2010 Hunting Season

[Professor T]

10/1/10
Beautiful morning, cool and calm.
Don – Shaking Tree- 5:30am to 9:00 am I was hoping to get an early shot at some hogs. They are off schedule now and only at night. A few morning show ups. 7:14 am a big coon walked across my setup. That was the highlight of the morning.

Ed – Killing Tree – 5:30am to 9:15am. From the time he got to the plot until I chased the last two off there were deer in front of him. He chased 2 off the plot when he got there and 1 spike “One Claw” and 3 does two of the yearlings were in and out the plot all morning.

Don – Shaking Tree – 4:45pm till 7:15pm I jumped 1 Doe and 2 Fawns off plot when I arrived. Later a fawn came out where the 2 fawns had gone in. It fed for quite awhile and left the way it came in. Shortly after a doe with 1 fawn came across the ditch from the Ridge Runner Trail. Not long after “Super Spike” came off the W-Plot. He bossed the rice bran pile. The doe and fawn left at 3-Trees and a little while later a doe with two fawns came out from the same place. They stayed on the north side of the plot and got spooked and ran in the NW corner. The spike got nervous and followed them in..

Ed – Killing Tree – 4:15pm to 7:30pm Ed chased 2 deer off plot when he arrived (1 spike and 1 deer). Once settled in stand 2 fawns came out the NE corner out of cutover and went towards the south. Then “Super Spike” came out the north cutover by the feeder. Later 5 deer came from the south 2 spikes “Boo Hoo”, “One Claw”, 1 doe, and 2 fawns. Then another doe came out Buck Point. And later another doe came out Buck Point.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMVNWKWSdV4

[Professor T]

10/2/10
Don – Shaking Tree – 5:45am to 9:00am One Doe and 2 Fawns came out NE corner out of Wagon Trail. They fed under me most of the morning.

Ed – Killing Tree – 5:45 to 8:45am 1 Doe came out Buck Point at 7:00 am, at 8:15am 1 spike “One Claw” came from behind stand.

Around 10:30am Ed and I took a ride to see land and pull TC pics on the E-Plot. While parked and talking on the T-Plot a spike and another yearling walked out the NW side of the plot and walked within 30 yards of us before leaving on the NE corner of the plot. Ed and I looked for an arrow that fell off my stand during the high wind. Two were in the quiver and the third just vanished. Still have not found it. On the ride back there was a spike “One Claw” and a doe on the E-Plot.

Don – Shaking Tree – 4:15pm to 7:30 pm At 5pm I stood up to stretch and could not sit down the rest of the hunt because of deer in front of me. A doe with twin fawns came out the NE corner of the plot and came right to the stand to feed. At 5:30pm all three deer stared at the W-Plot and I looked to see a deer comeing out of the Ridge Runner Trail. When it saw the doe and fawns it came straight in. A couple of seconds after he headed my way I saw another buck cross the ditch from the RR Trail to the T-Plot. This is a normal short cut the deer take frequently. The first buck was “Super Spike” and the second, a 6 point was “PoBoy” they came to the feed and chased the doe and fawns away. Both bucks stayed until dark.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh9qcwGwoQE

Ed – Killing Tree – 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Early 1 deer crossed behind the stand, later a doe came out north of the feed trough, then a 6 point “Lefty” came out Buck Point, then a spike “One Claw” came out the north cut over. After a while Ed got a shot at “Lefty” which is the largest of the 6 points seen so far. He was still in velvet. The arrow went between its legs and then the buck bust have stepped on the arrow because it broke in half when he jumped. No hair or blood on arrow at all. It was a clean miss at 22 yards. All the deer left the plot. Not long after the red doe came back out north of the trough. Then “One Claw” came back out the Creek Rd followed by a doe. Then an 8 point which had been caught on Trail Cam for the first time the night before came out of Buck Point. We had named him “Knuck” because it looked like he had a swollen knuckle (lower right front leg). Ed shot the 8 point at 18 yards. The deer had spun around while shooting and instead of being quartering away it was quartering to him when the arrow hit. Ed went back to the camp and waited on me. By the time we got everything ready to trail him the deer was shot 1 ¾ hours. He didn’t leave much of a blood trail. One drop every 5 yards or so and not many dead leaves in the cutover to see the blood on. Ed stuck with it hard on his knees at times crawling through thick cover. The deer did not take an easy path. We both were praying not to lose it. When the deer started heading down the steep slope he started bleeding and led us right to him. The deer had just died. There was blood still dripping out of him.

While the buck was on the small side of the 2.5 yo range it is still a trophy for my brother. His biggest bow buck yet. It was a good day, which ended about 1:15am after cleaning the deer.

This is "Lefty" the buck that Ed shot between the legs on his first shot.


"Knuck" appeared on TC the night before he was killed.


"Knuck" just before being shot.


It was easier to drag the deer down to the creek then to go back uphill with him. He definately didn't make it easy on the recovery.


Photo Shoot

[Professor T]

10/3/10
We slept in this morning because of the late night deer cleaning. In the morning we went to pull TC pics and dump the guts near the creek. While passing the hog trap we noticed that we caught two shoats. These are the two that have been hanging around the T-Plot. We picked up my stuff at the Shaking Tree and baited all the spots. “Bayou Boy” from Stick and Strings and Bayou Bucks called and he was on the Angola Rd. We headed back and he and his family were at the camp waiting on us. We talked for a while and they were on their way to the Angola Rodeo and Craft show. It was good meeting someone who I have conversed with through the forums for years.

Right after they left we went to the back and killed the hogs and brought them back to the camp and cleaned them. I dumped the guts in the back while Ed cleaned up around the camp. After straightening up we left for home around 1 pm. Got to go to church this evening to thank God for his gift of this weekend. Also pray for Rambow to kill the Big 8.

[Professor T]

10/8/10
Kevin - Killing Tree – pm Saw 1 doe
Brady – Shaking Tree – pm Saw 2 Fawns
They spent the night at the camp and went to work with some hay the next morning.

10/9/10
I arrived at the camp around noon. Shortly after Brady and Kevin went to work the hay. They came back later to make the evening hunt.

Don – Shaking Tree – 3:30 pm to 7:15 pm Deer were present for most of the hunt. They were back and forth making it hard to know if it was the same deer or not. I saw 3 Fawns, 2 Does, and a 6 point twice “PoBoy”.

Kevin – Killing Tree – pm Kevin saw 3 deer very late

Brady – Loan Oak – pm Brady saw 2 Fawns, 1 Doe, and 2 long spikes all the deer were at the south end of the plot.

10/10/10
After a late night Kevin and Brady slept in. I seriously thought about it in the morning but got up and made it to the stand before dawn.

Don – Shaking Tree – 5:45 to 8:30 am I saw 2 Fawns, two Does, and 1 long Spike.(8”)

After I checked the hog trap, pulled pics, and went to church.

Don – Shaking Tree – 4:00 to 7:15 pm Deer were very spooky this evening with very little wind . One deer blew just north of the plot and another kept blowing on the East ridge. I saw 6 Fawns and 4 Does. I saw 1 deer on the W-Plot OWO. Went home.

[Professor T]

10/15/10
I stopped by Rambow’s camp on the way to mine and Rambow had repaired the coupling for the seed spreader that we broke while planting the plots. It was very much appreciated. I met Cro (Jeff LeBlanc) at my camp and he had straightened up my porch for me and bagged some of the corn and ricebran for the hunt.

Don – T-Plot – OWI– 1 Fawn
Don - Shaking Tree - 4 to 7:15pm – 2 Fawns, 1 Doe, 1 six point “PoBoy”, 1 Spike
“BooHoo”
Don – W-Plot – OWO– 1 Deer
Cro – Killing Tree - 4 to 7:15pm – 2 Fawns, 3 does, 1 Spike “One Claw”, 1 three point
“Super Spike”

After the hunt we met Rambow at Sonny’s for supper. We had a great time.

[Professor T]

10/16/10
Don – Shaking Tree – 6 to 9:00 am – 2 Fawns, 2 Does
Don shot a 120 lb. doe at 7:15am from Shaking Tree and she ran about 20 yards into cutover on NE corner of T-Plot.
Cro – Killing Tree – 6 to 9:10 am – 2 Deer, 2 Fawns, 1 Doe, 1 eight point Four wheeler
at Scott’s scared deer off plot.
Don – Shaking Tree – 4 to 7:15pm – 2 Fawns
Cro – Killing Tree – 4 to 7:15pm – 4 Fawns, 2 Does, 3 Spikes “BooHoo”, “One Claw”,
and 4” short Spike.

Rambow invited us over to eat deer burgers with him, his son Chris, and Chris’s FIL. We ate very well and talked a little to long. Both Jeff and I were worn out. But it was good times at the deer camp with good friends. It makes it hard to leave.

[Professor T]

10/17/10
Don- Shaking Tree – 6 to 8:00am – 2 Fawns
Cro – Killing Tree – 6 to 8:00am – 3 Fawns, 2 Does, 2 spikes “BooHoo” and “OneClaw” and a large 8 point.
Cro shot the 8 point around 6:40am and saw the arrow hit. It did not pass through and looked like the arrow flexed on impact. There was no blood on the plot nor in the cutover. We walked the East ridge from the Buck Point Rd to the box stand and found no trace. He didn’t recognize the deer from trailcam pics so we will have to wait to find out which deer doesn’t show up.
Don – Killing Tree – 4 to 7:00pm – 4 Fawns, 2 Does, 2 spikes “BH” and “OC”
Cro – Shaking Tree – 4 to 7:00 pm – 2 Fawns, 1 Doe

We were fairly tired from hunting hard the last couple of days so we stayed at the camp and ate Roast beef sandwiches.

[Professor T]

10/18/10
Don – Killing Tree – 6 to 9:00am – 1 Fawn
Cro – shaking Tree – 6 to 9:00am – 3 Fawns, 1 Doe

We looked for Jeff’s 8 point again searching separately thru the ridge. Still nothing to be found. After that Cro packed up while I took care of a few things in the back to set up for Thursday’s hunt. We had a great time as we always do. It was a little discouraging for Jeff that we lost his buck but these things happen. Hopefully the buck survived to make another hunter happy one day.

When I got home I went to Walmart to buy some bacon ends and beef brisket to mix with the deer meat. Then I picked up my grandson, Austin from school and we both processed the deer together. He stuck with me the entire time putting the cut up pieces into the bowl, keeping the bowl at the end of the grinder turned so the meat would stay even, opening the ziplock bags for me to put the ground meat in. For a 5 year old he was a big help.

[Professor T]

10/21/10
I met John and Jonathan Faust at the camp at midday. John hardwired my water heater which had melted the plug that I was using last week. This was a great favor. Thanks for all the help. We prepared for the evening hunt and I showed them which books are allowed to be shot. I put Super Spike on the hit list because he meets the archery criteria being a 2.5 year old but he only has 3 points.

John – E-Plot – OWI – saw 2 Deer, 1 Doe
John – Lone Oak – 4 to 7 pm – saw 5 Does
Jonathan – Shaking Tree – 4 to 7 pm – saw 1 Fawn, 2 Does, 1 Spike
Don – Killing Tree – saw 2 Fawns, 3 Does

[Professor T]

10/22/10
I am trying real hard to make as many morning hunts as possible this year as opposed to years passed. So far I am sticking to my plan.

John – Lone Oak – 6 to 9 am – saw 4 Does
Jonathan – Shaking Tree – 6 to 9 am – saw 3 Fawn, 2 Does
Don – Killing Tree – 6 to 9 am - saw 1 Doe

Jonathan had previous commitments for that evening so we made plans for their next visit and they went home.

Don – Killing Tree – saw 3 Fawns, 1 Doe, 1 Spike “OC”

[Professor T]

10/23/10
My brother, Paul came up to make a couple of hunts. I cooked some eggs and bacon for breakfast and he brought a crock pot and made a beef stew while we were hunting. Man it was good to have a hot meal at the camp waiting on our return.

Paul – Shaking Tree – 4 to 7 pm – saw 2 Deer, 3 Fawns, 4 Does
Don – Killing Tree – 4 to 7 pm - saw 2 Fawns, 2 Does

[Professor T]

10/24/10
Paul – Shaking Tree – 6 to 10 am – saw 2 Fawns, 2 Does
Don – Killing Tree – 6 to 9 am - saw 2 Fawns, 2 Does

When I left the stand Scott was at his saw mill. I asked him how much I owed for the road work so I could pay him. I went back to the camp and wrote a check ($250) and on the way to pick up my brother I stopped back and paid him. Paul and I had more Eggs and bacon and we looked at the trailcam pics. He showed me something he noticed about older bucks and we looked at my bucks and found it to be true. When a buck gets wrinkles in his skin in front of his ears with the ears pointed backwards it is an older buck. None of my 2.5 year old bucks had these wrinkles and the older bucks showed them in a few pictures. Not all pictures will show this but when you see this it may indicate age.
Paul – Shaking Tree – 4 to 7 pm – saw 1 Fawns, 2 Bucks 6 pt “PB” and 3 pt “SS”
Don – Killing Tree – 4 to 7 pm - saw 2 Fawns, 2 Does, 3 Bucks 6 pt “PB” and 3 pt “SS”
and 9 pt “Stubs”

[Professor T]

10/26/10
I purchased a crock pot and beef stew ingredients on the way to the camp. On the stand for 4 pm and jumped 2 fawns OWI. Later I saw a fawn coming from Kolton’s Korner it was followed by its twin. The doe met them later at the BTP Rd where she and the spike called “One Claw” came out. They circled me wary of the wind and the tree. They soon left into the western cutover. Just before dark another spike came out the BTP Rd. and I believe it was “BooHoo”. It got startled by something and ran towards the creek.

Don – E-Plot – OWI - saw 2 Fawns
Don – Killing Tree – 4 to 7 pm - saw 2 Fawns, 1 Doe, 2 spikes “OC” and “BH”

[Professor T]

10/27/10
Got up to go hunting and was met at the door by a heat wave. I went back to bed. Pulled TC pics and big bucks are still here. Made evening hunt at Killing Tree again Saw the same 4 deer. 2 Fawns, 1 Doe, 1 Spike “OC”

Don – Killing Tree – 4 to 7 pm - saw 2 Fawns, 1 Doe, 1 spike “OC”

[Professor T]

10/28/10
Got up again to go hunting but wind was blowing like crazy. Sleep meant more to me than hunting in those conditions. Went back to bed again. I moved the hog trap to near the Lone Oak Stand and baited it up. The hogs are back in full force again.Hunted Killing tree in the evening again. Only saw two fawns but the doe was hanging out just inside the cutover. Never saw her.

Don – Killing Tree – 4 to 7 pm - saw 2 Fawns