Tips from my last outing.

1. Don't spray your windicator in front of your face if you wear contacts.

2. Keep your head up. First, you have to see the deer before they see you when running and gunning. Second, and more importantly; stay focused. Too many times I let myself get wore out when I'm not seeing any deer. That's when I get lazy and jump a deer when I wasn't paying attention. You have to think the deer of a lifetime is just behind the next tree. It could be. 

3. Don't think because you've walked down a trail earlier that it's blown. Many times I have gone down a trail only to turn around. I let my guard down on the way back thinking I've already been through there. I've jumped a lot of deer that way. Always be ready. 

4. Pack toilet paper in the most accessible pocket of your pack. 

5. When pausing while still hunting make sure your body is in an easy shooting position. Also, choose spots with shooting lanes and cover. 

Big coyote down!

My first coyote.

II finally got out hunting for a full day. I got into the woods before light with my plan being to run and gun. If I only get out this once I have to give myself the best chance to score. I was the only car at the entrance when I showed up. I passed by and saw a few more trucks come and go. I was the last one out at the end of the day.

Not too cold.

Sunrise after 6am not too bad.

I figured my best approach on a rainy, windy day would be to crash through the thickest brush I could find. The rain and wind held off for the first half of the day. Gun season has been going strong for 5 days so the deer are probably holding tight to cover and paired up for the rut. I started in a swamp that's the thickest woods in the entire area. I started following a game trail into the wind and deeper into the swamp. I was moving as slow as possible, pausing every once in a while for 5 minutes or so. I was seeing nothing but squirrels for the first 45 minutes. Suddenly, I saw something heading down the game trail I was on right at me. It was a large coyote. I raised my 20 gauge open sight brush gun and she turned just a little. I took the shot and dropped her. She probably weighed at least 40 pounds. Her hide was immaculate right down to the black tip on her tail but ticks had infested her face and ears pretty bad.

I walked a little further and came upon another hunter. Funny; I was just thinking that I was probably one of the only hunters to hike this deep into the crazy thick swamp. He probably pushed the 'yote to me since the dope was walking with the wind. He must have found a trail or came in on a road I don't know about.

I changed directions and hiked until dark only sitting to eat a couple sandwiches. I hit all the thick swamps and then made a run into the rolling oak hills but only saw a single deer off of a trail but he saw me first. I did see in a swamp what I assume was a fisher cat. It was black and probably 5 feet from nose to tail. It bounced as it ran like a mule deer and never saw me. Being that I walked up on a coyote and fisher cat and neither predators saw me I was definitely stealth enough to have at least seen a deer. I have no idea where the deer were hiding. My guess is the private property that surrounds this land. The wind was dead in the morning but picked up to a roar by 2pm which didn't help the afternoon hunting.

I found a bunch of new places to hunt next bow season. There were awesome rubs in the swamp I started in. If I get out again I will probably sit there. I wanted to sit down at a bunch of spots but was too worried I only had one day to hunt and I didn't want to put all my chips on one spot. This years acorn crop is incredible making the deer not have to move much to find food. Walking around sounds like a bowl of Rice Krispies and walking on rocks is like trying to balance on marbles. The GPS said I put on about 5 miles of hiking which doesn't take into account all the hills and swamps so I was pretty beat by the end of the day. I don't get out enough anymore. A couple times I was dragging a little and I have to remind myself " Dude, you are hunting deer in the Maine big woods." Growing up I read every outdoor magazine and watched Tom Miranda and Jackie Bushman, it was always my dream to go to awesome places like this and hunt big deer. I am an explorer at heart and Nolan probably will be too. We just have to go and see whats over the next hill.

Coming out of the swamp I had to cross the little stream that splits the area. At its deepest that I have found it might go 3' and 10' at its widest. I saw 2 small fish at the spot I crossed that I am convinced were some kind of trout. They were about 5" and shot down stream as soon as I approached. That was pretty cool.

A fresh scrape I found at first light.

Acorns were everywhere and the deer know it.

The swamp I started in.

Lunch time.

Nice rub deep in the big woods.

You know I love ancient tree stands.

Rub City right outside the swamp.

I decided I needed some lucky socks so I picked up a pair of Farm to Feet socks. They are 100% made in the USA and a lifetime warranty. They were pretty comfortable. I didn't get cold and they never slid down in my boot. They should put a pic of a coyote on the side instead of a deer though. They weren't lucky for deer. I may write a letter. 

Used a shot of the Golden Estrus.

Coming up I have a lot of work to do for Ice Fishing season. I have put together a team and we are going to fish the two biggest derbies around for big money. We are raising money for a charity at the events but we haven't chosen one yet. Should at least get me some time on the ice though.

Gear Review: Shot the New Mathews NoCam

I got to shoot the new Mathews NoCam bow the day it came out. I will spare you the debate on whether or not the bow actually has cams or what constitutes a cam. I can tell you that it is very refreshing to see bow manufacturers coming up with new ideas. This bow draws very smooth and evenly. I was most impressed with the back wall which was more definite than any bow I have ever shot. I don't think this thing will revolutionize the industry, but they are cool and worth giving a couple shots. And that is a current Hoyt shooter's two cents.

Deer are dropping.

What kind of a hunting and fishing blog doesn't post anything in October?! Well, the kind that has a newborn baby and hasn't hunted or fished. The Rut is in full swing and deer are dropping everywhere. My brother has scored on 2 deer and I have been out twice with my bow. I am dying to get in the woods more but work and family come first.

My brother took a nice buck in Michigan with my old Alien X bow. He later shot a doe with it as well.
I found an area to hunt just 5 minutes from where I work. The first time I walked the property I saw plenty of does and great area. Its a mix of thick brush from a clear cut surrounded by thick swamp and some oak flats. I put 2 cameras out and hunted the place twice during bow season but had no luck. There are woodcock all through the clear cut which was cool. I don't know if I have ever ran into those before. I found a giant bed bigger than any deer bed I have ever seen behind some houses with a few rubs around it. I set up a camera there and another one on an obvious trail leading in and out of an oak flat. The camera on the bed, unknown to me, had a half full card and the only tree I had available to put it on was any an inch and a half around so I came back to a full card of 350 pics of nothing from a few windy days. The camera only ran for two days but I did get some deer pics and some cool pics of a gray fox. The camera by the oaks caught what I thought it would; a bunch of deer fleeing through the exit route. I got zero pictures of bucks. When I went to pick up the cameras I hunted for a few hours and there was new buck sign around which gave me hope but I only saw one deer while hunting the area and that deer busted my coming back to sit in the oaks after retrieving a camera. It rained like crazy both days I tried to hunt.

A rock wall runs straight through the oak flat.

Gray Fox

Bird

Something in this pic bottom right. Probably the fox again.

An old make-shift bridge over a creek. It is made from wood from an old signs from a retail warehouse that isn't used anymore.

I am going to try to get out tomorrow for an all day hunt. Its gun season and I have an any-deer tag burning a hole in my camo.

Fall is the best time to take Rusty to the beach as it is deserted and not too cold yet.

Nolan is getting big and changing everyday. We celebrated his first Halloween.