Foodplotting In The Mountains...The Sequel

[Weasel]

Great posts dogghr. Been busy but I'm all caught up now. Sorry to hear about your friend. Sounds like you have plenty of great memories of him to get you through the rough times.

You weren't the only one to get one with a bumper. It's been years since I hit a deer with a vehicle. Great timing, bought this truck brand new two weeks before LOL Finally going to the shop on Monday, they've been booked with lots of deer collisions.

 

[rusty1034]

Great posts dogghr. Been busy but I'm all caught up now. Sorry to hear about your friend. Sounds like you have plenty of great memories of him to get you through the rough times.

You weren't the only one to get one with a bumper. It's been years since I hit a deer with a vehicle. Great timing, bought this truck brand new two weeks before LOL Finally going to the shop on Monday, they've been booked with lots of deer collisions.

Thats about the only reason a Toyota will ever be in the shop tho. Mine just turned 80k, and I hand to replace a blinker bulb. The maintenance on those things is crazy !

Rusty


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[Weasel]

Been a GM guy all my life Rusty. My wife is on her second Toyota and we never did anything but change fluids on both. Never a single problem. I had a bunch of major problems with my last GM truck with 28K miles, two dealerships couldn't figure out what was wrong after 3 trips and tons of parts thrown at it. Once the engine light was off and it was running ok, I drove it straight to the Toyota dealer.

 

[dogghr]

8 in thick brush?

G

It was a great hunt and brought a huge smile to my face. Still my fav method of hunting despite these steep hills and bad knees. Haven't decided whether to post story on here as it was a mediocre buck compared to what most want on this forum. I'll decide when get the time. Picking up ML and recurve again next week to try finish season in style. I've had fun.
But I'm envious of your skiing. Our slopes opened last week but haven't been. Gotta feeling 5 yo grand pup is about to wear my ass out on the slopes.

 

[dogghr]

Great posts dogghr. Been busy but I'm all caught up now. Sorry to hear about your friend. Sounds like you have plenty of great memories of him to get you through the rough times.

You weren't the only one to get one with a bumper. It's been years since I hit a deer with a vehicle. Great timing, bought this truck brand new two weeks before LOL Finally going to the shop on Monday, they've been booked with lots of deer collisions.

Hate that for you Weasel. Been 20 yrs since I hit one. But can you believe a spike ran into side of my rental truck on way to farm last week?? No damage and deer lived but dang, I'm scared to drive. Seen more road kills this year than I can remember.
Hate that you had new ride. Mine at least had 120000 mi on it but $6200 damage. Bad part, my daughter wanted it when I replaced it next year as I had planned. Now, not so sure. Jeeps get trashed on reviews but I'v driven them for 20+ years without any issue and all went well into 6 digit mileage. Sure was a pretty buck I hit.

 

[Weasel]

I'm in the same boat, just under $6K in repairs. Fortunately, all cosmetic damage, motor & wheel/suspension didn't get touched. Oh well, it's just a truck in the grand scheme of life. My neighbor just passed away at 58 yesterday. He had 2 girls in high school. Going to be a tough Christmas for them.

 

[George]

It was a great hunt and brought a huge smile to my face. Still my fav method of hunting despite these steep hills and bad knees. Haven't decided whether to post story on here as it was a mediocre buck compared to what most want on this forum. I'll decide when get the time. Picking up ML and recurve again next week to try finish season in style. I've had fun.
But I'm envious of your skiing. Our slopes opened last week but haven't been. Gotta feeling 5 yo grand pup is about to wear my ass out on the slopes.

Good to hear, have fun. I'm waiting on a couple more feet of pow.

G

 

[buckhunter10]

getting caught up, sorry for loss of friend. Great thread as always doug!

 

[dogghr]

Good to hear, have fun. I'm waiting on a couple more feet of pow.

G

You have powder skis or like me skiing on 10 yo pair? I used to make fun of guys on old skis and last year me and my buddy were trash talking ourselves amongst the young ones as we still skiing some old stuff. I say every year I'm going to get me a pair of fats but doesn't happen. That powder can wear your ass out. We have temps in teens and snow coming in tomorrow, so slopes should get caught up.

 

[George]

You have powder skis or like me skiing on 10 yo pair? I used to make fun of guys on old skis and last year me and my buddy were trash talking ourselves amongst the young ones as we still skiing some old stuff. I say every year I'm going to get me a pair of fats but doesn't happen. That powder can wear your ass out. We have temps in teens and snow coming in tomorrow, so slopes should get caught up.

The last time that I was at Steamboat 2004 a Lady that I knew gave me a pair of K2 MerlinVs with Solomon bindings. At 188cm they were considerably shorter than the Olins I had. Those are the skis that I have now.

Down in town they want to get me in to some short fatties. Originally I figured that I would be all in, season pass, skis and boots. After pricing that package around $2500 I might just buy day passes after good dumps and continue to use the skis that I have.

I would want to give my business to local brick and mortar stores but when I can find the same $750 pair of skis with bindings on line for $399 I balk.

G

 

[dgallow]

It was a great hunt and brought a huge smile to my face. Still my fav method of hunting despite these steep hills and bad knees. Haven't decided whether to post story on here as it was a mediocre buck compared to what most want on this forum. I'll decide when get the time. Picking up ML and recurve again next week to try finish season in style. I've had fun.
But I'm envious of your skiing. Our slopes opened last week but haven't been. Gotta feeling 5 yo grand pup is about to wear my ass out on the slopes.

I didn't know there were minimum buck requirements before posting harvest pic and story? Go for it dude!

Still trying to figure out the 8" thick brush comment....I can't find the post again....so you should explain that one!

 

[dogghr]

I didn't know there were minimum buck requirements before posting harvest pic and story? Go for it dude!

Still trying to figure out the 8" thick brush comment....I can't find the post again....so you should explain that one!

I'm just bluffing about not telling story, You know I don't keep a hunt good or bad to myself especially if it can get some guys hunting just a little different to keep from the burnout happening. Just don't tell ex deer forum self proclaimed experts that I want hunters off their stands sometimes, or else they will never put one of my deer on the cover of their glossy mag. I will when I get time, plus with rain and snow coming, quite woods gives me great stalking conditions for my ML hunt next few days. I'm feeling lucky and it don't involve a woman. Will share when I get just a little time. Thanks everyone for reading.

 

[dogghr]

In between a little ML hunting , cut down tree at farm and son and daughter helped me get the skinny thing up. Nothing like pine smell of Christmas tree and smell of red oak logs burning in the fireplace, all from the farm.

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[lakngolf]

Merry Christmas! ! You are right. Christmas smells are the best!

 

[dogghr]

As I've said before, When your partner is not a hunter but tolerant of your forages into the wilderness for 3+ months, you do a little sucking up along the way. Went to see Transiberian Orchestra Christmas show last week. I've been a fan of theirs for 25+ years. Techtronic show of some awesome electric guitar, fiddle/violin, keyboard, and drum playing. Cool story line with Christmas theme which holds your interest especially if you, a child, or parent, or friend has ever needed to find their way back home from wanderings caused by poor choices in life.

 

[dogghr]

Does just really never broke up this rut for some reason. Quick connections I suppose. Thot cool to catch buck with lip curl going on. Momma still has her 3 cubs that she might kick free next year to breed again. Saw that happen once, quite a sight. Buck is working scrape with I made late summer with licking branch and my pee. Lasts entire season and best way to get pics without them paying attention to camera.

 

[dogghr]

Why was the year different? Rifle kill down 25 % statewide and 30% in my county. Doe season has been a bust on their numbers. I think final tally for the entire season will be 25-40% down. Not sure but a lot of factors possible.

1. Was it the late Hunters Moon, that also was one of two Supermoons to rise this fall?
2. Or the heavy mast available that kept deer in the woods with easy food available? I watched deer pass that hardly raised their head as they fed on the acorns scattered everywhere.
3. Really warm temps especially thru the early November? Did that suppress the rut? I used my Thermalcell more times this year than since I've owned it. Hunted in just shirtsleeves much of October.
4. Drought. Does that affect the behavior of the deer? Certainly plots were slow to come on, but with hard and soft mast abundant, is it really a big deal?
5. Three harsh winters and now real hard mast for last 2 years until 2016. Deer numbers were down. But still seem to be plenty.
6. Neighbor was trigger happy last year for some reason. Not sure what or how many he legally took. That had an affect I'm sure.
7. We have taken 1-2 mature bucks in '14 and '15. Did we get too aggressive with our 4 year olds?
8. Predator numbers are extremely low. Do they recognize something we human predators don't?
9. In this day and age of large deer numbers, and the love of hunting over piles of corn, or even food plots. Has this destroyed the multitude of hunter's ability of truly knowing how to hunt the deer on their own terms?

I think it could be a combination of all the above. I know it was a problem in many areas of the country, not just mine, as I talk to many of my friends who hunt other states. Do we need to rethink our abilities? Do we need to relearn how to hunt? Have we become addicted to our stands, blinds, plots, etc to an extent that we struggle to change our tactics?
One thing for sure, the more I learn of whitetail behavior, the more I learn how little I know.
And yes, when I get the chance, I'll share that stalk hunt of mine on here. Have a great day. Still couple weeks to hunt that aggravating Whitetail. Peace.

The infamous Hunter's Supermoon rises over my place a few weeks ago.....

 

[Native Hunter]

You ask a multitude of good questions... Yes, I agree that discerning whitetail behavior can be challenging at times.
When I saw that picture I could hear CCR singing Bad Moon Rising in the background....

 

[dogdoc]

Always enjoy your philosophical posts. You raise some great points/questions.

Beautiful pic.

 

[dgallow]

Warmer than average weather here during rut explains much of the harvest declines from year to year.....and we are in an area where warm fall temps are normal and deer have adapted to heat stress. Deer movement often starts late and ends early or may occur during the day in deep shade when it's hot....there was a lot of night rutting on the videos this ear. Variable losses to EHD occur during drought...depends on water source available...they still rut and eat....just fewer for you to see. Predator decline in drought is normal. A doe will breed in thin condition but if habitat conditions won't support a fawn in spring, she can abort late term....longevity of the doe is an adaptation of the specie across many ecoregions....annual reproduction is not the primary goal!