Opening Day - Sit #1

Saturday morning, September 17th brought 42 degrees, a south-southeast wind, and overcast skies until about 9am. I sat overlooking the clearing just north of the landing in a stand I hung on Tuesday.

I was sitting by about 5:45-6am and as I was setting up my tree arm for the camera, I heard a deer spook behind me in the dark. That was my only action. Well actually, a grouse land in a tree about 25 feet away from me and I just happened to bring an old spitfire broadhead with. I shot low, but feathers went everywhere. The bird flew away.I sent one of my nice new arrows with a crappy broadhead for a joyride. Good luck recovering that one.
Earlier as I was setting up my camera arm, I remembered that I didn't grab the right adapter mount for camera to fit the arm. So that meant no filming, which really meant no shooting. So there I sat, light not even cracked, knowing I won't be shooting, even if a big buck came out.
I eventually climbed down at about 9am and drove into town to find the missing mount. I pulled my camera down that was over by john's and brought it over to the same scrape up by the border in the refuge. It was surprising to see a scrape that was opened up this early in the year. Three years ago the same scrape was open on October 4th and that was a shocker. We went in and hunted it the first opportunity we had and had an encounter with a real monster. So far it's been just young bucks.

Dad and got to workin on moving two ladder stands around for the upcoming rifle season.

We took down the one he had up east of the three-corner and moved it south of the southwest property corner. On our way back in there we ran into another ladder stand we set up last fall. Although dad saw a mature buck follow a doe through that area, it wasnt quite on the mark. We took the one that was already back there and moved it another 150 yards farther southwest. So when it's all how it should be, we should have one stand in the brush 75 yards south-southwest of the corner and the second should be about 250 yards from the corner. These will be two great options come rut time. The farther stand should be near the core fall area of Mr. 140 or Splitbrow.
On a personal note, while dad and I were situating these ladder stands, Steph called to give an update on her grandma and that I needed to get into town in 30 minutes if I was going to ride with her mom and her aunt to Grand Forks. Well, dad and I dropped everything and luckily had the wheeler with and we flew up to the cabin, quickly locked up, and took off back into town. I had just enough time to clean myself up and off to Grand Forks I went. When it comes down to it, family is the biggest priority after our relationship with Christ and being there for Steph is number one and always will be. I'm not sure when I'll be out hunting again, but I'm sure I'll keep the blog up to date.
All of the bucks should be out of velvet at this point. I caught up with some of the younger locals this week to see their progress.

Shooters are still absent on the cameras. I'm taking HighRise off the hitlist. He just doesn't have enough age on him yet. He could be a 150's deer if I let him live. We'll see what the next week brings. It won't be long before I move all of them onto trails.