, it was knocked sideways and pointing at some ferns that were blowing in the wind. When I saw how many pics were on it, I thought, "o great, I have 500 pics of ferns blowing in the wind." When I checked the pics however, the last pic I got was of this guy. It explains why there was mud on the side of my cam and why it was sideways on the tree :D
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Re: Waterhole Pics

Unread postby Carol » Sun Jun 12, 2011 12:13 pm

:D
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Re: Waterhole Pics

Unread postby dan » Sun Jun 12, 2011 12:18 pm

NICE PIC'S... 8-)

4 different bucks. I was also surprised at the lack of midday visits. There must be water elsewhere

Actually, I would of been thinking there must not be good buck bedding nearby if they are coming in that late pressure free.
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Re: Waterhole Pics

Unread postby kenn1320 » Sun Jun 12, 2011 12:29 pm

Actually, I would of been thinking there must not be good buck bedding nearby if they are coming in that late pressure free.


Great observation Dan. Its that kind of thinking that puts guys "in the game". Im guessing since you just found this spot during turkey season, its public land? Looking at the lack of cover around this hole, and being on public land, I wouldn't hunt within 200yds of this spot. Although this seems like a great spot to figure out what bucks are in the area, Id still try to figure out where they are bedding. Good find though.
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Re: Waterhole Pics

Unread postby xpauliber » Sun Jun 12, 2011 1:05 pm

kenn1320 wrote:
Actually, I would of been thinking there must not be good buck bedding nearby if they are coming in that late pressure free.


Great observation Dan. Its that kind of thinking that puts guys "in the game". Im guessing since you just found this spot during turkey season, its public land? Looking at the lack of cover around this hole, and being on public land, I wouldn't hunt within 200yds of this spot. Although this seems like a great spot to figure out what bucks are in the area, Id still try to figure out where they are bedding. Good find though.


That is a great observation Dan! I have to start thinking like that.

Kenn, yes it is public land and not a lot of thick cover on the top of the ridge. To the left of the pic is the edge of the ridge that drops down over fairly steep. To the right of the pic is an old strip field that is all overgrown now. It's interesting to see in the evenings most of my pics are coming from the left and in the mornings, most of my pics are coming from the right.

It's just a shame that I found this spot so late because I can't work it over and find the exact bedding areas. I may still do some in-season scouting and hunts simply because I know there's a shooter there. If I bump him or mess up the area, I won't feel bad because I have alot of other areas already scouted and this is just like a bonus. The ridge itself is littered with red oak trees so if the acorn crop is there and we get a dry spell, I may ease to the left down over the hill and try to catch some late evening movement.

I just love everything about archery!!! People at work are talking about which beach they're going to, and how they love this weather, and I'm out hanging cams, scheduling my vacation for November and itching for the leaves to turn and the autumn breeze to kiss my cheek as I watch the sunrise from 25 feet up! :-)

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Re: Waterhole Pics

Unread postby dan » Sun Jun 12, 2011 1:11 pm

From the sound of your discription of the area, that might be a very good cruising spot to catch that buck during the rut on a late morning if there ain't a lot of human pressure there...
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Re: Waterhole Pics

Unread postby kenn1320 » Sun Jun 12, 2011 2:10 pm

It's just a shame that I found this spot so late because I can't work it over and find the exact bedding areas.


Some times are obviously better then others for scouting, but to say its too late to scout is not true.
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Re: Waterhole Pics

Unread postby xpauliber » Sun Jun 12, 2011 2:57 pm

kenn1320 wrote:
It's just a shame that I found this spot so late because I can't work it over and find the exact bedding areas.


Some times are obviously better then others for scouting, but to say its too late to scout is not true.


Really? Would you go out and try to find some beds now?
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Re: Waterhole Pics

Unread postby Casper » Mon Jun 13, 2011 3:29 am

xpauliber wrote:
kenn1320 wrote:
It's just a shame that I found this spot so late because I can't work it over and find the exact bedding areas.


Some times are obviously better then others for scouting, but to say its too late to scout is not true.


Really? Would you go out and try to find some beds now?

Yes sir, long ways till season starts. Any intrusion now will not effect them for later
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Re: Waterhole Pics

Unread postby dan » Mon Jun 13, 2011 4:35 am

Yes sir, long ways till season starts. Any intrusion now will not effect them for later

I agree that he can go, and probably should go look for the beds now... But I dissagree that any intrusion now will not effect them for later. I believe every intrusion has some negitive consequences... Can and should he find the beds now? Yes, knowing where they are would out wiegh the negitives from the summer intrusion and most likely they will have forgotten all about it by hunting season.
The key to scouting beds in my opinion is to get in there and learn as much as you can in one intrusion and then get out and stay out till kill time.
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Re: Waterhole Pics

Unread postby Hill Hunter » Thu Jun 23, 2011 5:00 pm

If it were me, and I planned on huunting that water hole, I'd get the camera off it...each time in and out checking the camera, even this time of year, is a negative in my book.
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Re: Waterhole Pics

Unread postby Black Squirrel » Fri Jun 24, 2011 3:51 am

How big is the water hole, and will it be there in fall. Some of those early summer water holes dry up by fall. Not to burst your bubble, but it happened to me, so I'm just throwing it out. I can't tell how big it is from the pics, so hopefully for your sake it's an all year water hole. Good luck with it.
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Re: Waterhole Pics

Unread postby xpauliber » Fri Jun 24, 2011 4:28 am

Black Squirrel wrote:How big is the water hole, and will it be there in fall. Some of those early summer water holes dry up by fall. Not to burst your bubble, but it happened to me, so I'm just throwing it out. I can't tell how big it is from the pics, so hopefully for your sake it's an all year water hole. Good luck with it.


I thought about that too. I've never been in this area in the fall so I don't know if it will be there or not. It's about 3 yards wide and about 5 yards long. Pretty decent size. I took my cam off of it and plan on staying out until kill time.


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