Gone Huntin'

     Been gone all last week hunting. Our muzzleloader deer season started on 11/2. Saw two shooter bucks last week but couldn't get a shot at either one. One is a really nice buck with a high white rack and looks the be an 8 or 10 pointer. One buddy I hunt with has seen him twice and like me couldn't get a shot either time. We figure he has to be using up his 9 lives.
     We are also having a lot of extracurricular activity around the farm this November. The 230kV transmission power line that runs through the middle of the farm is being replaced and we have heavy equipment running all day long. We also have a new house being built on an adjunct farm that was sold a couple of years ago and divided into 1 to 20 acres lots. So we have a lot of sawing and hammering going on with that. Funny thing is the deer don't seem to pay much attention to either. I was hunting a stand about 150 yards from the house and the deer still used their normal travel routes. Even with the noise being irritating to me the deer were unfazed.
     I've got three days off next week so I'll have to make a token appearance at work on Tuesday and Wednesday.  My boss stopped by my office the week before I left and said it might be easier to just let him know when I was going to be at work the next two months instead of when I'm off  :).
     I did get a few of the bigger bucks on camera the last couple of weeks. Plus a bear visiting the mountain pond.

This is the veiw I had most mornings last week.

I think this is the high white horn buck we've been seeing.

Still getting a few bear pics.

High and Tight

     Got these pictures of a pretty big body buck but it's rack is a little weird. The right side looks like it has three points on it and the left I'm not sure it has any. It's a genetic tract in our area that we have a lot of bucks that have this type high and tight rack. I killed a buck that had a rack very similar to this one about 20 years ago. This buck was about 25 yards from one of my hunting stands so hopefully we'll cross paths in a couple of weeks.

Small Buck

     Unfortunately small bucks are all I'm getting so far this fall. I'm guessing this is a 2 1/2 year old buck. Hopefully he'll make it a several of more years to give his antlers time to reach their full potential. It'll be interesting to see if the little sticker point on the inside of the right antler continues to get bigger.
     I'm probably going to set up my dripper again next week if the weather cools down and have deer lure in it this time. It felt like a July day checking the cameras today.

This and That and Goldenrod

Got a lot of variety at the Cedar Ridge set this week plus the goldenrod really started blooming at the end of the week. We usually have this bush hogged down by this time of year but we've just never had the time this year. I think the big bear is the one I've gotten several pics of at the Mt Pond this year. He's hitting the cornfields fatting up for winter now. Love the expression on the little bucks face in it's second pic. I don't think he likes getting his pic taken. The artistic limb in the last two shot are the courtesy of mother nature. A limb above the camera broke and hung down in front of the camera.

Antlers Still Hanging On

Still had one buck that had his antlers last week...one side anyway. I posted pics of the young eight pointer from Feb. 13th, 17th, and 27th. By the 27th he had lost one antler and I'm sure by now he has lost both since they generally drop off in a short period if not at the same time. I need to take a look over the field and power line and see if I can find them.

Also got a nice coyote last week. This is the first coyote I've gotten a picture of in about six months. This is the breeding season so I suspect they are on the prowl more than normal.

Pecking Order

Hope everyone had a great week. I've had another way too busy one again even to the point of getting time to check my cameras. I usually check my cameras on Sunday afternoon but we were suppose to get 6 to 10 inches of snow today so I wanted to check them early. I had hoped to get off early Friday afternoon but an equipment breakdown shot that idea down.  I had promised a friend to help with some painting on Saturday...yes I'm a glutton for punishment ;). So before daylight Saturday morning I was out checking the cameras. Still pretty slow but I did get a few nice shots. Oh, by the way, our 6 to 10 has turned into maybe 1 to 2 and it didn't start until about dark.

Most of you were probably aware that whitetail bucks establish a pecking order but the does also have a pecking order. This series of pics I got last week shows what happens when someone wants to test that order.

Nice peaceful little gatherering.

DON'T make eye contact!

Too late. The fight is on.

Now the victor chases the loser around for a bit.

O.K. That's settled. I like how the buck just goes on calmly eating during the whole thing.

8 Pointer Came Back

The 8 pointer I got on camera a week earlier came back last week also. At least I think it's the same buck. I first thought the tines on this buck was a little shorter than the buck the week before. But after studying them I'm pretty sure it's the same buck. He seemed more interested in the camera last week.

Mix and Match

Got a nice variety of game last week. I moved two of my cameras to new locations. One location I think is going to be great. It's on the edge of a ten acre woodlot that we use as a sanctuary during the hunting season. By sanctuary I mean no one hunts in this woodlot. It's in the center of the farm and the does like to use it to bed in. This is great because that has the bucks moving through other woodlots to get to this one to check on the does. The other camera location is on a steep rocky ridge. I'm hoping to get some bobcat and fox pics there.

Packing all of my gear back in my backpack after setting my camera.

I liked this shot of the little doe.

This young six pointer knows something isn't quite right.





I think this is the same fox. I liked the color it has especially the black leg stockings in the last pic.

Got these two nice bucks at daylight one day on the power line. This camera's IR pics always seen a little grainy.

And of course a raccoon. It must have been lost since there wasn't five more with it :). This was on the steep ridge I mentioned earlier.

A Buck at Last

Finally a buck has come out of hiding. I moved one of the cameras down along a creek next to a rye field that I had seen deer coming into right before dark last week. And I finally guessed right. Looks like a nice young 8 pointer along with his buddy a small spike. Also got some pics of a couple of big does. Hopefully after the holidays I can get back into some serious camera trapping.