Time to start getting ready

Like most hunters, I had other pursuits since the Spring Turkey season. I spent a lot of time up at the resovoir hot after those trophy Trout we have in there. I was somewhat successful again this season but that true monster trophy keeps alluding me.
 
This weekend will find me digging out all of my bowhunting gear. Everything will be cleaned, sorted and tuned. A little shooting in the backyard and a stretch of those drawback muscles as I like to call them.
 
Next weekend I'm heading upstate to my buddies place for a look around. We'll inspect all the stands, clear some shooting lanes and maybe place a new stand or two. We'll also take a peak at the food plots and see what's skulking about at night. It's a boys night out kind of weekend. We'll char a couple of steaks and sample a bottle of that Johny Walker we're so fond of. Great to just get away and start anticipating the upcoming season.
 
After that it's practicing in the back yard often until it gets to be an every day affair. The season will be upon us in a heartbeat. Good hunting to all!!!
 

The freshest tracks still have feet in them.

 Sounds like a plan....especially the part about steaks & Johhny Walker!

Jeff

Enjoy that time John.  I am looking to head to the family farm one more time with my Dad just for a guys weekend like yours.  Of course when your land backs up to Jack Daniels property there best not be any Johnny Walker in the house.  LOL!

Love playing that string music and sending a Muzzy flying!

How do you stay in the stand with all of that sweet smell of JD flowing through the woods?  Remember all, don't over do it at the start or you'll be hurting and developing bad habits just so you can shoot. Take it easy at first, especially those of you that have had your equip in the closet for month's. Give yourself some good stretching first.

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

  Good stretching....=loosening the cap???

Jeff

ROFLMAO Shadow!  Those caps can be bad when you haven't practiced.  Lucky for me I have a nice year round regimen that keeps my cap removing skills in fine form!  LOL!

Love playing that string music and sending a Muzzy flying!

Me too, it's my favorite off season training regime.  LMAO!!!!!!

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

It's encouraging to know that I'm not alone. Cheers!

The freshest tracks still have feet in them.

We're heading North again this weekend for a bit more scouting and Johnny Walker. The first trip showed plenty of Doe and a gosh awful number of Fawns, I'm happy to say. The herd wintered over well. The food plots on the other hand didn't fair as well. The clover that had been planted on the top plot was DOA. Just too much heat and little if any rain. Pretty much a dust bowl. We had planned on planting the bottom plot but with the lack of rain it just may be a waste of time. Rain in the forecast but we need some consistant precepitation to establish the bed. We'll play it by ear.
 
In any event we plan to relocate one ladder stand in the thick stuff below the bottom field where we had pruned and fertilized the apple trees late winter. The trails through there are heavily worn.  A new stap on stand and a ladder will go just off the top food plot allowing us to pick one of three different stands to use depending on the wind any particular day. Seasons a comin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The freshest tracks still have feet in them.

The weather is definitely goofy as you aren't getting any rain and it won't stop over in northern Minnesota where a couple friends live!!!

Mike Stephenson
aka Topgun----30-06

  Need any help with that Johnny Walker, just give me a shout!!!
 
  Been seeing a lot of does here and DEC isn't issuing DMPs for 4Z.  Only buck so far was the 4-pointer behind the house.  Have to set up the game cam in the State Park and/or sit on one of the open fields and see what may be running over there.

Jeff

Well we had a very productive and busy weekend. Although it had been bone dry in my neck of the woods the rains came to deer camp, 155 miles northwest of me. The clover on the top field came back with a vengeance. It was lush and the deer were all over it. Tom had already purchased the seed and fertilizer for the bottom field and his good friend and Farmer, Gary, got to work after the first rain and finished the field off. By the time we came back to camp, a couple of weeks later, the turnip greens were well established.
 
I arrived Friday late morning and opened the house, turned on the water and gassed up the quads after unloading my truck. I drove to town and picked up some supplies. I went back to the house and shot my bow for some time when Tom arrived. We rode up to the fields and the deer where feeding on the clover. Eight deer bound off as we approached. We inspected all the stands and basically decided which were to be relocated and what other chores needed to be done.
 
We were both beat from working all week. Tom has been working nights and only had two hours sleep. We had an early dinner, "a drink or two", and hit the sack early. I was up at five, made coffee and decided to tip toe up the trail to see what was happening in the fields. I arrived there just at dawn and spotted eight deer on the top field. I was having trouble keeping my bi-carbs steady for some reason. Nothing to do with the "drink or two" from the night before I'm sure. Anyway as I stood there fumbling with my glasses a big Doe walked out from behind some brush not 20 feet from me. She caught me flatfooted in the middle of the trail, she stomped her foot and gave out a blow. Suddenly there were tails flying everywhere, at least twenty that I could count and no I wasn't seeing double. Like I said it was only a "drink or two."
 
Anyway we got to it and relocated three ladder stands and placed another lock on stand and a ladder. It took a lot of tree trimming and cutting to make shooting lanes on them. All the stands were placed in thick pine trees giving us plenty of cover along with some scent control. We also cleared shooting lanes on another four existing stands. It was hard work and we were soaked with sweat and covered with pine pitch, dirt and saw dust.
 
As that wasn’t enough we rode over to Tom’s neighbor, Vern, to borrow his tractor and brush hog. Vern had gone into town and the hog was broken. Vern had purchased the parts that were needed so Tom and I got to work and fixed it. We then drove the tractor back to the upper food plot and mowed the clover. While we were mowing Deer came into the lower field to feed and just watched as we worked. They were waiting for us to leave so they could get to the clover.
 
With our work done we drove back to return the tractor. Vern and his lovely wife were back and offered us some ice cold ones. It was welcome after a long day afield. We finally turned in around 10:00 PM after a quick dinner and yes a bit more of the Johnny. The next morning the skies opened up and we got a soaking rain. Our timing couldn’t have been better. The fertilizer should be well soaked in by now. We have a number of blue bird days coming up with warm temperatures so the food plots should flourish. We’ll leave the property alone now until bow season opens. We feel good about our prospects.

The freshest tracks still have feet in them.

  Great report!  Good reading.  looks like you guys should do okay...
  My daughter (6) and I got the trail cam set up.  She found some deer bones nearby & started her "CSI" schtick; photos, examination, etc....says she'll figure out the cause of death & such soon!

Jeff