Hunting Forum

Lunker , off topic but I was talking to my son and he said that the blazer started sounding like it had lifter noise when it got cold last fall too. Noise went away when it warmed up again. So if you see the young man that has it now you tell him not to worry about it.

ML day 12

Went to sit in the tree stand.  I found a guy using it.  He was nice enough to let me use the stand.  I had not used the stand since opening day of rifle season 2011.  It was the same guy who walked under the stand on opening day of that year.  I had intended to move the stand  before rifle season.  I did not see any deer.

ML day 13,  did not hunt, went to Duluth.

ML day 14.

I sat a little ways off the NW corner of the deer exclosure.  Woods are still noisy but not nearly as noisy as the squirrels. 

I did not see any deer.  I think I will try the tree stand I shot the little doe from tomorrow morning.

-MD

ML day 15

On the way to the tree stand got busted.  Did not see the deer but heard three branches quickly broken.  On the late afternoon hunt I walked extremely slowly.  Saw squirrels but no deer.

ML day 16

Woke up to the forecast of snow.  After church I headed to the cedars that I had the encounter with the pine martin.  The plan was to work north and east in the cedars looking for bedded deer.  Execution was not perfect.  I got snorted by one deer.  I waited trying see if it would circle around me.  Rather than go directly towards the sound of the snort, I circled trying to cut the track.  I did not find it.

At dusk when I could no long see the sights well enough to shoot a deer, I shot the hill side with the powder, bullet, and primer i started the season with.  The gun had been rained on, snowed on. frozen, and thawed but still fired!  In the muzzle loader world that is victory in its self.

This was my second season using a muzzle loader.  It had its moments my close encounter with the fawn and the friendly pine martin.  I will admit by the end of the season my enthusiasm was low.  Yet I finished the season with a bang.

 I hope you late season bow hunters don't give up.

-MD

For the 3rd season in a row I didn't take a deer. Once again it wasn't due to a lack of opportunity during the rifle season, heck, I had a deer in the scope on opening day. It was due to passing on the chances during the rifle season, holding off until the Muzzle loader season.

This was my 3rd ML season, and all 3 have been dramatically different in terms of the weather. I started the rifle season using the 3 wheeler, graduated to the snowmobile for the start of the ML season, and was back on the 3 wheeler by the end of the ML season.

Tho I haven't been successful during the ML season, it has become my favorite season. One of my biggest mistakes over the last 3 ML seasons has been not making the adjustment to the season. I don't get out of my rifle season habits. Our rifle season happens during the peak of the breeding phase of the rut when there is a literal flurry of whitetail activity. By the time our ML season starts whitetail activity has settled down to almost a stand still in comparison to the rifle season.

Hopefully I've finally learned my lesson Heck it only took 3 years Next year for the ML season I'll have to change my scouting, and hunting tactics.

One of the best things that happened this ML season was that I got back into some country that I haven't been into since the early 90's. It's changed a lot since then due to logging activity. It wasn't until the last Saturday that I got into it, but loved what I saw, and intend to put a lot of time into the area during next years ML season. It's also going to be a great grouse hunting area. I'll start scouting the area this coming weekend. At this point I don't believe that I can start scouting too early for next years ML season

Saying that I wasn't successful may be a bit strong, I did have an excellent time in the woods this Fall, and as said, the ML season has become my favorite season, so I guess that either way, in the end I'm a winner

It is all about enjoying your time in the woods.